The tension had melted from the small examination room. Ice sat on the edge of the sink, half-melted, and the weight of clocks, schedules, and responsibility had stayed behind somewhere beyond the gym walls. Here, two people sat side by side—not training, but arriving at each other.
But the day hadn't stopped. The tour didn't wait. And the body—even if granted a moment of stillness—was ready to move.
Lennox's gaze drifted to the ankle, then to Sloane's face, then back again.
"Can you stand?" he asked quietly.
"Of course," Sloane nodded. "It's not broken. A little tight, but nothing serious. As long as I don't put too much weight on it, it's fine."
"Good," Lennox nodded, and after a long second, he simply lifted her into his arms.
Sloane let out a surprised laugh. She didn't resist, d
