Caz
The house was dark when I returned from the council meeting, the kind of darkness that felt peaceful, not empty. I locked the door behind me and shrugged off my jacket, my body aching with frustration. We’d gone in circles all night—laws, customs, posturing. No solutions.
All I wanted now was Taryn.
I padded down the hall quietly, following the faint sound of running water and soft humming. The bathroom door was slightly ajar, warm steam curling out. I pushed it open gently and stopped in my tracks.
Taryn was in the tub, her hair pinned loosely on top of her head, bare shoulders glistening beneath the dim light. She was humming softly, arms resting on the edge of the porcelain, her face tilted up like she was trying to soak in every ounce of heat.
She looked like a painting. Soft
