Chapter 28

Annie's POV

The steam from the shower had filled the bathroom with a warm, eucalyptus-scented mist. I leaned against the counter, waiting for Howard to finish. When the water finally stopped, the silence that followed felt heavy with a comfortable intimacy.

Howard stepped out, a towel draped low around his waist. In the soft light, the exhaustion of the day seemed to have melted away, replaced by a quiet strength. I watched him run a hand through his damp hair, a simple, everyday gesture that somehow made my breath catch. It wasn't about the perfection of his form; it was about the fact that he was here, with me, in the quiet sanctuary we had built together.

"You're staring," he said, a playful glint appearing in his dark eyes as he caught my reflection in the mirror.

"I'm observing," I corrected, a small smile playing on my lips.

He walked over, the warmth from his body radiating toward me. He didn't say anything, but the way he looked at me—with a mixture of reverence and undeniable affection—said more than any grand declaration could. He reached out, his hand gently cupping my cheek. His skin was still warm from the shower, and his touch sent a soothing spark through me.

"Everything we've fought for," he whispered, his voice low and steady, "it's all worth it for moments like this."

I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes. The physical attraction was there, a constant hum in the background, but it was the profound sense of safety I felt in his presence that truly mattered. In that small, steam-filled room, we weren't a CEO and a survivor; we were simply two people who had found their way home to each other.