As the kiss intensified, Bruce felt his heartbeat steady under her touch.
Her hand traced downward then, unhurried and deliberate, brushing over his chest. With a faint, knowing smile against his lips, her fingers found the buttons of his shirt and began to undo them one by one, the gesture intimate yet tender, more caring than provocative.
She finally pulled back just enough to look at him, her eyes warm, filled with quiet affection and unmistakable closeness.
"Relax," she whispered softly, her forehead resting against his. "You're home now."
And in that moment, with the steam curling around them and the scent of cedar and warmth filling the room, Bruce believed it completely.
Sophie's fingers lingered at the last button of his shirt, her touch light, deliberate, as though each small motion was a promise. When the fabric finally parted, she eased it off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor with a soft hush.
