28. Lovely Sight

Antonio emerged from the bath, feeling the cool air brush against his damp skin, causing droplets of water to shiver along his arms. He wrapped himself in a towel, the fabric absorbing the warmth of the bathwater, and a sense of relaxation replaced the tension in his muscles. Reflecting on Valerie’s actions, Antonio couldn’t deny their significance. Her touch had been more than physical; it was a gesture of surrender, a silent acknowledgment of trust. He could still feel the ghost of her touch, stirring joy and satisfaction deep within him. Drying himself, Antonio paused, contemplating the shift he sensed in Valerie—walls crumbling, defenses yielding. “Opening up,” he muttered to himself with a faint smile. Determination hardened within him. Valerie’s act wasn’t merely intimate; it was a declaration, intentional or not. Antonio Leones was not one to shy away from challenges; he intended to claim her heart just as surely as she had claimed his, unwittingly. Pulling on his pajama pants,