The gentle hum of the waves became their background music as they finished their meal, but neither Anna nor Jaden seemed eager to leave. There was a rare ease between them—a fragile truce hovering in the air.
Jaden pushed himself up from the blanket with the same effortless grace he carried everywhere, brushing the sand off his tailored slacks. His sharp gaze dropped to his shoes, and without a word, he began to slip them off. The sand clung to his bare feet, and Anna watched in quiet fascination as he rolled up the hems of his pants.
Then he looked at her.
Just a look.
But it was the kind that held weight—an unspoken invitation.
Anna’s heart stumbled over itself. She knew what he wanted. He was asking her to do the same, without actually saying it. And for some reason, she wanted to.
