Chapter 156

The scene unfolding before me overwhelmed me. Never in a million years did I expect to walk in on Hayden fresh from the shower. He was only wearing a towel, loosely tied around his waist, revealing his entire chest—and little else. Hayden looked equally shocked, a faint blush rising on his tanned skin.

For a few seconds, we stood frozen, staring at each other in silence. Hayden was the first to break the spell, retreating into his room. Only then did I manage to move, stiff and awkward, swallowing hard. My face burned.

Watching him close the door, I assumed he was getting dressed. Before I could think, I blurted, "Hayden, wait! Don't put anything on yet, just wait for me." The words were out before I could stop them. What had I just said? I'd told him not to get dressed and to wait for me. Technically, it made sense. But in this context? What kind of bizarre, suggestive nonsense had escaped my lips? I wanted to disappear.

But I couldn't, and it was too late to retract my statement. I hurried back to my apartment, grabbed the clothes I'd bought for him, and went straight to his door. Knocking twice, I said, "I got you some clothes. I left them outside. They should fit better." There was no way I was explaining my earlier outburst; that would only make things worse.

I was about to set the bag down when the door opened. Hayden stood there, fully dressed in a crisp white dress shirt and black slacks. His tie was absent, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, creating a casually polished look. I'd never seen him dressed like this. His tan skin led me to believe this style wouldn't suit him; my chosen outfit for him was far more relaxed. But now, I questioned my fashion sense. He pulled off the look effortlessly, like a subtly stylish CEO.

Lost in thought, I barely registered his fingers brushing mine as he took the bag. He glanced inside. "Is this what you wanted me to wear?"

I shook my head. "No, no… you look great as you are."

Hayden looked back at the bag. "Then I'll wear what you bought next time."

He casually put the clothes away while I stood awkwardly by the door, my eyes wandering around his room—specifically, his bed. His apartment wasn't large, and the bed dominated the space. It was one of those pieces he'd convinced the landlord to provide, and the blanket was folded with military precision. The sight alone made me want to salute.

Hayden returned. "Alright, let's go."

As he headed for the door, I couldn't resist asking, "Hayden, do you have OCD or something?"

"Huh?" He looked confused.

I pointed at the perfectly folded blanket. "You're not in the army anymore, so why do you still fold your blanket like that? How much time do you spend doing that every day? Isn't it a little… unnecessary?"

"Just a habit," he replied, concise as always.

"I think it's more like an obsession," I muttered. Habits are one thing, but most are quick and easy. Folding a blanket into a perfect square every day sounded exhausting. I almost wanted to mess it up to see his reaction.

He didn't argue. "Maybe so."

His eyes flicked to Matthew's gift. He reached out. "I'll carry that."

I smiled. "It's fine, I got it."

But Hayden reached for it again. "I'm not the kind of guy who lets his girlfriend carry things." His fingers brushed mine again, sending a strange electric tingle through me. I quickly withdrew my hand.

As we left, I couldn't help but mention the awkward shower incident. "Why didn't you close the door all the way when you got home?"