Chapter 95

Anastasia was actually a pretty good cook. Living with her grandmother, Elisabeth, had been worried about Anastasia taking care of herself after she was gone, so she’d made sure to teach her granddaughter how to cook properly. Anastasia had a natural talent for it, too.

Soon, she brought out the finished sandwich and salad. The grilled chicken was perfectly golden, the avocado creamy, and the mixed greens looked fresh and crisp. The whole plate looked absolutely appetizing.

Cassian sat at the dining table, looking at the meal with obvious satisfaction.

“This looks amazing. Thank you.”

“Go ahead and eat. I’m gonna grab a shower,” Anastasia said casually.

At those words, Cassian’s eyes darkened with unmistakable heat. Anastasia could feel his intense gaze and quickly turned toward the bathroom, the sound of running water soon filling the apartment.

Cassian sat at the table, but his eyes couldn’t help following her until the bathroom door closed. He looked down at the sandwich in front of him, still warm and smelling incredible, and felt an unexpected wave of contentment. He was surprised by how much he enjoyed this domestic life.

Picking up the sandwich, he took a bite. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, the avocado smooth and rich, the bread toasted just right. Simple, but completely satisfying.

After finishing, Cassian cleared the dishes and washed them in the kitchen. The shower turned off, and a few minutes later, Anastasia emerged wearing a soft pink pajama set, her hair still damp and loose around her shoulders.

She saw Cassian standing by the kitchen and looked slightly surprised. “You’re done already?”

“Yeah, it was delicious,” Cassian nodded, his heated gaze taking her in.

Anastasia felt self-conscious under his stare and looked down, toweling her hair. “Good. I’m just gonna blow-dry my hair.”

“Let me help,” Cassian said suddenly.

Before Anastasia could process what he’d said, he was already beside her, taking the towel from her hands and gently drying her hair. His touch was soft, his fingers occasionally brushing her scalp, sending little shivers through her. Anastasia stood frozen, her heartbeat picking up. They were standing so close now she could smell his cologne. The atmosphere instantly became charged.

“You… you don’t have to do this,” she said quietly, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness.

“I want to,” Cassian’s voice was low and warm in her ear. “You made me dinner, I’ll dry your hair. Fair trade.”

His voice was hypnotic, and before Anastasia knew what was happening, her hair was dry and Cassian was lifting her into his arms, carrying her toward the bedroom. The temperature in the room quickly began to rise…

The next morning, Anastasia woke up to find telltale marks all over her skin, her face flushing with embarrassment. She quickly found a high-necked blouse and buttoned it all the way up.

When she came out, Cassian had already prepared breakfast.

“Why don’t you sleep in? If you’re tired, just call in sick today,” Cassian suggested with a knowing smile.

“No, I have work to do,” Anastasia replied, still flustered. There was no way she was calling in sick for this reason—how mortifying would that be?

After breakfast, Anastasia hurried off to work. The initial jewelry designs for Sonia were finished, and she needed to send them for approval today. When she arrived at the office, her coworkers were already trickling in, clustering in small groups and whispering about something. Anastasia usually avoided office gossip, so she went straight to her desk and set down her bag.

That’s when Sharlene approached with a conspiratorial expression. “Ana, you’re not gonna believe this gossip. Turns out our Mr. Rhodes really is involved with that dancer, Sonia Vinci.”