26. SOUR DESIRE.

ANASTASIA’S POV Dinner was over, Isaac stood and began clearing the table, stacking the plates. I stayed where I was with my chin propped in my hand and just… watching him. There was something strangely intimate about it. The way he moved, sleeves rolled up, forearms flexing as he ran the water and washed the dishes. The soft sounds of clinking glass and running water filled the space, mingling with the faint hum of the music still playing. Every now and then, he glanced over his shoulder, catching me staring. He didn’t say anything. When he finished, he turned off the tap and reached for a towel, drying his hands. Before he could even turn fully, I was already on my feet. My hands found his neck and my fingers curled around the back of it as I pulled him down toward me. The movement caught him off guard and his body stumbled just slightly forward until I was pressed between him and the counter. My back met the cool surface, but all I could feel was the warmth radiating from him.