Chapter 104


    Brandon seemed just as surprised to bump into her, his gaze lingering on her bare shoulders for a


    moment before shifting away, his body subtly turning to the side.


    “Why are you still up sote?” Brandon asked, without looking at her.


    “I already took a nap, just woke up,” Sophia replied softly, trying to keep her voice steady while her


    hands awkwardly shifted in front of her chest under the pretense of adjusting her hair.


    Though they had been married for two years and had shared more intimate moments, they weren’t


    exactly tight. Plus, with a two-year gap of not seeing each other, the whole scene was still mega


    awkward for Sophia.


    Luckily, Brandon might have been tough, but his upbringing shone through.


    He didn’t stare at her, just grunted an “Mhm” before heading to the living room.


    Sophia didn’t dare linger either. She quickly opened the bedroom door and slipped inside..


    Closing the door, she let out a huge sigh of relief, her heart still racing, thump-thump-thumping away,


    and her hand instinctively pulled up the strap resting on her shoulder.


    She had never worn something so breezy around Brandon before.


    Their rtionship was an odd one. fiery and passionate in bed, but once the heat died down, they both


    reverted to their prim and proper selves, maintaining aposed front around each other.


    She only wore such skimpy slips when alone, not because they were sexy or anything, justfy and


    convenient.


    She hade back this time prepared to stay at the hospital, but had also nned on crashing at a


    hotel for a bit, where these easy-to-wash nighties were perfect. She hadn’t thought she’d wander to the


    bathroom in a daze with it on..


    ncing at herself in the mirror and thinking back to the encounter with Brandon, Sophia felt extra


    uneasy and tugged at her slip again.


    The dress actually fit well.


    The burgundy silk made her skin look extra fair and radiant.


    The hemline stopped at mid-thigh, and it hugged her waist nicely.


    Sophia had a slender waist and a perky behind, a killer waist-to-hip ratio that this snug, sexy nightgown


    outlined perfectly, especially with the V-neck design entuating the contours of her chest.


    Seeing the cleavage and recalling the moment she bumped into Brandon, Sophia’s difort


    intensified.


    She pulled the nightie up a bit, then turned her attention to her damp hair, grabbing a towel to dry it off.


    Looking around the room, she realized there was no hairdryer or fan.


    With her long, thick, and dense hair, it would take ages to blow-dry; air-drying was not an option.


    Hesitant, she threw on a light jacket, tied it up, and cautiously cracked open the door, only to see the lit


    living room and Brandon getting water from the dispenser.


    Brandon turned to look at her too.


    Sophia, a bit embarrassed, asked, “Um, do you have a hairdryer?”


    Brandon pointed towards the master bathroom, “In my bathroom.”


    Sophia nced hesitantly towards Brandon’s room. It felt too private, and she guessed the hairdryer


    was probably mounted in ce.


    The thought of blow-drying her hair in Brandon’s bathroomte at night, the mental pressure was kinda


    intense.


    Brandon noted her hesitation and raised an eyebrow, “Scared to go in?”


    He finished his water, holding the cup in one hand, sipping slowly, the rising steam veiling his face in a


    mist, making his expression hard to read.


    Sophia shook her head slightly, “It’s not that. I just don’t want to disturb your rest. Drying my hair takes


    quite a while.”


    She lifted her hand to run it through her damp hair, “No worries, the wind outside is pretty strong, just


    opening a window should do the trick. I’ll head back to my room. You should get some sleep too.”


    As she turned to leave, her shoulder was suddenly grasped.


    Sophia looked back at Brandon, puzzled.


    Brandon had set down his cup and was looking at her, “You n on drying your hair till when, exactly?”


    With that, the hand on her shoulder nudged her towards his bedroom.


    The master bathroom was immediately to the left as they entered.


    Once inside, Brandon pushed her into the bathroom, had her stand in front of the vanity mirror, his


    hand on her shoulder keeping her in ce, while his other hand grabbed the hairdryer, thumb sliding


    effortlessly over the switch to st hot air onto Sophia’s sensitive scalp.


    Sophia flinched instinctively.


    Brandon’s hand on her shoulder eased up, now gently stroking her scalp, the warm touch of skin on


    skin making Sophia’s body tense slightly.


    He noticed and nced at her, rxing the pressure on her head, and began lifting the roots of her


    hair.


    Feeling less confined, Sophia instinctively turned to take the hairdryer, “I can do it.”


    Brandon waved away her reaching hand, “Let me. You’ll be at it forever.”


    Sophia didn’t dare insist further.


    Brandon was pretty skilled at blow-drying hair.


    Back when they used to be together, if she washed her hairte at night and he was around, he’d


    habitually take over the hairdryer and do the job without much talk, just like now. Seeing her remove


    the towel, he’d naturally take the dryer from her hands with a simple “Let me,” and that would be it.


    There wasn’t much conversation, and once done, he’d turn off the dryer, run his hands through her hair


    to smooth it out, and with a “There you go,”munication would end.


    Now it was no different.


    When he finished drying the ends, his hand skillfully checked the dryness of her hair, and as soon as


    he was sure it was all dry, the hand on the switch pressed down, silencing the hairdryer.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    “Done,” Brandon said, cing the hairdryer back in its holder.


    “Thanks.”


    Sophia murmured her thanks, her instinct to gather her hair at the back of her shoulder causing the


    light jacket to stretch open, revealing the wine-colored slip and a generous amount of pale skin


    underneath. Her chest moved subtly with the motion of her arms, the outlines of her curves faintly


    visible beneath the thin fabric.


    Brandon subtly averted his gaze.


    Sophia was totally out of it, just fiddling with her tangled hair with her fingers, not paying attention to


    anything else.


    Brandon nced at her and cleared his throat. Then with both hands, he grabbed her coat cor and


    crossed them over firmly, snapping shut the gaping neckline in an instant.


    Sophia, a little slow on the uptake, suddenly realized she was shing more than intended and her face


    went beet red in a sh. A huge wave of blush spread from her cheeks to her ears at lightning speed,


    and she kept her eyelids down, not daring to look at Brandon.


    Brandon watched the flush on her cheeks and her awkward nces that didn’t know where tond,


    and he slowly stopped fussing with her clothes, his eyes locked on her.


    Feeling Brandon’s movement pause, Sophia instinctively looked up and crashed into his pitch-ck


    eyes.


    His pupils were dark and deep, like an abyss in the night, bottomless and seemingly able to devour


    anyone..


    Sophia knew those eyes all too well. Her heartbeat kicked up a notch, uncontrobly.


    “I’m gonna head back now.” She managed to say, turning to leave.


    But Brandon suddenly grabbed her arm, and with his other hand, he smoothly and swiftly slid his palm


    from the side of her ear into her hair, cradling the back of her head. He dipped his head and nted a


    fierce kiss on her.