Page 89 of Enzo

She woke up a short while ago and sauntered into the kitchen when I was making another cup of coffee. I couldn't stop staring at her sleep-rumpled hair and the oversized sleep shirt she wore. It looked ... not too bad on her.

She wished me a “Good morning,” then had a glass of water. But she wasn’t her usual perky self, and I didn't expect that.

“You're not a morning person.”

She walked out without replying and it confirmed my observation. Then she stuck her head back in and asked if it would be okay for her to run a bath.

I told her she could do what she liked. She didn't need my permission. This wasn't school.

And now, judging by the sounds I'm hearing, she took me at my word.

It’s as if the woman has never run a bath before. Though, granted, the sunken baths here are huge. Knowing her, it wouldn't surprise me if she tried to swim in it.

I soldier on with my work for a little longer, and when I glance at my watch, I see that Molly’s been in there an hour. I push my laptop away, half-considering whether to shout out and ask how long she's going to be.

Or maybe I should just check that she hasn’t drowned.

What am I doing?

I have work to do. Important decisions to make, so I pull the laptop back towards me and force myself to focus.

A short while later, Molly knocks on the door. I glance over my shoulder to see her wearing nothing but a fluffy white robe this time.

“Are you hiding from me?” she asks, before sauntering inside. She seems relaxed, as if the water therapy helped.

“I was working.”

“You're wearing a tie.”

“I’m always professional.”

“But we're at home.”

Her feet are bare. Her face is flushed and her wet hair clings to her shoulders. I stare for too long as every muscle in my body goes rigid. The robe is securely tied around her waist, revealing absolutely nothing, which doesn’t seem to matter to my imagination. I drag my attention back to her face.

“I can see you’re busy, so I won't disturb you.” She steps back, perhaps wary of my silence. “I was going to make some breakfast. Can I make anything for you?”

I hear her words, but I’m overwhelmed by the scent of expensive floral scents that now hang in the air.

“You smell of expensive flowers,” I blurt out.

“Oh!” She grins, then grabs the fluffy cuffs of the robe. “Did you know that there were five different kinds of bath salts in there?”

“I did not.” I sit back in my seat and observe her.

“And thick and gooey lotions and creams. I took my sweet time trying them.”

“I can smell.”

She grins. “That’s good. That’s very good.”

“Will this bathing ritual be a daily occurrence?” Because I might need to resort to noise-cancelling earbuds in order to get some work done. “You were in there for an hour.”

She sighs. “I’ve had a very demanding morning.” She stares at my laptop. “Are you going to work all day long?”

“I was going to order breakfast first,” I tell her.

“Order? I'm about to make some. I’ll cook whatever you like.” She moves towards the door.