~Salvatore's POV
The sound of the running water had barely faded from my ears when I stepped back into the room, a towel slung loosely around my neck, my hair still damp. The air felt different immediately, softer somehow, quieter, although I could tell she had not moved much from where I left her.
Elsie was still on the bed, still turned slightly away, still pretending, in her own way, that I was not standing there.
It almost made me smile. I moved slowly, deliberately, picking up a clean shirt and pulling it over my shoulders without rushing, my eyes never quite leaving her.
"You are still avoiding looking at me," I said, my tone calm, but edged with something lighter than usual.
She shifted slightly but did not turn.
"I am not avoiding you," she replied, although the hesitation in her voice betrayed her. "I am just… choosing not to look."
I let out a quiet breath that carried the faintest hint of amusement.
