They all sat in silence in the lair as each minded their own business. Said lack of conversation gave room for everyone to enjoy the others’ company.
She’d been reading, highlighting and scribbling away as she studied for an upcoming test when a strand of hair slipping over her eyes proved to be too much of a nuisance.
Without peeling her gaze off the dense technical texts she was reviewing, Alba brushed the strand out of her face along with the entirety of her hair, allowing it to flow comfortably towards her right, in the direction she’d tilted her head.
It had been such an unassuming gesture, but it had framed her jawline beautifully. Furthermore, the serene yet focused stare she offered the current object of her attention made her appear even sharper.
Having spared her a look when her motions caught his eye, Leo couldn’t help the surprise he felt at the way he had to hold himself back from churring over such a mindless act.
Meaning to keep his thoughts family-friendly, mostly because he wished to be respectful of the time Alba dedicated to her studies, he cleared his throat and sat up straight, then stretched his arms, shoulders and neck, grunting as the tension his upper body had accumulated was released.
He took silent steps towards the kitchen, choosing to busy himself with a simple snack before his urges got the best of him.
Little did he know that the moment he switched positions, his form attracted her gaze like a powerful magnet.
Alba couldn’t help eyeing as his arms and shoulders bulged and flexed at his actions. She was still mesmerized by his slender and fit build, much more stylized than when they first met after he crossed the threshold into adulthood.
Whatever willpower she had evaporated the instant he grunted, satisfied over the feeling of his muscles relaxing.
She sucked in a silent breath and watched as he stepped away, doing her absolute best to focus back on her task at hand.
While Leo nearly drew his own blood with the knife he’d used to cut into bread, no matter how skilled he was with blades, Alba found herself reading the same paragraph over half a dozen times before she was able to make sense of its contents.