Despite her doubt, she took a deep breath and pulled the door open, stepping inside the dining room. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the darker hues of the room, but her senses were immediately hammered with the scent of a rich, deep roast of coffee—and, something else. She sniffed the air, trying to identify the very faint smell. Lavendar, honey, and vanilla?
A door beyond the kitchen swung open and Lucanis emerged, clothed in nothing but a towel, and soaking wet. Droplets of water ran down his toned body, dripping from his long, dark hair hanging in heavy waves over his shoulders. He reached his left hand up with a second towel, using it to soak some of the water from the dripping locks. It took all of Kithya's self-resolve to not stare, taking in every inch of muscle on him. Instead, she inhaled sharply and cleared her throat.
Lucanis looked in her direction, mildly surprised. An amused smirk played across his face as she strained not to let her eyes wander. He walked forward, confidently, no signs of bashfulness or being unnerved by Kithya's presence while he was naked, only partially hidden by a towel. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, much to her frustration, as she found herself admitting that confident swagger nearly set her insides ablaze.
It was one of the few similarities Lucanis seemed to have with Illario—the way they both walked as though they had no fears in this world. Although that tired look still hung on Lucanis' face, his eyes still attempting to hide a weariness beyond sleep, he looked somewhat lighter this morning.
