Chapter 193: Shy?

Sienna truly appreciated everything Zachary had prepared for her, and she was deeply touched by the effort he had put into making her feel welcome.

Still, she couldn’t help wondering when she would ever have the chance to wear such luxurious gowns or carry those expensive handbags.

A quiet laugh escaped her lips.

"You really need to get used to this, girl," she softly reminded herself.

After looking around for another moment, she finally searched for something more casual to wear at home.

Before long, she found a simple pair of short silk pajamas that matched the style she usually wore.

"This is perfect!"

She took the pajamas, then left the walk-in closet and made her way to the bathroom to freshen up.

As she walked across the bedroom, she began unbuttoning her shirt one button at a time, thinking Zachary probably wouldn’t be back for a while.

She had almost reached the bathroom door when she suddenly heard the bedroom door open behind her.

Startled, she immediately turned around.

Zachary had just entered the room.

Their eyes met instantly.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

Sienna instinctively began fastening the buttons she had just undone, trying to hide her flustered expression.

"You’re back," she said naturally, although the warmth rising across her face betrayed her composure.

Zachary’s gaze remained fixed on her as a gentle smile appeared on his lips.

"Hmm," he replied softly while walking toward her. "I’m sorry I came back so late."

When he stopped in front of her, his eyes briefly fell to the pajamas she was holding.

"Are you going to take a shower now?" he asked, his voice warm with quiet anticipation.

Sienna nodded, unable to meet his eyes for long. "Yes."

A faint blush spread across her cheeks, making her look even more endearing.

Zachary smiled a little wider.

Without another word, he slowly reached out and gently caught the edge of her shirt.

"Let me help you," he said softly as his fingers carefully undid the button she had just fastened.

His movements were slow and unhurried, giving her every chance to stop him if she wanted to.

Then he lifted his eyes to meet hers again, his gaze gentle and affectionate.

"Shall we take a bath together, my wife?" he asked with a teasing smile, his voice low enough to make her heart beat just a little faster.

Zachary’s fingers stopped at the fourth button of her shirt. For a brief moment, his gaze lingered on the graceful curve of her neck before slowly drifting lower.

Sienna noticed the direction of his gaze and quietly swallowed, her heartbeat growing louder with each passing second.

As if sensing her nervousness, Zachary lifted his eyes to meet hers again. A teasing smile slowly spread across his face.

"Why are you so shy?" he asked in an amused voice.

Sienna immediately looked back at him, pretending to be far more confident than she felt.

"Shy? I’m not shy," she replied, trying to sound convincing. "It’s just..."

She never managed to finish her sentence.

Zachary leaned in until only a small distance remained between them. His eyes rested on her lips, and before she could think of another excuse, he gently pressed his lips against hers.

It was only a brief kiss, warm and tender, yet it was enough to make her cheeks flush. A pleasant warmth spread through her chest, and for a moment, she completely forgot what she had been about to say.

When the kiss ended, neither of them moved away immediately.

They simply looked at each other, smiling quietly while the silence around them felt unexpectedly comfortable. The only sound between them was their soft breathing.

Sienna was the first to speak.

"Zach..."

"Hm?"

"I think..." She smiled awkwardly before letting out a small laugh. "You’re squeezing my injured arm."

Only then did Zachary realize where his hand had been resting.

"Oh no!" He immediately let go of her arm and stepped back, his teasing expression disappearing in an instant. "I’m sorry. Did I reopen your wound?"

"I don’t know. I don’t feel extra pain, just a slight discomfort. Let me check."

Without making a fuss, Sienna slipped her shirt off her shoulders, leaving her in only her black bra. She carefully examined the bandage wrapped around her injured arm.

After checking it for a moment, she smiled with relief.

"You’re lucky. It’s still finely wrapped. I don’t see any blood."

She looked up, expecting Zachary to relax as well. Instead, she found him standing there with obvious guilt written all over his face.

His shoulders had stiffened, and he ran one hand through his hair in frustration.

"I’m sorry," he said quietly. "I got carried away."

His eyes met hers again, filled with genuine remorse.

"I’ve been waiting for this day for so long that I forgot to be careful." He sighed softly before adding, "I promise I’ll control myself. I won’t hurt you again, my wife."

Seeing him blame himself made Sienna feel guilty instead.

She walked over and gently took his hand in hers.

"I’m fine, Zach," she said with a reassuring smile. "Really."

She gave his hand a light squeeze.

"And honestly... I don’t mind if you get a little romantic." Her smile became playful. "You just have to remember that this part of my body is off-limits for the time being."

Sienna lifted her injured hand slightly as a reminder. "The rest of me isn’t filing any complaints." She tried to lighten his mood.

For a second, Zachary simply stared at her. Then he couldn’t help laughing.

"Mrs. Sterling," he said, shaking his head, "are you trying to test my self-control?"

She laughed along with him. "I thought you were supposed to have excellent self-control."

"I did," he answered without missing a beat. "But with a wife as beautiful, sexy, and smart as you, how could I resist? Hmmm, and...my wife is also... badass."

That made Sienna burst into laughter. "So this is my fault?"

"Completely..."

Sienna simply laughed at his words.

Their laughter filled the room, dissolving the awkwardness that had settled between them only moments earlier.