Though she wished she could just stay and relax in the warm water longer—for hours, if she’d had her druthers—Zahra knew they really didn’t have that kind of time to waste. So, a bit reluctantly, she scrubbed herself clean quickly and hopped out of the tub again, drying herself off and pulling her clothes back on.
She unlocked the door and poked her head out into the hall, damp hair tumbling around her face and shoulders. Now that she was actually clean, at least reasonably, one could actually make out the smattering of slightly darker freckles over her tanned nose and cheeks.
“Oh.” She caught sight of Cole waiting in the hall, almost seeming to be standing guard, and started slightly, then shot him a quick, small smile. “Um, sorry. I didn’t take too long, did I?”