_Leah's POV_

Later that evening, after dinner, I headed to my room for a shower. The warm water was soothing against my skin, washing away the tension from the day, but my thoughts kept returning to Tariq. The way he had looked at me during dinner, the way he had teased me—it all swirled in my mind, leaving me feeling flustered and confused. Was he just being friendly, or was there something more?

After I dried off and dressed, I heard a knock on the door. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly wrapped my robe tighter around myself.

"Come in," I called, my voice a little shaky.

The...