52. A Love Untamed

The next morning, Marissa was busy in the kitchen, arranging ingredients on the counter as the smell of breakfast filled the air. In the midst of her morning routine, Efrain entered, leaning on his crutches, as he made his way over to her, and rested his head on her shoulder, bringing a smile to Marissa's face.

"Good morning, my darling, " he greeted with a soft voice, planting a kiss on her cheek, his breath gentle against her skin.

Marissa chuckled at his sweet gesture, her heart fluttering at his affectionate words. "Good morning."

"You must have been as quiet as a mouse for me not to hear you waking up, and yet here you are, looking absolutely beautiful," Efrain said, his eyes sparkling with adoration as he admired her.

Marissa cherished how Efrain never missed an opportunity to compliment her, but she wondered if his past experiences with various women influenced his behavior.

"I couldn't bring myself to wake you up; you looked so handsome sleeping, babe," Marissa admitted. "Yo