Caspian lifts his head, a lazy grin spreading across his face. “Mind-blowing? Earth-shattering? The best sex of your life?”
I laugh, swatting his shoulder playfully. “All of the above, you dork.”
He chuckles, pressing a soft kiss to my lips before carefully pulling out and disposing of the condom. Then he’s back, curling up beside me and pulling me close.
“You okay?” he asks, his hand tracing patterns on my skin.
I nod, feeling wonderfully sated and content. “More than okay. That was…perfect.”
I trace my fingers along Caspian’s collarbone, marveling at how natural this intimacy feels. His warmth seeps into me, chasing away the lingering chill of the Vermont winter outside.
“Hey,” Caspian whispers, his dark eyes twinkling with that infectious joy I’ve come to adore. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
I smile, feeling a little vulnerable but safe enough to share. “Just thinking about how…right this feels. You and me, I mean.”
Caspian’s smile falters slightly, an uncertain look crossing his face. His fingers find their way to my hip, tracing the maple-leaf beauty mark there. “The maple leaf,” he says softly.
“What about it?”
“Did you…?” Caspian starts, then pauses, his finger still circling the mark. “Did you spend New Year’s Eve in Burlington?”
The question seems to come out of nowhere, and I frown slightly. “Yeah, I did. Why?”
“It was me,” he says quietly, his eyes fixed on the beauty mark.
“You… What?”
“The man behind the mask.” His voice is barely above a whisper now.
I freeze for a moment, letting the words sink in. The mysterious stranger from New Year’s Eve—the one whose touch had felt like fire, whose connection with me had been immediate and electric—had been Caspian all along?
A laugh bubbles from deep in my chest, starting soft and growing until I’m practically shaking with it.
“Why are you laughing?” Caspian asks, uncertainty clear in his voice.
I pull him closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Because I’m a lucky idiot. I spent so much time thinking about that night, about the mysterious guy behind the mask. I even considered driving back to Burlington on random weekends, hoping I might run into him again.” I shake my head, still chuckling. “And then you showed up on my doorstep, and suddenly, that guy didn’t matter anymore. Because there you were—warm, real, and so much more than a memory from one perfect night.” I cup his face, meeting his worried gaze. “And now I find out you’re the same person.”
How did I get so lucky?
Caspian’s response is to surge forward and capture my lips in a tender, searching kiss that makes my toes curl. When he pulls back, his eyes are bright with emotion.
“Are we…? What are we doing, Nate?” he asks softly. “Are we dating? Just hooking up? I need to know.”
I run my thumb along his cheekbone, my heart racing at the vulnerability in his voice. “I’d very much like to date you, Cas. See where this goes. Exclusively.” I pause, suddenly unsure. “If that’s something you want too?”
His answering smile is radiant. “Yes. God, yes. That’s exactly what I want.”
I pull him in for another kiss, slow and deep, trying to pour all my feelings into it. We might have stayed like that for hours, but Caspian’s stomach lets out a loud rumble.
I laugh against his lips. “I think that’s our cue. Time for that soup you made.”
CHAPTER 27
CASPIAN
The early morning light filters through Special Blend’s windows as I unlock the front door for Catherine. The bell above chimes softly—the same one that’s been there since before I was born, though I didn’t know that until recently.
“Morning, sweetheart,” Catherine says, bustling in with boxes of pastries balanced expertly in her arms. The scent of fresh baking fills the space, making my mouth water. “Ready for the big day?”
