Our eyes meet, and I feel like I’m drowning for a moment. The urge to tell her everything – about what I am, about the magic hidden within Lublin Harbor’s borders, about how I’m starting to feel about her – swells within me, almost overwhelming. But I hold back. It’s unfair to burden her with my secrets – or the town’s – when she’s leaving so soon.
The guilt of my silence weighs heavy on me, but I push it aside. This isn’t the time for revelations that could complicate things.
Rose shivers slightly. The sun has almost disappeared below the horizon, and the temperature has dropped. Without thinking, I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
She stiffens for a moment, surprised, then relaxes into my side. “Thanks,” she murmurs. “You’re warm.”
She fits perfectly against me, her body soft and trusting, and she leans into my embrace. Her hair tickles my jaw when she shifts, sending little sparks of awareness down my spine.
One by one, stars begin to dust the darkening canvas above us. As the evening chill settles in, she nestles closer, her free hand idly sifting through the cool sand beside our blanket, letting the grains trickle through her fingers.
“I don’t want to leave,” Rose says suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.
My arm tightens around her involuntarily. “Then don’t,” I say, the words escaping before I can stop them. She turns her face to mine, and I feel caught in her gaze.
Rose laughs, but it’s a sad sound. “I have to. My job, apartment, friends… my whole life is back in New Mexico.”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Of course she needs to leave. I know that. But hearing her say it makes it real in a way it wasn’t before. I feel like an asshole for pushing.
“But,” she continues, her voice stronger now, “I am truly enjoying my time here, and especially my time with you. I want to savor every minute.”
She turns to face me fully, and I can see the intensity in her eyes, even in the dim light. “Levi, I… I don’t know how to say this. The past few days have been amazing. You’ve been amazing. And I can’t help feeling like there’s something… more here. Between us. Am I crazy?”
My heart is pounding so hard I’m sure she can hear it. “You’re not crazy,” I say softly. “I feel it, too.”
Rose’s smile is brilliant, even in the growing darkness. “So what do we do?”
I take a deep breath, knowing my next words could change everything. Part of me wants to tell her everything, to bare my soul and secrets. But the rational part of me knows better. “I don’t know,” I admit. “You’re leaving in a week…”
Rose nods, her smile turning wistful. “I know. It’s not enough time for… well, for anything serious.”
“No,” I agree, even as my heart protests. “But maybe… maybe we don’t need to define it. Maybe we can just enjoy the time we have?”
Rose’s eyes search mine for a long moment. Then she nods. “A vacation fling?” she suggests, a hint of mischief in her voice.
I chuckle, ignoring the pang in my chest. “Something like that.”
“I think I can handle that,” Rose says softly. Then she leans in, her eyes fluttering closed. As her lips meet mine, a jolt of electricity courses through my body. Her lips are soft and warm, tasting faintly of salt from the sea air. The kiss is gentle at first, almost tentative, but it quickly deepens as we both lean into it.
I wrap my arms around her, pulling her closer. She’s so warm against me, her body fitting perfectly against mine. One of my hands finds its way to the small of her back, while the othertangles in her hair, softer than silk between my fingers. The world around us fades away until there’s nothing but Rose – her feel, her scent, and the soft sigh she makes as she parts her lips.
As I hold her close, emotions rush through me like a tidal wave. Desire, yes, but also a deep, aching tenderness that catches me off guard. The softness of her skin under my fingertips, the way she trembles slightly as I pull her closer, the taste of her lips – I’ll treasure every detail, storing them away like precious gems to revisit when she’s gone. A part of me wishes desperately that this could be more than just a fling. But I know better than to hope for too much. Dreams have a way of getting crushed – I know that better than anyone.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathless. Rose’s cheeks are flushed, her lips slightly swollen, and her eyes are bright with something that makes my heart skip a beat. She grins up at me, a mischievous glint in her eye. “You know,” she says, her voice husky in a way that sends shivers down my spine, “I think I just found the perfect inspiration for my next painting.”
I raise an eyebrow, unable to resist teasing her. “Oh? Are you asking me to pose nude?” I ask, keeping my tone light and playful.
Rose cracks up, her laughter ringing out across the beach. A deeper blush spreads across her cheeks as she laughs, making her look even more beautiful in the fading light. When her laughter subsides, she looks up at me with a sly smile that makes my heart race.
“Maybe,” she says, her tone deliberately coy. The single word is filled with promise and possibility.
I laugh, pulling her close again, partly to hide my answering blush. “Happy to be of service,” I murmur against her hair, my voice rougher than I intended.
“Want to walk down to the water?” I ask softly, and she nods.
The sand is cooler now as we make our way down to where the waves kiss the shore. Rose lets out a small gasp as the first rush of water swirls around her ankles, but she doesn’t step back. Instead, she moves closer, letting each gentle surge wash over her feet. As we stand there, the waves lapping at our ankles and the stars twinkling overhead, I silently thank whatever twist of fate brought Rose into my life, even if only for a short time. And while I know our time together has an expiration date, I can’t help but feel that these next few days will be some of the most memorable of my life.
The drive back to Rose’s houseboat is quiet, but it’s a comfortable silence. Our hands rest intertwined on the bench seat between us, and every now and then, Rose gives my hand a gentle squeeze as if reassuring herself that this is real.
