“Special occasion.”
To the right is the living space, a large L-shaped couch sits in front of a stone fireplace where soft flames flicker and crackle and no television. Just the quiet fire and the sound of the woods outside. The entire living room is surrounded by glass walls, as if the cabin was designed not to hide from the mountains but to sit quietly among them.
Beyond the glass, the mountain rises dark and peaceful against the fading sky. It feels like the kind of place that reminds you screens aren’t the point of life.
This is.
The quiet, the view, the moment.
Something moves outside the window. A small group of deer passes through the clearing, stepping carefully through the grass.
I look back at Dominic. “Why are you doing all this?”
A quiet thought whispers in the back of my mind. Because he feels guilty, because this makes things easier.
Dominic steps closer. “Because sometimes I get so caught up in work… I forget to slow down.” His eyes settle on mine. “And you deserve more than rushed mornings and hospital shifts.” His fingers brush gently along my arm. “You deserve moments like this.”
For a moment I just look at him and then we sit. Dinner becomes easy after that. The salmon flakes perfectly beneath my fork, bright with lemon and butter. The wine is smooth and deep, warming my chest with every sip. We talk, really talk. About stupid things. The time Dominic locked himself out of the house wearing nothing but gym shorts. The time we’re at a restaurant and someone offers to take a photo for us, I immediately wave them off like they just asked me to donate a kidney.
Dominic chuckles. “You said cameras steal souls and you weren’t risking it.”
I frown at him. “I don’t remember that day and I don’t remember saying that!”
Stories that make your stomach hurt from laughing. Somewhere between refilling glasses and finishing dinner, the first bottle of wine disappears.
Second, then third.
Dominic stares at the empty bottle and lifts an eyebrow.
“Well,” he says slowly. “That escalated quickly.”
I laugh, a real laugh. So hard I snort halfway through it.
Dominic freezes.
Then bursts out laughing.
“Oh wow,” he says dramatically. “I married a snorter.”
“Shut up,” I groan, covering my face.
He leans closer with a grin.
“Too late. It’s part of your charm now.”
He holds my hand and I laugh again. And suddenly something hits me. I haven’t laughed like this in years. Maybe I did. But I can’t remember when. Dominic grows quiet. He’s watching me now. Something deeper in his eyes. Warm and soft. Almost apologetic. And for a moment the room falls silent except for the fire cracking softly and the quiet movement of deer outside the glass walls.
CHAPTER 12
Flame
Dominic squeezed his eyes tight and blew out a hard breath through his nose, his right hand dropping mine and running up my arm before sliding to my neck. When his eyes shot open again, they were ravenous. He closed the distance between us and I opened my mouth to stop him, but he was already there, catching my words with the sweep of his tongue against mine.
I gasped into his kiss, we both get up from our seat, stumbling. His hands slide to my waist, pulling me closer until there’s barely any space left between us. The heat of his body presses into mine, steady and familiar, yet tonight it sends a spark racing through my chest. The moment our mouths meet, something shifts. The kiss deepens instantly, hungry and impatient. My fingers curl into the front of his shirt as he moves me gently backward until my shoulders brush the wall. His lips trail along my jaw, down the curve of my neck, warm breath sending shivers across my skin. Then his hand slides along the side of my red dress.
There’s a sharp sound.
Fabric tears.
