LOGINISABELLE'S POV:I felt my heart swell. I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed him right there in the middle of the kitchen.The master bedroom was the biggest project of all.It was large and cold and impersonal, just like the rest of the house. The bed was huge, the sheets were stark white, and the curtains were black. It looked like a hotel room where people stayed for one night and left.I changed everything to make it softer.I bought new sheets, soft and cream-colored, with pillows that were actually comfortable to sleep on. I added a thick duvet that made you want to bury yourself in it on lazy Sunday mornings. I replaced the gloomy black curtains with light, airy white ones and I added photographs on the nightstands, pictures of us laughing, of our wedding day, of our quiet moments on our honeymoon.And I added a small wooden bookshelf in the corner, filling the shelves with paperback novels that I loved.Damon walked in while I was arranging the last few books. He stopped
ISABELLE'S POV:The mansion was cold when we returned from our honeymoon.I had not noticed it before. When I had first arrived, when I had been recoering from the attack, when I had been focused on Damon's injuries and my own fear, the mansion had just been a backdrop. A place to sleep. A place to hide. A place to wait for the next terrible thing to happen.Now that everything had settled and we were officially married, everything felt different. The air inside the grand foyer felt a bit stiff, carrying that slight chill that only a massive, empty house could hold. My suitcases sat by the door, looking small against the giant marble tiles.Damon stood right beside me, his hands tucked into his pockets, looking around the space as if seeing it through my eyes for the first time."It needs work," I said, crossing my arms against the sudden draft.He raised an eyebrow, a faint hint of amusement playing at the corner of his mouth. "It is a mansion and you know it is worth more tha
ISABELLE'S POV: There was no rush, no lingering worry, and no outside noise to pull our attention away. We made love on the outdoor daybed under a clear sky full of bright stars, listening to the rhythm of the tide below us. We made love inside the room with the sheer white curtains fluttering in the sea air and most times we swam together at night in the warm water right beneath our deck, held close in each other's arms while the quiet sea cradled us. It was deeply romantic, passionate, and completely restful. It was everything I had ever hoped our new beginning would be. One evening, after the sun had gone down, we lay together on the cushions out on the deck. A soft breeze kept the air cool, and the sky above us was completely filled with stars. "I still catch myself feeling amazed that this is really our life now," I whispered softly into the night, resting my head against his bare chest. "That we are actually here, totally at peace, as husband and wife." Damon shifted s
ISABELLE'S POV:The Maldives was everything I had ever dreamed of and so much more.We arrived late in the afternoon and the seaplane ride from the capital had been breathtaking. We flew over vast stretches of clear turquoise water dotted with tiny ring-shaped islands that looked like bright green jewels dropped into the ocean. I spent almost the entire flight with my face pressed close to the small oval window, taking in every view with wide eyes and a full heart.Damon watched me from his seat, a small, amused smile playing on his lips while his hand rested comfortably on my knee."You look like someone seeing the ocean for the very first time and you are a brilliant writer," he teased softly."I feel like it," I admitted, looking over at him with a wide grin. "I have traveled to a lot of places for work and family trips, but I have never seen water this clear or sand this white.""Neither have I," he said quietly. "At least, not like this. Not with you by my side."I turned
DAMON'S POV:I took my time with her. There was no rush. No urgency. We had the rest of our lives. Tonight I wanted every second burned into my memory.I sat her up and slowly unzipped the back of her dress. The fabric slid down her arms and pooled at her waist. I kissed the bare line of her spine, one vertebra at a time, until she shivered. Then I eased the rest of it off and laid her back down.I started at her ankles. Soft kisses up the inside of her calves, the sensitive skin behind her knees, higher until my mouth reached the soft skin of her inner thighs. She was already breathing harder. When I finally put my mouth on her, she let out a long, open moan that filled the quiet suite.I licked her slowly at first, mapping every fold with my tongue, then sucked her clit between my lips until her hips started lifting off the bed. Her hands fisted in the sheets. I slid two fingers inside her while I kept working her with my mouth, curling them in steady strokes. The wet sound of it mi
ISABELLE'S POV:The reception was a wonderful blur of bright laughter, hearty toasts, and lively dancing that seemed to go on for hours.I remembered the speeches so clearly. Elara spoke first, her words so sweet and genuine that tears came to my eyes. Alistair went next, telling a few light jokes that had the whole room laughing out loud. My father stood up last, bringing a perfect mix of humor and deep tenderness that made me wipe my eyes while smiling at the same time. I remembered cutting the cake, listening to the soft music, and feeling Damon's steady arms around me during our first dance as husband and wife. He held me close to his chest, swaying gently as if he never intended to let me go.All through the evening, I felt the steady focus of his eyes on me. It was a look full of total warmth and deep appreciation, as if he still found it hard to believe that our long journey had finally led us to this moment.And now, after all the guests had said their goodnights, we were
Celestine started cooking at three in the afternoon, flour on her hands, music playing low from her phone and the smell of tomatoes and garlic filling the whole penthouse.She made the sauce from scratch, the way her grandmother taught her when she was maybe ten years old. She rolled out the pasta
Kier Thornwell looked like he belonged on a magazine cover even when he was just standing in an elevator. Thirty eight years old. Strong jaw and sharp cheekbones. Eyes so dark brown they looked black. A mouth that rarely smiled, but when it did, women forgot their own names. Six foot two. Carried h
The forgotten anniversaries. There had been three of those. Three times she had dressed up nice and made dinner and waited and waited and waited until finally getting a text that said "working late sorry" with no exclamation points, no emojis, no nothing.The cruel comments. Those were worse."You
The first time Kier met Sable Morwenna was at a charity gala about six months after his father died.He was standing by the bar, looking miserable, drinking too much and wishing he could leave. And then this woman just appeared next to him, like she had materialized out of thin air."You look like







