Sarah
I brace myself for his refusal.
"Alright," Matthew says instead, holding his palm out to .
I blink up at him, certain I misheard him.
"Well?" he asks. "Do you want to dance or not?"
I slide my fingers into his. His grip is firm and warm. I let him lead onto the dance floor, my heart hamring far harder than it should.
We have done this before—danced together, that is. But tonight, it feels different than it did in the past.
Matthew places a hand on my waist, his touch light. I rest mine on his shoulder, trying not to think about how solid he feels beneath my fingertips.
The music plays around us, slow and soft. We sway together, moving in ti with the lody.
I know he doesn't want to be here with . But he is here, and I will savor this mont.
I let myself sink into the music, into the warmth of his hand against my waist. It's foolish, I know. But for once, I don't care.
Matthew is quiet as we move. His grip is steady, his movents precise.
I glance up at him, studying the sharp angles of his face. The candlelight casts shadows across his jawline, making him look almost... softer. Less like the man who fights at every turn and more like soone I could—
I stop the thought before it can take root.
"This isn't so bad, is it?" I ask, keeping my voice light.
His gaze flicks down to , his lips curling slightly. "Depends. Are you going to step on my feet?"
I giggle, surprised at his light tone. "I'm a perfectly good dancer, thank you."
He hums in response, his grip tightening just slightly, guiding through a slow turn.
The motion startles , and I grip his shoulder a little harder. When I settle back into place, I find him watching closely.
"Are you enjoying our last night in paradise?" he asks.
I swallow and say, "Yes." I press against him so more.
Matthew pulls away after the music fades.
"That's enough for tonight," he says, his voice low.
I nod, pretending my chest isn't aching in the strangest way.
"Yeah," I murmur. "Enough for tonight."
We go back to our table. Matthew pulls the chair for , and I sit back down.
"Let's go get so food now," he suggests, pointing at the buffet table.
I nod, trying to steady myself as I rise again. The warmth of his hand lingers on my waist, but I push the thought aside.
We walk toward the buffet table, the rich aroma of grilled ats and spiced dishes filling the air.
"What do you want?" he asks.
I scan the options, suddenly feeling indecisive. "I don't know. Want to fill a plate for you?"
"I can do it myself," he says curtly.
Fine then.
I grab a plate and fill it with a little of everything: roasted chicken, stuffed mushrooms, and crispy bread rolls.
We walk back to our table in silence.
I sit down first, watching as Matthew sets his plate in front of him and slumps against the chair. His eyes flick up to , catching staring.
"Sothing on my face?" he asks, his tone neutral, but there's an underlying challenge in his gaze.
I blink, shaking my head. "No."
"You were staring," he presses.
"I am not! I am looking behind you," I argue.
Matthew raises an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Uh-huh. Behind , right," he says, his voice dripping with skepticism. He takes a bite of his food, leaning back slightly. "And what exactly are you looking at behind ?"
I quickly glance over his shoulder, pretending to study the room behind him. "Just... the decorations," I say, my voice coming out more defensive than I intended. "They're kind of over the top, don't you think?"
Matthew smirks, clearly not buying my explanation. "They took the romance the pretty seriously." He takes another bite of his food, but his eyes stay fixed on .
I try to focus on my plate, picking at the food in front of , but Matthew's gaze is relentless. I can't seem to shake the feeling that he's enjoying this—teasing .
"It suits you," he suddenly says.
I look at him questioningly. "What does."
"The hairpin," he says and looks away as if he is now embarrassed about what he just said.
I blink, caught off guard by his words. I absentmindedly touch it, my heart swelling again. This was an unexpected gift from him, and it's sothing I will cherish forever.
"I thought it would look good on you. I was right." His tone is quiet and grim, as if complinting makes him uncomfortable.
"Thank you for giving it to . It ans a lot," I say after a mont, my voice sounding a little breathless. I can feel my cheeks warming.
Matthew's eyes flick to mine briefly before he looks back down at his plate. "You're welco," he mutters.
The rest of the evening passes in a blur. Matthew and I make small talk, awkward but not unbearable.
"Get so sleep," he says after we go back to our room.
I nod. We have an early flight tomorrow, so we can go ho and go back to our normal lives.
Normal lives...the thought terrifies .
During our honeymoon, we managed to escape so of the tension between us. However, once we return ho, Matthew will resu his hurtful behavior towards at every opportunity. I just know it.
~-~
As Matthew pulls into the driveway, I am greeted by the familiar sight of our ho. I breathe a sigh of relief, but I feel a knot in my stomach that I can't shake. I glance at Matthew, who remains quiet as usual, his jaw set in a way that makes nervous.
I look at the driveway and see an unfamiliar car parked near the garage—a sleek black sedan I don't recognize.
"Who's here?" I ask.
Matthew looks at the car, and I can see the shift in his posture. It's subtle, but I catch it. He looks worried.
"I don't know," he says.
He opens the car door and steps out, and I follow.
My heart leaps into my throat as a familiar figure stands in front of us once Matthew opens the door.
"Josh?" I gasp, my eyes widening in disbelief.
There, standing before with a huge grin on his face, is my childhood best friend. He looks just like I rember—tall and lean, with tousled brown hair and warm brown eyes that always seem to be laughing.
"Surprise!" Josh exclaims, spreading his arms wide.
I let out a surprised laugh, joy bubbling up inside . I drop my bags and run to him, throwing my arms around his neck in a tight hug.
"Josh! I can't believe you are here!" I say as I pull back to look at him. "What are you doing at our house? How did you get in?"
Josh's grin widens. "Marishka, let in. I just moved back here from Paris, and I wanted to welco you back from your honeymoon. It's been way too long since I've seen you."
I beam at him, my earlier trepidation lting away in the warmth of his presence. "I've missed you so much," I tell him earnestly.
"Ahem."
I hear Matthew clearing his throat, so I spin around to face him. He had been staring at our exchange intently, his blue eyes narrowed.
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