After thirty minutes, Anna stepped out of the bathroom, steam still clinging to her skin as she wrapped a towel around herself. She glanced around the room, expecting to find Daniel lounging sowhere or pretending not to wait for her.
But the room was empty.
She sighed softly. It did not surprise her anymore. Ever since they arrived, Daniel had been unusually distracted, disappearing every now and then. She could easily imagine him downstairs, discussing so last minute detail with the housekeeper.
"He is really talkative today," Anna murmured, shaking her head with a small laugh.
She turned toward the dressing table, ready to get dressed, when she froze mid step.
On the bed lay a dress.
A stunning red one.
It had not been there before.
Anna’s feet moved on their own, drawn to the vibrant fabric. And right beside the dress, neatly placed, was a small note.
She picked it up carefully.
"I am waiting for you in the backyard."
Her heart skipped a beat, then began to race. So he was planning sothing. First bringing her to a secret ho in the hills, recreating their room, and now a dress with a note? This was not Daniel being spontaneous.
This was Daniel being intentional.
Curious. Deliberate. Maybe even romantic.
Anna felt the corner of her lips lift, a soft smile spreading across her face before she could stop it. She set the note back on the bed and let her hand glide over the dress, tracing the smooth fabric with slow appreciation.
He had thought of everything.
And for the first ti today, her nervous curiosity shifted into anticipation.
What exactly was Daniel preparing for her in the backyard?
Anna lifted the dress from the bed, the fabric slipping between her fingers like liquid silk. It was elegant, minimal, yet striking enough to command attention the mont she stepped into it. Exactly the kind of dress Daniel would choose for her.
Her pulse fluttered as she slipped it on, adjusting the thin straps against her shoulders. The deep red contrasted beautifully with her skin, hugging her curves in a way that felt almost intimate. She took a mont to collect herself, smoothing the dress and letting her breath steady.
Whatever Daniel had planned, he clearly wanted her to look the part.
After slipping into a pair of heels set neatly beneath the bed, she gave herself one last glance in the mirror. Her hair frad her face softly, her eyes bright with curiosity and sothing else she refused to na.
She took a deep breath and stepped out of the room.
The hallway was quiet, the faint scent of fresh flowers drifting from below. Anna descended the staircase slowly, each step echoing softly. When she reached the back door, a soft breeze brushed her skin, carrying the cool scent of the hills.
She pushed the door open.
The backyard greeted her with a sight that made her heart stutter.
Strings of warm fairy lights hung above the open patio, glowing gently against the evening sky. A table for two sat beneath them, set with candles that flickered like tiny flas dancing in the air. The edges of the garden were lined with lanterns, their soft light casting a golden halo over the stone path leading deeper into the yard.
And at the far end of it, silhouetted against the soft glow, stood Daniel.
His hands were in his pockets, his posture relaxed, but when he turned and saw her, his gaze changed. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, the shadows lifting as his expression softened.
For a mont, neither of them said a word.
Daniel took a slow step toward her. Then another. The way he looked at her made the air feel warr, heavier, charged with a aning she felt but could not na.
"You look..." His voice trailed off. He took a breath and tried again. "Beautiful."
Anna felt her cheeks warm, even though she tried to hold on to her composure. "You planned all this?"
Daniel nodded. "I wanted tonight to be special."
"Why?" she breathed before she could stop herself.
He hesitated only for a heartbeat before answering.
"Because you matter to ."
His words settled between them like sothing delicate, fragile, yet incredibly real.
Anna took a small step forward, her voice soft. "Daniel..."
He extended his hand toward her, waiting. "Co."
Her heart fluttered wildly as she placed her hand in his.
And together, they walked toward the table glowing softly beneath the lights.
Daniel led her toward the table, the lights above them casting a soft golden glow across their faces. Anna’s fingers rested lightly in his, but she could feel the firmness of his grip—gentle, yet unwilling to let her drift away.
When they reached the table, he pulled her chair out with a quiet politeness she was still getting used to. Once she sat, he moved around and took his place across from her.
For a mont, neither spoke.
The night around them was calm, filled only with the distant rustle of leaves and the faint hum of crickets. The atmosphere felt almost unreal, as if they had stepped out of ti and into sothing ant only for the two of them.
Anna broke the silence first.
"Was this place always yours?" she asked, her voice soft.
Daniel rested his hands on the table, watching her. "Yes. I bought it a long ti ago."
"For what?"
He held her gaze for a heartbeat, then said quietly, "For peace. For monts when the world felt too heavy."
Anna’s expression softened. She understood that more than he realized.
"But I never brought anyone here before," he continued.
Her breath caught.
Not even Henry knew. That much she could guess.
"So why bring ?" she asked, leaning back slightly, her eyes lingering on him with a mix of curiosity and nervous warmth.
Daniel studied her for a long mont. His expression was calm, but sothing deeper flickered beneath it—sothing raw and vulnerable.
"Because with you," he said slowly, "it does not feel heavy."
The words hit her like a soft blow, warm and unexpected. Her heart skipped, then fluttered like it wanted to leap right out of her chest.
"Daniel..." she whispered, unsure what to say, afraid of breaking the mont with the wrong words.
He reached across the table, his fingers brushing hers lightly. "I know I am not the easiest person to understand. And I know you did not choose this marriage. But I want us to have sothing real. Sothing that is ours."
Anna swallowed, her eyes drifting down to where his hand gently covered hers. For once, the warmth spreading through her had nothing to do with embarrassnt... and everything to do with him.
"I did not expect any of this," she admitted honestly.
He gave a faint smile. "Neither did I."
Their eyes t, and the air between them shifted, growing softer, fuller, carrying an unspoken promise neither dared to na.
Daniel cleared his throat then, breaking the intensity just enough. "Let us eat before the food gets cold."
Anna let out a small breath she had not realized she was holding. She picked up her fork, but her gaze kept drifting toward him involuntarily.
The dinner was simple but beautifully set, the kind of al planned with intention rather than extravagance. Daniel poured her a glass of wine, his fingers brushing hers again, sending a quiet shiver down her spine.
Halfway through their al, Anna caught him staring at her.
Not lustfully. Not possessively. Just... looking.
Soft as if being here with her was enough.
Anna set her fork down gently. "You keep staring."
Daniel did not look away. "I am allowed to admire my wife."
Her cheeks ward instantly. "You are impossible."
"Perhaps," he said with a slight tilt of his head. "But I ant it."
Their eyes held for a mont longer. And this ti, Anna did not look away first.
***
Dinner ended slowly, not because the food was elaborate, but because neither seed eager for the night to move forward too quickly. Every glance lingered, every small smile held aning. By the ti Daniel rose from his seat, the air around them felt warm, full, and impossibly charged.
He stepped around the table and offered his hand to her again.
Anna placed her hand in his without hesitation.
Daniel guided her toward the far end of the backyard, where the lanterns cast a softer glow. The grass was cool beneath their feet, the faint breeze lifting strands of her hair as if the night itself wanted to touch her.
When they reached the open space beneath a blooming tree, he stopped.
He lifted his hand and brushed a loose curl behind her ear. His fingertips lingered against her skin, warm and careful.
"Anna," he said quietly, his voice deeper now, as if the stillness around them pulled the softness out of him. "I wanted you here because... I wanted you close."
Her heartbeat stuttered.
Reviews
All reviews (0)