Before she could fully enjoy the mont, Relia’s voice creeped into her mind, oozing with mischief. "Hehehehehehe... you know what I’m about to say?"
Evelina let out a slow breath, already regretting the peace she thought she was already having.
"Well, finally! After all the denial, the angst, and the ridiculous tension—you two finally did sothing about it. I was about to send a search party for your common sense."
Evelina groaned, pressing her forehead against Damian’s chest. "Shut up, Relia," she muttered.
Damian pulled back slightly, his brow furrowing. "What?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, shaking her head though her cheeks ward with embarrassnt.
Relia cackled. "You can shut out all you want, darling, but I was here for that kiss. Front-row seat. Best. Show. Ever."
Evelina sighed, muttering under her breath, "I hate you."
Damian laughed lightly and eased his grip as he pulled back to look at her. "Should I be worried about whatever conversation you’re having in there?"
Evelina let out a sigh and straightened. "Only if you want to explain everything about..." She paused for a mont, then shook her head. "You know what? Never mind."
Instead of pressing her further, Damian simply wrapped his arms around her again, drawing her back into the warmth of his embrace.
For the first ti in what felt like forever, Evelina allowed herself to just be—no walls, no defences, no poisoning, no assassins, no fear of what ca next.
Just the steady thrum of Damian’s heartbeat beneath her cheek and the way his arms fit around her like they were ant to be there.
Relia, for once, dropped the teasing, and spoke in a soft voice. "For what it’s worth, Evie... I’m happy for you."
Evelina’s eyes softened. " too."
Of course, peace never lasted long.
Her mind imdiately went back to everything that existed outside this little space of theirs.
"We’ll have to think about handling Selene and the king," Evelina murmured in her mind. "Among... other worries."
Relia scoffed. "Oh, I’m sure we can handle that. Plus, we have a macho mate here to protect us."
Evelina rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.
After what felt like an eternity, Damian finally pulled back, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he looked down at her. "So," he said in a husky voice, "want to join for dinner?" He gestured toward the picnic setup. "The turkey over there looks tempting."
Evelina’s stomach betrayed her, growling loudly at the ntion of food, making it hard for her to pretend she wasn’t hungry.
Damian’s grin widened.
Evelina frowned, pretending to be upset, but before she could reply, a playful glint appeared in her eyes. "Is the turkey more tempting than you?" she teased, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously.
Damian’s expression shifted in an instant. The amusent in his gaze darkened, replaced by sothing heady, sothing primal.
"You’ll find out soon enough," he replied.
A shiver ran down Evelina’s spine.
She knew she was playing with fire.
And gods, did she love the burn.
Biting her lower lip, she stepped closer, letting her fingers drift up his chest again, lingering at the collar of his shirt.
"I can’t wait," she whispered.
Damian’s gaze smouldered, his silver eyes locked onto hers with a dark intensity that made Evelina’s heart stutter.
The way he looked at her, like she was the only thing in the world worth wanting, sent warmth pooling in her stomach.
Relia humd approvingly in the back of Evelina’s mind. "Oh, he’s good. Dangerous, but good. You should do that thing where you pretend not to be affected—though, between us, I give you about five seconds before you lt."
Evelina ntally shoved her wolf aside, determined to keep her composure, though the way Damian’s lips quirked told her he saw right through her act.
"Dinner first," she said, clearing her throat and stepping back. "Then we can discuss whether or not you’re more tempting than roasted turkey."
Damian chuckled, a rich sound that sent pleasant shivers down her spine. "Fair enough." He reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. "Co on, let’s eat. I didn’t go through all this trouble just to have the food go cold."
Eve chuckled, the tension easing slightly as she let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.
"Fair enough," she replied, her stomach growling in agreent. "Let’s see what you’ve prepared for this romantic evening."
As they walked hand in hand towards the picnic setup, the soft glow of the lanterns bathed everything in a warm, inviting light.
They sat down on the blanket, enjoying the cool evening air filled with the sll of wildflowers and the freshness of the nearby lake.
The food was beautifully laid out: roast turkey, a selection of cheeses, fresh bread, and a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket of ice. The table was elegantly set, with polished silverware and golden goblets reflecting the lantern light.
Eve couldn’t help but smile at the thoughtfulness Damian had put into this. He had gone to great lengths to create this perfect evening, and it was clear he had done it all for her.
Her heart swelled with warmth, pushing aside the remnants of fear and doubt that had plagued her for days.
Her stomach growled again, and she instinctively placed a hand on it. "Oops..."
Damian smirked. "That eager, huh?"
Evelina shot him a glare, grabbing a piece of bread and tearing into it with dramatic flair. "Listen, if you knew the day I’ve had, you’d understand why food is my one true love right now."
Damian watched her, his expression softer now, more relaxed. "You could have just told we should get dinner together."
Evelina rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight the small smile tugging at her lips. "Where’s the fun in that?"
"I know, right?"
"Anyway, this looks amazing," Eve said, adjusting herself on one of the cushions and tucking her legs beneath her. So, do you do this for all your romantic interests?" she asked playfully as she popped a piece of turkey into her mouth. Or am I just special?"
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