"Come in! It's open."

Anastasia jumps at the reply full of spirit seeping through the door immediately after her three quiet, almost hesitant, knocks on the wood.

Maybe she isn't as prepared as she has thought because when she slowly opens the door, the sight appearing to her eyes takes her heart in a whirlwind, and if she wasn't holding herself, she would leap again.

Instead, she lets the shy smile she has been wearing since she has arrived on top of the ladder stretch fully as the familiar coziness of the cabin engulfs her. 

She knows she has been there barely a few times, yet she can't help this comfortable feeling taking over every time she passes this door, and today it's even warmer and more magical. 

Fairy lights with tiny light bulbs like fireflies have been added around the windows, and a faint melody is playing through an old Bluetooth speaker. But what is really surreal is the center of the room, where a pale blanket is spread out on the floor, with fluffy cushions of various forms and colors, and opened boxes of takeaway here and there. Finally, in the middle of it all, there is Nathaniel, on all fours, offering a perfect view of his nice butt as he finishes installing everything.

However, her contemplation is interrupted too soon when he glances back, and the red blossoming on her cheeks is a pretty obvious proof of the tickles she is feeling in her smile and elsewhere.

"You're early." He stands up, smoothing his white shirt, and she's lucky that she is leaving him too breathless for him to raise her lingering gaze.

He's been expecting her, but not so soon. Though what has caught his breath is just seeing her. He will never be fully prepared for her, no matter how many little details about her – which he's discovering more and more – are running in his mind all the time. She is breath-taking, and today, even more. 

She's wearing simple denim shorts revealing her milky slim legs and a colorful top giving a glimpse of one of her shoulders. Her golden waves are free for once, and between this, the unusual colors of her shirt, and her serene smile, he's forgetting the time and day.

"Being on time is already late," she replies naturally, making his eyes widen at the clock as he throws a quick glance around.

"And I'm really late!"

It's already looking nice, yet not as much as what he's planned.

"It's beautiful!" She contradicts him without even knowing, her shining gaze wandering around the room one more time, and taking in more little details, while his is stopping on the packet of scented candles in a corner. 

It would have been too much. Or not enough? 

She deserves a billion starry lights, he concludes as soon as her lips are on his, lighting fireflies under his skin.

He doesn't know if it's a 'hello' or a 'thank you', but he's never had any of those words feel like this. With her lips, she seems to be translating him so much more, and he pulls her closer, his hands finding her waist instinctively. 

She parts her lips slightly, inviting him, and the desire burns through his veins as their tongues are greeting each other. However, the kiss stays tender. They don't rush like they always do to take as much as they can. It's just a promise. 

They have time; they have all day today. His chest expands on that thought, and when she pulls away, a large grin tickles his lips before their mouths are even fully apart.

"Make yourself at home." His hoarse words make her open her still-closed lids, but they don't create the need to flee anymore, just a cozy want to stay here, and it resonates like the word 'home' in every cell of her body when he softly pecks her lips. "I have a few things to finish preparing."

He is already rushing to the corner kitchen, well the corner with the mini-fridge and a cupboard. This cabin has just the necessary basics, and it appears like everything she needs as she naturally leaves her purse near the freshly-made bed, which for once she has the time to appreciate the neat white sheets, and she grabs the paper bag she has brought, kneeling down to set up its contents with the rest on their smooth makeshift dining table on the floor.

"No!" She hasn't even taken out one thing that he stops her hand. "Today you do nothing and just relax." He leaves a smooth kiss on her palm, and she is left breathless as much by the tenderness of the gesture, unknown for her, as by his request, which is far from her habits.

The bag taken away from her grasp and her hands unusually empty, she decides to stand up, walking around the cabin with no aim. Yet for the first time, she doesn't question about being useless or useful; she just lets it be, and it feels right.

Her gaze finds back the photos she has observed the other day, and she takes the time to catch each detail, from the missing front tooth of the little Nathaniel's grin to the big sequoia that she glimpses in the background of the picture and that is the only thing from the photos remaining around Nathaniel. 

She stares at the elegant couple, wondering how they have been, what character traits they have passed down to Nathaniel. His protective nature? His kindness? His resilience? What have they taught him? Her eyes slide to the bald man in the next picture with Nathaniel. She wishes she could have met them, the people around him, who have made him who he is.

She doesn't know any of his friends and family, but it is part of their secret; it is for their safety.

Leaving her with nothing to do might not be Nathaniel's best idea, as it brings more time and space for her mind to wander too far, and for the worries and what-ifs to resurface and cloud their bright day.

Though she won't let anything spoil it as she sees how meticulously he is working to make this day perfect, applying himself to install everything on the blanket, and it is enough to illuminate her smile. She could forget everything just watching him and how his muscles are standing out as he opens a bottle of wine. 

She even has to force herself to look away before getting caught staring once again, and quickly, a detail catches her attention almost as much as him; maybe her breath is caught too in front of the packet of candles laying in a corner. 

Has he planned to light them up? Her heart is bouncing up and down in front of the small forms of wax, and the questions are rising as fast. Would she melt more under the flickering lighting or would it wake her need to run away? Why hasn't he lighted them up anyway? Maybe it is for something else? His wife? Her heart does another jump, this time, colliding painfully against her ribcage.

Her brain is boiling. Her lungs are suffocating, and a drop of cold sweat is forming somewhere in her back. In front of a bag of unlit candles, she would have never imagined so many questions and doubts could arise.

Maybe they are just too much for her, and anyway, he has already prepared a lot for this unique picnic. He is here with her, right now; it is the most important, and this special moment is only for them both to enjoy, relax, and let it be.

So she does her best to do it, continuing her investigation about him and only him around the room as her frown passes on the rows of videogames on a shelf, most of them containing the words 'hero', 'mission' or 'saving'. 

She isn't surprised, though she doesn't know any of them because she has never liked video games. She has always been anchored in reality. Even as a child, she has played logic games and Clue, and that's still what she does as she searches for another shelf that can interest her more, and she finds back her light mood on the one just below. 

"Keychains?! Really?! That's so kitschy!" She laughs, though it isn't mocking. It is incredulity and a tickle of comfort in their safe place as her attentive gaze slides over the several lines of keychains, various forms and colors, all arranged in an order she can't decipher, yet incredibly harmonious.

A light chuckle answers her, and although when she turns around, Nathaniel is still putting the final touches to their picnic, she is able to guess the hint of embarrassment in his chocolate eyes. A light spark of amusement, a shade of humility looking down, and all of this drawn in warmth, she is starting to know the dark colors by heart, and while she is waiting to dive into them, her curiosity is piqued by the vintage keyrings: a four-leaf clover, a friendly-looking snowman, a colorful treble clef, a military insignia, a compass engraved with the word 'home'.

Her heart skips a beat in front of this one. She has never used a compass, yet she knows how it works, the miniature imitating perfectly each detail of this ancient object, except that the needle is pointing to four silver letters. 

'Home', the word is shining, as if showing the way to the lost souls, and it echoes in a spiraling arrow inside her. Like attracted by a magnet, she is leaning closer to the simple object, at least, until another force pulls her back: a strong arm wrapping around her waist.

Nathaniel easily wins as she jumps and melts against the warmth of his hard chest, though her shaking fingers slowly point to the keyring intriguing all her thoughts, and she lets out in a breathless whisper,

"I like this one."

"Mhm..." He rests his chin on her bare shoulder, and she can sense his piercing eyes on her, making her heartbeats louder.

"You collected them?" He is so close that she feels his answer on her skin with a tickle of his stubble following the movement of his nod, and it is traveling throughout her whole body when he adds,

"You're really curious." The hint of hoarseness in the light tone makes her turn her head, and his dark gaze surprises her, even closer and more penetrating than what she has imagined.

It is a strange feeling; she is incredibly at ease and relaxed, yet her heart rate is uneven. It's like a million little haywire compasses are spinning inside, while her skin is vibrating with the word 'home' at the contact of his warm body.

Though she hopes she isn't as easy to read as the little keyring as she shrugs, covering the tempest going through her body.

"A lawyer has to pay attention to all the little details." 

"You already know I'm guilty," he rasps on her skin, pulling her even closer to him, and her body is slowly betraying her, the contrasting sensations inside arising on her skin in goosebumps as he drags his lips on the smooth skin below her ear and down her neck.

When his left hand sneaks under her shirt, she can only surrender to his plea, and as she leans against him, the seriousness of his words is discarded. 

They are in their safe place; there is no judge or sentence here.

"I think we should eat before I devour you again." 

Just when he's had her melting in his arms, at the mercy of his hunger, he softly kisses her cheek and pulls away, and although the protesting whine is leaving her lips, the torture is for both of them, as he has to battle with his hunger to not consume her fully right now at the breathless sound, and her frustrated frown looks so sweet that it only increases his craving.

But he reminds himself there is no rush as he leads her to their makeshift dining table. They have most of the day, and he will make sure to sate her in every way possible.

He has planned this day just for Anastasia, to take her mind off all the things he's revealed her. They are avoiding the subjects, applying their 'let it be and stop worrying', yet he can see in her eyes and tired features that it's only added to her many worries. 

That's why he has taken a day off just to match hers and have this special moment away from everything. He hasn't told her this little detail because it's been already hard enough to convince her that they could both disappear for a whole day with good excuses and lies. He knows she wouldn't have accepted if she had known he's had to arrange his work schedule just for her. 

He rarely takes time off; however, as she's sitting with her milky legs bent by her side on the pale blanket and her eyes sparkling at everything around, he wonders why he doesn't take more days off and why he's been so focused on work all this time.

"So what have you brought?" Anastasia pulls him out of his considerations as her curious eyes peek over some open boxes of food before coming back to him with a sly twinkle. "I'm starving."

"My favorite tapas." He sits down right in front of her, grabbing a paper plate full of colorful appetizers and holding it out for her with an easy and bright smile, both looking really appetizing.

Though for now, she just picks a small roll with a crimson red filling, putting it whole in her mouth, and she regrets her choice almost instantly with the first bite that releases a burst of spiciness on her tongue.

She stops the movements of her jaw as if it could prevent the burn to spread to her whole mouth, when an instinct to spit it out is already pushing on her throat, and her stomach is protesting in warnings. Yet Nathaniel's attentive gaze expectantly observing her keeps her mouth shut.

He has prepared so much for her. She is always preaching honesty, but she doesn't have the heart to tell him the truth, and the blaze of the piquant mixture appears better than the plain words in the back of her mouth as she resumes chewing, the hot pepper invading more and more taste buds.

"So?"

She is searing in front of his lifted eyebrow, and she doesn't even know if it's from the spicy appetizer or from his penetrating gaze.

"Mmh..." She nods, trying to form a smile after gulping the tapas and feeling its trail in a scald along her throat, and his eyes are following closely the movement until his eyebrows drop down.

"You don't like it."

"No, it's..." The cracks making her voice falter give away the fire growing with each passing second in the back of her throat.

"Shit, you don't like spicy food?!" He looks frantically around the blanket. "Those were sweet-spicy, I didn't think... I'm sorry." He too seems to lose his words, his expression looking more frozen though, as he hands her a glass of water and a cup of plain yogurt sauce, and even if the fresh water she gulps down entirely only worsens the burning sting, in front of his sorry teddy bear eyes, she forgets it for a second.

There is another kind of warmth taking over, this time, from her chest, and so much sweeter as her gaze flickers between his creased eyebrows and the yogurt in his hand.

"It's for the burn." He nods to the cup in his left hand. "Milk soothes it."

"I know." She smiles, taking a spoon of the white sauce, and instantly, the burning sensation is calmed with the smooth freshness, at least in her throat.

"You really don't like spicy?" From the way he is wincing, it isn't really a question, and she imitates his grimace, unable to lie in front of these chocolate eyes.

"I hate it." Her wince turns into a smile more smoothly than the yogurt has covered the spiciness, yet it isn't enough to engulf the guilt in his gaze.

"I'm sorry... And now..." He glances around, searching through the plates and boxes one more time. "Almost everything is spicy or at least sweet-spicy. I'm so used to hot peppers... I should've known." His eyebrows furrow deeper, adding to the bothered darkness in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay! You couldn't know!" She grabs his hand to stop his useless shuffling and make him look at her and her smile, showing him it doesn't matter for her, despite the remaining burn in her throat. "And I can eat the tortillas, the yogurt sauce..." She illustrates her arguments, dipping a triangle in the creamy sauce after making sure they are pepper-free, of course. "And I've brought shakes and our Dulce de Passion choux, so there is quite enough!"

She always has the best arguments, and he hasn't known a simple 'our' could sound so melodious, her accent only adding to the poetry and easing all his tensions from between his eyebrows to his lips.

His smile forms fully when he glances at the colorful pastries. 'Our', this is one of the rare things they can share besides secrets, and this one is tangible.

"You're sure?" he still asks, his attentive eyes coming back to her and her smile, as it is the most important, and when she nods, finishing her triangle of crusty pastry, and her tongue peeks out at the corner of her slow grin, he is floating back in heaven.

She deserves all the wonders and delicacy of the world, yet she always settles for so little.

"Yes. And if I'm still hungry, I'm sure you'll give me something else to eat..."

Maybe he's talked too soon because some tensions are definitely coming back in his body as she crawls to meet him above the paper plates and nibbles on his lower lip, and when his lips part, she's taking his breath away literally and figuratively.

It's a menu that suits him perfectly, though he doesn't have time to tell her because she's already leaving his lips and leaving him out of breath.

He is drooling at the sight before him. Still on her knees, she's extending her arm to grab something a little farther, and the arch of her back is arising his primal hunger, making him forget the picnic and its aim. His hands – which once again have a mind of their own – reach out, but once more she withdraws just before he can take her. 

He's starting to think she is teasing him on purpose, and the devious spark in her eyes as she innocently sucks on the straw of her shake leaves him no doubt.

It's a side of her he hasn't expected, and this day is already keeping him on his toes as his nerves are going in every direction. For now, they're focused on this mysterious teaser side of her, attracting him to discover more as he leans closer, staring into her magnetizing eyes.

"Mmh... You've brought shakes?"

His hot breath grazes her lips before his thumb follows as softly, making her mouth open in need, and just when the straw slides out of her lips, he takes the opportunity to grab the cup from her weak hands, leaning away with a mischievous smirk. 

'Two can play that game', she can read in his darkening eyes, and it sends a thrill down her spine.

However, his smugness disappears in a surprised cringe as soon as he looks down at the content of the cup through the transparent lid, and she bursts out laughing in front of his horrified stare.

He is still deviously sexy, yet he is also incredibly adorable, something only he can do. The tingles he has sent down her core are turning into tickles in her stomach, and when he joins her with his unique baritone laugher, all her insides are bursting with a delicious warmth.

The atmosphere is switching so easily from heavy with desire to light and playful; she still can't comprehend it. Yet she doesn't have to think in any of them. It's natural, and there is no restraint.

"What is that?" he asks once their laughs are calming down, though a light chuckle is still escaping the curl of his lip, making her grin grow larger.

"My favorite shake! It's a mix of roots and veggies." His tongue sticking out in disgust is only drawing more giggles out of her lips. "What?! I promise it's delicious!" She leans closer and takes the cup he has already put aside. "You gotta taste."

The serious, inflexible look she tries to keep is wavering as soon as he squints at the drink in her hand, shaking his head no, and he looks so cute that she could almost give up – almost, because she is still stubborn.

"Come on! I've almost caught fire because of your spicy tapas, so you can at least take a sip of my shake! I promise it won't hurt you."

She has barely finished her sentence that clouds of worry come back in his eyes, maybe even before, as if the word 'fire' was bringing back a haunting smoke, and quickly the light atmosphere is consumed.

"It still burns?" His tone is completely serious, the crease between his brows accentuating the intensity of his attentive gaze on her, and she recognizes that darkness.

It's a look she has already seen too often, as he seems to be battling guilt inside, even for things he has no control of. 

"No, I'm fine." 

There is no way she will allow any of those dark clouds to invade him today. As he has said: 'it's a let it be day, and everything is worry-free, bright and light', and she has something in mind that is all of the three.

"Actually it still burns a little..." She doesn't let him time to add another crease on his forehead, as she continues, leaning closer, "... But I know what will make it better."

"What?" he immediately asks, his soft eyes boring into hers.

"A kiss." She smiles, and his lips slowly mirror hers as she inches closer and closer until they are wearing the same wide grins that melt together.

'Melting' is the word because his lips are more tender than ever, their warmth making all her insides soften slowly, and although the light burn has already faded, this kiss still feels like a bandage, healing deeper burns and fires buried inside.

When his tongue slips in, smoothly roaming every inch of her mouth, only his unique taste is invading her, and she is wrapped in softness with the feather-like brush of his fingers on her cheeks. Once again, they are creating their unique bubble, where nothing can reach them, and it remains like a daze when he pulls away.

She is numbed by his tenderness, even though her heart is more awake and aware than ever, and she can see and feel that she isn't the only one who has forgotten every worry with this healing kiss because there is no more guilt in Nathaniel's eyes, only a shining light that resembles happiness.

She is even more satisfied as he suggests, "Let's taste this shake."

He lets her bring the straw to his lips, and in front of her luminous smile, he doesn't mind the earthy-greenish color and the mysterious ingredients of the drink. 

After all, appearances can be deceiving, and she's convinced him with great arguments. She'll be a great lawyer; that, there is no doubt because when he takes a sip with enthusiasm, he immediately realizes that the looks are fitting perfectly the taste.

It's earthy, greenish, and slightly tasteless at the same time, and even if his smile is pulling down and his stomach is tempted to go in the opposite direction, he tries his best to hide his shiver of disgust.

Her lawyer's gaze isn't duped anyway, but she isn't judging, and her smile is so sweet that he takes another gulp, trying to find another taste and searching for the flavor she finds so delicious. He almost makes it his mission.

Yet nothing comes, and he can't bear another drop of this mixture even when her light laugh sweetens the misadventure.

"You don't like it?"

He chuckles, shaking his head no and putting the horrible mixture as far as possible, before his gaze focuses on her, once again, like she is a mystery. "Do you really like it?"

"Oui! It's delicious and healthy!"

He glances doubtfully at the green mixture like to make sure they are talking about the same shakes, and this time, it isn't their taste that makes his smile fall as his gaze passes on the reddish tapas on the way, the colors contrasting sharply on the pale blanket. "We should have talked about the food we would bring before."

Their many differences, as well as the fact that they still don't really know each other, are glaring at him, and it's the hardest to swallow with everything already weighing on his stomach.

"That's not important. We can each eat what we like, and then we'll share the choux buns." She shrugs, the simple movement making all these details look so light and unimportant.

Actually, there's not a hint of tension in her body, and her features are so unusually relaxed that even the light crease between her eyebrows has disappeared. Instead, she's wearing a bright smile that makes him forget everything around. After all, that's all he's hoped for today. 

"Our choux bun." He grins.

Aren't they too cute?! 😍

I promised more cuteness and sexiness, and I always keep my promises, so get ready for more... 😉 

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