The world felt small in the best way, as though it had been whittled down to just the two of us in this warm, glowing space. I leaned against the counter, his arms braced on either side of me, his lips brushing mine with a tenderness that made my heart ache. Everything else—every worry, every doubt—melted away under his touch.
“Vivian,” he murmured, pulling back slightly, his breath warm against my cheek. His chuckle rumbled low, soft and intimate. “The salmon’s getting cold.”
For a moment, I just stared at him, my mind still caught in the haze of his kiss. Then his words registered, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped—a low, teasing sound that seemed to make his eyes darken.
“Fine,” I said, pretending to relent, though the playfulness in my tone betrayed me. “But only beca
