Lucian hadn’t planned on spending the evening admiring the moonlight with Eloise. But there she was, her hair tousled by the wind, looking effortlessly beautiful, and before he could stop himself, he reached out to tuck a stray lock behind her ear.
It had become a routine lately, these quiet moments with Eloise, he would wrap his arm around her shoulders, absently stroke her hair, and she’d no longer pull away. It was as though the distance between them had begun to disappear, piece by piece, without either of them noticing.
“Good night, Eloise,” Lucian said, his voice softer than usual, almost reluctant to break the spell of the moment.
Eloise gave him a small smile, her eyes reflecting something far more complicated than just a simple goodbye. “Good night,” she replied, but the word f
