Sean slowly opened his eyes and released Charlotte from the kiss.
She was still catching her breath, her dazed eyes meeting his. His dark, bottoinless gaze felt like it could swallow her whole.
His voice was low and lazy, tinged with satisfaction. “Yeah… definitely sweet. But you’re sweeter.”
Charlotte’s face turned an even deeper shade of red,
That night, after showering, she lay on the bed, too wound up to sleep. Her mind kept replaying everything that had happened- like a film reel spinning on loop.
In just one day, they had kissed twice.
It felt unreal. Like a dream she hadn’t quite woken
It had been six months since their breakup.
And in those six months, a lot had changed.
She had always sensed Sean’s feelings for her. He never hid them. But she had tried so hard to suppress her own.
Maybe it was the freedom of being in Green City, a place where no one knew her and the weight of her father’s expectations didn’t follow her. Or maybe it was the scenery–so breathtaking it felt like it could mend everything that had once been broken. The pain and fear of the past were finally beginning to fade.
And just like that, she didn’t want to hold back anymore.
Something inside her had shifted, like a floodgate swinging open. The feelings she had buried deep for so long came rushing to the surface, unstoppable and overwhelming.
She kept replaying the way he held her. The way he kissed her. The way the warm evening breeze wrapped around them. The heat of his touch. The way her heartbeat spun wildly control
Every moment stayed with her. Every detail was intoxicating.
Even though they were officially back together
she still hadn’t figured out how to tell her father.
The truth was, all three of them–her, Desmond, and Jodie–had nearly lost their lives because of the Jasper family. They had been caught in the middle of that terrible incident with Joseph. Desmond had never been able to let it go. He remained completely opposed to her getting back with Sean.
i
Just thinking about it was enough to dim the joy she had been feeling. The lightness in her heart faded, replaced by a heavy, unshakable weight.
For now, she had no choice. Her father couldn’t know they were back together.
At the same time, Sean felt like he was drifting in a pool of honey.
The sweet taste of the peach candy still lingered in his mouth. He could practically feel it all the way down to his heart.
After his shower, he couldn’t resist calling Charlotte on video.
She picked up.
She had already showered, wearing a white silk pajama top and lying on her side in bed. “Why are you video calling me?” she
asked with a soft smile.
1.3
Sean was sitting on the sofa in his hotel room: His hair was still damp, water dripping from the ends. “I missed you,” he said. Just wanted to hear your voles.”
Charlotte let out a quiet laugh. “Didn’t we just see each other?”
“That was almost an hour ago.”
“Only an hour? When did he get so clingy?” Charlotte thought.
Their rooms were only one floor apart. Sean was in an executive site upstairs, while Charlotte and Petra shared a double room
below.
Even though their feelings were out in the open now, they weren’t quite at the point of sharing a bed, Charlotte needed time, and she didn’t want to rush things.
Sean respected that. He went back to his room like a gentleman.
“You should sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Charlotte said softly.
“Okay.” Sean looked at her, eyes gentle. “Goodnight, Lottie.”
“Goodnight.”
Over the next three days, they explored the natural wonders of Green City together.
They climbed snow–capped mountains and watched the sunset from over 4,000 meters up, wrapped in each other’s arms.
They rode horses across the vast, endless grasslands, galloping freely under the sky.
They ran and laughed through fields of wildflowers in July.
They kissed under the soft glow of moonlight.
In a small village, they dressed in traditional ethnic clothes and danced hand–in–hand around a bonfire.
Those few days in Green City were some of the happiest and most carefree days Charlotte had experienced in a long time.
After returning to Jasper City, Charlotte dove back into work.
Sean began showing up at her law firm even more often than before.
One day, as Megan came to visit Charlotte, she ran into Sean in the parking lot of their office building.
