A Eternal Love

chapter 30

By the time Daniel pulled the car into the driveway, the moon had climbed high, silvering the edges of the house. The glow from the date still lingered in Mia’s chest, filling her with a warmth she hadn’t felt in years.

She turned toward him, her smile soft but teasing. “You know, not every guy plans a whole candlelit dinner on a lake. You’re making it very hard for me to keep my guard up.”

Daniel smirked, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Maybe that’s the point.”

Her laugh bubbled out as she followed him inside. The house was quiet, shadows long and soft in the lamplight. Mia stopped in the living room, spinning slowly on her heels, her dress catching the glow.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice low but firm. “For tonight. For making me feel like… like none of the chaos exists.”

Daniel stepped closer, his gaze fixed on her. “Mia, you deserve more nights like this. A thousand more.”

Something in the way he said it sent shivers through her. She bit her lip, then tilted her head, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Careful, Daniel. If you keep talking like that, I might start thinking you’re trying to seduce me.”

He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “And if I was?”

Her pulse quickened. She took a step closer, their bodies almost touching. “Then maybe I’d let you.”

Her words hung in the air, daring. Before Daniel could reply, she rose on her toes and kissed him. It wasn’t soft this time—it was hungry, charged with the emotions they’d both been holding back. His hands found her waist, pulling her against him, while hers tangled in his hair.

They stumbled back toward the couch, laughter breaking between kisses, until they collapsed together, breathless.

“You’re dangerous when you flirt,” Daniel murmured against her lips.

“And you’re terrible at resisting me,” Mia whispered back, kissing him again.

Mia’s heart thudded as Daniel pulled her closer, his hands firm at her waist. The playful teasing in her voice vanished the instant his lips touched hers—warm, insistent, and almost desperate. She melted into the kiss, one hand pressing against his chest while the other slid into his hair, tugging him nearer.

Daniel deepened the kiss, his breath mingling with hers, and the strength in his embrace made her feel both safe and electrified. He angled his head, kissing her harder, and Mia gave a soft gasp as his thumb brushed her cheek, gentle even in the urgency.

They staggered back until the back of Daniel’s legs hit the couch. He sat, but pulled her with him, so she tumbled into his lap. She laughed breathlessly against his mouth, her hands curling around his shoulders.

“You planned this, didn’t you?” she teased between kisses.

“If I said yes,” he murmured, lips trailing along her jawline to her ear, “would you be mad?”

“Maybe,” she whispered, shivering as his breath tickled her skin. “But I wouldn’t stop.”

Her words spurred him, and Daniel kissed her again, slower this time, savoring her. Mia pressed closer, her fingers tracing the muscles of his back, feeling the heat of him through his shirt. He groaned softly, pulling her tighter, as though letting her go would break something inside him.

When their lips finally parted, Mia rested her forehead against his, both of them breathless, their hearts racing in sync.

“You drive me crazy,” Daniel said hoarsely.