The sea stretched endlessly ahead, calm and shimmering beneath the late-morning sun. The gentle hum of the yacht’s engines was the only sound breaking the stillness, a rhythmic pulse against the soft hush of the waves. It didn’t feel like they were leaving paradise—it felt like they were drifting between worlds, caught in that fragile space where time seemed to slow, and reality hadn’t quite caught up yet.
Then she felt him.
Warmth wrapped around her from behind as Damien’s arms slipped around her waist, pulling her gently against him. The steady rhythm of his breathing brushed her ear, matching the sway of the yacht beneath them. Maya let herself melt into the embrace, feeling the solid comfort of him—his presence, his strength, the quiet safety that always came with his touch.
He dipp
