84| Moments of Light

The past few days had been absolute bliss for Sophie.

Especially after that night—after Ethan finally let her in.

For so long, she had wanted to see the real him, the version he kept hidden beneath his carefully built walls. And now that she had...

She loved him even more.

Not just the Ethan he was now.

But the boy he had been and the man he was becoming.

She wanted to love all of him.

No—she already did.

It was another one of those soft, peaceful mornings.

The kind she had dreamed of having with him.

She was making breakfast, lost in the rhythm of slicing bananas, while Ethan was upstairs in the shower.

She knew he loved her.

Even if he wasn't ready to say it yet, she could feel it.

And she was willing to wait—for as long as it took.

Warm hands suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind, and she felt Ethan's chin rest against her shoulder.

"What are you making?" he murmured, his voice warm and teasing.

Sophie smiled at the comfort of his embrace. "Just some pancakes."

Ethan reached around her, snatching a banana slice straight from the cutting board.

Sophie gasped, swatting at him playfully. "Hey! Those are for breakfast!"

He popped it into his mouth, eyes dancing mischievously. "Oops."

Sophie narrowed her eyes, pretending to be stern. "Are you going to keep stealing my ingredients?"

Ethan held up his hands in mock surrender, his grin completely unrepentant. "Sorry, sorry."

He wasn't sorry at all.

Sophie shook her head, watching him.

She had never seen Ethan like this before.

So carefree. So playful.

So unguarded.

She was learning a new version of him.

And she loved every second of it.

"Hey, you don't sound so—"

She didn't even get to finish before he leaned in and kissed her.

Soft.

Unexpected.

Completely disarming.

Her breath hitched, the knife in her hand forgotten as her fingers instinctively curled into his shirt.

Just what was she supposed to do if he kept playing with her heart like this?

When he finally pulled back, his smile was boyish, teasing, effortlessly charming.

Sophie just stood there, staring at him.

And then she laughed.

Because God, she loved him.

They made breakfast together, moving around the kitchen in a way that felt so natural, so easy.

Ethan made jokes, teasing her whenever she got distracted—which was often, considering he kept kissing her out of nowhere.

She was laughing so much, she almost forgot the pancakes on the stove.

By the time they finally sat down to eat, their lighthearted banter filled the kitchen with warmth.

With joy.

With love.

For a while now, everything between them had been so heavy.

But right now, in the golden glow of morning, with laughter between them and breakfast on the table...

Everything felt light.

After breakfast, as they cleaned up, Sophie glanced at Ethan. "Are you planning to go into work today?"

Ethan leaned back in his chair, smirking. "I've worked my whole life, Sophie. I'm giving myself a break. A long break."

Then he tilted his head, eyes twinkling. "Hey, let's spend the day together."

Sophie raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his sudden change of attitude. "Tempting, but I have my flower shop to run, you know."

Ethan nodded, as if he understood. But then, in a lower, flirtatious tone, he leaned forward. "But... you could spend the day with me instead. It comes with a lot of benefits, you see."

Sophie narrowed her eyes. "Oh? Like what?"

Ethan smirked, completely shameless. "Well, for starters... I'll let you ogle me like you always do. And this time, you won't have to pretend you weren't looking when I catch you."

Sophie's heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't the teasing—it was the way he looked at her when he said it. The playful glint in his eyes, the undeniable flirtation.

This was a new side of Ethan.

And God help her, it was getting to her.

She scoffed, attempting to keep her composure. "I do not ogle you."

Ethan lifted his hands in mock defense. "Debatable... but hey, I don't judge."

Sophie gasped, grabbing a dish towel and swatting at him. "That's it, I'm going to work."

Before she could take a step, he caught her by the wrist—gently, effortlessly—pulling her toward him.

His hands slid around her waist, holding her close, his voice dropping into something softer. Something dangerous.

"Come on, spend the morning with me."

Sophie's breath hitched.

"I promise I'll make it worth your while."

Her mind screamed at her to play it cool. But her heart?

Her heart was already his.

Heat crept up her neck as she bit her lip, feeling ridiculous for blushing but unable to stop herself. "Well... maybe just the morning."

Ethan grinned, victorious. "That's all I need."

And before she could say another word—

He scooped her up in his arms.

Sophie let out a squeal of surprise, laughing as she playfully protested. "Ethan! You just took a shower!"

He carried her toward the bedroom, completely unfazed. "I'll just take another one."

His voice was pure mischief.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Ethan set her down carefully... only to pull her in for a kiss—long, slow, intoxicating.

His hands moved over her body slowly, savoring every touch, every curve, as if he were memorizing her.

As if he were worshiping her.

Sophie's breath caught in her throat, her heart racing.

Because this wasn't just passion.

It was love.

And in his arms, she felt cherished. Wanted. Completely his.

********

That evening, Ethan drove Sophie to the beach.

By the time they arrived, the sun had begun its slow descent, casting the sky in breathtaking hues of gold, rose, and deepening violet.

The beach was nearly empty, the gentle lull of the waves adding to the tranquil stillness.

And then there was Sophie—

Dressed in a flowing white dress, her golden hair free, catching in the evening breeze. She looked ethereal.

And Ethan couldn't stop looking at her.

As they strolled along the quiet shoreline, Ethan's gaze never left her.

"You're so beautiful, Soph."

His voice was low, rough with something undeniable—something that sent a shiver down Sophie's spine.

Heat crept up her cheeks, her heart fluttering.

She smiled, but her eyes flickered downward, shy under the weight of his gaze.

"Stop it, Ethan," she murmured, glancing up at him through her lashes. "I can't handle it when you look at me like that."

Ethan chuckled, pulling her closer. "Like how?"

His lips brushed against her temple, his breath warm against her skin.

Sophie squealed, turning her face away as if that could stop the blush from deepening.

"Stop teasing me!"

But Ethan only grinned, clearly enjoying every second of it.

"Like how?" he repeated, his deep chuckle vibrating through his chest.

Sophie let out a dramatic sigh, pouting. He was impossible.

And yet, she loved him all the more for it.

Determined to escape his teasing, she broke into a run, laughing as she tried to put some distance between them.

But Ethan was faster.

Effortlessly, he caught her, spinning her into his arms as their laughter mixed with the crashing waves.

"You're terrible," Sophie said breathlessly, though she wasn't trying to pull away anymore.

Ethan smirked, holding her tighter. "You love it."

She did. God, she did.

They continued walking, the cool sand beneath their feet, Ethan's arm wrapped securely around Sophie's waist.

"I know how much you love the water," he murmured. "I figured we could come here... just us."

Sophie's expression softened as she gazed out at the vast, endless ocean.

"I do love the water."

Her voice was quieter now, almost wistful.

"It reminds me of my dad."

Ethan glanced at her, listening.

"Before he got sick, he used to take us to different beaches every summer. Those were some of my favorite memories." She exhaled, a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips. "I haven't been to one in years... not since he passed."

Ethan tightened his hold on her, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles against her waist.

"I'm sorry, Sophie." His voice was barely above a whisper.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining—not with sadness, but with something warm and certain.

"I'm happy I'm here with you."

Further down the beach, away from the last lingering souls by the water, they found a quiet spot.

Ethan laid out a blanket, and Sophie curled up against him, her head resting on his chest, his arms wrapped securely around her.

The rhythmic crash of the waves, the salt in the air, the stars slowly blinking awake above them—

It was perfect.

Ethan kissed the top of her head, his arms wrapped securely around her, feeling the comforting weight of her against him.

In moments like this, everything felt just right.

Sophie had a way of grounding him, steadying him, softening all the sharp edges inside him.

"It's still as beautiful as I remember," Sophie whispered, breaking the silence. "But it's even more beautiful now... maybe because you're here."

Ethan's chest tightened, warmed, swelled.

He pressed his lips to her forehead, a silent vow resting there.

"We'll come here more often," he promised softly, his voice carrying the weight of everything he felt for her.

They stayed like that, wrapped in each other, as the sun finally sank below the horizon, leaving them under a sky of endless stars.

The ocean whispered against the shore.

The night stretched on, peaceful and infinite, filled only with the sound of the waves and their steady breathing.

When it was finally time to leave, they stood reluctantly, brushing the sand from their clothes as they made their way back toward the car.

"Should we stop somewhere for dinner?" Ethan asked, breaking the comfortable silence. "I'm thinking we hit a restaurant."

Sophie hummed thoughtfully, her mind still somewhere between the stars and the waves.

"Mmm... I'm not really hungry. What about you?"

Ethan glanced at her, his answer coming without hesitation.

"Yeah, I am."

"Okay, then we can stop for something." She tilted her head curiously. "Anything in particular you wanna eat?"

"You."

His voice was shameless.

Sophie burst out laughing, completely caught off guard. "Gosh, Ethan, stoppp!" she giggled, rolling her eyes.

"Guess you're not that hungry, then. We'll figure something out when we get home."

Ethan grinned, leaning closer, his breath tickling her ear.

"Or we could skip dinner... you already fill me up."

Sophie shot him a playful glare, her cheeks warming at his boldness.

Before he could push his teasing further, she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him in for a quick, heated kiss.

Her lips met his in a perfect blend of passion and mischief.

When she pulled away, her eyes sparkled. "There. Now you can't tease me anymore."

Ethan blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

Sophie smirked, using his distraction to slip from his grasp, attempting to walk ahead.

But Ethan wasn't letting her go that easily.

He caught her by the waist, spinning her back toward him, their laughter breaking into the night.

"Don't leave me behind, Sophie!" Ethan teased, his voice light, carefree—like it had never been before.

Sophie squealed, twisting just enough to break free, dashing ahead.

Her white dress billowed behind her, her laughter ringing in the cool evening air as she ran forward—

Glancing back, just to see if he would follow.

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