And just like that, she felt a thrill she had never known before. This wasn’t playful banter or a show, and this wasn’t a test. This was happening.
Slater’s hand came to rest on her lower back, guiding her forward out of the lounge, but not before he tossed some cash down on the bar. Then he ushered her forward. She didn’t dare look at him. Right now, her main focus was on remembering to put one foot in front of the other and to breathe.
It was crazy how her brain couldn’t seem to remember how to handle vital functions, but it was more than okay with telling her to do something completely reckless.
They made their way across the lobby and, if anything, it felt like he had moved closer, like he was shielding her from something. Evie wanted to burrow closer, but it wasn’t possible to do that and keep moving.
The moment they stepped outside the lodge, the night air hit her lungs like a shock. Cold and bracing. Slater didn’t say a word; he just took her hand. His fingers laced through hers with quiet certainty, and the look he gave her—brief and charged—made it clear this wasn’t pretend anymore.
The parking lot lights cast long shadows across the asphalt as they crossed. Gravel crunched under their feet. Somewhere behind them, the muffled sound of laughter spilled out from the lodge doors.
Evie’s pulse pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it along with the thoughts racing through her head.
This was insane. This was her friend. This was the man she’d sworn—quietly and stubbornly—to keep in the safe category. No messy lines. No blurred edges. No heartbreak. She was leaving in a few weeks. Seattle was waiting. That was where her life, her job, her entire world was. And with Milo working here in Harbortown for most of the year, it wasn’t as if there was going to be much of an opportunity for her and Slater to see each other again. Plus, she already knew he wasn’t planning on staying here either.
So where did that leave them? Maybe they’d see each other once a year. Holidays. Resort events. Milo and Nora’s wedding. Casual hugs. Easy smiles.
Better to have this—whatever this was—than to always wonder and regret that she never went for it. And she knew she would. She was someone who needed answers. For far too long, she’d lived in a safe space filled with rules and reminders of her upbringing. And where had it gotten her? Nowhere. So tonight she was going to get her answers. She was going to find out what it was like to go after what she wanted.
And she wanted Slater.
She was allowed to have this. One night to be reckless and unapologetic. One night to want without worrying about tomorrow. She didn’t always have to be the responsible one. It was okay to stop pretending she didn’t feel this every time he looked at her.
That was what she told herself as they left the pavement and turned onto the narrow path toward the cabins. The trees closed in around them, moonlight filtering through the branches. They would get to his cabin first, and she wondered if they were going to stop there or keep going.
They stopped.
He didn’t hesitate. He led her straight to it.
When they reached the small wooden steps, her stomach flipped. Slater finally released her hand, but only to unlock the door. The second it swung open, he guided her inside with a hand at the small of her back.
The door shut with a soft but definitive click, and silence wrapped around them. No lodge music. No distant laughter. Just the hum of the heater and the sound of her breathing going shallow.
She turned toward him and barely had time to inhale before his hands were on her. He hauled her in close—decisive and unhesitating—and kissed her.
Not the playful cheek kiss from the bar. Not accidental. Not testing.
Just hungry.
She’d never had a man hungry for her before. Not like this.
Evie gasped against his mouth, and that was all the invitation he seemed to need. His hands slid up her back, pulling her flush against him. Solid. Warm. Real. Her fingers fisted into his jacket.
This was Slater.
Her Slater.
The one who teased her about her coffee obsession. The one who fixed things without being asked. The one who looked at her tonight as if she’d lit a fuse he hadn’t known was there.
Her heart raced so hard she thought she might shake apart. He kissed her like he’d been holding back for months. And maybe he had.
Lord knows that’s how it’s been for her.
In the back of her mind, Evie wondered if she should stop this. If she should say something about friendship and lines and long-distance realities.
Instead, she kissed him back.
Clung to him.
