Chapter 24 : Heartstring Promises I watched her from the couch , the warm glow of the fireplace painting her skin gold . She was laughing , quietly , her hair tucked behind her ears as she flipped through the photo album Liam had left on the table before bed . Neil was nowhere in sight for now , and that silence between us - though fragile - was ours alone to breathe in . Arianne looked exactly how I remembered her on the nights we didn't need words- just skin , heat , and the pull of something inevitable . It used to be effortless with her . The curve of her lips , the way her eyes held storms - she didn't even have to try . And tonight ... she wasn't trying . " You're staring again , " she said without looking up . " Can you blame me ? " I replied , swallowing the rest of my whiskey . Her eyes met mine , steady . " Don't start something you're not willing to finish ." " You think I won't ? " Her gaze faltered - just slightly - but I saw it . That flicker . That breath she held the moment she realized I still knew how to unnerve her . " Liam's asleep ," she whispered . " I know . " There were only a few steps between us , but I took them slowly , deliberately . Each one was a test - hers and mine . My hand slid to the side of her neck , my thumb tracing the familiar pulse just under her jawline . " Do you ever think about it ? " I asked . " The way we used to be ? " She didn't answer with words . Her fingers fisted my shirt , pulling me toward her like the gravity between us had finally snapped back into place . The first kiss wasn't gentle . It was raw . Desperate . The kind of kiss you give when time has stolen too many nights . We didn't stumble . We knew the terrain too well . I backed her against the fireplace , her legs hooking around my waist without hesitation . My hands slid under the hem of her sweater , fingers remembering the rise of her hips , the warmth of her waist , the small tremble she tried to hide when I traced the outline of her spine . Clothes fell away in pieces . Whispers filled the space between moans . Her skin burned against mine , our breath syncing into one relentless rhythm . I kissed every part of her that I used to claim - each scar , each curve , each soft sound she made when I pressed into the right places . She was still mine in this . The way she arched into me when I took her . The way her nails raked across my back . The way she moaned my name like it still meant something . When she came , she buried her face into my shoulder , trembling . And I followed - hard , fast , breathless . We didn't speak right away . Instead , I pulled the blanket from the couch and wrapped it around us both , holding her in front of the fire like we used to on our honeymoon . Her head on my chest . My heart pounding for her alone . " I missed you , " I murmured , lips on her temple . She sighed , tracing circles on my chest . " You let me go . " " Because I thought you were better off without me ." She lifted her head then . " And now? " I held her tighter . " Now I want to fight for you . For Liam . For us . Even if Neil's next door with his popcorn and perfect timing . " She laughed , a genuine one . " You jealous ? " " Absolutely . " She shook her head , amused . But in the glow of the fire , I could see her soften . Her walls didn't crumble all at once - but they cracked . The rest of the night was a blur of limbs and gasps . We didn't just make love - we relived it . Over . And over . And over . Every time the urge surged , I took her . Against the wall . On the rug . Back on the couch . Soft and slow . Then fast and furious . She was the same Arianne I fell in love with - the woman who used to crawl into my lap when the house was quiet just to kiss me . The woman who whispered my name like it was sacred . She came alive beneath me , and I worshiped her like I was a man reborn . When the dawn bled through the windows , she was asleep in my arms . Naked . Spent . Glowing . But sleep never touched me . I stared at the ceiling , knowing what this meant . This wasn't just sex . And Neil had no idea what kind of hell I was willing to raise to win her back . Even if it meant staying in Sitka until her heart forgot how to beat for anyone else but me . Neil came over for breakfast . Arianne made her famous chicken pot pie , and we sat around the table like some accidental sitcom family . Laugh tracks not included . I noticed the way Neil's fingers brushed hers when passing the salt . The little glances . And I wasn't imagining it - he was trying . Slowly , subtly . Testing the line between friendship and something more . So I stood up to clear the dishes . " Let me help you , " Neil offered . " I got it ," I said with a smile too sharp . " You're the guest , remember ? " He gave me a tight nod . " Right ." Arianne watched the exchange with a frown . She knew . Of course she knew . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!