All day, Sarah had been aching to steal Amelia away—to have her all to herself, even if just for a while.
Her heart thrummed with anticipation, overflowing with love, secrets, and a wild kind of joy. She counted every second until the last of Amelia's guests disappeared like shadows at dusk.
With flushed cheeks and nervous energy, she flitted between kitchen and living room beside her mother, Judith, serving food and drinks to family and friends.
But her mind wasn't in the plates or the laughter—it danced dangerously close to the edge of desire.
Every now and then, her eyes would stray toward him… her secret flame.
Since that breathtaking, pulse-pounding kiss they shared after skydiving—free-falling into the clouds and into each other—Henry had whisked her away on other unforgettable adventures.
Her lips itched to spill every detail to her closest confidante and blood sister–Amelia.
"Sarah, please be a darling and take a plate to your father. He hasn't eaten all day," Judith called from behind, her voice sweet but firm.
"Okay, Mum," Sarah chimed, her voice light as a songbird's, humming a love tune under her breath—completely unaware of the intense pair of eyes watching her every move from the shadows.
Moments later, Sarah emerged from the kitchen, only to halt in her tracks.
There he was–the flame in her heart–leaning by the door like a sinfully handsome secret.
"Hey…" Sarah's cheeks turned a soft crimson, her eyes darting like fireflies—scanning to see if anyone was watching. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to help you," Henry replied with a boyish grin, his smile disarming, his eyes smoldering. "You've been running around all day. Thought I'd rescue my princess before she drops."
He reached out and gently wiped a trail of sweat from her forehead, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
"Henry…" she whispered, her breath hitching. "People might see."
"Does it matter?" he murmured, eyes locked on hers. Then, with deliberate ease, he took the food tray from her trembling hands. "I just don't want my angel burning herself out. Now, where's this going?"
Sarah swallowed hard. "My dad," she managed, her eyes drifting helplessly to his lips—those maddeningly full, kissable lips.
"You mean... my future father-in-law," Henry whispered, and with a cheeky wink, he vanished before she could muster a comeback.
A sigh, part frustration, part bliss, escaped her lips.
A soft, teasing voice echoed behind her like a breeze laced with giggles.
Sarah turned around swiftly and beamed, all the joy in her heart spilling into her glowing eyes.
"Cousin!" she squealed, throwing herself into Amelia's arms. The two clung to each other in a warm, lingering embrace that spoke of years of unbroken sisterhood.
"Oh, how I've missed you," Sarah said, holding her cousin's hands tightly.
"Not as much as I've missed you, my darling," Amelia whispered, her voice as soft as clouds at dusk. "You're absolutely glowing... I wonder why…" she added with a wink.
Sarah giggled, her entire face lighting up. "You already know. But you haven't heard the fun part yet. Come—we have so much to catch up on!"
She grabbed Amelia's hand and tugged her playfully toward the stairs.
"Not so fast, sweetheart," Amelia said through a laugh, gesturing to her round baby bump. "We're two in one now, remember?"
Just then, Judith's voice rang from the West Wing where she lounged with Maria and Vera over laughter and evening tea.
"Sarah, what about your father's dinner?"
"Handled!" Sarah called back without slowing her pace.
"By who?" Judith replied, lifting an eyebrow in suspicion.
Sarah shot her mother a mischievous look, the kind that said don't you dare, before disappearing up the stairs with Amelia.
"Do you really need to ask?" Maria chuckled, nudging Judith's arm. "Didn't you see Henry take the tray?"
"I just wanted to tease her," Judith smirked, sipping her ginger lemon tea. "I honestly don't know how long she plans to keep this whole we're-just-friends charade going."
"Maybe they're still figuring things out?" Maria offered, a knowing smile on her lips.
"There's no such thing with that rascal," Vera snorted. "Do you know how many times I tried to bribe him into a serious relationship? The boy slips away like smoke every time."
The women burst into laughter at Vera's exaggerated scowl.
"I honestly thought he was destined to be a bachelor forever," she added, raising her cup in mock salute.
"Well, that was because Henry was still hung up on Amelia," Maria noted quietly, remembering the firm conversation she once had with him to back off her daughter-in-law. "But I'm glad he's finally moved on... with someone who truly sees him."
"I think they'll be good for each other," Judith said softly, her smile glowing with maternal pride.
"And who knows…" Vera teased with a smirk, "You just might join the grandmother's club soon."
The women roared with laughter, their teacups clinking as the evening sun bathed the room in gold.
Meanwhile, upstairs in Amelia's room, Sarah was practically bouncing with excitement.
"We kissed," she blurted out suddenly, hiding her face behind her palms, her cheeks flaming.
"YOU WHAT?!" Amelia shrieked in delight, nearly dropping onto the bed in glee.
"We kissed," Sarah repeated, giggling like a schoolgirl. "And not just a kiss—it was the kiss."
Amelia gasped dramatically. "No way. Nooo way. How did it feel?"
"Out...Of...This..World." Sarah flopped backwards on the bed, eyes lost in a dreamy haze. The memory of that skydiving kiss still danced in her soul.
"Awwww," Amelia murmured, lying beside her cousin, their heads turned toward each other like mirror hearts.
"Now, tell me everything. And I mean everything. Don't you dare skip a single detail."
Sarah nodded, heart fluttering. "It started with the skydiving trip…"
And so, under the soft hum of the ceiling fan and the perfume of evening air, the stories spilled—of kisses midair, of stares that burned, and of a love story just beginning to write its first real chapter.