Elvie
The morning air at the terminal was crisp, carrying a cool breeze that did little to soothe the nervous flutter in my chest. This was it. My very first time leaving the country. My very first time stepping onto a plane to fly somewhere completely unknown.
A swirling mix of anxiety and intense excitement knotted in my stomach as I clutched the strap of my bag. Over the past two days, Gemma and I had managed to tick off a few items from our bucket list. We hit our favorite local coffee spot, spent hours wandering through the downtown market, and took photos down by the river. We hadn’t finished everything on the paper, but those two days felt like a sweet, grounding breath of air.
Now, I was actually doing this—and I was doing it with Cassian. If someone had told me at the start of the year that I would meet a man who would flip my world completely upside down, bringing this kind of wild, breathtaking intensity and pure joy into my life, I would have laughed. Yet here I was.
A few feet away from me in the glass-walled terminal, Cassian stood speaking with two airport attendants. He looked striking in his black coat, his profile dark and commanding even in the soft morning light. Every line of his posture exuded absolute control.
I still couldn’t fathom how Cassian had managed to pull strings and get an emergency passport issued for me in under twenty-four hours, but watching him now, I knew better than to question what he was capable of when he set his mind to something.
He must have felt my gaze, because he paused mid-sentence, turning his head slightly to lock his eyes onto mine.
"Everything alright over here, little birdie?" Cassian said as he stopped right in front of me. His hand reached out, sliding down my arm to entwine his fingers with mine. "You look like you’re about to jump out of your skin."
"I’ve just never been on a plane before," I admitted, looking down at our joined hands before bringing my eyes back up to his. "Let alone flying to an island I’ve only ever seen on a screen."
A smile touched the corner of his lips, softening the hard edge of his jaw. He tugged me an inch closer.
"You’re safe with me, Elvie," he murmured, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. "Always. There’s nothing to be nervous about."
The boarding announcement for our flight echoed over the terminal speakers. Cassian picked up our carry-on bags with one hand, keeping his other hand wrapped around mine as he led us down the bridge.
The low sound of the plane’s engines vibrated through the floor as we stepped into the main cabin. We made our way down the aisle to the front section, where two broad leather seats waited for us by the window.
I slid into the window seat, my heart thumping wildly against my ribs as I looked out at the massive wing stretching out over the tarmac. Cassian settled into the seat right beside me, his long legs brushing against mine in the cozy space.
He watched as I fumbled slightly with the heavy metallic seatbelt latch before leaning over to click the belt securely into place for me, his knuckles brushing over my lap. "Keep your eyes on me when we take off if you get scared."
I leaned back into the headrest as the plane began to push back from the gate, the engines roaring to life.
"I’m not scared," I whispered, turning my head to look at him. "Just... waiting."
Cassian rested his arm on the center armrest, his fingers finding mine once again and squeezing gently as the plane accelerated down the runway, lifting us effortlessly into the morning sky and away from the city.
**
The flight ended up being so much smoother than I had imagined. Between the quiet sound of the cabin, surprisingly delicious meals brought right to our seats, and the passengers around us—some buried in movies, others sound asleep in their eye masks, the hours slipped away effortlessly.
But what kept me grounded the entire time was Cassian. His hand barely left mine for the whole journey, his thumb resting over my skin or his arm draped comfortably around my shoulders, keeping me anchored while I watched the clouds drift past my window.
When the plane finally touched down on the runway, surrounded by stunning turquoise waters on every side, my breath caught in my throat. We had actually made it.
As soon as we stepped off the plane into the warm, tropical breeze, a driver in a uniform approached us and took our luggage, loading it into the back of a black SUV.
"Welcome Mr. Reed," the driver said with a polite bow, opening the rear door for us with practiced ease. "It is a pleasure to have you with us again."
Cassian gave a brief, subtle nod of acknowledgment as he guided me into the cool, air-conditioned back seat before sliding in right beside me.
I turned my head to look at him, my eyebrows raising in curiosity as the car smoothly pulled away toward the docks. "Have you been here before?" I asked, looking between him and the scenic island views passing outside my window.
"A few times," Cassian replied, his arm resting behind my back.
I tilted my head, looking at his face. "And here I thought this was a brand-new adventure for the both of us."
"It is," he said softly, turning to look straight into my eyes. "I’ve never brought anyone here with me before, Elvie. You’re the first."
His words made my heart skip a beat. A warm, sweet feeling filled my chest. Knowing that he had never brought any other woman here before, not even from his past relationships, made me feel so special.
I smiled and leaned my head against his shoulder as his hand squeezed my knee gently.
A short while later, the car stopped in front of a building. We got out, and Cassian held my hand as he walked us inside to check in at the front desk.
Once that was done, a worker picked up our bags and led us down a long wooden bridge built right over the clear blue sea. My eyes went wide as I looked around. I had never seen anything like this in my entire life.
We walked all the way to the end of the bridge until we reached a big house built right over the water. The worker set our bags down inside, handed Cassian the keys, and left us alone.
Cassian stepped up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist as I stared down at a small glass window in the floor that showed the ocean right beneath our feet. "Welcome to where we’re staying, little birdie," he whispered against my ear.
I let out a soft breath, my hands coming up to cover his forearms where they rested snugly around my middle. "It’s incredible," I whispered, unable to take my eyes off the bright blue water and the colorful fish swimming right beneath us. "I still can’t believe we’re actually here."
Cassian pressed a soft, lingering kiss against the side of my neck, his lips warm against my skin. "Believe it. For the next five days, it’s just you and me."
He slowly turned me around in his arms so I was facing him. He reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear before trailing his knuckles down my cheek.
"Are you tired from the flight? Or do you want to look around first?"
I smiled up at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling myself a little closer against his chest. "I want to look around... but only if you show me."
A small, dangerous smirk played on his lips as his hands settled on my hips. "Gladly," he murmured, his voice dropping into that low, raspy tone that always made my heart race.
He took my hand and led me through the rest of the resort. The place was huge. There was a king-sized bed facing giant glass doors that opened straight out to a balcony, a massive bathroom with a tub overlooking the water, and outside on the deck, a private pool that seemed to spill right into the ocean.
I walked out onto the wooden deck, leaning against the railing to feel the warm tropical sea breeze against my face.
Cassian walked up behind me, pulling me back against his chest until my back was pressed flush against his broad frame. He rested his chin on my shoulder, looking out at the endless blue horizon with me.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it, Cassian," I said, turning my head slightly to look at him. "Thank you for bringing me here."
"You don’t ever have to thank me for giving you what you deserve, Elvie," he growled low in his throat, his hand sliding under my chin to tilt my face up toward his.
His thumb brushed softly over my lower lip before his mouth came down on mine in a slow, deep kiss. I melted into him, my fingers tangling in the soft hair at the nape of his neck as the gentle sound of the ocean waves washed over us.
When he finally pulled back, his eyes were burning with that familiar intensity. "I mean it, Elvie," he murmured, his breath brushing warm against my lips. "Everything here... everything I give you... it’s all yours."
My chest tightened with a sweet mix of emotion. "You spoil me too much, Cassian."
"Not enough," he said , a faint smirk returning to his face. He let go of my chin and slid his hands back down to my waist, tugging me closer. "Now, we have five whole days. How do you want to start?"
I looked past his shoulder at the crystal-clear water of the pool, then out toward the deep blue sea stretching as far as the eye could see. The afternoon sun was warm on my skin, and for the first time in months, my mind felt completely clear of stress.
"Can we go in the water?" I asked, turning back to look at him with a small, hopeful smile. "The pool first... or maybe right into the ocean?"
Cassian chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated right against my chest. "Whatever you want, little birdie. Go get changed. I’ll order us food."