Page 62 of Lavender and Honey

Finn chuckled softly, a glint of admiration in his eyes as he watched me marvel at the setup. "You should've seen Elias fussing over the exact angle for the firepit," he said with a fond shake of his head. "Soren kept teasing him about his precision, and Lucian... well, he made sure everything was just right."

"Really?" I grinned, warmth flooding through me at the thought of their efforts. "I appreciate it. All of this—it looks amazing, Finn."

"Anything for you," he replied, his gaze holding mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. The fire crackled andpopped, sending sparks up to join the tapestry of stars overhead. Finn reached into the basket and pulled out a small, leather-bound book.

"Here," he said, opening to a bookmarked page. "Let's find some constellations." He scooted closer, the heat from his body mingling with the fire's warmth.

"Okay," I breathed, eager to learn. My gaze followed his finger as he pointed skyward. "That one there is Orion's Belt. And right above us, that's Ursa Major."

"Beautiful," I whispered, more entranced by the way his passion animated his face than the cold brilliance of the stars.The chill of the night began to seep into my bones, and I hugged my knees a bit tighter. Finn must have noticed because he paused mid-sentence, his gaze shifting from the stars to me.

"Are you cold?" His voice was laced with concern as he reached over for the plush blanket we'd brought along. Before I could respond, he spread it wide and draped it over our shoulders. "Is this okay?"

I nodded, feeling the blush creep onto my cheeks as his hands brushed mine under the fabric. "Yes, thank you," I managed to say, my voice barely above the crackling of the fire.

"Mind if I..." he trailed off, motioning towards himself with a shy, hopeful look in his eyes.

"Sure," I breathed out, surprised at how much I wanted the closeness.

He gently pulled me toward him, and I found myself settling into the curve of his lap, his arms wrapping around me with a careful tenderness. The warmth of his body against mine chased away the cold, and I relaxed into his embrace.

"Let's go back to the stars," Finn suggested, his breath warm on my ear as he pointed upwards. "Over there—that's Cassiopeia. She's always seated on her throne."

I tilted my head back, following his gaze, finding comfort in the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat against my back. His fingers traced imaginary lines between the stars, connecting dots in the dark canvas above us.

"Looks like she's watching over us," I said softly, allowing myself to be carried away by the wonder in his voice.

"Maybe she is," he whispered back, a hint of playfulness in his tone. "And if we're lucky, she'll send us a shooting star or two."

We stayed like that, cocooned together under the blanket, talking in hushed tones about constellations and myths. Time seemed to fold in on itself, the world outside our little circle fading into insignificance.

It was then, in the tranquil silence that followed a shared laugh, that the sky decided to gift us. A streak of light dashed across the heavens, so fast I thought I might have imagined it.

"Did you see that?" Finn's voice was filled with excitement.

"A shooting star!" My words tumbled out in awe, the sight reigniting a sense of wonder I hadn't felt since childhood.

"Make a wish," he urged, his chest rumbling beneath my cheek.

I closed my eyes, letting my heart whisper its deepest desires into the vastness of the universe. When I opened them again, another star dashed across the sky, leaving a trail of light in its wake.

"Seems like Cassiopeia is quite generous tonight," I joked, the happiness in my voice a mirror of the contentment I felt within Finn's embrace.

"Or maybe," Finn murmured, his lips brushing the top of my head, "it's just the beginning of the universe conspiring in our favor."

Under the watchful eyes of ancient stars, we sat entwined, witnessing the rare magic of the night sky. And as more shooting stars graced us with their fleeting beauty, I couldn't help but feelthat, perhaps, some barriers were meant to be crossed, some connections destined to be made.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The stars continued their silent vigil as Finn and I remained wrapped in our shared blanket, the night air cool against our faces. Each shooting star that streaked across the inky canvas above drew soft gasps from me, my wonder undiminished despite the passing hours. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so present, so anchored in a moment.

"Thank you for this," I said softly, my voice barely rising above the gentle crackle of the dying fire. "For sharing the stars with me."

Finn's arms tightened slightly around me, his chest rising and falling with a deep breath. "I've always found peace up here," he admitted. "Something about the vastness of it all puts everything into perspective."

I leaned back against Finn's chest, letting his warmth envelop me as I gazed at the twinkling stars overhead. The gentle rise and fall of his breathing was hypnotic, grounding me in this perfect moment.

"It does," I agreed softly. "Makes all my problems seem so small when I look up there."

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