Page 64 of Vacation with the Ice Queen

It was enough to be here, now, with this woman who saw her clearly yet stayed anyway. Whatever tomorrow would bring—whatever complications awaited them beyond this moment—could wait until morning.

For tonight, at least, Serena was exactly where she wanted to be.

8

LILA

Morning light spilled through Lila's cottage windows, casting golden patterns that danced across the rumpled sheets. She hadn't slept in her own bed. The night with Serena still lingered on her skin—phantom touches, whispered words, and the sweet ache of newfound intimacy.

She'd slipped away just before dawn, reluctantly extracting herself from Serena's sleeping form. Not because she wanted to leave, but because she needed time to prepare for today's excursion. The hidden lagoon was too special to visit unprepared.

Lila moved around her cottage with focused energy, gathering equipment for their adventure. She placed snorkeling masks into a mesh bag, checking the straps and making sure the glass was clean and unscratched. Two sets of fins followed, along with a waterproof camera she rarely used but wanted to have today. Some experiences deserved to be captured.

The excitement bubbling in her chest felt different than her usual pre-session anticipation. This wasn't just another wellness activity with a client. This was sharing a piece of her islandwith someone who had started to matter more than professional boundaries should allow.

"Focus on today," she reminded herself, tucking a beach blanket into her oversized tote. "Just today."

But focusing proved difficult when memories of the night before kept surfacing—Serena's surprisingly gentle hands, the vulnerability in those usually sharp blue eyes, the way her commanding voice had softened to whispers and gasps. The powerful woman had revealed another self entirely in the darkness of her villa, and Lila couldn't stop thinking about it.

She added a small picnic to her preparations: local fruits, fresh bread from the resort kitchen, a thermos of chilled water infused with cucumber and mint. Simple pleasures that Serena probably rarely took time to enjoy.

The thought made Lila pause as she wrapped mango slices in wax paper. Was she falling into old patterns? Creating experiences to please someone else at the expense of her own needs?

"No," she said aloud to her empty cottage. "This is different."

And it was. With Sophie, Lila had diminished herself, constantly adjusting to accommodate another's priorities. With Serena, she felt... expanded. More aware, more present, more herself.

Dangerous thoughts for a relationship with a built-in expiration date.

Her phone chimed with a text from Serena:Morning. Still on for our "adventure?” The quotation marks reek of corporate skepticism, I know.

The self-awareness in that last line made Lila smile. She typed back:Absolutely. Meet at the eastern pavilion in 30 minutes. Wear your swimsuit under your clothes.

Serena's reply came seconds later:Should I be worried?

Only if you're afraid of experiencing something beautiful.

There was a longer pause before Serena's response:With you, I'm starting to think that's a risk worth taking.

Lila read the message twice as warmth spread through her chest. She set the phone down before she could overthink her reply, returning to her preparations with renewed purpose.

At her dresser, she slipped into her favorite swimsuit—a simple turquoise one-piece that complemented her eyes and could handle actual swimming, not just looking good poolside. Over it, she pulled on loose linen shorts and a light top that would protect her shoulders from the morning sun.

As she packed sunscreen and towels, Lila couldn't ignore the happiness humming through her veins. It had been a long time since she'd felt this particular blend of excitement and contentment—the particular magic of new connection, of possibilities unfolding.

But beneath the happiness ran a ribbon of caution. Nine days. That's all they had left. Nine days before Serena returned to her Manhattan empire, to board meetings and crisis management and the high-powered life that had defined her for decades.

Nine days wasn't a future. It was a moment, a beautiful, temporary moment.

"Enough," Lila told her reflection in the small mirror by the door. "Be here now."

She'd learned that lesson the hard way after Sophie, that living in anticipation of future disappointment only robbed the present of its joy. Whatever happened when Serena left, these days they shared were real. They mattered.

With that thought firmly in mind, Lila hoisted her loaded beach bag and headed out into the golden morning. Birds called from flowering trees, and the distant sound of waves provided a constant backdrop to the island symphony. The air smelledof salt and tropical blooms, familiar scents that never failed to center her.

She took the garden path toward the eastern pavilion, her steps light despite the weight of her bag. Around her, the resort was coming to life. Staff members moved purposefully between buildings as early-rising guests headed to breakfast or morning activities.

Marcus appeared around a corner, pausing mid-stride when he spotted her. His eyes took in her loaded bag and the unmistakable glow she knew she was failing to hide.

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