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Sage raised an eyebrow but smiled, slipping into the warm robe and boots. “Cal… what⁠—”

He kissed her quietly, deep and slow. “Trust me, baby. You’re gonna like it.”

She giggled as he scooped her up into his arms like she weighed nothing, carrying her out of the pavilion and into the crisp, star-drenched night.

40

Sage

Cal carried her through the crisp night air like she was something sacred. The snow crunched softly under his boots, the cold nipping at their exposed faces while the thick robes kept the rest of them cocooned in warmth. Lantern light faded behind them as he followed a narrow, hidden trail he’d known about since the first year he claimed this land.

Sage nestled her face against his neck, breathing him in—pine, smoke, and that calm, masculine scent that always made her feel safe. “Where are we going, Daddy?”

“You’ll see.” His voice was low, almost shy. “I’ve never brought anyone here. Not ever.”

A few minutes later the trail opened into a sheltered grotto carved into the mountainside. Sage’s breath caught hard.

Candlelight.

Dozens of them—thick pillars and clusters of smaller ones—placed safely along natural stone ledges, their golden flames flickering against wet rock walls and casting dancing reflections across the water. Steam rose in lazy, fragrant curls from three tiered pools: one steaming hot, one perfectly warm, and a final shallow one fed by icy mountain runoff. The air smelled of clean minerals and faint sulfur, earthy and alive.

Above them, a wide crack in the grotto ceiling framed a perfect slice of the night sky—stars blazing bright and sharp, the Milky Way spilled like diamond dust.

Sage’s voice came out small and awed. “Cal… how do you keep doing this? Every single time I think ‘there’s no way he’s ever gonna top this,’ you pull something like this out of your hat. I can’t… I don’t even know what to say anymore.”

He laughed softly, that deep, warm rumble she felt in her chest. “Good. Means I’m doing it right.”

Still holding her, he set her gently on her feet. With reverent hands he untied her robe and slid it off her shoulders, letting the heavy fabric pool at her feet. The cold kissed her bare skin for only a second before he guided her toward the hottest pool.

“Easy, princess. Nice and slow.”

Sage sighed—long, deep, almost obscene—as she stepped in. The water was perfect, hot enough to make her moan as it climbed her calves, her thighs, her hips. It wrapped around her like a living embrace, sinking straight into her bones, melting away every last ache from the day, the proposal, the tears. The mineral scent rose with the steam, wrapping around them like incense.

Cal dropped his own robe and stepped in behind her, the water rippling around his massive frame. He settled onto a smooth underwater ledge and pulled her onto his lap, her back to his chest, her head resting against his shoulder. His thick arms circled her waist, one big hand splayed protectively over her soft belly.

This is heaven, she thought to herself softly.

For a long time they just breathed together.

The hot water lapped gently at their skin. Candlelight painted gold across her breasts and the strong lines of his forearms. Overhead, stars wheeled slowly through the crack in the stone ceiling.

Sage turned her head just enough to nuzzle his jaw. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you” he murmured back, voice rough with feeling.

Their mouths found each other—slow, soft, endless kisses that tasted like salt tears and forever. No rush. No heat to chase. Just the two of them, skin to skin, heart to heart, letting the hot spring and the mountain night hold them while the rest of the world stayed far below.

Cal pressed his forehead to hers, eyes closed, breathing her in. Sage’s fingers traced lazy patterns through the wet hair at the nape of his neck.

Their kisses had started soft—slow presses of lips still tasting of salt, pie, and forever. But the hot spring water lapped at their skin, mineral steam curling up between their bodies like incense, and something deeper took hold.

Sage turned fully in his lap, straddling him, her thick thighs bracketing his hips. The water made her feel weightless and deliciously heavy all at once. Her hands roamed—tracing the broad, scarred planes of his chest, the strong columns of his shoulders, the ridges of muscle along his back.

She giggled softly, almost shy, as she took in the sheer size of him. “You’re really big,” she whispered against his mouth.

Cal chuckled, low and warm. “Naaa, not really…”

Sage laughed and kissed him again, deeper this time.