Emma had no idea where Daniel was taking her. All he'd said that morning was, "Pack a bag—we're going away for the weekend," in a teasing voice that gave nothing away. Despite her playful attempts to get more information—bribes, threats, exaggerated pouts—he remained tight-lipped, offering only a knowing smirk and a quiet, "You'll see."
Now, stepping out of the car, Emma's breath caught in her throat.
They stood on a secluded private beach, the endless ocean shimmering golden under the setting sun. Gentle waves rolled onto soft sand, their rhythmic sounds soothing and peaceful. Palm trees swayed gently in the warm breeze, and the sky above was painted in vivid shades of orange, pink, and lavender. The salty ocean air, tinged with the sweet fragrance of jasmine, wrapped around them like a comforting blanket. It was perfect—almost too perfect to be real.
Emma turned to Daniel, her bare feet sinking slightly into the warm sand as she raised an eyebrow in playful suspicion. "What's all this?" she asked, gesturing to the untouched paradise around them.
Daniel shrugged, hands casually in his pockets, eyes sparkling mischievously. "Thought you needed a break," he said, as if a private beach escape was their everyday routine.
Emma smiled, stepping closer as the breeze played with her hair. "So we're just... relaxing?" she teased.
"Something like that," he replied, his smirk deepening, making her stomach flutter.
After dropping their bags at the charming beach house Daniel had rented—a cozy cottage with wide ocean-view windows, hammocks, and twinkling porch lights—they walked barefoot along the warm, sandy shoreline. Twilight painted the sky in vivid colors, while waves gently lapped at the shore. Emma sighed contentedly, her fingers intertwined with Daniel's. "This place is perfect," she whispered, gazing at the sparkling water. "Thank you."
Daniel's heart tightened as he watched her, bathed in the golden sunset. She looked effortlessly happy, beautifully at peace. Walking beside her, he recalled the chaos of the earthquake, the smoke of the fire, her trembling hands in the hospital. He remembered the fear—not of danger, but of losing her. Yet she'd stayed, chosen him despite everything. Standing on this peaceful shore, Daniel silently vowed he never wanted to live another day without her.
As the sun dipped lower, coloring the sky deep violet and fiery orange, Daniel gently squeezed Emma's hand, bringing them both to a stop. Emma turned toward him, the breeze softly playing with her hair. "What is it?" she asked gently.
Daniel took a deep breath, his heart pounding. "Emma," he said softly, voice full of emotion, "I'm not great with words, but I need to say this." She looked at him intently, encouraging him silently. He gently brushed hair from her cheek. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I always thought my life was about my job—always running into the next rescue. Then you came along, and suddenly my greatest fear wasn't fires—it was losing you." His thumb gently traced her jaw. "I can't picture a future without you, and I don't want to."
Daniel slowly reached into his pocket, pulling out a velvet box he'd secretly carried for weeks. Emma's eyes widened as he sank onto one knee, silhouetted against the glowing horizon. The waves faded into the background as he opened the box, revealing a simple, elegant diamond ring set on a delicate platinum band, sparkling gently in the sunset—perfect in every way.
His voice, rough with emotion yet brimming with tenderness, broke the silence between them. "Marry me, Emma."
Time stood still. All Emma could feel was the rapid beating of her heart, Daniel's warm hands holding hers, and the certainty reflected in his storm-gray eyes. Every worry faded, replaced by one undeniable truth. "Yes," she whispered, the word soft at first but quickly becoming a joyful cry: "Yes, yes, yes!"
Emma leaped into his arms, knocking them both onto the soft sand. Daniel laughed deeply, holding her close as their lips met in a kiss full of promises—of shared mornings, quiet comforts, and a lifetime spent together. When they finally parted, Daniel gently took her left hand and slipped the ring onto her finger, making her heart flutter.
Later that night, under a sky filled with shimmering stars, they sat beside a cozy bonfire. Emma leaned comfortably against Daniel, mesmerized by the sparkling diamond on her hand. Daniel pressed a gentle kiss to her hair, his voice softly teasing, "Like it?"
Emma turned her face up to his, her soft smile illuminated by the fire's glow. "I love it," she whispered, reaching up to brush her thumb along his stubbled jaw. "I love you."
Daniel's gaze darkened with affection as he leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to her temple, his lips warm against her skin. "I love you more."
Emma shook her head, a breathless laugh escaping her. "Impossible."
With a low chuckle, Daniel nipped playfully at her earlobe before pulling back just enough to meet her eyes, his own smoldering with unspoken promise. "Guess we'll spend forever arguing about it, then."
Emma felt a thrill at his words. Forever. She turned fully toward him, her hands resting on his chest. The warmth between them outshone the fire. Daniel's breath quickened as her fingertips moved gently over him, his arms tightening around her waist.
"Forever sounds perfect," she whispered, brushing her lips lightly against his.
Daniel needed no more encouragement. With a low, hungry sound, he deepened the kiss, pulling her close. Emma leaned into him eagerly, feeling his hands explore her back, tangling softly in her hair, and pulling her even closer. Her thin sundress offered little barrier, and when his fingers touched the bare skin of her thigh, she gasped softly against his lips.
Daniel's mouth traveled down, gently grazing her collarbone, his hands moving under her dress, tracing warm paths along her ribs. Emma shivered, arching into his touch, the cool night air making his warmth feel even more intense, leaving her breathless and wanting more.
His lips found hers again in a deep, claiming kiss as one broad hand cupped her breast through the lace of her bra, his thumb circling her already taut nipple with teasing precision. Emma moaned into his mouth, her fingers clutching at his shoulders as pleasure coiled low in her belly. The scent of woodsmoke and sea salt mingled with the heady musk of their arousal, creating an intoxicating perfume that seemed to heighten every sensation.
With a growl of impatience,
Daniel tugged the straps of her dress down, baring her to the firelight, his fingers rough with need. His heated gaze raked over her—every curve, every flushed inch of skin—before he dragged his thumb over her nipple, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips. "God, you're always so beautiful," he growled, his voice thick with desire. Then his mouth was on her, hot and demanding, his tongue swirling over the peak he'd just teased. Emma cried out, arching against him, her fingers twisting in his hair to keep him right where she needed him.
The blanket beneath them was a lost cause—twisted fabric, desperate hands, the slick heat of skin against skin. Daniel's body settled more firmly between her thighs, his hips grinding down in a slow, torturous rhythm that made her whimper. She could feel him—hard, insistent—pressed against her core, even through their clothes, and the friction was maddening. Every roll of his hips sent sparks through her veins, her own need coiling tighter, hotter.
"Daniel—" Her voice was a ragged plea as she clawed at the waistband of his shorts, her fingers slipping beneath to find him. The moment she wrapped her hand around his length, he groaned, deep and guttural, his forehead dropping to hers. " Emma—" His breath was rough against her lips, his hips jerking into her touch.
She didn't wait. Her other hand shoved at his clothes, desperate to feel him, all of him, skin to skin. Daniel didn't need convincing—he stripped the rest of the way with rough, impatient movements, his hands returning to her body like a man starved. One strong arm hooked under her thigh, yanking her closer, and then he was there, dragging the head of his cock through her slick heat, teasing them both before finally, finally pushing inside.
Emma gasped, her nails biting into his shoulders as he filled her, inch by relentless inch. The stretch was exquisite, the fullness unbearable—until he began to move. Then it was pure fire. His thrusts were deep, deliberate, each one hitting that perfect spot that had her seeing stars. The firelight painted their bodies in gold and shadow, the air thick with the sounds of their ragged breaths, skin slapping against skin, the occasional broken moan when Daniel's mouth found hers in a searing kiss.
"Look at me," he demanded, his voice rough, and when she did, his dark, hungry gaze locked onto hers. She could see it—the way he was unraveling, the way he was fighting to hold on just a little longer, just until she shattered first.
And she would. God, she would. Every thrust, every whispered curse against her skin, every possessive grip of his hands on her hips—it was all too much. Pleasure coiled tight in her belly, burning hotter with every snap of his hips, until she was teetering on the edge, her breath coming in desperate little gasps.
"Come for me," Daniel growled, his fingers finding her clit, circling just right—
And she broke. A sharp cry tore from her throat as the wave crashed over her, her body clamping around him, pulling him deeper as pleasure ripped through her in relentless pulses. Daniel swore, his rhythm faltering, before he buried himself to the hilt with a groan, his own release slamming into him.
For a long moment, there was nothing but the sound of their harsh breathing, the distant crackle of the fire, the slow return to reality. Then Daniel's lips brushed her temple, tender despite the ferocity of what had just passed between them.
"Always being you," he murmured, as if that explained everything.