The moon hung high in the sky, casting its silvery glow over the forest, and the lake shimmered under its light like a pool of liquid silver.
It took Damien barely a few minutes to strip off his clothes and join her in the lake.
"I didn't realise how much I needed this," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Damien reached out, his hand finding hers under the water. "Neither did I," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "Everything feels... different with you, Anne."
Damien's hand was warm against hers, grounding her, reminding her that no matter what happened, they were in this together. Without warning, Damien pulled her closer, his lips quirking into that playful smile again. Before she could react, he dipped down, scooping water with his hand and splashing her.
Anne gasped, her eyes widening in surprise as the cool water hit her face. "Hey!" she protested, laughing despite herself.
