Back at the Airbnb, after climbing the stairs, Aiden Thompson let go of Grace Li's shoulder.
Grace took off her jacket, handed it to him, and smiled slightly. "Good night."
Aiden took the jacket, draping it over his arm, then glanced at the time—10:15 PM. "It's still way early."
"Got any plans?"
"Well, the rooftop here has an amazing view of the stars and city lights. Wanna check it out?"
Grace met his inviting gaze, a mix of playfulness and sincerity. "Should we go to my rooftop or yours?"
"You're the boss."
"Then let's go to mine." Grace pulled out her key card and led him into her room.
The terrace had some potted plants and a double lounge chair, perfect for admiring the view. In one corner, a small BBQ grill stood next to a table with a few Yankees-themed cushions, adding a local touch.
During the day, the view stretched to the garden and the distant cityscape. At night, only the city's outline was visible under the lights, and on clear nights, stars dotted the sky.
Feeling the cool night air, Grace grabbed a light blanket and wrapped it around both of them.
Snuggled against Aiden, the blanket created a warm cocoon around them.
For a while, they simply enjoyed the view in silence.
Then Grace spoke. "Two years ago, I worked on a project to revitalize an old neighborhood in New York. It reminded me of a redevelopment project I worked on back in China. At first, I was really into it—not just because of the financial potential, but also because it involved preserving some historic buildings. You know, these old structures are part of our cultural heritage, so any redevelopment has to balance progress with preservation. I negotiated with the developers for months, but we just couldn't agree on the price. They wanted double what we estimated the project was worth. They were so arrogant, acting like their project was a goldmine that would skyrocket in value. So, we walked away."
"Sounds like they were being unrealistic."
"Exactly. I heard the whole thing fell apart because they ran out of funding. No one else has taken it over yet." Grace realized she was talking about work and lightly smacked her forehead. "Ah, I must be crazy. Why am I talking about work now?"
"I don't mind. Since we're both in finance, it's something we both get."
Grace nodded. "You're right."
Aiden adjusted the blanket around her. "You can talk to me about anything you want, anytime."
Grace looked at him. "On the way here, I was actually wondering if we'd have any conflicts on this trip. I read this article about how couples argue during vacations—one wants solo time, like exploring a museum alone, while the other wants to do everything together. I was worried we might run into that."
Aiden thought for a moment. "I don't think that'll happen to us."
Grace was curious. "Why not?"
"Because you're so easygoing."
Grace raised an eyebrow. "What? Maybe you've got the wrong impression of me because I've been on my best behavior these days."
Aiden smirked. "Oh? So you've just been pretending?"
The way he flipped the question clearly suggested he believed she was always easygoing.
Grace didn't want to brag about her temper. "When I'm really mad, I can be a volcano. You just haven't seen that side of me yet."
Aiden said, "You know how I define easygoing?"
"How?"
"It doesn't mean never getting angry. It means having a stable temperament overall. Everyone gets mad when pushed to their limit—that's normal."
Grace chuckled. "Your bar for easygoing seems pretty low."
"Actually, not many people meet it."
"To be honest, I have a lot of quirks too. You just haven't known me long enough to see them." Grace smirked. "Hope you won't be too disappointed when you do."
Aiden grinned. "I'm actually looking forward to it."
"Why?" Grace was puzzled.
"Because every side of you surprises me in a good way."
Grace scoffed. "Could be a shock."
"I don't shock that easily."
Grace smiled, wondering how he always managed to say the sweetest things.
Was he professionally trained?
She looked up at the sky, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, when my parents visited, you know what my mom thought of you?"
"Hmm? What did she say?"
"I asked her straight up. She said you were way too good for me and wouldn't be interested."
Aiden ran his fingers through her hair. "Then she doesn't know how amazing her daughter is. Honestly, I feel like I'm the lucky one."
Lucky?
Grace chuckled. "Are all you Gen Z guys this smooth?"
"How smooth am I?"
"Even sweeter than honey."
Aiden's lips curved up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If I'm that sweet, why don't you take a taste?"
Grace blushed at his implication. Aiden playfully traced his fingertip along her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
Almost instinctively, she leaned in and kissed him. Then, tilting her head slightly, she gazed at him with warmth in her eyes. "It really is sweet."
It took Aiden a second to shift from being kissed to taking the lead. With a soft laugh, he quickly responded. His hand cradled the back of her neck as his lips met hers.
This wasn't a fleeting kiss. It deepened, drawing them closer.
Grace thought, A quick kiss is nothing like this.
At that moment, she felt completely surrounded by Aiden's presence. His faint woody scent filled her senses, and their lips moved in sync. A tingling sensation spread through her, making her feel weak, as if she could only rely on him to stay grounded.
She closed her eyes, surrendering to the moment.
The kiss seemed to last forever.
When they finally pulled apart, Grace leaned against Aiden, taking a moment to catch her breath.
The blanket had slipped off her, and Aiden picked it up, draping it back over her to keep her warm.
Grace wrapped her arms around his waist, realizing she might have truly fallen for him—no turning back now.
She knew Aiden had probably been this tender with others before, but she couldn't help herself.
If Isabella Hsueh knew, she'd probably call her lovesick.
Grace had always been rational, but for now, for these few days, she let herself be a little lovesick.
She glanced around the terrace, suddenly self-conscious. "I hope no one's watching from afar. That'd be embarrassing."
Aiden grinned, pulling her closer. "Don't worry, this is our little private corner of the world right now."
Their three-day getaway in the small town felt both long and fleeting.
Long, because it was the most time they had spent together as a couple since confirming their relationship.
Fleeting, because time always flies when it's good.
The day after their trip ended, they returned to work, slipping back into their usual professional roles.