I knew from the second we booked this trip, I was in trouble.

Not the bad kind. The kind where you can already feel your cheeks starting to hurt because you just know you’re going to be laughing like an idiot for the next 7 days.

She’s like that. A walking, talking, full-speed hurricane of jokes, bad ideas, and that impossible smile that makes saying no completely pointless.

“Alright, Norris,” she grinned as we stood at the tiny car rental place by the beach. “You drive fast cars for a living, but let’s see how you handle this absolute beast.” She pointed to a battered, sunshine-yellow Jeep.

“Terrifying,” I said, pretending to wipe sweat from my forehead. “But okay. Buckle up, troublemaker.”

And just like that, we were off.

The whole week was a blur of her daring me into ridiculous things. She knew exactly how to get me out of my comfort zone — and honestly, I loved every second of it.

I was probably in deeper than I should admit out loud.

“You do realise,” I smirked one evening, stealing a bite of her dessert, “that you’ve officially set the bar impossibly high for all future vacations.”

She arched an eyebrow, leaning in. “Well, lucky for you, Norris… you’re stuck with me now.”

I grinned, shaking my head. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

And then — because she always has to get the last word — she slid her fork across the table, stole the last bite of my dessert with a grin, and popped it into her mouth before I could even react.

“Mmm,” she teased, licking her lips dramatically. “Tastes even better when it’s yours.”

I raised an eyebrow, leaning my elbow on the table as I smirked at her. “You know, stealing a man’s dessert is basically flirting on expert level.”

She shrugged, pretending to be innocent, though that spark in her eyes gave her away. “Good thing I’m a pro at messing with you, Norris.”

I chuckled, “Careful, troublemaker. Keep that up and I might start thinking you’re obsessed with me.”