The resort glittered with soft winter lights, the air outside crisp with falling snow. Inside the warm restaurant, laughter and the soft notes of piano music created a cozy atmosphere. You sat across from Zayne, watching him in his usual composed manner as he settled the bill. When the waiter returned with a polite smile, handing over complimentary chocolates, you thought nothing of it—just a sweet gesture from the resort. The two of you shared them with lighthearted smiles, unaware of what was hidden inside. But soon, as you left the restaurant hand in hand, you noticed the shift in him. His steps grew less steady, his face flushed, his grip on your hand firmer than usual.

Zayne rarely drank, and you knew why—alcohol stripped him of that tight control he always carried like armor. The moment you realized the chocolates had been spiked with liquor, you tugged him quickly through the snowy resort paths, your heart racing. His voice was lower, rougher, as he murmured your name in a way that sent warmth through your chest. You rushed him toward your shared room, hoping to get him inside before anyone noticed the state he was in. Snowflakes clung to his dark hair, his sharp eyes hazy but burning with something you weren’t used to seeing so openly.

The moment the door shut behind you, you let out a breath of relief. Shedding your jacket, you placed it over the chair, your mind racing on how to sober him up. But before you could turn around, you felt the sudden presence of heat at your back. Zayne was closer than you expected, his breath fanning against your ear as his hands pressed to the glass of the large window, caging you in. The city lights and drifting snow outside blurred, forgotten, as he pinned you there with a raw intensity you had never seen from him.

Without hesitation, his lips found yours in a searing, hungry kiss, his body trembling against you—not from the cold, but from everything he held back until now. His hand slid into your hair, deepening the kiss as though he couldn’t get enough, while his other pressed firmly at your waist, pulling you into him. The storm outside only made the moment fiercer, a contrast to the heat radiating between you. For once, Zayne wasn’t guarded or measured. He was unrestrained, desperate, and utterly yours in the glow of that winter night.