Page 227 of Before Dawn

The moment the clock hit six, I was gone. I made a few stops—fresh flowers, her favorite snacks, and two special gifts.

When I finally reached her apartment, she answered the door in one of my button-downs, my cologne lingering on her skin. Nothing was sexier.

For a second, I just took her in, then dropped everything onto the nearest surface and kissed her like I’d been starving for it. Because I had been.

After what felt like forever, I pulled back just enough to look at her. “How was it?”

She leaned into my chest. “Not as bad as I thought. Dr. Sang was nice.”

“Good.” I brushed my lips against her forehead. “And?”

She exhaled, a hint of relief in her voice. “She gave me options. We’ll see what works.”

I nodded, tension easing from my shoulders. “You tell me the second you need anything,okay?”

“I know, Mikkel,” she teased, her grin playful as her eyes roamed over me. “You look so handsome. And thank you for the flowers.”

I lifted a bag of chocolates, a ribbon-tied box, and a bag of Lay’s. “Got you these too.”

Her eyes lit up instantly. “This is perfect! What’s in the box?”

“Open it and see.”

She untied the ribbon, revealing rows of black-and-white chocolate chip cookies from Levain Bakery. “How did you know I wanted these?”

“You’ve mentioned it sometime last week.”

Her eyes softened, a smile on her lips. “You never make me feel unheard,” she said warmly. “I love you even more for that.”

As she set the cookies down, I pulled out another wrapped box. “This is for you.”

Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she unwrapped it, unveiling a custom-made leather portfolio embossed with her full name and a delicate house-and-key design. Beside it lay an engraved keychain readingHome Sweet Home,adorned with a tiny house charm.

“Oh my goodness, this is incredible!” she gasped, tracing the soft leather in awe.

“We’re celebrating all your wins,mi reina176” I said, my heart swelling as I watched her excitement. “I wanted you to have something special for your apprenticeship, a reminder of how far you’ve come, how far you’ll go and how much I believe in you.”

Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked up at me. “I love it!”

I chuckled, pulling her closer. “Te adoro, Red.177”

I pulled her close again, my lips crashing into hers, deep and desperate.I couldn’t get enough of her.But then, she pulled back with a breathless laugh, her eyes sparkling with something playful.

“You’re gonna get me naked at this rate,” she whispered with a smile, her fingers grazing the back of my neck.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No,” she said, a mischievous glint in her gaze. “But I have something to show you first.”

I followed her into the bedroom, curiosity piqued. The first thing I noticed was the massage station, then the spread of tostones, barbecue wings, andcroquetas de pollo. But what stopped me in my tracks was the sign on the wall:Estoy muy orgullosa de ti, guapo!178

My throat tightened as I turned to look at her, the reality of what she’d done hitting me like a ton of steel. I pulled her into me, wrapping her in my arms. “Gracias, mi amor.”179

She cupped my face, her touch gentle. “You never need to thank me,” she said, her voice soft, but sure. “You’re doing amazing things, Mikkel. You work so hard… doing this for you was nothing.”

Her words hit me harder than any success I’d achieved. I couldn’t even respond right away, just pulled her closer and pressed my lips against hers.

She smiled softly, her fingers tracing the edge of my shirt. “Now, let’s get started.”

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