Husband With Benefits

It felt like a dream. Lily stood by the window, gazing out at the endless blanket of snow that stretched across the landscape. The world outside seemed frozen in time, untouched by the hustle of life. A month had passed in the blink of an eye, and yet not once had she felt ’bored.’ She’d been sure she would, despite the endless books available. But honestly, it was the presence of Cai here that made it all seem like a big dream. The isolation of the cabin, nestled in the mountains, had been almost healing.

Soon, the snowstorms would start to recede, and they would finally be able to make the trek to the small town a few miles away. But despite that prospect, a quiet fear gnawed at Lily. What if, when the snow melted, this dream would fade away too?

A light tap on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Cai standing beside her, his breath fogging the cold glass as he leaned against the window, looking out at the same view. "Are you trying to melt the snow with that concentrated gaze of yours?" he teased. And there that was. The smile and the tease. Always there.

Lily smiled softly, shaking her head. "Nope. I don’t have that kind of power. I was just... thinking."

"Thinking?" Cai quirked an eyebrow, shifting to face her more fully. "That’s a dangerous thing to do in a place like this. Too much time in your own head and you’ll start getting all philosophical. And then you will want to start writing down your thoughts and become some big philosopher."

Lily laughed,"Oh, and you’re not philosophical? I don’t think I’ve ever met a man whose thoughts are as clear and methodical as yours. You’re quite the deep thinker, Cai."

He shrugged, leaning back against the window. As their shoulders brushed, Lily’s breath caught but Cai seemed unfazed even unaware of the little touch, though his gaze softened as he looked at her. "Actually," he said, "I don’t think."

She blinked. "You don’t think you’re philosophical? That’s hard to believe."

"No," Cai corrected, turning to her again. "I mean, I don’t have deep thoughts like that. I don’t spend hours pondering the meaning of life or what could’ve been. I just... think of the future, of what’s in front of me, and follow my gut. My dad always told me to trust my instincts. As long as I’m not out to harm anyone and I consider other people’s feelings, he said it’s okay to follow my own path. No matter what anyone else says."

Lily nodded, her smile growing a little wistful. "Your father sounds like a wise man." If only her parents had a little bit of that wisdom.

Cai’s eyes flickered with a brief but fond look. "Yeah, he is. He’s been through a lot. He taught me that life’s too short to overthink everything. You’ve just got to act sometimes. Let your heart lead." She gave a bitter smile then but even lost in her own thought, she failed to notice the enigmatic gaze that Cai sent her way.