Later in the night, Dominic knocked on Marianne’s door. To his liking, she had done as requested. She wore a pair of white sneakers, jeans and he caught a glimpse of her purple sweater, as she zipped up her pink coat.

“Nice.” He gave an appraising nod, taking a big step back.

“You’re not dressed up, either.” She remarked, staring down at his black jeans, as the elevator door slid open sideways. “Where are we going?”

“You don’t let up, do you?” Dominic teased, stepping into the empty car, as she pulled her backpack over her shoulder. “You’ll find out soon.”

“Fine,” Marianne puffed, joining him. “Keep your secrets.”

As soon as the elevator door slid shut, he glanced at her and then pressed the “R” button on the panel on his right.

“R as in…”

“… roof,” he said as he finished her sentence. “It’s a great, clear night.”

“Yeah, but it is freezing.” She stated in an emphatic tone. “Why would you want to go the roof?”

Dominic bit his lower lip, in an attempt not to laugh. He tore his gaze away from hers and waited patiently for the elevator to stop. Just when it did and the door slid open once more, Marianne turned her head to the left and looked outside. Her mouth dropped open in utter disbelief, as she noticed a large, blue helicopter.

“Holy God,” she whispered, as Dominic stepped onto the terrace.

“Come on.” He urged. “You’re going to love this.”

“Where is the pilot?” Marianne asked in a voice filled with surprise.

“I’ve been flying for twelve years.” He informed her, taking up his seat. “Are you coming or not?”

“Sure.” She chirped, starting towards the helicopter. Dominic strapped himself in and put his headphones on, eager to show her the majestic view from above Mont Blanc. As he checked the gauges in front of him however, Marianne pulled the right phone away from his face and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek.

“You really are full of surprises.” She spoke with a toothy grin on her face, as the powerful engines roared into life. “Where are we going?”

“Lake Monteynard. It’s about forty miles southwest from here.” He replied, as the rotors began to pick up gravel and dust from the ground. “I have one more surprise for you.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Marianne shrugged and pulled her backpack from her shoulder, as the skids slowly left the ground.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Dominic shook his head, as the helicopter hovered. “We could drive there, but you don’t get this view from a car. Look to the right.”

She obliged. They had not picked up much altitude yet, but the stunning Les Bossons glacier in the distance was visible from their spot. It seemed to shine in the ample moonlight.

“It looks even better from up here.” She yelled. This time, he chose to remain silent. He had to focus on flying the helicopter. Giving her a quick smile, he averted his gaze from her and looked up ahead.

My dear author, prepare to be amazed. If I were you, I would get pen and paper and start writing. You could choose from a lot of things. Mountain tops, snow glowing in the moonlight, snowy forests, the glacier, town lights… You really are spoiled for choice. Do it, Marianne. Do what you know best. Create. Dazzle me with your talent. Then, come to me. I will show you a world you’ve never known.

The good weather allowed Dominic to steal a few glances at her. Marianne looked like a child with a new toy. She could not stop smiling, throughout the flight. She kept pointing at every little thing that caught her eye. Unfortunately for him, he could not always comment on her words. There was too much noise and her voice was just not loud enough. Still, they both seemed to be enjoying this, for their own reasons. Dominic loved the blissful look in her eyes, whereas Marianne savored the breathtaking view. Too excited about what she was witnessing, she kissed him on the cheek three more times.

Twenty minutes later, Lake Monteynard came into view. It was lost between two mountains, surrounded by lush greenery, tranquil and peaceful as the moonlight reflected on the surface. Dominic slowed down and turned right, losing altitude. Marianne could not believe her eyes. She covered her mouth with both hands, speechless by the sheer beauty of the scenery. He smiled to himself, as the helicopter hovered a few feet above the ground. Upon landing, he reached forward and switched off the engines, but, once again, she didn’t wait for him. Instead, Marianne picked up her backpack, quickly pushed the helicopter door upwards and jumped outside.

“God, it’s so beautiful!” She whispered, gazing down at the calm waters.

“Follow me.” Dominic said, peeling off his coat, as a confident smile formed on his face. He left it on his seat, before hopping outside. Then, he headed towards a small boat to his left. Reaching it, he bent down and grabbed it by the sides. Marianne indulged him, as he dragged the boat across the sand. He sensed moisture on his feet, as it entered the water. Dominic took two more steps and jumped into it, but his attempt failed miserably. He landed hard on his chest, banging his head against the boat’s bottom, legs dangling in the air, as he reached for the ores.

“Damn it…” He grumbled, as Marianne burst into loud, hearty laughter. “I wish there was a dock in this place.”

“Are you ok?” She chuckled.

“I’m fine.” Dominic assured, rolling over onto his back. He sat up, as the boat floated away from the shore. Without wasting any time, he grabbed the ores and rowed closer to her. “Now do you understand why you couldn’t dress up for tonight?”

“Yeah,” Marianne said with a nod, her eyes glinting with amusement, as he dropped the ores. Dominic reached both arms towards her, hands facing each other.

“Jump,” He urged. “There’s no other way.”

She pulled her backpack from her shoulders and tossed it into the boat. Then, Marianne lunged towards him, with her arms open as he grabbed her body in midair. Sadly for Dominic, he could not support her weight. Once more, he banged his head against the bottom of the boat, just before her sweet laughter filled his ears. She laughed out loud, her head on his chest, her legs dangling in the air, as he opened his eyes.

“Oh, crap…” A sigh of frustration left his lips. “I did not think this through.”

“No, you didn’t.” She chuckled. “This reminds me of something.”

“Don’t get any ideas.” Dominic giggled. “That’s not why we are here.”

“I know.” Marianne spoke in a more serious tone, gazing up at him. “I love all this.”

“Get up, little bird.” He winked at her. “It’s time for your boat ride.”

“Wow.” She silently mouthed to him, leaning back, as she fixed her gaze on his chest. Dominic had a black, sleeveless tee on. His cut, toned muscles flexed, as he slid along the boat. Sitting up, he grabbed the ores. The veins on his chest and his arms bulged, as he rowed. Marianne scanned his body from left to right, unable to utter a word, watching as his large shoulder muscles flexed rhythmically.

“See something you like?” He teased.

“I, um…” She swallowed hard, shutting her eyes. “Yeah, you look phenomenal.”

“Thanks.” Dominic smiled. “You look great, too.”

“Ok, my king.” Marianne rolled her gaze up his chest. “Exactly how many women have you brought down here?”

“One.” He was quick to respond. “She’s blonde, 5’6”, long legs; she’s got really penetrating eyes...”

“What?!” She exclaimed, eyes wide open. “You’ve not…”

“No.” Dominic interrupted, rowing harder as a cool breeze blew through their hair. “You’re the first.”

“That’s impossible.” Marianne voiced her disbelief.

“Not really.” He disagreed, shaking his head. “When you think of the types of women I’ve dated so far, it actually makes perfect sense.”

“It’s just a little hard to believe.” Her voice returned to her usual, sweet tone. “Why wouldn’t you?”

“You seem to be forgetting quite easily.” Dominic spoke, a hint of annoyance in his baritone. “Why in the world would I bring a fortune hunter here? They’d probably complain about their shoes getting wet. They’d hate it.”

“Yeah, I did forget that part.” Marianne admitted. “This place is unbelievable.”

“It’s a lot better during in the summer.” He informed. “But, it’s a lot more crowded. Surfers, swimmers, rock climbers… You name it. It’s a lot warmer than it is now. I’m sorry.”

“Dominic, are you crazy?” She wondered, her voice even sweeter as she leaned towards him. “I said I loved it. I don’t care about the cold. I’m here with you.”

“You look gorgeous under the moonlight, my little bird.” Dominic said, his voice raspy, as he gazed deep into her smiling eyes. “Too bad I haven’t brought a canvas.”

Marianne did not speak. Instead, she put her hands down on the deck and began to crawl towards him. As soon as she reached Dominic, she raised her hands to his face and tilted her head up. He drew the ores into the boat and embraced her, as their mouths joined in a long, tender kiss. Tasting her cool lips, he held her tightly in his strong arms, losing himself in the magic of the moment, as the water gently splashed against the boat. Marianne caressed his face, her breath warm, as a strong gust of wind whipped her hair about. Dominic ran his right hand up her back and slipped it into her hair, feeling his heart thumping in his chest. Threading his fingers through it, he laid a short kiss on her nose and leaned back, slowly opening his eyes.

“I think I’m living in a fairytale.” She said, her voice, a breathless, loving whisper as their gazes met.

“No painter in the world could capture this look in your eyes.” Dominic whispered, a small smile on his face, as he stroked her head.

“What’s next, my king?” She asked, her voice husky, as she ran her thumbs across his cheekbones; “A trip to the stars?”

“My cabin’s just up the hill.” He claimed, as his lips curled into a devilish smile. “Come on. Let’s get you ashore.”