Daniel loaded up the back of the SUV with our luggage while I did a final sweep of the condo to make sure we hadn’t left anything behind. He was just closing the hatch when I came out the front door.

“I’m going to miss this place,” I said, looking back at the structure with longing as he held open my car door for me.

“I enjoyed it myself,” he said before securing me inside. I smirked to myself thinking of his kisses last night after we’d returned. He’d enjoyed more than the condo. We both had.

I dropped my purse on the floorboard and buckled my seatbelt while he jogged around to his side. “It’s a big day,” he said when he’d slid into the driver’s seat.

“Christmas Eve,” I all but shrieked, and he gave me a taken aback look. “It’s my favorite day of the year.”

“Why?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just always liked it.”

“Better than Christmas?” he asked incredulously.

“Better than Christmas,” I confirmed. “I think it’s the anticipation.”

Daniel seemed to soak in that nugget of information and then reached for my purse, rummaging through it until he produced the Madonna CD.

“Are you feeling all right?” I asked, holding my hand to his forehead as if testing his temperature.

He popped the disc into the player. “Should I go back to being an asshole? I’m very good at that.”

“You’re going to have a hard time selling me on that one, Princess,” I said, eliciting his knee-jerk shake of the head.

“You ready?” he asked, seeming almost as excited as I felt. I loved this animated side of him, and I was bound and determined to figure out how to keep him that way most of the time.

“Let’s go.” I fist-pumped the air, making him laugh as he backed out. “Goodbye, Queenstown. But not forever.” I waved to the lake and the town as we passed through, resuming our journey.

It was mid-afternoon when I saw it: my mountain, up ahead in all its glory. The sky was overcast, but it didn’t ruin the view. I grabbed the picture from my purse, unfolded it, and held it up to the windshield. A perfect match.

“Stop the car,” I commanded and then added, “Please.”

Daniel pulled over, and I leapt out, rushing around to the front of the car. I clicked picture after picture while Daniel leaned against the hood, one leg crossed in front of the other, his aviator sunglasses shielding his eyes.

“It’s magnificent. So much better in person,” I said. “Will you take my picture, please?” I held out the camera and he took it, our fingers brushing during the exchange.

I posed, and he played photographer. “Take off your sunglasses,” he said.

I flagged down an approaching car, and it rolled to a stop behind us. A man in jeans, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap climbed out.

“You having a bit of car trouble?” he asked, appearing friendly enough.

“I’m sorry to trouble you, but would you mind taking our picture?” I gave him my super bright smile, and he beamed back.

“Sure. You two on holiday?”

“We are. Thanks so much for doing this,” I said, taking Daniel’s sunglasses off. He slipped an arm around me, and I leaned into him, sneaking my arm around his waist.

“On three,” the stranger said, holding up his fingers as he counted. He took several pictures, and on the last shot, Daniel kissed my cheek, making me laugh with delight.

The stranger went on his way, and I climbed up on the hood of the car, letting my feet dangle off the front. “Mind if we stay a while?” I asked.

“This is what we came for, right?”

The front end of the car dipped when he joined me, our knees touching as we took it in. I couldn’t believe it. There were thousands of mountains all over the Earth, and this one probably wasn’t even the most spectacular, but I was in awe. It was my mountain. I was grateful to be in its presence. I’d looked at that picture day after day for so long that actually being here in the flesh was just surreal.

“Thank you.” I didn’t take my eyes away from the snow-capped peak. My hand found its way to Daniel’s thigh.

“You’re welcome.” He placed his hand on top of mine.

“Not just for this.” I motioned at the mountain. “But for all of it. I—I—” I glanced at our joined hands. “This means so much to me. Being here. What you’ve done…I won’t forget that, Daniel.”

“I did this for you, but I think I’m the one getting the most out of it.” He squeezed my hand.

Time seemed to freeze as we sat there, soaking in the moment, reflecting on something that was bigger than both of us. I felt small, like I’d somehow been lucky enough to get a spot, no matter how long or short, on this planet we called home. Even if I accomplished everything I set out to do in life, it wouldn’t compare to this.

“I’m ready,” I said, hopping down off of the car, feeling somehow cleansed.

When he was on the ground next to me, I jumped him and he caught me, my limbs going around his neck and waist. His mouth on mine sent a jolt rocketing through me so I felt it in my toes. We groaned at the same time, and I dove my hands into his hair, tugging while holding him in place.

Daniel slipped his tongue in my mouth, the sparring between us no longer verbal, but physical, as if our mouths had been waiting for this chance since we’d met. A car blared its horn as it passed, but I was lost. Daniel captured my mouth like it belonged to him, explored it as if he’d never have another chance. I was so hot, my body a flame that burned just for him. I wanted to mark every inch of him. I’d never wanted anyone to be mine, and I certainly hadn’t wanted to belong to anyone. I’d had no idea feelings like this could be conveyed through a kiss. When we finally broke for air, we looked at one another.

“Fucking hell,” he murmured in wonder, looking as dazed as I felt.

And then I wanted his mouth once more, another taste of the raw passion between us. Sweet Mother Mary of all things holy—now I completely understood addiction, obsession, and sheer madness. He made me feel all those things with that gorgeous mouth. I licked, nipped, and grazed, out of control and powerless to stop. Daniel used his tongue and teeth expertly, eliciting sounds from me I’d have sworn were made by someone else. I bit his lower lip and he groaned, didn’t hold back or try to play it cool.

“If I had known this is what that mountain would do to you, we’d have flown straight here,” Daniel said against my lips.

“It has nothing to do with the mountain.”

I was telling the truth. He did this to me. I wasn’t going to deny it.

“Kiss me like that again, and I won’t be held responsible for what I do after that,” he warned, eyes sparkling with wicked delight.

“You’ll definitely be to blame. And I’ll kiss you like that whenever I fucking want to.”

“Well, I look forward to it.”

“I bet you do.” Tenderly, I pressed my lips to his forehead. “We can go now.”

“What if I’m not ready?”

“Then we can stay.”

“What’s happened to you? You’re more compliant,” he teased, lifting me.

I wrapped my legs around his waist. “I’m very easygoing when I want to be.” I dipped my head toward his for another kiss, his lips too hard to resist. He pulled back, out of reach.

“Is there something I can do for you, Vivian?”

He was sexy as fuck when he was playful. I wanted to lick him all over. “Stop talking and kiss me.”

I made another attempt, but he was too quick.

“I could, but what would I get out of that?” he asked.

“A lot more than I would,” I sassed.

And damn him, if he didn’t laugh. And damn me, if I didn’t join in. “Damn it, V. You’ve always got a point.” V. He’d called me V. My heart stopped for a beat, and I felt something I was desperate to hang onto.

This time, Daniel instigated the meeting of our mouths, and it was different from before. No less impassioned, maybe more so, but the desperation had worn off, and he took his time, savoring me. I let him do as he pleased. It felt too good not to. I writhed against him for any kind of friction, and he hissed when I brushed his erection. He ripped his lips off of mine, an almost pained sound coming from him. He rested his forehead against mine as we panted, breathless.

“Vivian.”

I loved the sound of my name on his lips. It was a declaration of reverence.

“We need to go, or we’ll be spending Christmas Eve on the side of the road.”

“I don’t care.” And I didn’t.

He smiled, and I tightened my grip on him. “I think we can do better than this.”

“Well, it’s going to be pretty damn difficult to top,” I declared.

“I’m up for it.” His brow creased. “I’ve outdone myself on this first date. What the hell am I going to do for an encore?”

“Are you asking me out again?”

“I am.”

“You could put me in charge,” I suggested.

“Are you agreeing to another date?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll let you handle our hundredth date.”

“Why hundredth?” I gave him a quizzical look.

“Figure you’d at least stick around that long just so you could have your way.”

“I’ll have my way regardless.”

“You sure about that, Princess?”

“Positive.” He carried me to the Land Rover and deposited me inside. “One hundred dates is an awful lot.”

“I didn’t think it sounded like near enough,” Daniel said. He slipped on his sunglasses and fired up the engine, turning up the volume on Madonna. I looked at him like he’d been invaded by aliens, and then I settled back in my seat.

“The third date is mine,” I said once we were back on the road.

“Are you asking me out?” he asked, and I wished I could see his eyes behind the lenses of his aviators.

“I am,” I confirmed.

“Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren’t we? Shouldn’t we see how the second date goes?”

“This, from the man who’s already counting on a hundred? You know, if all our dates last over two weeks, we’re talking about years?”

“I’m perfectly aware of that,” he replied haughtily.

“So you’re agreeing to a third date?”

“Yup.” He paused. “Actually, I’m agreeing to ninety-nine more.”

“Eyes on the road, Princess.” I pointed out the windshield. “So what happens after one hundred?” I tried not to sound too anxious. We were on the ninth day of our first date, and I was getting ahead of myself, but I wanted to know.

“Unless I absolutely hate where you take me, I guess we’ll go for one hundred and one,” he replied easily, and I let out a sigh of relief. I halfway expected him to say that was all he was going to give me.

“You’ll love it, whatever we do,” I told him. “And stop trying to play it cool. You already want infinite dates with me.” He didn’t deny it.

“Vivian.” My stomach dipped when his hand found my thigh. “I’m not the only one.”

“I’m sure you’re not. There are probably thousands of people who would love to have me for infinity.”

I couldn’t see his eyes behind the sunglasses, but I didn’t need to know he’d just rolled them. “You want me for infinity,” he clarified, as if I didn’t already know what he meant.

“Guess we’ll have to see about that.”