“Of course he did,” Nicole mutters, tugging at her scarf. “Wouldn’t be Switzerland if we didn’t have a private lunch at a glacier restaurant.”
Elle squeezes Jack’s hand, looking around with wide eyes, and for once George doesn’t say anything, just beams like the king of surprises. Camila slips off her gloves beside me, her expression calm but her shoulders pulled straighter than usual, like she’s bracing for every glance that lands her way.
I fall into step beside her, my voice low. “What the fuck is happening?”
Her laugh puffs out in the frosty air. “Surprise.”
“Cami—”
“It’s not what you think,” she cuts me off lightly, smile still plastered on like she’s taking it all in stride. “Paperwork stuff. I’ll explain later.”
I arch a brow, biting back everything I want to ask. “You could’ve given me a heads-up, you know. Just a little ‘by the way, I’m marrying the groom’s brother’ text?”
She bumps my shoulder, conspiratorial. “I didn’t exactly have time between city hall and the airport. Tonight, I promise. Over wine.”
I should be annoyed, but the corners of my mouth twitch. We’ve been roommates for a while now, and in that time, I’ve never seen her bring anyone home except her friends, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been dating.
“It’s a huge surprise, that’s all,” I say, walking in pace with her as we follow the rest of the group. “I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”
Camila huffs a little laugh, breath fogging in the air. She drags her fingertips through the ice wall as we walk and shivers slightly as we get deeper into the cave. “That’s because there wasn’t anyone to tell you about. Not in the way you think, at least.”
My brows lift. “Cryptic much?”
She shoots me a sly look, cleaning the tips of her fingers on her jeans. “Manu, just… don’t worry. It’s not what it looks like. George has his… reasons. And I have mine.”
That only makes me more curious, but before I can push further, George turns around midstep and bellows some fact about the glacier’s age, and Camila straightens like she’s been caught whispering secrets. She gives me one last conspiratorial glance, quick and sharp, before slipping into her perfectly poised smile.
We step fully into the restaurant, and the sudden warmth makes my cheeks sting. The group fans out toward the long wooden tables, but Connor slows near one of the icy alcoves that branch just off the main tunnel, his shoulder brushing mine.
“Cold?” he murmurs, low enough that it doesn’t carry.
“Freezing.” My laugh fogs between us. “I can’t feel my nose.”
“Here.” He tugs his red scarf loose and drapes it around my neck, fingers grazing my collarbone. The wool is still warm from his skin, and the gesture feels far more intimate than it should.
I tug it tighter, pretending to fuss with the ends. “You realize this makes us look like a couple in a Christmas card, right?”
His smile curves, subtle but deliberate. “Wouldn’t be the worst look.”
The words land too heavy in my chest, like he didn’t just toss them off casually. My pulse stutters. “You’re ridiculous,” I whisper, trying to laugh, but it comes out thin.
Connor tilts his head, studying me, and for a second, I think he’s going to say something more—something reckless. Instead, he leans in and presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth, so quick I almost doubt it happened until his breath ghosts against my cheek.
“Connor,” I hiss, laughing under my breath, though my voice betrays me with how shaky it sounds. “We’re going to get caught.”
His grin is wicked, lighting his face in the dim glow.
But he doesn’t move right away. His thumb lifts to brush the wool near my jaw, a touch that lingers longer than the kiss itself. Voices carry down the tunnel, louder now, the scrape of chairs and clatter of plates echoing from the restaurant.
“Connor,” I whisper again but softer this time. Warning, plea, all mixed in one.
Instead of answering, he glances down the hall, then back at me, and in the next second, he catches my hand. Before I can react, he’s tugging me into a side alcove where the tunnel curves, shadows swallowing us whole.
“Connor—”
He silences me with his mouth. Not careful this time. His kiss is hot and consuming, his body crowding mine until my back presses into the cold ice wall. The shock of chill against my shoulders makes me gasp, and he swallows it, his tongue sliding against mine like he’s been waiting all day for this exact moment.
“Jesus,” he mutters against my lips, his breath fogging in the air between us. “Do you know how hard it is not to touch you in front of them?”
