The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

They were like dry tinder-one spark, and everything ignited.

Their rhythm was effortless, their bodies moving together with a familiarity that broke through every last bit of hesitation. Herman laced his fingers through hers, pinning her hands gently above her head as he kissed her, hungry and

unrestrained.

Outside, the moon was stunning, bathing the world in a pale, silvery light.

Maybe it was the magic of the moon, or maybe it was her, drawing out something raw and primal in him. Or maybe it was Rowan's lingering jealousy pushing Herman to take what was his.

Strength met grace as they moved together, bodies rising and falling beneath the moonlight...

For Anastasia, it was like drifting on the surface of the sea-weightless, then suddenly plunging deep. The breeze outside whispered, waves surging and breaking until she was swept up in a rush of sensation.

Eventually, the waves quieted and everything stilled.

Anastasia clung to Herman's strong back, gazing at the moon through the window. The night air was cool, and after all that wildness, the calm felt precious. Her breath was shaky at first, but soon it evened out, slow and peaceful.

Herman eased off, utterly worn out, and fell asleep beside her.

But Anastasia couldn't sleep. She pressed up against his back, closed her eyes, and breathed in his scent. That deep sense of comfort she'd missed so much

washed over her again.

The next morning.

Anastasia woke early and started breakfast. She put on a pot of porridge, laid out two small plates of pickles, some stir-fried potatoes, and a simple carrot salad. Everything was light and fresh.

The smell of food coaxed Herman out of bed. He spotted a neatly folded change of clothes waiting for him on a nearby chair-Anastasia's touch.

He slipped into the cozy loungewear, ran a hand through his messy hair, and headed out of the bedroom.

The sight that greeted him felt achingly familiar.

Anastasia, hair tied back, apron on, came out of the kitchen with two plates in hand and flashed him a smile. “Morning! Breakfast is ready. Today's menu is porridge and carrot salad."

The scene meshed with a fuzzy memory in his mind. Herman blurted out, "Didn't we used to eat porridge and carrots all the time?"

Anastasia's heart did a little leap-he was finally remembering.

She grinned. "Yeah, we did. You

made about two grand a month,

made one, and with rent and

everything, we had to

h every

penny. We were saving up for our own place, remember?"

She'd said those words before. She wanted to walk that path with Herman all over again.

Herman sat down and tasted the porridge—a godsend after a night of too much wine.

He tried the carrot salad and couldn't help but smile. "This is perfect."

"Glad you like it!" Anastasia said. "Sit down and eat with me. I'll cook, you do the dishes like we always did, right?"

He really remembered. Anastasia's heart soared. "Deal! And from now on, I'll keep track of every expense. We'll split everything down the middle."

"Of course." Herman finished his bowl and immediately got up for seconds.

Anastasia, in a great mood, snapped a photo of Herman going for another helping, then another of him quietly eating, and sent them off to Monica.

Monica replied with a thumbs-up emoji, then sent back a photo of herself having breakfast with Jason at what looked like The Franco Family café.

Anastasia's eyes nearly popped. "Wait-you and Jason are living together?!"

f

Monica had never let any boyfriend stay the night at her place. She always seemed wild, but when it came down to it, she was pretty old-fashioned-she'd said more than once she wouldn't take that step before marriage.

Monica sent back a bashful emoji and a message: "Jason was too irresistible. I caved, okay?"

Anastasia's inner gossip radar went off. "So who made the first move, you or him?"

She couldn't shake the feeling there was more to this story. Jason must be something special to get Monica to break her own rule.

A minute later, Monica replied, "Jason says I have to take responsibility now. Ana, help, what do I do? I'm serious!"

Anastasia burst out laughing. Jason really had a way about him.

Herman, catching her smile, looked up. "What's got you so happy?"

Anastasia grinned and shared, "It's Monica. She and Jason finally got together! was worried they'd never work it out, but it looks like we'll be celebrating their wedding soon Jason's the steady, quiet type-he's a cop, so he's all about responsibility and making you feel safe? Monica's loud and impulsive, but they balance each other out." noveldrama

Herman put on a mock-serious face and teased, "So other guys get all the compliments. What about me?"

“Uh—” Anastasia blinked, then caught on. Was he actually jealous?