The atmosphere in the theater was dim and intimate.
The images on the screen transitioned from the bright colors of the kissing scene to the darkness of entering a cave, casting a dim light throughout the theater.
And among them, vision was obscured.
Causing the other senses to become heightened.
Neither Dakota nor Curtis had much experience in this regard, but it was clear that Dakota was becoming the passive party in this sudden encounter.
Her lips were covered by a searing heat.
Her already short breaths were completely disrupted.
Curtis had at least experienced one impulsive moment when Dakota was drunk, but at that time, Dakota was inexperienced and naive, like a blank sheet of paper.
Her body was tilted.
The back of her head was held by the man's wide palm.
And in the moment Curtis kissed Dakota, his heart raced, pulling his nerves to a peak.
His knuckles bent slightly, tenderly caressing her soft hair, his fingers threading through and playing with it.
Gentle yet dominant.
Passionate yet restrained.
As if wanting to meld her into his body and devour her, yet holding back with reason at the brink.
Dakota was kissed into a daze.
She didn't notice when her teeth were parted, only hearing him murmur in the haze:
"Kota, open your mouth."
Then the little boat floating in her heart seemed to be capsized by the surging waves.
Dakota's lips still tingled by the time Curtis finally pulled away. It felt like he hadn't fully let go, like the warmth of his touch lingered on her lips.
But Curtis hadn't really moved far.
His hand still cradled the back of her head, his forehead resting gently against hers. His breath brushed her face, mingling with her own, leaving her breathless.
A moment later, Dakota heard a low chuckle from Curtis.
Her cheeks were still flushed, her tongue felt heavy, and her lips were numb as if they didn't belong to her. "What are you laughing at?"
"Laughing..." he gently nudged her nose with his, "because my birthday wish came true."
Dakota's lashes fluttered.
His birthday wish... was her?
But before she could think about it more, the lights in the theater suddenly brightened. The scene on the screen had long since ended, and the couple beside them had stopped their stolen kisses well before they had.
Flustered, Dakota leaned back quickly.
She grabbed her drink, biting down on the straw and sitting up straight, focusing intently on the movie.
Her mind raced, wondering if the audience around them had noticed their secret kiss in the dark.
Just then, Curtis glanced at her.
"Kota."
"..."
"You're drinking my drink."
"..."
Dakota's teeth clamped on the straw in shock. She slowly turned her head and, sure enough, spotted her own drink sitting untouched right next to her.
The cold lemon tea in her hand suddenly felt like it was burning.
She quickly let go of the straw, fumbling to put the drink back in place. "Of course I knew it was yours! I just wanted to taste it... you know, see what flavor you got."
Curtis didn't call her out on it.
He let out a soft chuckle, his throat barely moving.
For the rest of the movie, Curtis didn't make another move, but Dakota was already too distracted to focus.
Even though the movie had switched back to the thrilling adventure, her mind was stuck replaying Curtis's kiss over and over...
The movie reached its final scenes.
The heroes overcame their last crisis, and as the light filled the screen, the theater's house lights came up as well.
In the dim light, she could at least hide some of her feelings, but now with the bright lights shining, facing Curtis felt even more awkward. "Shall we... head out?"
"Hmm."
Curtis gave a soft nod, then casually picked up Dakota's bag and took her hand in his.
Dakota's fingertips tingled, but she didn't pull away.
She could feel something different, something new flowing between them ever since that kiss, like they'd crossed into a whole new world.
But inside, Dakota's heart felt sweet.
She gave Curtis her bag, her hand, and couldn't help the smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
The early autumn in J City was brief, and before long, the weather turned cool. Next week would be Thanksgiving, a time for families to gather and celebrate together.
Greta was on a business trip again.
This time she went further away than usual, and it's highly likely that she won't be back before the Thanksgiving holiday ends.
Before leaving, she gave Dakota a call, saying she'd left several boxes of pumpkin pies at home for her to share with friends. She also reminded her to visit her grandmother's grave and leave some flowers.
Grandma had passed away just before the Thanksgiving.
A sudden stroke took her quickly, too fast for Dakota, who was in Italy at the time, to make it back in time.
Ever since her father, Leonardo, had been kicked out of the house after his affair when Dakota was just three, the only person who truly cared for her had been Grandma.
On the anniversary of her death, Curtis went with Dakota.
Her grandmother, Kierra, had been a well-known socialite in her youth, someone who could handle both household affairs and the family business with grace and strength.
She had opposed Greta and Leonardo's marriage back then, but a young Greta had been swept away by Liang's looks and ignored all warnings, leading to an inevitable failure.
The fact that Dakota never had a complete and happy childhood was always a sore spot for Grandma. Even the day before she died, she had called Greta, criticizing her for failing to be a responsible mother. No one expected the next day to bring such tragedy.
Then again, maybe it wasn't entirely unexpected.
Kierra Mullen had long suffered from diabetes, which increased her risk of a stroke. This was why Dakota never liked sweets.
After returning from the cemetery, Dakota couldn't seem to shake the sadness that clung to her.
Her grandmother was the most important person to her, yet she hadn't been able to see her one last time.
Curtis wanted to comfort her but wasn't quite sure how to proceed.
When he held her in his arms that night, he felt as though Dakota was a porcelain doll, fragile enough that a single touch could make tears roll down her cheeks.
"Still thinking about your grandma?"
Curtis pulled Dakota into his embrace, his gentle breath brushing against her neck.
"Mm." Dakota buried her face in his chest, "My grandma was the most important person to me."
Curtis knew that Dakota was very close to her grandmother.
Everyone in J City knew that Dakota's father had cheated and her mother was distant, leaving her to rely on her grandmother.
"But actually, today has been alright." Dakota lifted her face, "If Grandma could see you here with me, she would be very happy."
Grandma really liked Curtis.
But she never forced Dakota to marry him just because she thought he was good, unlike Greta.
Perhaps Grandma never imagined they would end up married.
So Dakota specially showed their marriage certificate to her grandma at the grave, thinking Grandma would be pleased with this grandson-in-law and happy for them.
Curtis chuckled softly and replied, "Mm, when I was offering incense, I also secretly told Grandma that marrying Kota is the greatest honor of my life."
Dakota's heartstrings trembled slightly.
"Curtis." She suddenly lifted her face to look at him.
And he looked back at her, "Mm?"
"The Thanksgiving is coming soon." Dakota's eyes gleamed in the darkness, "This year, I want to set off fireworks."
