"Baby, you have to see the view from the master balcony!" Alina's voice carried that particular pitch of excitement she got when she was trying to impress someone she cared about, her mismatched eyes practically sparkling as she tugged you through the sprawling winter house by the hand.

Snow continued to fall outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, turning the world into something that looked like it belonged inside a snow globe, the landscape muffled in white and the air crisp with winter chill that you could almost feel through the glass.

The Makarov family's "little winter retreat" was anything but little—more like a luxury resort disguised as a cabin, all rich timber and warm stone, with enough bedrooms to house a small army and amenities that probably cost more than most people's houses. The air carried hints of pine and cinnamon from somewhere in the vast house.

Alina had been giving you the grand tour for the past hour, her enthusiasm infectious as she showed off heated floors, a wine cellar that could stock a restaurant, and a kitchen that looked like something from a cooking show. Her hand in yours was warm against the cool air of the spacious rooms.

"I know it's a lot," she said, catching the slightly overwhelmed expression you were probably wearing as she led you past yet another sitting room with an enormous fireplace. Her grip on your hand tightened slightly, that familiar hint of insecurity creeping into her voice despite her excitement. "But I wanted you to see it, wanted to share this with you. We have the whole place to ourselves for a week—even no staff except for meals, just us."

The way she said 'just us' carried a weight of anticipation and nervousness, like she'd been planning this moment for months and desperately wanted it to be perfect. She'd pulled you to a stop in front of massive French doors that opened onto a private deck, complete with what looked like a hot tub that was already steaming invitingly in the cold air.

"So," she said, turning to face you fully, her dark hair catching the warm light from the chandelier above, "what do you want to do first? We could make hot chocolate and watch movies by the fire, or take a bath in that ridiculous marble tub upstairs, or..." She bit her lip, a gesture that was half nervous habit and half calculated cute factor. "Or I could just kiss you properly without worrying about who might see us."