The afternoon in Toronto pressed against the windows in shades of gray, the city muffled under a blanket of freshly fallen snow.
Inside, however, a different kind of warmth blossomed.
Daria, snuggled into the plush cushions on her couch, was a picture of contentment and serenity.

Her skin, still red from the hot shower, glowed softly in the afternoon light.
A beloved book lay open in her lap, its pages occasionally shaken by a soft sigh of contentment.
From time to time, Daria would run her hands over the gentle curve of her hips and the velvet fabric of her couch as she lost herself in the story.

It was a personal ritual, a quiet celebration of her own space and comfort, where the cold outside only served to enhance the cozy intimacy within.
Later, Daria lay down in her bed and let the sun-warmed sheets envelop her as she continued to read.
The soft click of her camera interrupted the silence only when a particular angle or the way the light caught her skin caused a fleeting moment of self-congratulation.
It was a winter afternoon, beautiful, entirely her own.

Captured masterfully for us on film by Mike Rees.