Page 15 of Scorched Hearts

“Yes?” Elle spread her arms, “Was that not clear?”

Maya felt as if her blood was on fire. She couldn’t stand how Elle thought everything could be fixed by saying a few words, making an appearance, and looking sexy as hell. She knew this was Elle’s way of getting through life and stood as determined as ever to prove her wrong, to prove that some things aren’t fixable. That one cannot push back time, no matter how charming or confident or beautiful they are. The gravel beneath her feet squeaked when she came up closer to Elle’s beautiful face and clear green eyes. Elle’s dark wavy hair was in a messy ponytail.

She was close enough to kiss, and Maya had to do everything she could to hold back her lips from moving impulsively.

“I’m not a toy that you can break and then glue back together on a whim, Elena. I won’t come running back to you because you said you’re sorry. Did you think you could just charm your way back, wear your old cologne scent on your neck, flash your perfect smile, and have me swoon over you? I know you. I knew you, and you don’t seem to have gotten better. If anything you’ve gotten worse since the last time I saw you. You don’t think about anyone besides yourself. Have you ever considered that maybe I’m happy now? Without you?”

Elle stood quietly, looking at Maya with the soft, wounded green eyes of a kicked puppy. “Who said I wanted to go back to you?”

“I did. I see what you’re doing. Look me in the eyes and tell me I’m wrong.” Maya came closer to Elle’s face, so close their noses almost touched. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that’s not what you’re trying to do.”

“Maya.” Elle’s voice cracked with tension.

Elle’s dark green eyes sparkled dangerously as she slowly shook her head left to right, then pressed her lips to Maya’s.

Maya kissed her back.

Elle’s strong arms took a hold of Maya and Elle’s tongue pushed into her mouth. Maya heard herself moan involuntarily.

Fuck.

Maya didn’t know what she wanted, didn’t know what she was doing, but Elle’s lips on hers, her strong arms, the taste of her, felt too daring not to accept.

Elle bit her lip, pushing Maya against the back wall of the ambulance. Maya put her fingers deep into Elle’s hair and felt Elle’s knee pushing her thighs open. She gasped but followed the direction and spread her legs, letting Elle nest her thigh in between Maya’s, pressing against her clitoris.

Then, Maya suddenly sobered up. She abruptly pushed Elle away, wiping her mouth and putting herself back in order. Her thoughts spun in a tangle of guilt, afraid she’d sent Elle the wrong signal, upset at disrespecting her own boundaries and emotions.

“I hate you,” she whispered. “Please go away.”

Elle, confused, backed away. Her mouth formed a delicate prideful smile. “You don’t hate me, Maya.”

“Go away, Elena.”

Finally, Elle turned around on her heel and walked away. Once her back became lost among the other firefighters, Maya allowed herself to breathe. She felt sick. Her tongue still held onto Elle’s taste despite all her best efforts. Disgust at herself bubbled wildly in her stomach. The medics began getting into the ambulances, waving at her to join them.

“Hey, Maya, everything all right? Where’d you go?” Maya’s colleague touched her back in a friendly gesture.

“I’m sorry, Richard, I just… I know one of the kids.”

He went pale. “But not one of the…?”

“No! No. I stabilized him myself, and he went off to the hospital.”

“Jesus Christ, how’d you manage that? You should’ve called for someone else.”

Maya shook her head. “You were all busy. It was fine. I’m fine now.”

Richard nodded. “You know, you can always talk to me, or any other doctor on our team. We’re here for each other. It’s not easy work.”

Maya nodded, grateful for the unexpected support.

Her thoughts raced around, each heavy and dangerous like gasoline trucks all on a collision course with each other. She radioed the hospital, gaining an update on Alexei. Stable. Out of surgery. At least, she knew now Alexei lay safe in a hospital bed, none of his injuries causing a direct threat to his life. She had no idea how to tackle the situation with Elle. She wished she could open the door to that moment of the lapse in her judgement and jerk herself away from Elle, shake herself awake. That sorry apology wasn’t worth two cents. It definitely wasn’t worth leaning in to kiss the offender. Maya buried her head in her hands, still smelling of the strong alcohol disinfectant.

On her way to the hospital to see Alexei, Maya’s phone rang. She turned her head to see the number and froze. She hadn’t seen it for years, and liked to think she wouldn’t recognize it anymore. Oh, how wrong she’d been.

“Where’d you get my number?”

“I…remember it.”

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