Page 11 of Flames of Desire

I thought for a moment, then smirked. "I dare you to... do your best dance move right here."

He laughed, the sound filling the cozy space. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

He stood up, shaking off his jacket, and started dancing in the middle of the fort. His moves were exaggerated and goofy, making me burst into laughter. He spun around, doing a silly version of the moonwalk, then ended with a dramatic pose, striking a confident stance as if he were on stage.

"Bravo! Bravo!" I clapped, my sides aching from laughter. "I think you missed your calling as a professional dancer."

He bowed with a flourish, then settled back down beside me, his face flushed with amusement. "Your turn. Truth or dare?"

I hesitated for a moment, feeling a rush of excitement. "Truth."

He leaned back, eyes locked onto mine. "What’s one thing you've never told anyone?"

I paused, caught off guard by the question. His tone was casual, but his eyes were curious and intent, making it impossible to brush off the question with a simple answer. I took a deep breath, feeling the words spill out as if they’d been waiting for this moment.

"I... I've always wanted to travel the world," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I've never had the courage to leave everything behind."

Alex's gaze softened. "That's not a small dream. Why haven't you gone for it?"

I shrugged, feeling a bit vulnerable. "I guess I've always been scared of what I'd leave behind. My family, my friends... my life here."

He nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Sometimes, the best things in life come from taking risks."

I smiled, appreciating his understanding. "Your turn. Truth or dare?"

"Dare," he said, without hesitation.

I grinned, feeling a surge of mischief. "I dare you to... tell me your most embarrassing moment."

He groaned, rolling his eyes. "You really went there, huh?"

I laughed, nodding. "Absolutely."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright. Back in high school, I had this huge crush on a girl. One day, I decided to write her a love letter. But instead of giving it to her, I accidentally handed it to my math teacher."

I gasped, covering my mouth to stifle my laughter. "No way!"

He nodded, his cheeks tinged pink. "Yep. She read it out loud to the entire class. I wanted to disappear right then and there."

I laughed, the image of a younger Alex squirming in his seat flashing in my mind. "That’s priceless."

He shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. "It was mortifying at the time, but I can laugh about it now. Your turn. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," I said, still catching my breath.

"Alright," he said, his tone serious now. "What’s your biggest regret?"

I hesitated, the weight of the question pressing down on me. "I regret not standing up for myself sooner. For so long, I let other people decide my life for me. Opening the bookstore was the first time I did something just for me."

“So, what made you decide to open a bookstore, Lily? I mean, it’s a big change from accounting.”

I took a deep breath, setting my card down. “Honestly? It’s the only decision I’ve ever made for myself.”

Alex’s brows furrowed in confusion, so I continued, feeling the words spill out as if they’d been waiting for this moment.

“All my life, my decisions have always been influenced by my parents and Colton. They had this clear vision for what my life should look like, and I felt trapped, like I could never really be myself.”

Alex nodded, urging me to go on with his unwavering gaze. It made me feel strangely safe, like I could tell him anything.

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