Page 20 of Flames of Desire

“I know,” I whispered back. “But we need to try. For both our sakes.”

He nodded again, though his eyes never left mine. The intensity of his gaze made my pulse quicken, and I could feel the heat rising between us. It was a dangerous game we were playing, but neither of us seemed willing to back down.

After dinner, we sat by the fire again. Alex held a book in his hand, but I could feel his eyes on me, the weight of his gaze almost too much to bear.

“Lily,” he said quietly, his voice breaking the silence. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

I looked at him, my heart aching. “I feel the same way, Alex. But we need to be careful about this. About us.”

He leaned in closer, his face just inches from mine. “What if we can’t be careful? What if this… this thing between us is too strong to ignore?”

I swallowed hard, the intensity of his words making my heart race. “Then we need to figure out what to do about it. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.”

He closed his book and set it aside, moving closer to me. “We’ve been good about keeping our boundaries, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up either.”

I felt the same pull, the same desperation. “Alex, we can’t...”

“I know,” he said, cutting me off gently. “But I can’t help wanting you.”

His words ignited something inside me, and before I could think, I leaned in and kissed him. It was soft at first, but it quickly grew more intense with each passing second. All the tension, the longing we had tried to suppress, erupted in that kiss.

We pulled apart, breathing heavily, our foreheads pressed together. “What are we doing?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

“Something we can’t take back,” he replied, his voice husky with desire. “But maybe it’s time we stop fighting it.”

I looked into his eyes, seeing the same hunger, the same uncertainty. “Maybe you’re right.”

I could feel his breath on my skin, the warmth of his body just inches from mine. The boundaries we had set seemed to dissolve at that very moment, and I found myself leaning into him, my resolve crumbling.

Our lips collided with each other again, and I let myself melt in Alex’s embrace.

Chapter ten

CHAPTER TEN - FIRES OF CONFUSION

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the cabin. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind tangled in the remnants of the night before. The feel of Lily’s lips on mine, the way her body had fit so perfectly against me—it all felt like a dream I didn’t want to wake up from. But reality, as always, had a way of creeping in.

The raging snowstorm had lessened overnight, leaving the world outside in a blanket of white. The once relentless wind had calmed to a gentle whisper, and the prospect of leaving the cabin was slowly becoming a possibility. I should’ve felt relieved, but all I could think about was the uncertainty that lay ahead.

I glanced over at Lily, still asleep beside me. Her hair was a wild mess, her face peaceful. I wanted to reach out, to touch her, but the weight of everything that had occurred these past few days held me back. I knew for a fact that we had crossed a line, and there was no going back.

“Morning, beautiful,” I whispered, unable to help myself.

Her eyes fluttered open, a sleepy smile spreading across her lips. “Morning, Alex.”

We lay there in silence for a few moments. I stared into her beautiful brown orbs, which seemed to draw me in, and she stared back at me. Finally, I forced myself to sit up, running a hand through my hair. “The storm’s let up a bit. We might be able to leave soon.”

Lily sat up, too, pulling the blanket around her shoulders. “Yeah?” She looked at the window and let out a soft sigh. “I guess we should start thinking about what’s next.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. What was next? What did this mean for us? I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “Lily, I don’t want to pretend this didn’t happen. Whatever this is between us, it’s real, and I want to handle it right.”

She nodded, her eyes searching mine. “Me too, Alex. But it’s complicated. We need to figure out what this means for us.”

“I know,” I admitted, my voice strained. “It’s just... being this close to you, it’s hard not to want more.”

Lily reached out, her fingers brushing against mine. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through me, and I had to fight the urge to pull her closer. “I feel the same way. Being stuck here together with you was an absolute treat, but the intensity startled me. It’s easy to get carried away.”

“I get that,” I said, squeezing her hand. “But I don’t want to let fear dictate what happens between us. We need to be honest with each other about our feelings and about what we want.”

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