Page 1 of Flames of Desire

Chapter one

CHAPTER ONE - MEETING AGAIN

The musty smell of the bookstore welcomed me as I pushed open the doors and stepped inside. I glanced around with a content smile on my face. This particular building had been at the top of my list for the year, and as of right then, I was finally the proud owner of a bookstore right in the heart of Greendale.

Yesterday was the grand opening of my bookstore, and just as I had expected, a number of people showed up to support me, including my friends and my parents, but my brother was nowhere to be seen.

I shrugged, putting the thought behind me as I waltzed into the store. I had thought of hiring some help, but for now, I wanted to relish the thought of finally having something that was mine and mine alone.

All my life, my decisions had always been dictated and influenced by my parents or my overbearing brother, but for the first time in my life, I was the boss. When I told everyone about my plans to open a bookstore, I was met with such negative energy, and for a moment, the thought of completely dashing my dreams crossed my mind.

But I loved books, the stories they held, the emotions of the author trapped in between the pages, the fucking smell of a freshly opened book. They were a core part of me that I wasn’t ready to let go of.

In the end, I convinced my parents that I was going to open a bookstore, and you can imagine just how hard it was for them to hear such a thing coming from their daughter, who had just earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting.

My parents were no problem, actually, but my brother, Colton, was where the real problem was. He was incredibly pissed at my decision and clearly showed it. We hadn’t talked in weeks, and he didn’t bother showing up to the grand opening of my bookstore, much to my surprise. I had honestly thought that although we had our differences, he would at least show up to support me. But then again, I guess I was wrong.

I walked through the aisles of bookshelves with a satisfied grin on my face. Yesterday had been a smashing success, and I needed to import even more books into the store after taking out the ones from storage. I noticed a small box of books on the counter and remembered that I hadn’t put all the books on the shelves before closing up last night.

I picked up the box, noticing they were mostly romance novels, and approached the romantic aisle of shelves. As I slowly took the books out and bent to place them on the bottom part of the shelves, the chime of the bell above the door caused me to look to the entrance, and I spotted a pair of legs walk in.

The bookshelves covered his body, so I couldn’t see him properly— only his legs and boots. I thought about how big the boots looked and wondered if he was a giant, but my questions were quickly answered because as soon as I stood up, I caught sight of the tall, handsome man who had walked into my bookstore, and my heart skipped a beat.

Alex Sinclair, the town’s most infamous firefighter and my brother Colton’s best friend since I could remember.

Alex and I didn’t relate much. Actually, he was always just Colton’s friend and now the firefighter of every girl in town’s dreams. He stood there, looking every bit the hero with his broad shoulders, strong jawline, and those piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through me. His blonde hair was tousled, like he’d just come from the scene of a daring rescue. Even in his casual jeans and fitted t-shirt, he looked like he belonged on a magazine cover.

There was a brief moment of surprise, and then Alex gave me a small smile before speaking to me. “Good morning, Lily.”

“Good morning, Alex,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the surprise. “What brings you to my little corner of the world?”

He chuckled, a deep, rich sound that made my stomach do a little flip. “Just thought I’d check out the new bookstore in town. Didn’t realize it was yours.”

“Yeah, it’s mine,” I said, nervously fiddling with the edge of a book. “Welcome to Chapter & Verse.”

Alex looked around, taking in the cozy interior with its warm lighting and inviting atmosphere. “It’s nice. Cozy.”

“Thanks,” I said, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. We've got a great selection of books. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”

He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, not really. Just browsing."

“Right,” I said, feeling the conversation slipping into awkward silence. “Feel free to look around. If you need any recommendations, I’m here.”

“Will do,” he said, giving me another awkward smile before wandering off into the aisles.

I watched him go, my mind racing. That was Alex, my brother’s best friend. The one who had always been around during my childhood, teasing me and treating me like a kid sister. And now, here he was, in my bookstore, making me feel nervous and self-conscious.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus on the task at hand, but my eyes kept drifting back to where Alex was browsing, and for some reason, my heart was beating rapidly just behind my chest.

Suddenly, he raised his head, and I quickly bent mine so he wouldn’t catch me staring. I could hear him slowly approach me, and I focused hard on not looking at him. He cleared his throat as he got close to me, and I turned to face him, my pulse quickening.

“Hey, Lily. Do you remember this one?” he asked, holding up an old fantasy novel.

A smile tugged at my lips as I recognized the cover. “The Chronicles of Eldoria. You and my brother used to read this all the time.”

Alex nodded, a nostalgic look in his eyes. “Yeah, we did. I remember you trying to sneak into your brother’s room whenever we were having our little reading sessions.”

She laughed, the awkwardness between them easing slightly. “You guys used to be such dorks, and I just wanted to be part of the adventure. You two always had the best stories.”

---