Page 23 of Flames of Desire

But deep down, I knew better. This wasn’t just a fling. This was something real, something that had been growing quietly in the background, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. And now that it had, there was no going back.

I spent the day in a haze, trying to distract myself with mundane tasks at the bookstore. I cleaned, restocked, and even tried to read a book, but my mind kept drifting back to Alex.

“What was he doing? Was he thinking about me, too?” The hours dragged on, and I found myself constantly checking my phone, hoping for a message or a call. Then I realized he didn’t have my number.

As evening approached and I headed home, I finally gave in and decided to take a long, hot shower. The water was soothing, washing away the lingering chill from the snowstorm. I let my mind wander, replaying the moments we had shared in the cabin. Alex had made me feel like I was the most precious thing in the world.

I tried to fight it, to convince myself that it was just the cabin, just the snowstorm, just the isolation that had made me feel this way. But even as I scrubbed my skin raw under the hot water, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was more than that. That what I felt for Alex was real, deep, and terrifying.

By the time I got out of the shower, it was dark outside. I wrapped myself in a warm robe and made a cup of tea, settling onto the couch with my thoughts. The city lights twinkled outside the window, a sad reminder that life would always go on, whether I was ready for it or not.

As I sat on my couch, sipping my tea, a knock at the door jolted me from my daze. My heart skipped a beat as I hurried to answer it, my pulse quickening. I opened the door to find Alex standing there, looking as handsome and tired as ever.

“Hey,” he said, his voice soft.

“Hey,” I replied, stepping aside to let him in. “I didn’t think you’d make it tonight.”

He gave me a small smile. “Told you I’d be back.”

We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. Then, without another word, he pulled me into his arms. I went willingly, my body fitting against his like it was meant to be there.

“I missed you,” I whispered against his chest.

“I missed you too,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my hair. “It’s been a long day.”

“Come in,” I said, pulling back slightly. “You look exhausted.”

He followed me into the living room, sinking onto the couch with a grateful sigh. I sat beside him, tucking my legs under me as I handed him the cup of tea I had made for myself.

He took it with a grateful nod, sipping it slowly. “Thanks,” he said, his eyes meeting mine. “I needed this.”

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, the weight of the day slowly lifting. There was so much to say, so much to figure out, but for now, just being together was enough.

“Did you get everything sorted?” I asked after a while, my curiosity getting the better of me.

“Mostly,” he replied. “It’s amazing how much shit can pile up in just a few days. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“I’m glad you came back,” I said softly. “I wasn’t sure if you would.”

He set the cup down and took my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I’ll always come back to you, Lily. I promised, didn’t I?”

“You did,” I said, smiling despite the lingering uncertainty.

We talked for a while, sharing the mundane details of our day. I told him about how I spent the day cleaning, and he told me about having to deal with the people back at the fire station. It was easy, natural, like slipping back into a familiar rhythm. The tension from earlier melted away, replaced by a sense of comfort.

As the night wore on, we found ourselves leaning into each other as we both sat on my couch. I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. It was in these quiet moments that I realized that there was a warmth between us that felt so right, so undeniably strong, that it almost scared me.

Alex broke the silence with a soft sigh. “There’s something I need to tell you,” he said, his voice low and serious.

I lifted my head to look at him, my heart skipping a beat. “What is it?”

He took a deep breath, his eyes searching mine. “I’ve arranged for you to meet with Richard Ginsberg next week.”

I blinked, trying to process his words. “Richard Ginsberg? The author? How…?”

Alex smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes. “Yes, Richard Ginsberg. He’s agreed to meet with you and schedule a book signing at your bookstore.”

My heart swelled with excitement. Richard Ginsberg was a literary giant and having him at my bookstore would be a dream come true. “Alex, that’s incredible! How did you manage to pull that off?”

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