Page 22 of Flames of Desire

“I think so, too.” I agreed. “But let’s promise each other something.”

“What’s that?” she asked, her eyes curious.

“Let’s promise to be honest with each other, no matter what. I feel like it’s the only way to see where this goes.”

Lily nodded, her eyes serious. “I promise.”

“Good,” I said, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. “Now, let’s get out of here.”

We stood up, brushing the snow off our clothes. Once everything was packed, I took a moment to look around. The cabin, the snow-covered trees, the peaceful silence— it all felt like a different world. A part of me didn’t want to leave, but I knew we couldn’t stay here forever.

“Ready?” I asked, turning to Lily.

She nodded, her happy expression mixed with a hint of sadness. “Yeah, let’s go.”

We got into the car, the engine roaring to life. As we drove away, I glanced in the rearview mirror, watching the cabin grow smaller and smaller. I smiled softly, silently thanking that quaint little cabin in the middle of nowhere.

The drive was quiet, both of us lost in our thoughts. The snow-covered landscape made it a bit hard to drive through, but slow and steady, we made our way through. Finally, I reached over and took Lily’s hand in mine, squeezing it gently.

“We’ll figure this out,” I said, my voice filled with determination.

She looked at me, her eyes shining with something I couldn’t quite place. “I know we will.”

As we neared the edge of the storm’s reach, the road ahead became clearer, and the snow became less treacherous. It felt almost symbolic, like the path ahead of us was opening up, ready for us to navigate through it together.

Chapter eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN - BLAZING REVELATIONS

The car ride back to the city felt like a dream. The snow-covered road finally gave way to familiar streets and bustling traffic, but my mind was still trapped in the cozy cabin and the warmth of Alex’s arms.

As we pulled up to my apartment building, a knot of anxiety settled in my stomach. This was it—the moment when the bubble of our cabin escape burst, and reality came crashing back in.

Alex turned off the engine and looked at me, his expression that of both exhaustion and affection. “Home sweet home,” he said softly.

“Yeah,” I replied, glancing up at the building. It looked the same as always, but everything felt different. “Thanks for the ride.”

He smiled, reaching over to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Anytime.”

I hesitated, then made a spur-of-the-moment decision. “Do you want to come in? Maybe for coffee or maybe even a cup of hot cocoa?”

Alex looked tempted, but he shook his head with a smile. “I’d love to, but there’s a lot I need to take care of first. I promise I’ll come back later, though.”

“Okay,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. “I’ll be here.”

He must have noticed my disappointment. He leaned in, his forehead resting against mine. “I’ll be back, Lil. I promise.”

“I know,” I whispered back. “Take care of what you need to, and then come back to me.”

He kissed me gently, and then, with one last smile, he pulled away and watched as I got out of the car. I waved as he drove off, the knot in my stomach tightening. I stood there for a moment, watching the car disappear around the corner, then turned and walked into my apartment building.

The apartment felt empty and quiet, and for some reason, I didn’t feel as happy as I thought I would be coming back. I dropped my bag by the door and walked into the living room, collapsing onto the couch. The silence was deafening, and my thoughts were a chaotic mess.

I loved him. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I had fallen in love with Alex, and now I had to figure out what that meant for us.

I replayed our time together, the laughter, the tender moments, the way his eyes lit up when he looked at me, and that wonderful night we shared. It had been so natural, so effortless, that I hadn't even noticed the gradual shift in my feelings until it was too late.

A part of me wanted to deny it, to push away the overwhelming emotions and chalk it up to the intensity of our circumstances. After all, being snowed in at a cabin with someone, away from the world and its distractions, had a way of making things feel more significant than they were. Maybe it was just a fling, a temporary escape from reality.

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