Page 52 of Passions Ignite

“What about you?” Zoey asked suddenly, breaking the silence. “Did you always know?”

Lux thought about the question for a moment before answering. “I think I always knew, too, but it took me a long time to accept it. I was scared of what it meant and how people would react. It wasn’t until I met someone who made me realize it was okay to be myself that I accepted it.”

Zoey looked at her, curiosity in her eyes. “What happened to her?”

Lux shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “It didn’t work out. I guess I wasn’t ready for it, for the whole relationship thing. I’ve always had a hard time letting people in and letting them get close. But I’m trying to be better about that. I think losing mymom so young, I have serious abandonment issues. Trust issues. You know, well all of it.”

Zoey nodded, understanding. “It’s not easy, but it would be worth it, I think.” Her brown eyes were warm and welcoming.

Lux looked at Zoey, feeling a sudden urge to kiss her and close the distance between them, to just give in to what she was feeling. But she held back, warning herself not to get too close or let herself fall too hard, too fast. She didn’t want to hurt Zoey or make promises she wasn’t sure she could keep.

She closed her eyes, leaning back against the tree, and let herself relax. She wasn’t sure what would happen next, but for now, she was content to just be here with Zoey.

Zoey’s hands moved on her leg again, this time massaging the area around her knee, and Lux felt a shiver run through her. She opened her eyes and looked at Zoey.

There was something beautiful about loving a woman like Zoey. It wasn’t just about the physical attraction, though that was certainly there. It was about the connection, the understanding, the way they could just be themselves with each other.

Lux let out a sigh, closing her eyes again as she let herself get lost in the moment. She watched as Zoey’s fingers traced the outline of her ankle, her touch gentle. She could feel Zoey’s warmth through her touch, and it sent a tingling sensation up her leg.

Lux shifted slightly, trying to ignore the way her heart sped up just being this close to Zoey. It was hard to believe how much her feelings for Zoey had changed in such a short time.

When they first met, Lux saw Zoey as just another person she had to work with, someone to keep at arm’s length. But now, everything was different. She was falling in love, and that realization terrified her.

She found herself wanting to be around Zoey constantly. The thought of kissing Zoey always lingered in her mind, and the way Zoey’s hand rested on her leg only made that desire stronger.

Lux noticed the way Zoey’s eyes seemed distant whenever she talked about leaving anyone behind. Losing a kid in a fire would do that for you. For sure. Lux understood the need to keep her distance, but she wondered what it was like for Zoey to be with her.

Did Zoey feel the same pull? Did she want to kiss her as badly as Lux did?

“Are you okay?” Zoey asked, looking up from Lux’s ankle with a concerned expression.

“Yeah, just thinking,” Lux said, trying to sound casual.

“About?”

Lux forced a smile. “Just thinking about when we’ll be rescued. Trying to stay optimistic, you know?”

Zoey nodded. “We’ll make it out of here, Lux. I promise.”

Lux’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to believe Zoey and trust that everything would be okay. But part of her was still scared.

Scared of getting too close, scared of what might happen if she did. To lighten the mood, Lux decided to crack a joke. “If we don’t make it out, at least I can say I spent my last days with a real-life action hero.”

Zoey laughed, and the sound made Lux’s chest tighten in the best way. “If you’re lucky, I’ll even let you see some of my stunts.”

Lux grinned, but her mind was still racing. She didn’t want to hurt Zoey or get too close, only to pull away later. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized she didn’t feel the usual fear. She wanted to get closer and kiss Zoey again.

Zoey’s hand rested on Lux’s ankle, her fingers tracing light patterns that made Lux’s skin tingle. Lux felt a warmthspreading through her, her body reacting to Zoey’s touch in ways she couldn’t control. She shifted slightly, feeling a growing tension between them, one that was becoming harder to ignore.

Zoey’s fingers moved higher up Lux’s thigh, and Lux’s breath hitched. She could feel her pulse quicken and her body responding to Zoey in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying. Lux looked at Zoey, their eyes locking, and she could see the same desire reflected in her.

Without thinking, Lux leaned in, her lips brushing against Zoey’s in a brief but electric kiss. It was enough to send a jolt of electricity through her, leaving her wanting more.

But before they could go any further, the sound of hooves running uphill distracted them.

Lux pulled back, and she looked around. Three deer raced past. Then another.

“What’s going on?”

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