Page 62 of Burn for Me

God damn.

Every inch of their soft, smooth surface needed to be worshipped.

The tray held my usual smoothie, but also two bowls of delicious smelling spicy soup.

Laura’s cheeks pinked as she picked up her bowl and spoon. ‘You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to. I know you're used to the shakes and…’

I didn’t need another word. She’d cooked for me. We could share a meal that wasn't artificial tasting smoothies. No one had cooked for me since my parents died, my uncle never transitioning me from the high calorie shakes. Soup would never have been able to nourish me to the same level, so I’d never bothered with it. What was the point?

Now I had a point. My pretty little flame.

I turned my head as I pushed the straw into the smooth bowl.

‘It’s okay,’ she said. ‘There’s no need to hide for me.’

I closed my eyes and took a steadying breath, before tasting the soup through the small hole on the side of my mouth. It slid quickly up the straw, warm, spicy flavour hitting my tongue.

I groaned, the sound caught as ever in my throat. Fuck. I’d forgotten what flavour was. I’d had nothing but cold, powdery fake strawberry for over a decade, and the soup may as well have been Michelin-fucking-starred.

‘You like it?’ Laura asked, her face breaking into an absolute beaming smile when I eagerly nodded. ‘It’s carrot and potato curry soup. I don’t know many recipes by heart, but I know that one. We had to make it in school during home economics.’

Was there no part of my life she couldn’t make better. Well, except burning down my house.

I finished my soup in record time, revelling at theheat inside my stomach. The soup was like a warm hug from the inside out.

The sun dipped near the horizon while Laura ate, sending an array of colours dancing across the clouds. Laura caught my gaze over the sea, placing her bowl down and scooting a little closer to me. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her back against my chest, leaving my fingers resting against her shoulder.

Thank you,I spelled out in slow strokes.

‘You’re welcome.’

Her chest rose against my arms, a contented sigh falling from her lips as we watched the dark shape of a bird murmuration swooping against the brightly coloured sky. It never failed to amaze me how they did so, moving as if one.

We sat there until the night conquered the day, a chill settling over us with each passing moment. Our conversation came in fits and starts, my finger spelling proving too cumbersome for anything more. Frustration filled me up, making my skin crawl.

I didn’t want a stupid fucking pen. Or to have her read my broken words against her skin.

‘Phoenix?’ she asked. I’d been so lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t heard what she’d said.

Sorry, I spelled out,Lost in thought.

Laura turned to face me, her thigh pressing up against my leg.

‘I asked if you’d ever been kissed?’

Shame heated my cheeks at her question. Of course I’d never been kissed. I was a scarred monster. Most women couldn’t even make eye contact, far less kiss me.

Running a hand through my hair, I shook my head.

‘Can I kiss you?’ Laura bit at her lower lip after asking, those big doe eyes focused on my face as she awaited my answer.

It was all wrong. I should be the one trying to kiss her. Making her feel wanted.

After a moment's hesitation, I gave in, nodding once.

I reached out, cupping her face in my hand as my pulse hit a new speed record. Dipping down to meet her, her lips put pressure over my would-be mouth. There wasn’t a lot of sensation in the old tissue, but it still sent electric shock through my system. Her breath was warm against my face, still smelling of spice. Leaning up, she peppered my face with a series of tiny kisses. My tongue pressed against the back of my teeth, desperate to be free from its cage to taste my girl.

Enough was enough.

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