Page 6 of Forbidden Flames

With a bright, welcoming smile on her face, she opened the door and…was stunned.

“Hendrix!” she sighed, staring at the man. He’d pulled a soft blue sweater over a white tee-shirt and the material hugged his impressive shoulders in all the right places. Her eyes traveled over his flat stomach and narrow hips, envying the soft denim that got to hug all of those muscles in his thighs. Surely she wasn’t jealous of a pair of jeans!

“Merry Christmas, Em.”

The words snapped her eyes back up to his face and Emily swallowed hard, shocked that she’d objectified the man!

His handsome features seemed to be waiting for something. Mentally, she thought back to the pre-objectification perusal and…that’s when she’d remembered his greeting.

“Thank you!” Emily gasped, finally remembering her manners. “And…yes! Merry Christmas to you!” She stepped backwards making space for him to come into her house “Please, come in! I’m so glad you’re here!”

“These are for you,” he said, handing her an enormous bouquet of pink roses. Immediately, her nostrils were filled with the sweet scent.

“Wow! How beautiful!” She buried her nose in the flowers, giving herself time to overcome this flustered sensation. Hendrix was just so darn big and overwhelming!

“Glad you like them,” he replied, staring down at her. “I also brought a pie for dessert. I wasn’t sure what to bring. Sorry, I should have asked.”

"That's so sweet of you," Emily responded, her words genuine but her gaze held hostage by the gravitational pull of Hendrix's ridiculously handsome features. She found herself teetering on the precipice of turning into a starry-eyed cartoon character with heart-shaped eyes. Cue the internal monologue: Must. Resist. Drooling.

In the midst of her silent swooning, Emily had a sudden epiphany; she was gawking. She straightened her shoulders, and hastily turned around, gesturing around the house with a flair that screamed, "Behold, my humble abode!"

"Come on in," she said, suddenly feeling as shy as a debutante with an unexpected crush on the prom king. Her body language, usually confident and assertive, now resembled a hastily rehearsed dance routine with a few missteps thrown in for good measure. She led the way into the house, unintentionally showcasing a blend of charm and awkwardness as if she were conducting a tour for a VIP guest while trying to convince him that, yes, her house was indeed the trendiest spot in town.

No, not “all of a sudden”. When she was around Hendrix, this was par for the course. She seemed to stumble a lot whenever she was near Hendrix lately. It didn’t make sense, except that she’d finally admitted her feelings for the guy, if only to herself.

“The movie is cued up.”

“Movie?” he prompted.

“Do you still want to watch Christmas movies?” she asked, suddenly still. She loved starting off the day with a bit of Christmas charm, Hollywood style. It was sort of a tradition that she, Ann, and Maggie had started. The past four years, they’d added in several newer movies, such as “Rudolph” and “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”, for Ann’s four year old son, Archer. It didn’t matter what they watched, Emily merely wanted to start the day off with a sappy movie filled with Christmas spirit.

“Right!” he said with a nod. “You mentioned that yesterday. Sorry. Yes, I’d love to watch the movies.”

Emily smiled and brought the flowers into the kitchen. “I know that some of them can be a bit corny, but I love them.” She reached for an old vase, but she’d put it on the top shelf ofher cabinet. Not a lot of use for a vase when she didn’t date and she was too thrifty to buy herself flowers.

Before she could step back and grab her step stool, a large arm reached up past her and easily plucked the vase down. Emily gasped when she felt his chest brush her back. The brief touch sent her mind spinning right back down that yummy path!

He didn’t step back as he handed it to her. “Thank you,” she whispered, not daring to move for fear of touching him again.

Thankfully, he stepped away, giving her room to breathe. Not much room. Hendrix was a big guy and he took up a lot of space.

Chapter 7

Hendrix stepped back and watched as Emily nervously moved around her small, cute kitchen. It was a warm space that was obviously set up to talk and cook at the same time. He wondered how many times Em, Maggie, and Ann had hung out in this kitchen. Did she miss them? Was she upset that she was sharing Christmas dinner with him instead of her friends?

"Em," he interjected, halting her bustling activity of following Charlie's meticulous meal preparation instructions. His voice carried genuine concern, a nearly tangible tension that hung in the air. "What's wrong? Do I make you uncomfortable? Or is it the absence of Maggs and Ann?"

Emily turned, her shoulders stiffening as she met his gaze. The air seemed charged with an unspoken awareness, a palpable tension throbbing between them. Hendrix had an impulse to pull her into his arms, to reassure her that whatever burden she carried, he was more than willing to share it. But Maggie and Ann were more than just friends; they were like sisters to her, and their absence cast a shadow that he couldn't erase.

"No," she responded, shaking her head slightly. "I mean, yes, I miss them. But... I'm just nervous about having a man in my house." A self-conscious laugh escaped her, but there was an undercurrent of tension beneath the surface. "You're just a big guy, and I never thought that you would be in this... in here." Her voice trailed off, her eyes lingering once again on his broad shoulders.

The room seemed to shrink as the awareness between them crackled like electricity. Hendrix could feel the unspoken words hanging in the air, a dance of tension and vulnerabilitythat created a charged atmosphere. He waited, acutely aware of the delicate balance between them, unsure of how to navigate the uncharted territory of Emily's apprehensions.

But then something shifted in her eyes. It was subtle, but Hendrix caught it. Instantly, he tensed, trying to translate the moment and her words. Was Emily…attracted to him? Wasthatwhat this was all about? His body tightened and every cell vibrated with intense interest. Could it be that she was just as aware of him as he was of her?

Intrigued, Hendrix pushed the thought to the back of his mind and concentrated on just being a good guest.

“Charlie’s meal doesn’t include a lot of sides,” she explained, fiddling with the flowers. He noticed she had lovely hands. Her nails were short, her fingers long, and…damn. He now had the image of her fingers wrapping around his…!

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