Page 17 of Turbulent Fires

I nearly drop my phone at his bold words that make my skin all tingly. This man makes me want beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. I’m not a virgin, but not that far removed from that sort of innocence. It’s hard to sleep with men when you don’t respect them.

Me:Slow down, little boy. I have my own magic fingers that do just fine.

There’s a pause as the dots stay on my screen for a long moment. I’m a bit mortified at sending such a bold message. There’s no taking it back now, though. After what feels like an hour, but is most likely about two minutes, a new message appears.

Wolf:We’ll use our fingers together... among many, many other pieces of our bodies.

That’s it, I have to stop or I’ll never get anything done today. I put away my phone and get dressed. I practically run from my house as I put my phone on driving mode so I won’t be distracted by messages coming in as I drive down the busy I5 freeway.

It takes about six hours to arrive in Florence, Oregon at the Heceta Head Lighthouse Inn that is supposedly haunted. Will I have my first spooky night? If I’m going to get it anywhere, it should be here. I check in, then head to Bay Street and straight to River Roasters, which turns out to be an incredibly quaint coffee shop with freshly made coffee and tasty treats. I step out onto the patio overlooking the river and pull out my laptop as I start writing things down while sipping on a lavender cold brew that tastes like dreams coming true.

I’m barely into my initial article when the icon on my laptop dings, letting me know I have a new message. I smile. I should ignore it and work, but that’s not going to happen so I don’t try to fight wanting to see what he has to say now.

Wolf:I passed a woman in the airport wearing your perfume. My heart beat a little faster til I realized she wasn’t you. How rude.

Me:How do you know my perfume?

I do tend to wear the same perfume as I love the subtle scent, but I’ve only been in person with this man a couple of times. If he already knows my scent, that’s impressive.

Wolf:Of course, I know your scent. It’s been burned into me from the moment I sat next to you on our first flight together. It’s sweet and spicy, just like you.

I smile, dreamily thinking of this man. I look up and see a barista grinning at me as she cleans the table beside mine. I flush a bit, embarrassed to have been caught acting like a teen talking to her first crush.

“Looks like you’re reading something nice,” she says with a giggle.

I wipe the smile away, though I’m sure it’s still showing in my eyes. “Nope, messaging a stalker,” I tell her with a wink. She laughs again before leaving. He might be a bit of a stalker, but I’m enjoying it. Maybe we’re meant to be together because we’re clearly both nuts.

I work for a while after turning off my notifications. I head out when it cools off and make my way back to the quaint little inn north of town. Once I’m settled into my room, I ring Chloe. She answers with a statement instead of a hello like we always answer one another.

“I love my baby, but sometimes she puts a true cramp in my lifestyle. I wish I was with you right now.”

I laugh. “I know what you mean. I wish you were with me too.”

“I’m also blushing a bit from all of the messages you’ve been sending me about Wolf. When are you going to jump that man? You’re clearly obsessed, and the only way to beat an obsession is to conquer it. You’re in lust with him... unless it’s more than wanting to get sweaty and sticky.”

“What happened to my sweet best friend?” I gasp with a laugh. “I might be mentioning the man a little too much, but that doesn’t mean I want to get naked with him.”

“If you don’t want to get naked with him, something’s seriously wrong with you. He’s hot and has kept you interested far longer than any man has before.”

“He keeps me entertained,” I tell her, trying to justify it to myself as much as to her.

“Oh my gosh, you’re full of denial. You’ve been texting with the man nonstop for two weeks. You giggle like a little girl when you talk to him, and it’s affecting your work, which I’ve never seen anyone be able to do.”

“I don’t giggle,” I say with a growl.

“You’ve most definitely giggled, and I’m sure I’m going to hear a lot more of it. You also look forward to his texts more than a freshman girl hoping to get invited to prom.”

I roll over in my bed, burying my face in the pillow for a moment. “Okay, I like the texts, but this is just fun and games. Eventually, the fun of it will fade,” I tell her, trying to convince myself at the same time.

“You both might be playing, but it’s simply foreplay. This is a game you’re going to lose if you think you can stay away from him.”

“I don’t do serious,” I tell her.

“You might not have done serious in the past, but I believe it’s different with Wolf. I think you’re already in too deep to pull out.”

I don’t know what to say to her. I take a long moment to think on it. Chloe gives me time, knowing how my brain works. It’s why no matter what happens in life, we’ll always be besties and always know each other more than any other person will be allowed to know either of us.

“I might have to agree with you. However, I haven’t decided what to do about it,” I admit.

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