Page 54

“You’re safe now,” I say, my voice low, almost rough. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Not on my watch.”
She shifts, leaning just slightly toward me, and the air heats between us. Her eyes catch mine, and for a second, it feels like the world narrows down to just this—just her.
“Blaze…” she says, and my name on her lips is like a spark catching fire. The look in her eyes is full of questions, a mix of fear and something else—something that mirrors the same storm brewing in me.
I should keep my distance. Jenny’s words echo in my mind, her reminder that I need to be careful and stay professional. But the way Ember is looking at me right now—it’s like she’s seeing through every wall I’ve built, seeing past the protector and straight into the man beneath.
“Ember,” I say, my voice a warning, but it sounds weak even to my own ears.
She leans closer, her eyes searching mine, her breath mingling with mine.
I swallow hard, my pulse pounding. The space between us shrinks, and all the reasons I shouldn’t be doing this fade into the background—overshadowed by the heat of her gaze, the way her lips part slightly as she looks at me.
The tension snaps. She moves first, her lips brushing mine—soft, hesitant, like she’s testing the waters. The kiss starts gently, a hesitant brush of her lips against mine, but then Ember’s hand finds my cheek.
Something inside me snaps. I pull her against me, deepening the kiss, pouring all my need, all my hunger into her. Her bodymelts into mine like she was made for this moment—made for me. Her fingers twist into my hair, and a low groan escapes me.
I’m lost in her—the taste, the feel, the fire she ignites. My hands roam of their own accord, slipping under the hem of her—my—shirt.
Then reality crashes in, brutal and unforgiving. Jenny’s voice is like a worm in my head. I pull away abruptly, chest heaving, the air between us charged and heavy.
I pull back, my breath shaky.
“Ember, we can’t.” I hate the words even as they leave my mouth, my voice more forceful than I intend.
Her eyes widen, confusion flickering there, quickly replaced by hurt. She blinks, pulling back further, her expression closing off.
“I-I’m sorry,” she stammers, her face flushing. She looks away, her arms wrapping protectively around herself. “That was silly of me. I shouldn’t have…”
I run a hand through my hair, guilt gnawing at me. “It’s not that. I just…” I swallow, trying to find the right words. “We need boundaries. I’m your protector, Ember. I can’t—cross that line.”
She nods quickly, but her eyes are glassy, and the vulnerability she showed me a moment ago is gone, replaced by a wall I can almost see forming between us.
“Right. Of course,” she says, her voice small. “I shouldn’t have… I mean, it was stupid.”
“No.” My voice is sharper than I intend, desperate for her to understand. “It’s not that I don’t want to. God, Ember, you don’t know how badly I want to.” I rake through my hair, struggling to find the right words. “But you’re vulnerable. I’m here to protect you, not take advantage of you.”
She’s silent for a beat too long, and I brace for her to pull away for good, to shut me out, but when she speaks, her voice is soft, almost sad.
“You’re a good man, Blaze. Better than I deserve.”
Her words hit harder than any punch.
“Don’t say that.” My voice drops, thick with emotion. “You deserve more than you’ve been given. More than I can give you right now.”
She shifts away from me, putting more distance between us, her gaze fixed firmly on the TV. The warmth between us evaporates, replaced by a cold, awkward silence.
I messed up. I know it, and from how she won’t look at me, I know she does too.
“Ember…” I try again, but she shakes her head.
“It’s fine, Blaze,” she says, her voice clipped. “Let’s just watch the movie and forget it ever happened.” And just like that, the moment is gone, the heat replaced by a chill that cuts deeper than any wound.
I lean back, the silence stretching out, and all I can think is how badly I want to fix this, but I have no idea how. She turns away, but I can’t let her shut down like this. Not now.
“Don’t do that.” I reach out, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Do what?”