Page 25 of The Secret Heir Next Door

“Will do, Sir.”

I hang up the phone.

“Is it the entire block?” she asks softly.

“Yeah, but our emergency generator and emergency lights didn’t kick on as they should. That’s alarming.”

“If you need to go, I understand.”

“No, no. It’s fine. They’ve got it under control. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone.”

“I’m an adult, Logan,” she groans in frustration.

“It doesn’t mean you don’t need someone here, just in case.”

I can feel her eyes boring into me, but I don’t care. I don’t even know why I’m being like this.

Why is it so important for me to be here making sure she’s safe? My business…everything I’ve worked so hard to build could be under attack, and I’m worried that someone is going to break into a candy shop and hurt this woman that I barely know.

“Whatever,” she sighs.

“I guess we’ll just have to make the best of it then.”

“It’s a good thing I was closing up anyway. No one else should be coming in. And I got the money in the safe.”

The darkness seems to press in around us, making every sound and movement more pronounced. I can feel the tension of the situation creeping in, but I also sense something different, an intimacy that the darkness seems to bring out.

“So, what’s the plan now?” I ask, attempting to shift the conversation away from the uncomfortable silence.

“We can’t do much until the power’s back. I guess we can talk? Get to know each other a bit better? I’m not sure how you’ll do with that.”

“Sure, sounds good. What do you want to talk about?”

There’s a pause, and then Serena laughs softly. “How about we start with something light? Tell me something I don’t know about you.”

I’m quiet for a moment, considering the question. I’m usually pretty guarded, especially with people I don’t know well. But here, in the dark, with Serena’s voice so close, I feel a strange urge to open up.

“Well,” I start slowly, “here’s a fun fact—one I don’t usually share. I’m still a virgin.”

Aside from Serena’s gasp, silence follows. “Seriously? I wouldn’t have guessed that. I also didn’t think that was a thing for men.”

“It’s not something I talk about often. It’s just... never felt like the right time or place.”

I hear Serena’s breath catch slightly, and she seems to process the revelation. “Why not? I mean, it’s your personal choice, but... I didn’t think someone like you would be so...”

“Traditional?” I offer, trying to make light of it. “I guess I am in some ways.”

“I wouldn’t have thought that,” she says, her voice softer now. “But it’s interesting. I’m glad you told me.”

The way she says it makes me feel unexpectedly vulnerable. The silence that follows is thick with the weight of unspoken emotions. The dark room, with its close proximity and shared secrets, seems to heighten the intimacy between us.

I move a little closer, trying to gauge her reaction. “You know, it’s strange. I’ve always thought of myself as being pretty in control, but this situation...” she waved at the dark, “it’s different.”

“Different, how?”

“I don’t know. It’s like being here with you, in this dark, confined space... it’s making me rethink things. My choices, my priorities”, I say.

“Sometimes situations like this make us see things more clearly. We’re forced to confront parts of ourselves we usually keep hidden.”