Page 18

18

MALLORY

M allory's teeth chattered as she fumbled with her room key. Her coat and clothes were dripping puddles onto the hallway carpet when she finally got her door open. The snowball fight had been worth it though - she couldn't remember the last time she had that kind of spontaneous fun. A quick glance over her shoulder showed Kieran disappearing into his own suite across the hall, leaving wet footprints behind him.

She had barely changed into dry clothes when a knock echoed through her room. Opening the door revealed Kieran, changed but still shivering.

"My heat's out," he said, threading his fingers through his damp auburn hair. "Mind if I warm up in here for a bit?"

"Come in before you freeze." Mallory stepped aside, trying not to notice how his white henley clung to his broad shoulders.

She busied herself building a fire while Kieran settled onto her couch. Soon flames crackled in the hearth, casting moving shadows across the room.

"I'll make some hot chocolate," she offered, needing something to do with her trembling hands.

"You're a lifesaver." His blue eyes followed her movements as she worked in the kitchenette.

Minutes later, they sat side by side on the couch, steaming mugs in hand. The fire's warmth seeped into her bones, making her feel drowsy and content.

"So, besides the renovations we talked about, what other plans do you have for this place?" she asked, curling her feet under her. "For yourself?"

Kieran took a slow sip before answering. "I want to keep building on what makes this place special - that sense of belonging people get when they stay here. Maybe add more community events, make it somewhere families look forward to visiting year after year."

His voice softened. "And speaking of family... I'd like one of my own someday. The right partner, a couple kids running around causing trouble." He gave her a crooked smile. "Probably sounds silly coming from a former playboy."

"It doesn't." Mallory's heart squeezed. The image was all too easy to picture - Kieran teaching his children to bake cookies in the inn's kitchen and reading them bedtime stories by the lobby fireplace.

"What about you?" he asked quietly. "Any dreams you're keeping to yourself?"

She stared into her mug, watching the marshmallows slowly dissolve. "I used to think isolation was what I deserved, what I wanted. Now..." She trailed off, surprised by the longing in her own voice.

"Now?" Kieran prompted gently.

"Now I'm not so sure."

Mallory shifted on the couch, grateful when Kieran cleared his throat and changed the subject.

"So, what are you reading these days? I've seen you with different books every time I pass by."

The tension in her shoulders eased. Books were safe territory. "I just finished this fascinating historical romance about-"

"Wait, let me guess." He leaned closer, his presence warm and solid beside her. "Something with a brooding hero and a feisty heroine who saves him from himself?"

"Actually, it's about a lighthouse keeper's daughter who..." Mallory caught his teasing grin and rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

"I'm right though, aren't I?" His blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "How many books have you gone through since you've been here? Ten? Twenty?"

"Seven, thank you very much." She took another sip of cocoa, fighting a smile as he whistled low.

"Seven books in three weeks? Is reading all you do up in that cliffside house of yours?"

"Well, when you're alone a lot, books make excellent company." The words quickly slipped out.

Kieran's playful expression shifted to something more intense. He turned to face her fully, one arm draped across the back of the couch. "Why do you feel like you need to be alone, Mallory?"

The question hung in the air. Mallory's heart stuttered as she stared into those searching eyes. He wasn't asking to be nosy - she could see genuine concern there, mixed with something else she wasn't ready to name. The fire crackled, sending shadows dancing across his sharp features, highlighting the gentle set of his mouth.

She opened her lips to deflect, to change the subject like she always did when people got too close to discovering the truth. But something about the warmth of the room, the easy companionship they had built, made her pause. The words stuck in her throat as she wrestled with whether to let him in just a little bit more.

She clutched her mug tighter, the ceramic burning against her palms. The warmth grounded her as memories threatened to overwhelm her. Kieran's presence beside her felt solid and safe - dangerous thoughts for someone like her.

"My magic..." The words caught in her throat. She swallowed hard. "It's not just making storms. Sometimes I lose control, and they become something else entirely."

Kieran shifted closer, his knee brushing hers. "What do you mean?"

"Ten years ago, I created a tornado that nearly destroyed half the town." Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she looked off into the distance. "People still talk about it. The 'freak storm' that came out of nowhere on a clear fall day."

"That was you?" His tone held no judgment, just quiet understanding.

"I was in college at the time and highly emotional. Someone said something cruel and I just... snapped." Her fingers trembled around the mug. "After that, I stayed away from people for a long time. It was safer that way."

"Until Eli?"

"Yes," she said softly, not meeting Kieran's eyes. "With him, things were different. Better. He had this way of keeping me calm and more centered." A tear slid down her cheek. "I thought maybe I could have a normal life after all. Then he got sick so suddenly and..."

More tears fell. Kieran gently took the mug from her shaking hands and set it aside.

"I'm cursed, Kieran. Every time something good happens, it gets taken away. My power makes sure of that." She wiped at her face. "I don't deserve-"

"Stop." Kieran's voice carried the commanding presence of his alpha nature. He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his intense gaze. "You are not cursed, Mallory. You're powerful, yes, but that doesn't make you dangerous. It makes you extraordinary."

"But-"

"No buts." His thumbs brushed away her tears. "I've watched you these past weeks. You're kind, brilliant, and far too special to spend your life hiding away. The world needs more of you in it, not less."

Mallory's heart thundered in her chest. No one except Eli had ever looked at her like this - like she was something precious instead of something to fear.

His touch left trails of warmth across her skin, and her breath caught in her throat. The firelight danced across his strong features, highlighting the intensity in his blue eyes.

He leaned closer, and time seemed to slow. The scent of pine and earth that always clung to him filled her senses. His gaze dropped to her lips, and Mallory felt herself swaying forward, drawn by some magnetic pull she couldn't resist.

But then reality crashed back like a splash of cold water. She jerked away, nearly tumbling off the couch in her haste. "I should probably get ready for tonight."

Kieran's hands fell away, leaving her skin cold where his warmth had been. He stood, his movements fluid and controlled, but Mallory caught the flash of disappointment in his eyes before he masked it.

"Take your time," he said as he moved toward the door. "Tonight's going to be busy."

The door clicked shut behind him, and Mallory collapsed back against the couch cushions. Her heart hammered against her ribs like it was trying to escape. Outside, snow began falling again - her magic responding to her turbulent emotions.

"Stop that," she muttered to herself, forcing the snowfall to ease. But controlling the weather was easier than controlling her racing thoughts.

The undeniable truth hit her like a lightning bolt - she was in love with Kieran Striker. Not just attracted to him, not just enjoying his company. Full-blown, heart-racing, stomach-fluttering love. The kind that made her want to throw caution to the wind and kiss him senseless. The kind that terrified her.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered to the empty room. The fire crackled in response, as if mocking her predicament.

She pressed her fingers to her lips, still tingling from the almost-kiss. What would it have felt like if she hadn't pulled away? Would his kiss be gentle like his touch, or demanding like his presence?

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the dangerous thoughts. She couldn't afford to wonder about things like that. Once the bridge was fixed, she needed to leave. Return to her solitary life where she couldn't hurt anyone. Where she couldn't lose anyone else she loved.

But as she touched the spot where Kieran's fingers had brushed her cheek, she wasn’t so sure she was strong enough to walk away.