Melted by her Love

PART17:-Night of attraction

One evening, as Emme was finalizing some numbers for her café’s new marketing plan with David’s help, she caught sight of Alex walking past the window. He glanced inside, his expression darkening when he saw David sitting beside her. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and without a word, he turned and walked away.

Emme’s heart sank. She had seen that look before—jealousy. She couldn’t blame him. David had been around more frequently lately, and she knew it bothered Alex. But she also knew that she and David were just friends. They had shared a past, but that was all. Her feelings for Alex, however complicated, were something entirely different.

Later that night, as Emme sat alone in her café, her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and saw an unknown number flashing. Curious, she answered.

“Hello?”

“Is this Emme Carter?” a deep, gruff voice asked.

“Yes, who’s this?”

“This is Jake from The Blue Lantern. I’ve got someone here who’s a bit too drunk to get home, and he’s been talking about you. Said you’re his girlfriend.”

Emme’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, who is it?”

“Guy’s name is Alex. Alex Blackwood.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Oh no,” she whispered. “I’ll be right there.”

Within minutes, Emme was at The Blue Lantern, a local upscale bar. As she entered, the bartender waved her over to a corner booth. And there he was—Alex, slumped over the table, his usually immaculate suit disheveled, his eyes glassy from too much alcohol. He barely looked up when she approached.

“Alex,” she said softly, touching his arm.

He blinked up at her, his usual sharpness dulled by the alcohol. “Emme… you came,” he slurred.

“Of course, I came,” she replied, her voice gentle but firm. “What are you doing here? Drinking like this?”

He gave a bitter laugh. “What does it look like I’m doing? Forgetting.”

Emme sighed, helping him to his feet. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

The bartender gave her a sympathetic look as she helped Alex out of the bar and into the night air. But as they stood on the sidewalk, Emme realized something—she had no idea where Alex lived.

“Alex, where’s your apartment?” she asked.

He gave her a lopsided grin. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Emme rolled her eyes. He was far too drunk to give her any coherent directions, and she couldn’t leave him in this state. With no other option, she hailed a cab and decided to take him back to her place.

Once they arrived at her small apartment, Emme helped Alex inside, practically dragging him to her couch. He collapsed onto it with a groan, his head resting against the cushions as he closed his eyes.

“Here, let me get you some water,” Emme said, heading to the kitchen. She returned a few moments later with a glass of water and some aspirin. Alex opened his eyes, his gaze softer than she’d ever seen it.

“You didn’t have to come get me, you know,” he murmured, his voice thick with alcohol and emotion.

“Yes, I did,” she replied, kneeling beside the couch. “I couldn’t leave you like that.”

He took the water from her, his fingers brushing hers, sending a shiver down her spine. As he drank, his eyes never left hers, and for the first time since they’d met, there was no coldness, no distance—just raw vulnerability.

“Why are you so nice to me?” Alex asked quietly, setting the glass down. “I don’t deserve it.”

Emme’s heart ached at his words. “Because I know you’re not the man you pretend to be. I’ve seen the real you, even if you don’t want me to.”

Alex looked at her for a long moment, his eyes searching hers as if trying to find something he had lost a long time ago. And then, in a move that surprised them both, he leaned forward, his lips brushing against hers.

It was tentative at first, as if he were testing the waters. But the moment their lips met, something inside both of them ignited. The kiss deepened, filled with all the unspoken emotions they had been holding back for so long. It was a release of tension, a collision of passion and vulnerability.

Emme’s hands slid up to cup his face, her heart pounding in her chest. She could taste the remnants of alcohol on his lips, but underneath it was the man she had come to care for—the man she had seen glimpses of beneath his cold exterior.

Alex pulled her closer, his hands tangling in her hair as the kiss grew more intense. For a brief moment, the world outside disappeared, and it was just the two of them, lost in each other.

But then Alex pulled back, his breathing ragged, his eyes wide with shock. “Emme… I—”

She shook her head, pressing a finger to his lips. “Don’t say anything. Let’s just… let this be what it is.”

Alex stared at her for a moment, then nodded. He leaned back against the couch, his eyes closing as exhaustion and alcohol took over. Within minutes, he was asleep, his breathing slow and steady.

Emme stood up, her heart still racing from the kiss. She watched him for a moment, her mind spinning. This wasn’t how she had imagined things would happen between them, but she couldn’t deny the connection she felt. The walls between them were slowly crumbling, and while she wasn’t sure what came next, she knew one thing for certain—this was only the beginning.

As the night settled in, Emme draped a blanket over Alex and retreated to her bedroom, her mind buzzing with thoughts of what the future might hold. Would this moment of vulnerability bring them closer together, or would Alex retreat back into his cold, distant self once the alcohol wore off?

Only time would tell. But for now, she allowed herself to savor the warmth of their kiss, the first real crack in the wall that had kept them apart for so long.

Part 18........