Hidden Flames..

Chapter 22

As they settled in at the dinner table, the air was warm with an electric anticipation. Ethan poured them each a glass of wine, his eyes lingering on her over the rim of his glass. Lily took a small sip, meeting his gaze with a coy smile, the unspoken tension between them adding an undeniable spark to the evening.

"So," Ethan said, setting his glass down, "did I manage to impress you with my cooking skills? Or were you secretly hoping I'd cave and order takeout?"

Lily smirked, twirling her fork in the pasta. "I'll admit, I'm impressed. I was expecting you to be more of a... 'order in' kind of guy."

He raised a brow, leaning forward. "Oh? So, you think you've got me all figured out?"She shrugged, feigning innocence. "Maybe. You do give off a certain 'workaholic-who-subsists-on-coffee-and-takeout' vibe."

Ethan chuckled, eyes glinting as he leaned closer. "I don't think you've seen me in the right context yet. I can be... surprisingly adaptable."Lily laughed, her heart picking up speed. "Is that so? And what would the 'right context' be, exactly?"

He paused, holding her gaze with an intensity that made her breath catch. "A setting where I can give you my undivided attention, for starters."

She blushed, reaching for her wine glass to buy herself a moment. "That's quite the bold answer, Mr. Brooks. Are you always this forward, or is this just for my benefit?"His gaze softened, turning a touch more serious. "For you, Lily, I'm trying to be honest. That's new for me."

She looked down, a smile tugging at her lips. "Well, honesty looks good on you." She glanced up, a spark of mischief in her eyes. "But I have to admit, I didn't expect you to be so... intense."He tilted his head, a smirk playing at his lips. "Only intense?""Well, I'd say charming, but I wouldn't want it to go to your head.""Oh, it's too late for that," he murmured, his voice dropping a notch. "Especially with you sitting across from me."

Lily felt her cheeks heat up. She leaned back, raising her glass with a smirk. "Then here's to being... surprised."

Ethan clinked his glass with hers, his smile widening. "And to many more surprises."

After dinner, Ethan cleared the table while Lily wandered to the living room, taking in the cozy atmosphere of his apartment. Ethan soon joined her, grabbing the remote and glancing over at her with a grin.

"Alright, any movie suggestions?" he asked, settling next to her on the couch."Hmm... I could go for a rom-com," Lily replied, her voice light but her eyes betraying a hint of something more.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Rom-com, huh? Alright, I'm trusting your taste here."He pulled up a classic, and as the movie started, they both eased into the comfort of the dimly lit room. At first, they exchanged playful commentary, laughing over the characters' antics and awkward love confessions, but as the movie progressed, a quiet tension settled over them. Their laughter died down, leaving only the soft glow of the screen flickering against their faces.

Ethan's arm draped casually over the back of the couch, his hand dangerously close to Lily's shoulder. She noticed, of course, but stayed still, her gaze fixed on the screen, trying to ignore the warmth radiating from him. After a few minutes, though, her resolve weakened, and she leaned just slightly closer to him, a move he didn't miss.

"You know, I think this movie actually has the romance part figured out," he murmured, his voice a bit lower now, almost as if he didn't want to break the quiet atmosphere around them.Lily turned to look at him, their faces just inches apart. "Oh? And what part would that be?" she asked, her voice soft.

Ethan's gaze lingered on her lips, and he let out a faint smile. "The part where the two leads finally stop dancing around their feelings and just... go for it."

The silence between them grew charged as they held each other's gaze. Slowly, Ethan leaned in, giving her every chance to pull away. But Lily didn't. She tilted her head up, closing the distance until their lips finally met in a soft, lingering kiss. Her hand found his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart under her palm, and as the kiss deepened, everything else—the movie, the background noise—faded away.

They drew back for a brief moment, both a little breathless, and she whispered, "I guess you really are adaptable, aren't you?"

He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I told you," he murmured, pulling her back into another kiss, this one more urgent, their chemistry undeniable. As they leaned into each other, they both knew that whatever had been building between them was no longer something they could ignore. The careful boundaries they'd tried to maintain had finally dissolved, and neither of them was ready to turn back.