The Irrefutable Flame⎪✓

❨07❩

♀︎

The week has gone by in a blur, my shop has taken up most of my time and my happiness is through the roof. Mr. Widoen came back the next day and told me that his wife now has a new preferred flower, after he left I ordered a whole bunch of carnations, making sure I have some in the future for the two of them. I don't want to have him look so disappointed again, then I'd much rather have too many for them.

Mom hasn't tried calling again and I haven't tried reaching out to her either, the radio silence is kind of nice, at least I get to avoid her constant need of belittling me and my job, which feels marvelous. She hates me for dropping out of college, but then again she was the one who hoped for me to study Psychology. 

Now I finally have the time to do some grocery shopping, preparing for a dinner tonight, with me as the only guest of course. That's a minor detail though, in my mind 'the more the merrier' is revolved around food, not people. Therefore, my cart is filled to the brim with every food item on my list and I give myself a proud nod by how fast I managed to get everything. 

After I pay for the groceries, I walk home with three full bags, barely avoiding a blue car as I cross the road. Being run over by a car wasn't really on my list of things to do. Maybe I have to go home and stay home for the rest of the day, my clumsiness has been on a whole other level today and it can't bring me anything positive to stroll around the streets like this. As my fingers throb by the heavy lifting, I pick up my pace and finally reach my beautiful house. 

Taking the stairs two at a time, I throw the bags on the porch as soon as I get the opportunity. My labored breathing is kind of embarrassing since I really didn't lift a finger the entire way here, probably should start working out again. My body is currently screaming for a sip of wine though and that is my first priority. 

As I place the key in the lock, I overhear a sound to my right. By habit, I glance in the direction, my mouth opening by the sight meeting me. Elijah is watering his own row of roses, his jeans hanging dangerously low on his hips and of course, he has to be shirtless, making the whole thing harder for me. He hasn't noticed me yet, but I can't seem to tear my eyes away even though there is a risk of him spotting me. 

He resembles the typical sensual gardener, with ruffled hair, mud on his chest and hands, a slight shine on his stomach by the sweat covering his skin. Holy shit, this isn't what I anticipated to witness today, but I really do not mind, not even one bit. 

What am I saying?!

Just as I realize what I'm doing his eyes lift from the ground, meeting mine from a distance. The excited jitters that flow through my body by him observing me, make me a little dizzy, but I can't look away from him. He has these insanely green eyes, anyone would assume they are photoshopped, but they truly aren't. And as photoshopped as they appear to be, as intense do they feel to gaze into. I feel like I'm giving myself wholly away by allowing him to look at me, especially when a tiny smirk falls onto his full lips. 

I break our spell and turn around, attempting to unlock the door my unsteady hands betray me. I can hear him turning off his hose and hopefully, he simply did that to leave me alone. I'm not that fortunate though, as a small laugh comes from behind me. The familiarity of his voice comforts me, but also generates a whirlwind of emotions that explode in my stomach. 

"You need help with that, love?" He asks, his body grazes the back of mine as he reaches in front of us and unlocks the door with ease. A trembling breath leaves my lips as I hurry inside and shut the door in his face, causing him to chuckle. "I'm afraid you left something out here."

My groceries...

Catching a deep breath, I open the door and clutch one of the bags tightly, my hands are still pained from the walk home, so I choose to take them one at a time. However, deciding not to stare at the shirtless devil, I hurry inside with the heavy groceries placing them on my kitchen island. I don't get to pick up the other two, before Elijah strides into the kitchen as well. His broad frame feels too intense for this room and I try not to salivate over his toned muscles. 

"What do you think you're doing?" I challenge him when he sets down the bags and starts scanning the kitchen. Having him here feels like a dream come true, but at the same time it breaks my heart to see him like this. We are nothing to each other, we aren't meeting under any significant circumstance. 

His easy smile reaches me and I desperately ignore the flutters in my chest, my feelings are blooming again and the mere thought fucking terrifies me. He tilts his head to the side, "I'm quite intrigued, love. Who is the woman next door actually?"

"As you said yourself, you know me."

"But I don't, not really," He starts, studying my body swiftly and making my breath catch in my throat. Shivers torture me when he smiles,  "You've changed and I can feel it."

"You won't get to know the new me," I declare, not knowing how honest I'm being by declaring such desperate nonsense. 

"And why is that?" He says, taking a step closer to me, gradually caging me in with the kitchen counter behind me. "Worried it'll reopen feelings?"

"You don't make me nervous, Elijah," I lie smoothly. 

"I beg to differ, love."

His warm fingers tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear before he supports my neck, the contact, and his passionate gaze making my knees unstable. He is accurate, being with him provokes old feelings to resurface and I don't know how to respond. I don't know if I should do something about it or shut them down instantly. I have grown since I last saw him, my own mind dragged me through hell and back, my mom has grown distant yet tries to reach out to me again. So many things he knows absolutely nothing about. 

"Tell me what's on that intelligent mind of yours," He questions, a sensual glint reflecting in his green eyes.

I can't tell him, I can't allow him to understand how his words make my heart race, I can't tell him how even though I want to despise him so much I still don't. I can't confess this information without harming myself in the process and that is something I refuse to do. For right now, I'm before anyone else, my well-being is before anything else. 

I move away from him and his enthralling scent, he mentally draws me in but I won't let him through. These walls I've built are rock solid. Being with him isn't like being with anyone else, he desires to understand things, he worries. Flynn will never bother enough to ask, therefore it would be straightforward to be with him. Elijah is complicated and passionate, everything I need to stay away from. 

Meeting his interested eyes, "You need to stop caging me like that, you know better than anyone how much I hate it."

He grins at me, leaning against the countertop, "I know how much you love it, I know how crazy it makes you. But if you feel uncomfortable, I'll stop." Once again he's right, I can't think straight when he does it which is why I 'hate' it. He makes me forget. 

He scans all the groceries with humor glinting in his eyes, "Are you hosting a gathering?"