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11
Alara
I waited, tapping my fingers against the kitchen counter, listening to the ticking of the clock that seemed to get louder with every passing minute. Kaelen had promised he would be home early tonight to make dinner, and I had been looking forward to it all day. After everything that happened, I needed this moment with him. I needed him to show me that I was important, that I wasn’t just second place to her.
The house was eerily quiet. I had dismissed all the staff hours ago, wanting everything to be perfect when Kaelen came home. The soft glow from the candles I had set on the dining table cast long shadows on the walls, and the scent of freshly cut flowers filled the room. It should have been romantic, should have been the kind of night that helped us start fresh.
But as the hours dragged on, the silence became suffocating. He wasn’t coming, was he?
I was still holding onto the slim hope that maybe Kaelen was just running late when I heard the front door creak open. My heart leapt in my chest, and I stood up quickly, smoothing down my dress and trying to calm my nerves. I wanted to greet him with a smile, to pretend like everything was fine. But when I saw who walked through the door, my smile faltered.
Lucas.
He was still in his work clothes, his tie loosened around his neck, and he carried the weight of someone who had been working hard all day. But it wasn’t Kaelen, and the disappointment hit me like a punch to the gut.
“Where’s Kaelen?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
Lucas seemed to catch the shift in my mood immediately, his brow furrowing. “He had to work extra hours at the company. It was important. He asked me to come by and tell you.”
Important. The word echoed in my head, each syllable cutting deeper than the last. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions in check, but the frustration bubbled up inside me. He had promised.
Lucas stepped further into the room, his eyes flicking over the setup-the candles, the flowers, the empty table. He could tell this was supposed to be special, and I could see the sympathy in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
I crossed my arms, turning away from him slightly. “It’s fine,” I lied, though I could feel the
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sting of my own words. My stomach betrayed me, though, with a loud growl. The humiliation washed over me in waves, and I clenched my fists, hoping he hadn’t heard.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “You’re hungry.”
“I’m not,” I snapped, too quickly. But of course, my body betrayed me again, the gnawing hunger making another embarrassing noise.
“You are,” he said, his voice softening. He didn’t wait for my permission, walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge. I wanted to tell him to stop, to send him away, but the truth was, I was starving. And more than that, I didn’t want to be alone tonight, not after everything.
Lucas started pulling out ingredients, moving around the kitchen like he had done this a thousand times. I watched him silently, trying to push down the resentment that was building inside of me. It wasn’t his fault Kaelen wasn’t here. But at that moment, I was angry at
everyone.
He cooked with ease, and before long, the delicious scent of food filled the kitchen. I sat at the dining table, watching him, and for a brief moment, I forgot about how upset I was. He placed the plate in front of me, and despite myself, I couldn’t help but feel grateful.
“Eat,” he said, taking a seat across from me. “You’ll feel better once you have something in your stomach.”
I picked at the food at first, but then the hunger took over, and I couldn’t stop. Lucas watched me, and for a moment, it almost felt like things were normal. Like last night hadn’t happened. Like Kaelen’s broken promises didn’t sting so much.
When I was done, I pushed the plate away, feeling the weight of the meal settle in my stomach. I stood up, ready to retreat to my room and wallow in my disappointment alone. But just as I was about to leave, Lucas grabbed my wrist gently, stopping me.
“Alara,” he said, his voice low, almost hesitant. “I’ve been thinking about last night.”
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. I didn’t want to talk about it. I wanted to forget it had ever happened. But the look in his eyes told me that he wasn’t going to let it go.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about it,” he admitted, his hand still wrapped around my wrist. His touch was warm, almost comforting, but it sent a shiver down my spine. “You were right. Kaelen… he’s still in love with Kaida. But that doesn’t mean you should be alone.”
I looked at him, my heart pounding in my chest. His words were dangerous, filled with a promise I wasn’t sure I was ready for. But there was something in his gaze that made it hard to turn away, something that made me feel seen, like maybe someone cared about me for me, not because I was trying to be someone else.
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“Lucas,” I whispered, but before I could say anything else, he pulled me closer, his hand sliding from my wrist to my waist.
And then his lips were on mine.
The kiss was different from last night. This one was slower, more deliberate. There was a tension between us, the kind of tension that had been building for far too long. Part of me knew this was wrong, knew I shouldn’t be doing this. But the other part, the part that was hurt and tired and so desperately craving affection, didn’t care.
I kissed him back.
His hands moved to my face, cupping my cheeks as he deepened the kiss. It was intense, overwhelming, and for a moment, I forgot everything. I forgot about Kaelen, about how angry and disappointed I was. I forgot about all the promises that had been broken.
But then reality hit, and I pulled away, my breathing ragged.
“This… we shouldn’t,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure if I was saying it to him or myself.
Lucas didn’t let go of me, his hands still resting on my waist. “Maybe not,” he said, his voice husky. “But that doesn’t change the fact that it happened.”
.I bit my lip, my mind racing. I couldn’t afford to let this spiral out of control, but something about Lucas’s presence was intoxicating. It was different from Kaelen. Kaelen had always been distant, cold, unreachable. But Lucas was here, now, offering me something Kaelen
couldn’t.
“I don’t know what this is,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Neither do I,” Lucas admitted, his thumb brushing lightly over my cheek. “But I know I can’t stop thinking about you.”
His words sent a jolt of warmth through me, but they also terrified me. This was too complicated, too dangerous. If Kaelen ever found out…
I stepped back, breaking away from his touch. “This stays between us,” I said firmly. “No one
can ever know.”
Lucas nodded, his expression serious. “Agreed.”
The tension between us lingered, but I forced myself to step away, to put distance between us. I couldn’t afford to get any deeper into this mess. Not when everything else in my life was already falling apart.
But as I walked away from him, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had just made a decision I
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would regret forever.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
