Page 45 of Flame After the Fumble

“Hartley. . .” I let out. He squeezes past my sister, who is distracted by the many different forms of chocolate at her disposal and settles in next to me. His hand intertwines with mine and I stare into his eyes for the first time since I’ve come to terms with how I feel about him.

“Don’t thank me,” he cuts in. “I didn’t do this to be thanked.” His hand reaches to my wavy hair and tucks a piece behind my ear. The heat from his body sends a jolt of electricity from my fingers to my toes. His hand reaches to grasp behind my neck and cradle the spot that elicits goosebumps all over. My ears hollow out for a split second, taking my mind back to the night of our first kiss. He leans in delicately and whispers into the shell of my ear, “I love to see you happy.”

Speechless, I zone out, consumed with emotion over the thoughtfulness he put into this. “We need to talk about us.”

That lazy grin returns as his thumb traces the skin on my neck. “That we do.”

My eyes flit nervously at the prospect of this discussion. “When should we do it?”

He looks over his shoulder at Willow making herself at home at the hot cocoa bar that’ll no doubt put her in a sugar coma later tonight. “What about now?”

“N. . .Now?” I stutter.

“Why not?”

“I. . . I. . . I think my feelings have changed,” I blurt out. There’s no turning back now. The train has left the station ladies and gents.

“How so?”

He’s going to make me spell it out for him, isn’t he?

“I don’t think we can be just friends anymore.”

A stern look passes over him as his jaw tightens. “If we’re not friends, Liza, what do you want to be? I need you to be very clear.”

Gulping down the scared, lonely, abandoned girl I once was, I replace her with the fierce, confident, woman I’ve grown into. The oneHartleyhas helped me grow into.

“I want to be more.”

“More?”

“Yes, more,” I huff, annoyed at how he’s forcing out every drop of honestly I have. “I won’t be perfect,” I admit, in hopes it scares him away before we begin. “But I don’t think a day has gone by since we’ve met that I haven’t been tied to you by an invisible string.”

“Liza,” he moans and throws his head back. “I’ve always been yours.” Cupping my cheeks with his warm hands, he bites down on his lip before planting a tender peck on my lips. “Even before I realized it.”

“That’s it?” If Hartley is anything, it’s intense, and that kiss is not the level of intensity I want or need.

A rumbling laugh escapes him as he lets go and fiddles with his hat. “That was nothing, Goldie, but we have an audience.” Glancing over his shoulder, my sister comes into view. She’s staring at us and doing a happy dance as she sips on her holiday treat.

“Told you!” she screams.

Hartley grips my hip and tilts us both to face her. “You’ve been talking about me?”

“As if your ego needed anymore inflating.” I chuckle. “I need hot cocoa to deal with you.” Balancing on my tippy toes, I plant a peck on his cheek, marking him with my clear lip gloss. For the first time in a long time, I’m not consumed with cynicalthoughts of how this boy will inevitably break my heart. Instead, I’m overcome with thoughts on how he will patch up every piece that was ever shattered and glue it back together so tight, no one can hurt me again.

30

Liza

“Ihate to say this, but I told you so,” Willow gloats as she sprawls across my cool bedding. Her phone is planted on her stomach as she gazes at the ceiling. “You had me worried that he would be Layne 2.0.”

I climb on the bed and tuck myself in next to her. “I don’t want to put either of us through that, again.”

“He’s funny, and he doesn’t let you squirm.”

I prop my elbow up and rest my head in my hands. “Squirm?”

She wiggles her toes and nods her head in excitement. “Yep. You’re an expert at squirming and avoiding your feelings. He doesn’t let you.”

---