He smiles, shaking his head.“Nah, I have a few jobs, and this one can’t wait.”
“Okay.”I nod, a little deflated.“Well, ah, see you around.”
“Wait.”
Blade’s voice stops me, and before I can process it, he’s opening his door and hurrying around the truck to open mine.
“You didn’t have to,” I say, surprised by the gesture.
“Yeah, I did.”His voice is low, but there’s a playful edge to it.
He walks me to my front door, and when we get there, I notice something taped to it.A fake red rose, the kind that’s clearly meant to look romantic but only comes off as a tacky joke.
“Ugh,” I groan, feeling the irritation build.
“Secret admirer?”Blade asks, his voice tinged with amusement.
“Probably Travis.Some guys can’t take no for an answer.”My hand instinctively touches the scar on my face, a reminder of everything I’ve been through with him, the way he made me feel less than.Without thinking, I rip the flower off the door.“This is going straight into the trash.”
Blade doesn’t say anything.He just watches quietly as I open my door.Grace darts out, her little gray fluff ball body wrapping itself around Blade’s leg.
“Grace!”I gasp, worried.
Blade kneels gently, picking her up.“Hello, Grace.”His voice softens, and when he hands her back to me, his words are full of care.“Make sure you don’t let her wander outside.There’s lots of wildlife who’d eat her.”
“I won’t,” I promise, feeling a strange warmth at the concern in his voice.I smile awkwardly and take a step inside, my hand still on the door.“Thanks for a lovely night.”
Blade takes a step back, his eyes lingering on mine.“Yeah, it was, wasn’t it?”
“Yep.”I swallow, trying to fight the awkwardness that’s bubbling up.“Okay, well, see you around.”
I shut the door, the weight of the night settling in as I put Grace down and lean against the door.My heart feels heavy and light all at once.It feels as if I should have just shaken his hand.But there’s something in the way he looked at me.It made me feel seen in a way that no one else has for a long time.
A knock sounds on my door.My heart jumps, and I hurry to answer it.When I open the door, Blade stands there, his expression intense but soft, like he has made up his mind about something.
Before I can say a word, he steps closer, his hand reaching up to gently cup my face.His touch is warm, reassuring, and everything else fades away.His thumb brushes against my cheek, and my breath catches in my throat.
And then, before I can respond, his lips are on mine, soft and insistent.The kiss is slow at first, as if he’s testing the waters, but it quickly deepens, and I melt into him.The world outside my door disappears.It’s just him and me, the feel of his lips, the warmth of his hands, the way he makes me feel like I’m the only thing that matters in this moment.
His kiss makes my head spin, and I lean into him, letting him lead, feeling the spark between us grow hotter with every second.It’s almost as if he’s kissing away all the doubt, all the fear, all the things I’ve carried with me for so long.I let go of everything, surrendering to the feeling of being wanted as if I’m not broken but whole.
When he finally pulls back, I’m breathless, my heart pounding in my chest.He looks at me for a moment, his gaze tender, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“I’ll see you soon, Hannah,” he says, his voice low, a promise of things to come.Blade holds out his knife to me.“So you don’t bite your nails.I’ll get it off you next time.”
Nodding, words fail me.I take it from him, watching as he steps back, then turns to leave.Once he’s gone, I close the door behind me and lean against it, still feeling the heat of his kiss on my lips.The night feels different now, charged and alive.I’m excited to see what’s next for Blade and me, but one thing is for sure—thereisgoing to be a next time.
