Burning Soul

Seven

Seven
🌸Everlee🌸

My mouth falls open in shock, and a blush blooms on Blaze's cheeks.

"Y-You think I'm beautiful?" I whisper, shuffling a little closer to his massive frame. Like always, he gives me a nod, but this one feels different. "You spoke. Can you speak again?" I tilt my head.

Blaze hesitates, looking away, and it's as if I can see a million and one problems swimming in his pretty green eyes. It appears he's debating with himself whether he should speak again, and it heightens my suspicions about where he's come from.

"I think you're really beautiful, too," I speak out again and his gaze locks back to mine. Blaze looks shocked by my words, his mouth falling open slightly.

"Me?" He tilts his head and I nod mine eagerly, with a bright smile on my face. He just spoke again! This is amazing!

"Yes. You're very handsome." His cheeks turn a darker shade of red, and I giggle slightly at his flustered state. "Why haven't you spoken since now?"

I expect him to tell me every little detail, to tell me about where he comes from, how he became a bodyguard. But instead his large hand cups the side of my face and his thumb brushes gently against my cheek. I look up at him with wide eyes watching his own trail every detail on my face. From the small moles on my cheek to my plump lips.

"Blaze," I whisper, trying to pull him out of whatever trance he's in. "Earth to Blaze."

"So beautiful." He whispers more so to himself, amazed by what he sees in front of him. I don't think a man has ever been this interested in how I look. It's almost as if Blaze has never been around a woman before. "Everlee." My breathing hitches at the sound of my name falling past his full lips. His voice is so deep and raspy.

"Yes." I nod, urging with my eyes for him to continue speaking.

"Thank you." I'm confused about what he's thanking me for.

"But I have done nothing." I furrow my eyebrows. The warmth of his hand has my body relaxing and I nuzzle my face further into his soft skin. Blaze gives off a sort of comfort. It's like he's a magnet because, for some crazy reason, he has me always wanting to be next to him.

What the hell is happening?! I've known this man for two weeks and he's already got my mind and body going feral. Maybe I need to get laid. ASAP.

Blaze gives me a pantie-dropping smirk and pulls his hand from my face. I'm embarrassed when a small whine of protest leaves my mouth. Gosh, I must come across so desperate.

"You're cold." He points to the goosebumps on the bare skin of my arms. I adjust my cardigan but continue to shiver slightly at the sudden drop in temperature.

"Just a little." I purse my lips, debating whether I should go back inside. However, I don't want to move because l like being in Blaze's company, and if I go back indoors, he might retreat to his room. "Aren't you cold?" I frown at his arms. They show no sign that he's cold. He's not even shivering.

"I'm not cold, Everlee." The way he says my name is so enticing, it sounds so perfect coming from him. "Although I want to make sure you are warm." My stomach flutters at the stern tone of his voice.

"It's okay, Blaze. You're off duty. You know you don't have to hang out with me." I mumble. As much as I want him to stay, I don't want him to feel forced and hold him out here with me against his will.

"No. I want to make you feel warm." I almost choke on my spit. Staring up at him with wide eyes, I swallow hard and try to figure out what he meant by that. He wants to make me feel warm!

I'm still trying to come over the shock of him finally speaking, and now he wants to keep me warm!

"We can just go back inside." I blurt out and internally scold myself for sounding so rude.

"Will you allow me to keep you warm, Everlee?" Nibbling on my bottom lip, I utter the quietest 'yes' anticipating his next move.

His muscular arms open up and a squeal leaves my mouth when he pulls me onto his lap and wraps those arms around my body. I'm as stiff as a board when I realise that I'm sitting on Blaze's lap. If my father saw me right now, I know he'd be so angry. There would be no way that I'd ever see Blaze again.

I take a couple of minutes to relax, and as soon as I do, I never want to leave the warm embrace of Blaze. The way his fingers are slowly running up and down the skin of my back and the way my arms have suddenly wrapped around his neck and my head on his shoulder. People who didn't know us would assume we were together.

I think about my father's words.

'Blaze has been instructed not to engage with you.'

'He's not here to be your friend, Everlee. He's here to protect you.'

Oh, I'm so stupid!

I could get Blaze into serious trouble!

"Everlee?" Blaze must sense the tension in my body return and stares up at me with furrowed eyebrows. The movement of his fingers on my back doesn't stop. He only has a look of concern on his chiseled face.

"I'm so sorry, Blaze. I don't want to get you in trouble. I shouldn't be sitting on you like this." I whisper, trying to pull away from him, but his arms tighten and he gives me a pleading look. "What is it?" I pause, looking down at him with a confused stare.

"Stay here with me." He rasps, his eyes alternating between my eyes and my lips. I gulp, feeling a whole unfamiliar tension filling the atmosphere.

The small voice of my father rings in the back of my head, but I'm too mesmerised by his stare to care.

"Okay."

•••

When I woke up this morning, I found myself tucked in my bed. I know I didn't get there myself, so I must have fallen asleep and Blaze had carried me to my room.

We sat together for an hour before I fell asleep. It was silent but comfortable. I read a book while Blaze continued to stroke my back. It should weird me out because I was cuddling up with my bodyguard last night, but I'm not weirded out at all.

It's good to know that Blaze can talk, even if it is just for me.

We're in public and he's gone back to staying silent, but that's understandable considering we're out in the open and he is protecting me from whatever it is my father is so worried about.

The constant London traffic rushes past us as we walk to my office from lunch. Before I make it to the doors of the building, I beam at the sight of a flower stand full of different colourful flowers.

"I love flowers," I tell Blaze, looking up at his tall frame pressed right behind me.

His lips turn up only slightly. From afar it would be barely noticeable, but I see it, and I feel very lucky to. Something tells me, that not many people have seen Blaze smile.

"Beautiful flowers. Beautiful Everlee."

A/N
There won't be an update for about a week because I'm going on holiday tomorrow. BUT if you want, feel free to follow my Instagram (goldmelanin17) because I'm going to be doing a mini vlog on my story for my trip away! Also thank you so much for 40k reads! 🖤