The Irrefutable Flame⎪✓

❨08❩

♀︎

Smiling at him and shaking my head, he seems to be confused by my reaction and gestures towards the excessive amount of food again. His confusion is attractive and I can't help myself from laughing lightly, "No, I'm cooking dinner actually."

He raises an eyebrow, the action and his shirtless body dehydrating my mouth, "Okay, is lover boy coming over then?"

I almost want to laugh by his words, Flynn certainly doesn't want to be caught consuming a home-cooked meal. He and I haven't talked since the date and I don't even know if I want to talk to him. He makes me feel amazing one minute and like complete trash the next, being with him is simple if I behave the way he wants me to, but I'm not entirely convinced I want easy and I definitely don't want to be his muppet.

I shake my head and start organizing the groceries in the cabinets, "He's not, no."

"What do you mean?" 

His intense eyes are examining mine, trying to find an answer that I refuse to give him. He doesn't need to care this much for me, we barely know each other right now. Shaking my head, "I don't mean anything, Elijah. I'm answering your question, he isn't coming."

"And I'm asking because of the disappointment in your voice, what happened?" His eyes are concerned and I try not to make a big deal out of it, it feels amazing for someone to care so deeply. It especially feels amazing because the one who cares is the guy I've been fighting to hide my love from for years. 

Grabbing a chopping board and a knife, I begin cutting up the raw chicken. "I simply haven't interacted with him in a while, I'm not thrown off though," I smile at him. "Why are you still here anyway?"

He smirks and approaches me, observing me cook, "Maybe I was hoping you'd invite me to eat with you."

I raise a humored eyebrow, "Oh really?" Elijah nods in response a happy glint in his eyes. "So after you've been an ass to me these past few days, you just expect me to forget everything about it?"

His head shakes as a beautiful laugh leaves his lips, god I've missed him, "I definitely don't, but if I remember correctly you were the one who started the conversation with me outside of your house the other day, not that I'm complaining."

At the thought I laugh out loud, leaning against the counter in front of him, "And you were the one to embarrass me in front of my boyfriend, you can't do that."

"I did, didn't I? Well, I assume that must've been an excellent conversation in the car."

I lean over in laughter, ditching the knife on the table when I turn around and look at a smiling Elijah. Raising a challenging eyebrow in his direction, "Are you telling me that awkwardness between him and I was your intention from the start? You're not really placing yourself in a great situation either."

"You can't blame me, of course I had to do something and guarantee that he knew to treat you right," He says this as if it's the most obvious thing ever.

I momentarily dig my finger into his muscular chest, abruptly pulling away when the heat rages through my arm. Meeting his eyes an unsteady breath escapes my lips, "Hilarious how you feel like that all of a sudden, do you really expect me to believe you? You only did it to make things awkward between us."

He smirks at my question and I try to get ahold of myself when he shrugs easily, "Yeah, it was worth the shot at least."

"You're an ass."

"And you have a great ass."

Heat rises to my cheeks as I shove him away from me, "Don't say that!"

"Simply stating the obvious here, love," He smiles, holding his hands up in surrender. 

"How can I make you leave me alone?" I exasperate not knowing if I sincerely want him to leave, I probably don't. 

"Invite me to dinner." 

I cross my arms, his eyes swiftly settling on my chest before he tears them away again. The attention from him on that one spot leaves me breathless and a shiver tortures my body, "This is blackmailing."

He shakes his head, "No, I'd like to refer to it as clever negotiation."

"Let's agree to this then, you help me cook and we can eat together, then afterward you'll leave and allow me to live my life, deal?" As I'm saying these words I realize I don't want him to leave me alone, but I have to be strong for myself right now. The only way to do that is to stand proudly and stubbornly on my opinions. 

"Can't promise anything," He smiles at me and the breath is instantly knocked out of my body, he's just as smooth as ever and that fact has me kind of shocked. Something must've changed for him during these years, it's been too long, "But I'm willing to help with the cooking, what are we having?"

I sigh lightly, he has a way of sneaking himself into my life, but eating with him tonight probably won't be as bad as I presume. Pointing to the frying pan, "We're making Wok, with the best chicken and vegetables on the market."

"I love Wok," He states happily, grasping the frying pan for the chicken, he grabs noodles from the counter and slips them into the boiling water, his manly hands are working effortlessly and I'm staring too much, not able to rip my eyes away from the sight of him shirtless in my kitchen. This is like a dream, or a nightmare? I don't fucking know anymore. 

"I know you do," I answer honestly, and it's true, he only bought Chinese food in high school during lunch and the number of times I've cooked this specific dish for him throughout college. I find it amusing that he still enjoys it so much, never growing tired of the same meal.

He stirs the noodles, peering at me with a small smile on his face, making my hands tremble with jitters. He leans against the counter and looks at me with curiosity, "Since moving here I haven't heard anything other than the rumor of the perfect florist in town, and yesterday I was informed that the owner is Dakota Moore. Is that true?"

Pride explodes in my chest by the thought of this town supporting me, they're amazing, "I'm the owner of 'Life in Bloom', yeah."

He seems proud and surprised, "You truly made something of yourself, love. I'm fascinated."

"Thank you, Lij," I say with a smile, trying to ignore the feeling of pride in my chest by him liking what I've ended up doing. Switching the tables before I blush, "What are you spending your days on then?"

"I'm a firefighter, I have been for a couple of years by now. When I saw the position here in Hetdale, I had to take it." 

I had a feeling it would be along those lines, he always discussed how much he enjoys attending to others. With that being said though, he truly doesn't have to be sexy in all aspects of life, it's unfair that he's working in a uniform. I find myself wanting to see him in his attire, but that probably won't be too beneficial for my resistance. He's a weakness of mine already and observing him like that, it would be absolute torture for my ovaries. 

"That sounds so amazing," I praise and give him a huge smile. "Are you happy with it?"

He smiles at my question, "I love my job, it's what I've always wanted. Like my grandpa always said; He who helps in the saving of others-"

"Saves himself as well," I nod my head, completing the quote for him. 

Elijah appears to be surprised, "You remember?"

"How could I forget Papa Black?"

He laughs and the sound hits me deep in my gut, "He treasured you, you know?"

"He definitely had a huge spot in my heart as well," I smile in reminiscing, the thought of the entire Black family sends my heart into a frenzy. All of them are so amazing, such effortlessly great people to be around.  

"I've never felt like such a third wheel before you and he spent some time together. It was ridiculous that he was my grandpa, but you ultimately stole his heart away," Elijah always found it funny how much Papa Black and I had to talk about, saying that I was stealing his grandpa away from him. 

Maybe I was, I think with a small laugh, making Elijah smile at me.