Through The Flames – By SIMRAN #2
“Good.” A pause. “May I ask why you were inside?”
“Oh. I work here. I’m the head librarian. I usually drop Millie at day care but today I had to make an exception.”
“So… you’ve moved here?” he says, a little too casually.
“Yeah. Two months ago.” Pulling my hair from Millie’s surprisingly tight grip, I smile at Maxton. “Thank you again. Please don’t let me keep you.”
“Would you like to call someone to pick you up?” His voice tightens as he utters, “A husband?”
“No.” He blinks. I explain, “It’s just us. I’m a single mother.”
Is… Is that relief I see?
Millie fusses, stealing my attention. I caress her face, slightly flushed, and rock her until she calms down and distracts herself with my pearl necklace. “I think someone wants to go home.”
“Where do you live?” Maxton asks. “I can arrange for someone to drop you off.”
That would be a godsend since I don’t have a car.
“At the Parker Avenue Apartments.” He grimaces, making me frown in confusion. “What? Is there something wrong?”
I don’t expect him to nod. “Yeah. I’m afraid there was another fire across town. Your building is being evacuated as we speak.”
I stagger at the news, my distress causing Millie to start crying.
No.
We… we can’t be homeless.
“Oh god!” I gasp, trying not to panic while my vision goes fuzzy. I blink rapidly to stay focused. “How bad is it? Did anyone get hurt? Is all our stuff g-gone?”
Sharp pain pricks at my chest.
In a flash, strong hands grip my shoulder and support my arm holding Millie. “Take a deep breath, Lisa.”
I inhale and… wait.
“I didn’t tell you my name,” I utter on an exhale.
Maxton’s gaze softens and for a lingering breath, I’m in awe of his handsomeness. “I’m Maxton Rhodes.”
A bulb goes off in my head and repressed memories burst to the surface.
“I… I know you. We…”
“Went to high school together, yes.”
MAXTON
“Went to high school together, yes.”
Where I crushed on you to the point of sick obsession.
Watched you for four years until my eyes ached while you had no clue I existed.
Until finally, I talked to you when we partnered for a class project.
Then came graduation and you… left.
Taking my heart along with you.
Recognition finally sparks in her amber eyes and it’s like I’ve reached the gates of heaven and I’m being invited in.
Her gaze roams over my frame all over again, lingering on the details she missed before.
With every inch she scans, her pouty lips widen into an O.
Shaking her head as if she’s dismissing whatever thoughts are running through her head, she gasps, “You… uh… wow. You’ve changed so much since I last saw you. ”
I’m not a skinny or pimply-faced teenager anymore.
I’ve bulked up a lot since then.
Almost anyone I run into from high school reacts and says the same thing. Now that the outer package is appealing, suddenly I’m worthy of their attention. It never pleases me because it’s superficial qualities they’re admiring.
Being bullied for having a body as thin as a rail to the point that I resembled a walking, talking matchstick has taught me one thing: it’s what’s on the inside that matters the most.
Yet there’s nothing vain in the way Lisa mentions the change in my physique. She states it like a fact, nothing more.
Those genuine little words ignite my deeply buried feelings all over again.
I won’t deny a part of me wants her to find me attractive.
Lisa was different despite belonging to the popular crowd. She was sweet to everyone, didn’t like crowded places, and would rather coop up in a library and read, and volunteered at the local shelter.
She still is because in the next breath, her gaze connects with mine and she softly admits, “Everything except for your eyes. I knew there was something familiar about them.”
She remembers my eyes!
Did she feel the connection too? Why does it feel like such a big win?
Just like that… the floodgates to my obsession with her open.
It doesn’t matter that she’s a single mother and might not even be looking for a man. But I can’t not yearn any more than I can stop breathing oxygen to live.
I should seize this opportunity, right?
Ask her out.
Who knows if we’ll ever run into each other again?
But my mouth remains frozen. I may have the body most men envy and women lust after, but nothing else about me has changed. I’m the same old me. My flirting skills are nonexistent.
The last—and the only—time I had a one-night stand, it wasn’t for me. Even though it gave me the best and most priceless thing in the world out of it.
Besides, Lisa had a near-death experience today. I don’t want to give her the impression that I’m the kind of man who can think past wanting to get laid.
Something tickles my chest and I jerk my gaze down, finding tiny fingers caressing my uniform coat.
It makes Lisa and me realize our precarious position. I’m dwarfing them both with my arms still around them.
We move apart at the same time.
As reality sets in, stress mars Lisa’s jaw-dropping features. High and full cheekbones with ever fuller lips and a pert nose. Long and curly strawberry blonde hair falling in rivulets.
“Is everything burned down?” She stares hopefully.
I hate that I’m the bearer of bad news, about to make her day even worse. “Unlikely. They’re still working on putting out the fire.”
Again, it was negligence on a resident’s part who didn’t notice gas leaking in their apartment, which led to a blast that quickly escalated.
“Oh god!” The hand not holding her daughter flies to her mouth. “We… really are homeless. We have nothing left to our names.”
A tear leaks from the corner of her eye, sliding down her cheek in despair.
The sight of it makes my knees weak and without a second thought, I blurt out, “Stay with me.”
She jolts. “What?”
Even her cute daughter gives me a dumbfounded look.
Yeah, your mom turns me into an idiot.
Seriously, jackass. What a way to not give her the impression you’re trying to get into her pants. Forget asking her out, just invite her to live with you.
Regret doesn’t come. It feels right. Meant to be.
“Come to my place. I have a guest room you can stay in for as long as you want.” I soothe her biggest worry before she can point it out. “You don’t need to worry about being alone with me. I… have a four-year-old son too.”
“You’re a single father?”
“Yeah.” I smile proudly, thinking of Leo waiting for me to return while my mom babysits him. “His name’s Leo.”
Lisa’s expression is full of awe. “Beautiful name.”
“He gels well with other kids and would be happy to be around Millie.”
“That’s wonderful.” Hesitation fills her eyes. “But I still cannot impose on you like that.”
“You and Millie can never be an imposition, Lisa,” I murmur, stepping closer.
“Let me help you. It’s been a tough day for you both.
I know it’s been over a decade since we last saw each other but you can trust me.
You can let your family know where you’re staying or I can tell the chief, if that makes you feel comfortable. ”
She bites her lip, considering my offer.
My heart hammers harder with each second that passes.
Until her teeth let go of her luscious mouth. “Are you sure we won’t be invading your privacy? I can’t promise Millie to be on her best behavior.”
“I have lived through these phases too, you know.” A melodious laugh escapes her. The sound is sweeter than most best-selling music records. “Say yes. Please.”
“Okay, Maxton. We’d like to stay.”
Correction—these words are sweeter than the music records.
LISA
The interior of Maxton’s SUV smells like him.
A combination of male and musk.
It strangely calms my nerves as much as the man himself. During the ride, my gaze keeps flickering in his direction as he confidently drives.
He’s changed into military-styled pants and a fitted black short-sleeved t-shirt. His arms are corded with muscles, the veins popping sexily every time he shifts gears. He’s nothing like the shy and lanky boy I remember. Even his voice is deeper and rough. His kind nature, though—still the same.
It’s why I couldn’t say no.
He’s proving again and again what a knight in shining armor he is. A knight who is a single parent like me. It was definitely one of the factors that made accepting his offer easy. But mostly, it was the earnest way he asked. Like giving refuge to Millie and me meant a lot to him.
He’s being so sweet and I can’t stop lusting after him.
It’s been so long since I’ve felt a stir of attraction for the opposite sex. The minute I found out I was pregnant, Millie became my entire world.
Hence, I need to nip these feelings in the bud before they evolve into more. Maxton hasn’t indicated he’s attracted to me. Besides, I have more pressing things to worry about.
Like finding a new job, a house, and buying clothes.
Everything!
Gosh! It’s daunting having to start from scratch.
The car slows down, pulling me from my stupor, and I stare at the beautiful one-story brick house as Maxton parks the car in his driveway.
Too late to back out now, Lisa.
Millie, who fell asleep as soon as I sat in the passenger seat, stirs a little as the doors unlock. I move to open it when Maxton’s voice stops me.
“Wait. I’ll get it.”
He’s out before I can utter a word. While he rounds the hood, I pick Millie from my lap and cradle her against my chest. I’ll have to wake her up once inside, otherwise it’ll be one long night.
The windy evening air caresses my skin as Maxton opens the door. The setting sun casts a lovely glow behind him. I step out slowly and stand on the smooth ground, muttering, “Thank you.”
Pressing on the key fob, he locks the car and guides me up toward the porch with a short flight of stairs. My pulse kicks up when his chest brushes my shoulder briefly as he leans over to turn the knob to unlock the gate.
A short wooden hallway greets us and I step inside.
My nerves return but I hide them well.
We haven’t even rounded the corner when a little figure comes barreling toward us. No—toward Maxton as he zooms past me.
“Daddy!”