Page 11 of Kiss of Embers

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Page 11 of Kiss of Embers

I can’t plan for a family or finding my happily ever after, so that leaves a career. Maybe that’s why I’m so focused on it.

I wish that I was more like Hudson. He knows what he wants to do with his life and he went after it until he became the best at it.

We’re both silent for a minute, watching as the sun starts to set, painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink. The lights on Mackinac Island are starting to flicker on and I know that it will be dark soon.

I can’t help but wonder what he’s doing with me. He’s so put together. He doesn’t jump into anything on a whim, researching and studying market trends before he makes a decision. He never seems to misstep, and that’s all I ever seem to do.

I wonder if this conversation is going to scare him away. I mean, he’s a Michelin star chef and successful restaurant owner. He has everything figured out and I barely graduated high school and have no idea what I want out of life.

“What about you? Where did you grow up?” I ask him, clearing my throat and trying to distract myself from those thoughts.

“Originally? New Orleans. My parents owned a few boats and seafood markets there.”

“Do you have a restaurant there?” I ask him and he nods.

“Yeah, I have a place in the square. I still buy the seafood for the restaurant from my parents’ place, though they retired a few years ago.”

“How many restaurants do you own?” I ask, drawing circles in the sand next to the blanket.

“Total? Nine. I have the one in New Orleans, two in New York, one in Paris, one in Spain, one in London, two in Los Angeles, and then Prim + Proper here.”

“Why are you in Destiny Falls?” I blurt out and he laughs.

“I like it here. I’ve been going non-stop, constantly building and trying to grow for the last five, ten years. I wanted to slow down and just enjoy cooking. I still travel to check in on the restaurants but I’m happy here.”

I ask him about some of the places that he’s been and we go down to the shore, dipping our toes in the water. I help him gather up the blanket and plates, and he takes my hand as we head back to my apartment.

“I had a lot of fun tonight,” he says as we head down the sidewalk past Prim + Proper.

“Me too,” I tell him honestly.

“Want to do it again tomorrow night?” he asks as we walk up the stairs to my apartment and I grin as I turn to face him.

“Aren’t you supposed to wait a few days so you don’t come off as desperate?” I tease.

“Is that how I’m coming across?” he asks and I slowly shake my head no.

“I’m not sure that you could pull off desperate,” I whisper and he pulls me into his arms.

His lips meet mine and I can taste the chocolate mousse and white wine from dinner on his lips. I open under him, wanting more of his flavor. His tongue pushes into my mouth and I flick mine against his, teasing him before I pull back.

He groans, his fingers gripping my chin and holding me in place so that he can plunder my mouth. I moan, letting him take what he wants, what he’s acting like he needs.

He’s acting like he’s desperate for me, like he needs me more than air. I wonder how long he’s been thinking about kissing me like this.

We come up for air and his fingers let go of my face, sliding down my throat and then to the back of my neck.

I blink my eyes open slowly and meet his. I wonder if I look as dazed as he does right now.

“Is that a yes for tomorrow?” he asks, his dimple popping out in his cheek as he smiles down at me and I laugh.

“Yeah, that’s a yes for tomorrow.”

He waits while I let myself into my apartment and I wave as I close and lock the door. I grin as I look down at the folded-up piece of paper in my hand. I don’t even remember when he slipped it to me, and I open it, biting my lip as I read it.

Lyla,would you rather be the funniest person in a room or the smartest person in a room?

You look beautiful. You take my breath away. Always.


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