Between Faith and Fire

Last part of Chapter 2

The drive back to her apartment felt both too long and too short. They held hands again, but the touch felt different now. More weighted. More significant. Every brush of his thumb against her skin sent sparks through her.

When they pulled up to her building, Davis turned off the engine but didn't move. They sat in the darkness, the only light coming from the streetlamp outside.

"I don't want this night to end," he said quietly.

"Neither do I."

"But it should. Because if I walk you to your door, I'm going to want to kiss you again. And if I kiss you again..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"I understand," Celine said, even though part of her wanted to tell him to kiss her anyway, consequences be damned.

Davis turned to face her fully. "Can I see you again? Soon?"

"Yes. Whenever you want."

"Tomorrow?"

Celine laughed. "That's probably too soon."

"Is it, though?" Davis smiled, but his eyes were serious. "I meant what I said earlier. I'm all in. And I don't want to waste time pretending I'm not completely captivated by you."

"Tuesday," Celine said, her heart soaring. "I have class Monday, but Tuesday I'm free."

"Tuesday," Davis agreed. "I'll text you tomorrow to figure out details."

"Okay."

They sat there for another moment, neither wanting to move. Finally, Davis leaned over and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight, Celine."

"Goodnight, Davis."

She got out of the car and walked to her door, feeling his eyes on her the entire way. When she reached the entrance, she turned back. He was still sitting there, watching her with an expression that made her chest ache.

She waved. He waved back.

Then she went inside, her legs barely supporting her weight.

Celine made it to her apartment, closed the door behind her, and leaned against it, her hand pressed to her lips. She could still feel the ghost of his kiss, the warmth of his hands in her hair, the solid strength of his body against hers.

Her phone buzzed.

Davis: I'm sitting in my car outside your building trying to convince myself to drive away. This is harder than I expected.

Celine: I'm leaning against my door trying to remember how to breathe. So I understand.

Davis: That kiss...

Celine: I know.

Davis: I'm in trouble, Celine. I'm in serious trouble.

Celine: Why?

Davis: Because I'm already falling for you. And it's only been two days.

Celine stared at the message, her heart pounding. She should be cautious. Should slow this down. Should protect herself.

Instead, she typed the truth.

Celine: I'm falling too.

Davis: This is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done.

Celine: What is?

Davis: Loving you the way you deserve to be loved. Honoring you. Protecting our boundaries. Because all I want to do right now is come back up there and kiss you until neither of us can think straight.

Heat flooded through Celine's body. She closed her eyes, trying to steady herself.

Celine: Davis...

Davis: I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.

Celine: No, I'm glad you did. Because I want that too. And that terrifies me.

Davis: We're going to be okay. We're going to figure this out together. But I need you to know something.

Celine: What?

Davis: I've never felt this way about anyone. Ever. And I'm going to do everything in my power to love you well. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.

Tears slid down Celine's cheeks.

Celine: I believe you.

Davis: Goodnight, beautiful. Dream of me.

Celine: I will. Goodnight.

Celine set her phone down and walked to her bedroom in a daze. She got ready for bed mechanically, her mind replaying every moment of the evening. The conversation. The honesty. The boundaries they'd set.

The kiss.

Oh God, the kiss.

She lay in bed staring at the ceiling, her body still humming with awareness. She'd promised herself she would be careful. That she would guard her heart. That she wouldn't let physical attraction override her convictions.

But Davis made her want to throw caution to the wind.

She wanted more of him. More conversations, more honesty, more of that devastating smile. More of his hands in her hair and his lips on hers and the feeling of being completely seen and wanted.

And that wanting scared her.

Because she knew—with a certainty that went bone-deep—that this man could break her heart into a million pieces.

Or he could be everything she'd ever hoped for.

Her phone buzzed one more time.

Davis: I lied. I'm not dreaming of you. I'm lying awake thinking about you. About that kiss. About how much I already need you. This is dangerous, Celine. We're dangerous together.

Celine's breath caught. She should tell him to stop. Should establish boundaries around late-night texting. Should protect them both from the intensity building between them.

Instead, she typed:

Celine: Then let's be dangerous together.

She hit send before she could second-guess herself.

The response came immediately.

Davis: You're going to be the death of me. In the best possible way.

Celine: Goodnight, Davis. For real this time.

Davis: Goodnight, Celine. Sweet dreams.

She set her phone on the nightstand and closed her eyes.

But sleep didn't come for a long time.

Because all she could think about was the way Davis had kissed her. The way he'd looked at her. The way he'd promised to love her well.

And the terrifying, exhilarating knowledge that she was already in too deep to turn back now.