Page 55 of Blinding Lights

The door’s ajar as I reach it, but when I walk inside, cringing as a bell chimes above my head, I’m met with silence. The store’s empty.

I close my eyes and consider turning around when Lily’s velvet voice floats through the air, and I have to fight not to follow the sound. “I’m coming.”

Ignoring the tightness pressing against my ribs, I hover near the oversized Christmas tree and smile at the star that barely fits on top. That was a hundred percent Henley’s doing. She never does anything by halves, and I admire the hell out of her for it.

After the pain she endured as a kid, no one would have blamed her for retreating into a shell, but instead, she shines brighter than the sun, living her life on her own terms. I sometimes wonder how my life would have turned out if I was more like her. Or if I’d been through the same heartache she went through. But it’s hard to imagine when all I see is darkness.

A door closes at the other end of the store, and I spin to find Lily facing the other way.

Tightness fills my chest as I watch her. And despite wearing the brightest Christmas sweater I think I’ve ever seen, she’s still the most beautiful woman I know.

She finally glances my way, and her gaze sharpens when she sees me, her brow lifting for the briefest of seconds before she comes to a halt.

For six painful seconds, I forget how to breathe as she stares my way, unmoving, while “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” plays through a speaker somewhere near my head.

I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.

I don’t know what to say. Or even why I’m here.

I should be apologizing for showing up after we’d said our goodbyes, only my thoughts abandon me as Lily’s face lifts into a sudden smile and she takes off on a run.

My arms open on instinct, and I catch her in my grasp as she slams into me, pausing for only a second before pressing her lips to my starving mouth.

I let her set the pace, and the passionate, welcoming kiss is over all too soon.

Our eyes lock, and Lily instantly shies away until I cup her cheeks, holding her face up to mine. Silently seeking permission, I wait for her cue before curling my palm into her hair and reclaiming her mouth.

I spin her around and press her into the door, the feel of her lips easing the uncertainty swirling through my chest. I move slowly at first, keeping the kiss light, but when she mewls against my lips, I lose my restraint, letting my burning desire take over me.

Fueled by the hunger I feel, I kiss her with an urgency that surprises me, and a groan escapes from the back of my throat.

She tastes like mint and chocolate and life changing decisions, but I’ve never wanted to be more impulsive in my life. I’m only somewhat in control until her lips part and she lifts to her toes, allowing my tongue entry as she deepens the kiss.

The first touch of her tongue sends my heart racing and the blood traveling south, leaving me lightheaded and completely under her spell.

She moans and the vibrations rumble against my lips, making me tighten my hold on her as a possessive fire burns through me.

A phone rings somewhere down the hall, and the incessant sound echoes through the speaker nearby, forcing us apart.

Lily blinks a few times, before she stiffens and her eyes spring wide. “What are you doing here?” she asks breathlessly, her lashes still fluttering as though she’s not entirely convinced that I’m real.

“Why weren’t you at Christmas?” I counter, taking a step back and immediately missing her warmth. She makes no move to get her phone, and I don’t ask about it, too caught up in the soft rise and fall of her chest.

She sighs, absentmindedly running her hand up and down the sleeve of her sweater, and my chest aches at the sadness in her expression.

“I’m not feeling very festive this year.” She shrugs with a smile, and I can’t seem to stop the ill-timed joke that leaves my mouth.

“Says the woman wearing a pastel, 3D candy-cane sweater.”

Lily snorts, hiding her smile behind her hand, and I momentarily relax. That is until she lowers her hand and the edge of her smile fades as she looks up. “Ava’s with her dad. I had this sweater ready to go and figured I’d wear it for when she called.”

Shit. I wish I’d manned up and actually asked Henley about it.

“Did she love it?”

“She did.” A tentative smile returns, and I find myself reaching out to brush my thumb across the corner of her mouth, wishing I could press pause and keep her smiling forever. She has no idea how captivating she is when she’s happy.

“It’s an interesting choice,” I joke again, loving it when an unrestrained laugh bursts out of her.