The Edge of Temptation
Logan couldn't get her out of his head.
Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Emilia—her touch, her kiss, the way she had looked at him before leaving his workshop. There was a tension between them now, a palpable crackling of energy that neither of them seemed willing to ignore.
He tried to focus on the work in front of him, but his thoughts kept drifting. He'd forged the steel. He'd molded it. But nothing he created could compare to the raw power of what he felt when she was near.
The sound of the workshop door creaking open snapped him out of his reverie. He turned, expecting to see one of his crew, but instead, it was Emilia.
She was standing in the doorway again, looking as composed as ever, but there was something different about her this time. Something more daring in the way she met his gaze.
"Emilia," Logan greeted, his voice rougher than he intended.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said, her tone playful but with an edge of something else.
"Not at all," he said, though his heart was racing. "What brings you here?"
She stepped into the workshop, her eyes scanning the room. "I wanted to see the corset, of course. But also…" She trailed off, as if weighing her words. "I came to see you."
Her words sent a jolt through him. She wasn't just talking about the work anymore. She was talking about him.
Logan swallowed, trying to keep his composure. "The corset's finished. You can take a look if you want."
Emilia didn't move toward the workbench immediately. Instead, she walked closer to him, her gaze never leaving his. Her presence filled the room, intense and magnetic.
"I think I've seen enough of your work, Logan," she said, stopping just a few feet away from him. "What I want to know is—what's it like to work with fire?"
Her words hung in the air, double-edged and loaded with meaning.
Logan's pulse quickened, his mind racing. She was talking about more than just his craft. She was asking about him, about the man behind the metal.
He could feel the heat between them, a pull that was becoming harder and harder to resist. But he wasn't sure if he should give in. What if this—what if she—was just another distraction?
But Emilia wasn't giving him an out.
She stepped closer, until the distance between them was barely a breath. Her hand reached out, grazing his arm, sending a shiver through his body.
"You've been avoiding me," she said, her voice low, a challenge in the words.
Logan met her gaze, the fire in her eyes a mirror to the one burning in him. "I haven't been avoiding you," he replied, his voice strained. "I've been focused."
She raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth tilting up in that knowing smile. "Focused on what? On the steel? Or on me?"
Her words hit him like a slap, and for a moment, Logan couldn't speak. But then, he took a step forward, closing the gap between them.
"You," he whispered, voice rough with need.
Before he could stop himself, his hands were on her, pulling her against him. The kiss came hard and fast, a storm of passion and heat that swept them both away.
For a moment, there was no more space between them, no more boundaries. Just the press of his body against hers, the feel of her lips, the burning desire that threatened to consume him.
Emilia responded in kind, her hands threading into his hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss. There was no hesitation, no reservations now. The air between them was thick with what they both wanted.
But then, just as quickly as it had started, Emilia pulled back, breathing heavily.
"We can't keep doing this," she said, her voice shaky but determined.
Logan's chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath. "Why not?"
"Because I don't want to be just another distraction for you," she replied, her eyes searching his face. "I want something real, Logan."
Her words hit harder than any blow. He had thought he could keep his emotions under control, that he could stay focused on the work and keep his distance. But now, standing there with Emilia so close, so undeniably present, he realized that he was in way over his head.
"I'm not just looking for a distraction," he said, his voice low. "But I don't know how to handle this… what we're doing."
Emilia's gaze softened, a trace of vulnerability in her eyes. "Neither do I."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. They just stood there, the tension between them so thick it was almost suffocating.
Finally, Emilia took a step back, her breath coming in slow, steadying exhales. "I'll take the corset now," she said, her voice much softer.
Logan nodded, swallowing the storm of emotions brewing inside him. He wasn't sure what was happening between them anymore, but one thing was clear—he couldn't fight it much longer.
And neither could she.