'As he turned and met my gaze, an infernal flame ignited within me. But for the first time in a long while, it wasn't the fire of anger or frustration, but the sinful temptation to rise and...'
"We're almost there," Erik informed me, leaning towards me with a mischievous grin. His husky voice and intense gaze caused me to slam the laptop screen shut.
"Don't be nosy," I grumbled, trying to hide the blush spreading across my cheeks.
"I just wanted to know if I'm in the story," he murmured in a sexy voice. "Were you writing any part where I feature?"
"Maybe," I admitted as the pilot announced over the speakers that we would be arriving at Glasgow Airport shortly.
"From the intensity with which you were typing, I'd say it was a rather spicy scene. Need some inspiration?" he whispered in my ear, nuzzling my skin with his nose.
"Don't start," I chuckled, giving him a playful nudge.
November had flown by, and we were already almost in December. Despite not having officially defined our relationship, things between us had changed a lot. My toothbrush and pajamas resided at his place, and he had a few of his things at mine. We were practically living together, alternating our nights at each house as if that could somehow avoid the reality of what was happening.
Not a single regret. Living with Erik was the easiest and most enjoyable thing in the world. His smile was a constant, there was always a funny moment or a spontaneous hug while he cooked. His night work schedule allowed me to dedicate myself to writing in the mornings, creating an unwritten routine where we spent the week at my place and on the weekends we took refuge in the tranquility of the lighthouse. Dinners at the Westray Inn twice a week had become a tradition, where I enjoyed watching Erik joke around with his cousin and Callum.
Thanks to Angus, I had learned some Scottish expressions that helped me decipher Anne's language, which was gradually becoming more understandable, although she still spoke most of the time at a pace that only she understood.
"What are our plans for today?" I asked as I put my laptop in its case and fastened my seatbelt.
"All afternoon free for us," Erik replied with an infectious smile, imitating my gesture and fastening his own seatbelt. "We're meeting Jeremy and Joe at eight."
"Do you think they'll like me?" I asked with a hint of nervousness.
"I'm sure they will," he assured me with conviction. "Joe speaks Spanish, so don't worry about the language. He loves gossip, so you're going to be entertained listening to all the bad things I've been hiding from you for months," he joked playfully. His comment aroused a great curiosity in me to meet his friend.
"Oh, wonderful," I replied with a mischievous smile. "Finally, I'm going to be able to knock you off that pedestal of perfection."
Erik let out a laugh and took my hand, placing a kiss on it.
"Remember, we're going back to Spain in a couple of days," he warned me in a playful tone. "I'll get my revenge by asking Vir to tell me all your secrets."
"Oh, hush," I retorted, rolling my eyes but unable to suppress the smile forming on my face.
Vir was more enamored with Erik than I was, if that was possible. Because yes, I was falling for him. I wasn't saying it out loud, but the feelings were there. Erik had become my friend's favorite, and there wasn't a day that went by when she didn't ask me about him or, if she found him awake, want to greet him. I loved seeing the rapport he had with her, especially after how badly he'd gotten along with Oliver.
We got off the plane and, after a journey of nearly two hours, arrived at the hotel, located near the city center. As it was my first time in Glasgow, Erik, instead of locking us in our room as we would later, suggested a walk around the neighborhood where he grew up. We ended up in front of an imposing fire station.
"Did you work here?" I asked curiously, and he nodded with a warm smile.
Not even five seconds had passed when the siren of a truck started to sound. I thought it was an emergency, but the station door swung open and a group of men rushed out to greet him with great jubilation, as if they were a pack of wolves reuniting with a lost family member. They hugged him, joked among themselves, and when their attention turned to me, I had an urge to hide.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Guys, this is Andrea," Erik said, standing behind me and placing his hand on my back. I smiled shyly. "She's my..."
"I can't believe it," interrupted one of the firefighters, a dark-haired man with brown eyes who stood next to his exact clone, only with longer hair. "Erik finally has a girlfriend! I thought you were going to be single forever. I'm Tyler," he said, extending his hand towards me. Did he say girlfriend?!
I looked at both firefighters, confused. They were undoubtedly twins.
"Don't worry, you're not seeing double," the shorter-haired one reassured me, shaking my hand. "I'm Jeremy."
I opened my mouth to speak, but Erik interrupted me again.
"Yes, Jer's the one we're having dinner with tonight," he said quickly. "And no, the rest of you aren't invited."
One of the firefighters, a blonde with honey-colored eyes, made a mocking face and commented that the sub-captain was a kiss-up. Laughter and jokes filled the air as Erik introduced me to the rest of his colleagues. I felt a bit nervous at first, but the warmth and friendliness of the firefighters helped me relax. I soon realized that they were a great family, and that Erik was a fundamental part of it.
"How many days are you staying?" asked Tyler, one of the twins.
"A couple of days," I replied. "We're going to Spain to celebrate Christmas with my family. Where's the captain?" I asked about the head of the fire station.
"Hooked up on the phone with his boyfriend," joked Andy, a blonde firefighter with whom I shared a name.
"Well, I'm going to hook you up, but to the underside of the truck so you can clean the road for me," said a huge man who suddenly emerged from the station. He was tall, with dark skin and a cheerful expression, clearly of Latin origin, although his accent didn't reveal his origin.
"Lay off the steroids, Joe," Erik laughed, giving him a hug.
"And you stop being a squirrel and come back, we miss you," Joe complained, patting him on the shoulder and turning to me, who was watching everything in silence. "You must be Andrea, nice to meet you," he said with a warm smile.
His affable and approachable personality made me feel comfortable immediately.
"How's Hanna?" Erik asked Joe.
"Huge. She's going to be mad when she finds out I saw you and not her," Joe replied, turning to me. "You guys have to come to Rothesay one day, Sam will love you," he said enthusiastically.
"Sure," I said, eager to go wherever he said he didn't know, but apparently it wasn't Glasgow.
We were invited into the fire station for coffee, but just then the alarm went off and our hosts said goodbye hastily before leaving. Erik and I took the opportunity to continue walking around the neighborhood while he told me a little more about his colleagues.
Apparently, the previous captain, Fred, now lived in Rothesay, the capital of the Isle of Bute, located two hours from Glasgow by car and ferry. Fred, who had been present at the accident that forced Erik to give up his career as a firefighter, had been seriously injured during a fire in which several people had unfortunately died.
"Was that where you got burned?" I asked with concern, squeezing his hand gently as we walked. Erik nodded.
"Yes," he murmured. "My father and a couple of other colleagues died that day. It was a terrible fire, probably the worst in the last ten years," he said, his voice filled with sadness.
His words had a profound impact on me. I didn't know his father had died in that accident. Suddenly, a lot of things started to fall into place.
"Did you work with your father?" I asked cautiously.
Erik nodded, looking ahead for a few seconds before turning to me and smiling sadly.
"Yes. After the accident... I couldn't go back. So, just like Fred went to Rothesay to recover from his physical and emotional wounds, I went to Pierowall, with my uncles."
I stopped in our path and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close.
"I'm so sorry," I said.
"It's been a long time and it will always hurt," he replied sadly. "But now I have a reason to smile."
He took my chin in his hand and looked into my eyes with an intensity that moved me. I tiptoed up and kissed him softly, feeling a wave of gratitude for having him by my side, despite the tragedies he had faced.
I tiptoed up and kissed him softly, feeling lucky to have him there, despite what had happened.
"Don't you ever think about trying again? I'm sure you were a great firefighter," I said hopefully.
Erik shook his head. Being a firefighter had been his dream since childhood, an aspiration fueled by the admiration he felt for his father. I knew he didn't have a mother either, but I didn't dare ask until he decided to tell me. Without his father in Glasgow, nothing held him back there.
"Your friends," I reminded him, and he smiled tenderly.
"They're a bit clingy, to be honest," he said jokingly. "I'd rather go see them when I'm bored. I love my life in Pierowall, now more than ever," he winked at me and we continued walking to a stall where he bought two hot chocolates to warm us up on our exploration of his old life in Glasgow.
As we enjoyed the comforting aroma of hot chocolate, Erik told me about his days as a firefighter, the experiences that had marked him, and the colleagues who had been a part of his life in Glasgow. His stories filled me with admiration for his courage, his dedication, and his ability to face difficult situations with humor and optimism.