Burning Desire

I had just finished my shift at the theatre, playing Cinderella for the umpteenth time. I am tired, but the applause still echoed in my ears I walked into the dimly lit bar at the end of the night that is not far from the theatre, just down the road actually.

It was the perfect place for me to just unwind, a haven where reality didn't intrude too much.

I slid onto a stool at the bar, my silvery-blue dress glinting in the soft glow of the neon lights.

A man, a bit too eager, approached her. His words slurred slightly,

“Hey, I think I know you, your winter James from downtown Theatre you played Cinderella?”

“ yes, that’s me”

“ I took my daughter to watch it she loved it I’ve been meaning to take her to see it again. You have such a beautiful voice.”

“oh thank you,”

“ Let me buy you another drink show you some hospitality.”

“Oh, no I’m fine thank you. I haven’t an early flight in the morning, but thank you anyway.”

“Hey, attendant give us another will you and whatever is the ladies having?”

“ I said I’m okay. I really can’t drink any more. And I've had one already”

“Come on sweetheart just have one more.”

“ I really can't, I have a flight to catch in the morning for an audition”

The man persisted, his demeanour growing more insistent, and I began to feel a knot of tension form in her stomach.

Suddenly, a deep voice cut through the noise of the bar.

"I think you heard the lady, she said No!," said a dark-haired, broad-shouldered stranger. His presence was commanding, yet he had a gentle smile that put me at ease.

As I turned to thank him, my eyes widened at his undeniable charm as a man. Who is this hottie a fine piece of a man?

Oh shit, am I drooling?

“whatever who do you think you are?” the drunk guy says slurring every word

“Who am I?”He laughed.

“I’m the one who visits you in your nightmares.”

The persistent man scoffed, but the hot guy's gaze was firm.

“You should know better than to push your luck," he said, his voice a low rumble.

The other man took the hint and slunk away, leaving me feeling both relieved and a little thrilled by the sudden turn of events.

“Thank you," I said, my voice a little shaky. The hit guy just shrugged.

"What can I say, I have a soft spot for damsels in distress." His eyes sparkled with humour, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm not in distress," I protested, "but I do owe you one."

“I’m winter”

“Lewis” he replies

“Hey, can I get you a drink to say thank you?”

“, I didn’t think you wanted another drink?”

I laughed and before I could reply he says

“ And I really shouldn’t beautiful women like you always get me into trouble” We both laugh

“I’m sure I can stay and have one more drink with my night in shining armour and I’ll even try and keep you out of trouble”

I say smiling

“ I guess but the more beautiful the women are the more trouble I’m in but as I saved you after all I had better accept your offer hadn’t I”

We seem to have talked for hours, sharing our hopes and dreams, the music of the bar fading into the background. Lewis was a firefighter, with a dry wit that made me laugh despite my nerves about the coming audition. His stories of heroism and the occasional disaster were a stark contrast to my world of make-believe and stage lights. He made me feel seen, heard and understood in a way I hadn't felt in a long time.

The connection between us was palpable, a sizzling energy that had us leaning in closer and closer. Before I knew it, we were kissing it felt passionate, a dance of tongues and hands that made me feel alive. It wasn't the scripted romance of the stage but the real, messy, beautiful kind that made my heart race.

Before you know it, I’m stumbling into Lewis’s apartment, a small but cosy place filled with the scent of pine and a hint of smoke from the fireplace. His strong arms held me as if I were made of the most delicate crystal, and I melted into his embrace, feeling safe but also excited for the first time in ages.

The night was a blur of passionate whispers and gentle touches. Our clothes fell away like leaves in autumn, revealing the sculpted planes of Lewis’s chest and the soft curves of my body. Each caress, each kiss, was a promise of something more, a silent vow that this night would be one I’d never forget.

My skin was flushed with heat, my breath coming in ragged gasps as Lewis explored my body, his hands sure and steady. He kissed my neck, and my collarbone, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin of my ear, making me shiver. I felt the power in his muscles as he lifted me onto the bed, his eyes never leaving mine, filled with a tenderness that was as surprising as it was exhilarating.

Our bodies moved together in a rhythm that seemed as natural as breathing, each stroke building a crescendo of passion. I had never felt so alive, so free. It was as if the barriers I’d built around myself were dissolving in the warmth of Lewis's embrace. For once, I didn't have to pretend to be someone else; I could just simply be me.

Afterwards, we lay tangled in his bed, the heat of our bodies melding together like two wax figures in the candlelight.

Lewis brushed a lock of hair from my face, his gaze soft and earnest.

“You know, you really are something special," he murmured, his thumb tracing lazy circles on my cheek.

My heart skipped a beat. "You're not so bad yourself," I teased, a blush creeping up my neck.

The morning light peeked through the blinds, casting a warm glow on the rumpled bed. My eyes searched Lewis’s, feeling a strange sense of belonging I hadn't experienced before. But reality came crashing back as she realized the time.

“ oh shit I have to leave," I said in a panic, sitting up and reaching for her discarded dress. My head was pounding, a reminder of the drinks and the passionate night we had shared.

"I have a flight to catch in a few hours for an audition."

Lewis propped himself up on one elbow, watching me with a lazy smile.

"I'll make you some coffee. You'll be fine," he assured me, his voice a comforting rumble.

“I can't I have to get going; “

I couldn't be late for this audition. It was my chance to escape the confines of the local theatre and make it to the bright lights of Hollywood. This was my chance, my time.

"Thank you," I murmured, "for everything."

As Lewis walked me to the door, his hand lingering on the small of my back. "You'll call me?" he asked, his voice hopeful.

I nodded, a soft smile playing on my lips. "Of course," I said, slipping the scrap of paper with his number into my back pocket

"Thank you for the amazing night."