ă€ŠSilentlyă€‹


 Chapter 1 - Ill do better

    { Andy }

    ''Wait, Andrea,'' Oliver called out in a voice that reflected his anguish and desperation, making me stop dead in my tracks in the hallway. ''Don''t leave me, please, don''t leave me in this state.''

    I came to an abrupt halt, and Oliver stopped a few steps away from me, his gaze fixed on mine, making me feel uncomfortable. His eyes, which had shone with confidence when he arrived, were now clouded with the anguish of having been found out.

    ''How d''you expect me not to leave?'' I asked, my voice cracking and a lump in my throat preventing me from speaking normally. ''Is there any way to justify what you''ve done? You''ve lied to me, Oliver; you''ve betrayed me in the worst possible way.''

    My words, laden with bitterness and pain, reflected the storm raging within me. I had been the one who, on more than one occasion, had cried and begged him to stay, not to leave me alone. But this time, the feeling of having been betrayed and the urge to flee were too strong.

    ''Don''t go,'' Oliver pleaded, cautiously approaching me. He seemed to fear that if he took a wrong step, I would leave for good.

    I moved away from him, dodging his hand, as if touching me could make me crumble completely.

    ''You should''ve thought about that before you destroyed twenty years of relationship,'' I said, my voice breaking with bitterness and rage. ''Twenty years, Oliver! Two decades of my life, my love, my trust in you... all reduced to ashes.''

    A wave of memories flooded my mind. Moments of joy that now seemed tainted by bitterness, as if his betrayal poisoned every memory, emotion, and feeling. My heart was painfully dividing itself between the love I still had for him and the betrayal that was tearing me apart from the inside.

    The initial disappointment turned into a rage that coursed through my body like an uncontrolled fire. I didn''t want to keep arguing or keep listening to his excuses and lies, so I left him standing in the hallway, begging. I headed for the bedroom, determined to finish packing my suitcase and leave. I needed to leave behind the lie that our relationship had been. I didn''t look back because I couldn''t allow myself to doubt, I couldn''t let myself feel the slightest shred of compassion for him.

    Oliver had been my first and only love, the pillar of my life since I was fifteen. We had built a life together that was now crumbling like a house of cards in the middle of a storm, exposing a very painful reality.

    ''Darling, we all make mistakes,'' he said in a voice that tried to sound convincing but only managed to sound hollow. ''I didn''t realise, she seduced me, she made me fall into her trap...''

    I turned towards him, consumed by a fury and pain from within. I didn''t want to hear his excuses or apologies, nor did I want him to try to blame the other person. He was the only one to blame for having destroyed our relationship.

    ''Six months, Oliver! Six bloody months!'' I shouted, letting the rage and fury come pouring out. ''You''ve been deceiving me for half a year!'' My voice resonated through the room, making the walls and my body tremble, as if I were about to explode at any moment. ''How could you not have realised the first time you slept with her?'' I took a breath, trying to calm down, but to no avail.

    I knew Oliver well enough to know that inside, he was torn between guilt and pride. But it was too late, the damage was done. The decision had already been made, and nothing could make me change my mind.

    ''Andy, don''t exaggerate,'' he pleaded in a condescending tone that made my blood boil. ''We''ve been together half our lives, it''s normal to have disagreements. You''re the love of my life, it was just a slip-up,'' he said, as if he believed he could justify his betrayal and make it seem like a minor mistake without consequences.

    His words felt like a mortal blow to my heart, shattering my self-esteem and the image I had of him, as if he had taken off his mask and finally revealed his true face to me.

    ''Exaggerated?'' I scoffed, feeling a new wave of annoyance and rage. ''I''ve been an idiot for believing your lies. Now I understand why you needed to convince me that I was the only person in your life. You were just trying to manipulate me, control me, and make me feel guilty for not believing you.''

    I angrily threw my clothes into the suitcase, as if each garment were a symbol of the lie and betrayal I had suffered. When I finished, I forcefully closed the suitcase, pressing it with all my might to make sure it was properly closed.

    ''Come on, my love, I love you,'' he said, but his voice sounded hollow and artificial, as if he were reading a script he didn''t truly feel. ''You''re confused, but tomorrow you''ll see things clearly,'' he said in a tone that managed to sound false and manipulative.

    ''I don''t care whether it was real or not, Oliver,'' I stated, looking him in the eye with determination and firmness. ''It''s over. I''m not going to be the idiot who stays crying and begging for something to change.''

    ''Andy, please, let me fix this, I''ll do better, I promise,'' Oliver pleaded in anguish and desperation. ''It won''t happen again, I promise, I''ll do everything possible to show you that I''m capable of changing and being the man you deserve. I realise I''ve failed you, but I''m asking you to give me another chance.''

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    I wanted to believe him, but Oliver didn''t understand the magnitude of the damage; he didn''t understand that his infidelity had destroyed everything. My eyes rested on the engagement ring I wore on my finger, a symbol of a love that now meant nothing. With a firm gesture, I took it off and handed it to him, cutting the last ties that bound us together. He rejected the ring with a brusque gesture, and his expression changed from pleading and incomprehension to anger and resentment as he realised that my decision was final.

    ''Let''s not make this more difficult,'' I whispered, my voice trembling and my heart shattered. ''There''s no going back, Oliver. What you did is irreversible. There''s nothing you can do to fix things.''

    I left the ring on the bedside table and headed for the door, feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins like a river of fire, giving me the strength to escape the situation. Oliver''s rage was a dark force I felt behind me, a looming shadow that grew larger and larger, like an approaching storm. It was time to leave.

    ''I''m the one making things difficult?'' he shouted resentfully, his face filling with anger and his voice rising to an aggressive tone. ''I''m the one acting irrationally over a simple mistake, right, Andrea? I''ve given you everything for twenty years, and this is how you thank me. You''re a bloody ingrate,'' he spat the words with hatred and resentment.

    His words felt like a slap in the face, a blow that made me feel the reality of his selfishness and lack of empathy. The caring and understanding Oliver I once loved was fading away, revealing a selfish and resentful man who only thought of himself, unconcerned about the harm he caused others. I stopped at the door, feeling a stab of pain in my chest, as if my heart were being crushed by the reality of his true nature. What hurt me the most was his lack of remorse and his attempt to blame me, as if I were the guilty one and he were the innocent victim. I felt as if I were seeing Oliver for the first time, as if the mask of love and care he had always shown me had fallen off, revealing the truth behind his eyes.

    I took the keys out of my pocket and left them on the wooden cabinet near the entrance, as a symbolic act of farewell. My life with Oliver had ended, and it was time to start over, to find my own identity and my own path, without the shadow of his selfishness and lack of empathy.

    ''Andrea, you''ll regret this,'' he shouted with rage and a look full of hatred and resentment. ''No one will love you like I did. When you want to come back, it''ll be me who slams the door in your face!'' he said, as if he were issuing an ultimatum, an attempt to make me feel alone and without a way out, abandoned and helpless.

    His words kept on being painful, but I didn''t stop. I knew it was a tactic to manipulate me, to make me doubt my own ability to make decisions, to make me feel insecure and vulnerable. It was a strategy he''d used many times before, but this time it wasn''t gonna work. I''d caught on to his tricks and wasn''t gonna fall into the trap.

    ''I hope so,'' I said firmly, without looking back as I walked away, feeling a sense of liberation and relief at leaving behind the toxic and emotionally draining relationship. I felt like I was escaping from a prison, like I''d regained my freedom.

    I left the house with a lump in my throat, feeling the air grow thick and heavy in my lungs, as if I was about to suffocate. I prayed for the lift to arrive soon, to escape the situation and leave behind the weight of his accusations. I wasn''t prepared to face his accusations in front of all the neighbours, who seemed to judge me with their silent gazes.

    Luckily, just in time, the lift doors opened, giving me the chance to escape from his life and the toxicity that surrounded it.

    But...what if he was right? What if my inability to forgive infidelity meant I was doomed to be alone? What if it was too late to start anew? The idea scared me, but I couldn''t fall back into the trap of codependency and low self-esteem. My life had revolved around Oliver, I''d become his complement, sacrificing my own dreams and aspirations in the process, and I''d lost my identity along the way.

    I descended in the lift, surrounded by a sepulchral silence that seemed to weigh on me like a tombstone. His words, full of resentment and hatred, echoed in my mind, warning me of how disappointed our friends would be when they discovered what a disloyal and evil person I was, according to his distorted version of reality. I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to contain a sob that threatened to escape, as I struggled to maintain my composure in the midst of the emotional storm that was battering me.

    I left the building where I''d lived for the past few years, with the feeling of leaving behind a part of myself, a part that had been conditioned by the toxic relationship I''d maintained with Oliver. With uncertain steps, I dragged my suitcase through the streets of Madrid, feeling the cold night air that seeped into my bones like a reminder of the loneliness that awaited me, but also as a symbol of the freedom I''d conquered. But it was nothing compared to the cold I felt inside, an emotional void that seemed to have taken up residence, a void created by the lack of self-love and loss of identity. In that cold, I found a clarity that allowed me to see things with precision, a clarity that made me realise I''d been living a life that wasn''t mine. I''d been wanting to escape my golden cage for years, always finding excuses not to do so out of fear of the unknown, but that morning, upon discovering his betrayal, I knew it was now or never. Anger and determination drove me to move forward, to leave the past behind and start from scratch, without looking back, without lamenting what I''d lost, but focusing on what I would gain.

    One last tear rolled down my cheek as I bid farewell to the golden cage that had once seemed like a refuge, a place where I felt safe and protected. But now, as I looked back, I saw that it had been a prison that, despite its comfort and luxury, had suffocated me with its loneliness and routine, had taken away my identity and autonomy. It was time to leave behind security and monotony, and embark on the adventure of starting anew, of rebuilding myself, of finding my own path and my own voice.

    Finally, a stifled sob escaped my lips as I saw my reflection in a dimly lit shop window, a reflection that showed me an image that had been hidden for so long. In it, I saw a woman with untamed curls and caramel-coloured eyes that reflected a deep sadness, a woman who seemed to have lost everything in life, a woman who had been moulded by the expectations and needs of others, and who had forgotten who she really was.

    ''To hell with Oliver, love, and all men!'' I shouted with fury, releasing a part of me that had been repressed for too long, a part that had been waiting to break free from the chains of dependence and submission, to leave behind the need for approval and validation from others. ''I don''t need him, I don''t need anyone. I''ll find my own way, and I won''t need anyone to do it.''

    In that moment, I knew I was ready to face life on my own, without attachments or burdens, without the weight of guilt and doubt that had accompanied me for so long. I would start from scratch, leaving behind the past and all that had hurt me, like a blank page ready to be written, ready for me to fill it with my own stories, my own decisions, and my own victories.

    I made a promise to myself: never again would I allow someone to control me, and never again would I let myself be subjugated.

 Chapter 2 - Welcome to Chalmersquoy

    { Andy }

    After two days of travelling and nearly 2,900 kilometres, I found myself at the gates of Pierowall, a tiny village in the enigmatic Orkney Islands. As I arrived, the sea air, with its characteristic salty smell, welcomed me with an invisible embrace. Seagulls circled overhead, greeting me to Westray.

    I got off the ferry, dragging my suitcase which held everything left from my previous life. IˇŻd cut ties with my past, including a relationship that had failed nearly a year ago. As I left the ferry behind and set foot on solid ground again, a chill ran through my very core.

    I soon spotted the man waiting for me, with his greyish hair, bushy beard, and a friendly smile. I felt my anxiety growing as I recalled that my English wasn''t as good as I''d hoped.

    ''Hello, Andrea?'' His voice was deep, his accent seeming exotic to me, though it took me a moment to process what he was saying.

    I felt quite clumsy, but I kept a warm smile and extended my hand to greet him. It took me a bit to find the right words, but I was determined to show I could communicate in his language.

    ''Yes, I''m Andrea,'' I said, trying to sound confident as my heart raced in my chest. ''Angus, right?'' I asked, attempting to sound natural. ''Pleased to meet you. Sorry if my English isn''t perfect.''

    The gentle sea breeze surrounded us as we shook hands, and in that moment, I knew that despite the obstacles, my life was about to change.

    ''Don''t worry,'' he said softly, making me feel better. ''Let me give you a hand with that.''

    His eyes, as deep blue as the sea I''d just crossed, shone with kindness. He took a step towards me, grabbed the handle of my suitcase, and easily dragged it to the car, stowing it in the boot.

    As I rounded the car to head for the passenger seat, I blushed, realising I''d forgotten they drove on the left in this country, and I''d gone to the wrong side.

    ''Fancy driving?'' he asked with a playful smile, and I shook my head no.

    I didn''t know how to drive, didn''t even have a licence.

    As soon as I got in the car, I felt grateful for the warmth inside. Angus''s thoughtfulness in leaving the heating on, along with the aroma of cinnamon and vanilla, brought back memories of my dad''s car, instantly making me feel at home.

    I settled into the seat that, in a normal car, would have been the driver''s, and the absence of a steering wheel made me feel like something was missing.

    ''Tired?'' Angus asked, pronouncing each word slowly and clearly.

    ''Yeah, a bit,'' I muttered, feeling my body growing heavier.

    I felt grateful that this stranger cared about me and made an effort to speak in a simple way. After the struggle of communicating at the airport and on the ferry, it was such a relief to feel someone was trying to make me feel better.

    The short drive only lasted five minutes. We followed the line of the bay, and although the sky was grey, the view of the sea and coastline was spectacular. Finally, we pulled up in front of a cluster of grey stone houses, and I felt like I''d reached a goal that had seemed impossible.

    ''Andrea,'' Angus''s voice brought me back to the present, and I followed his gaze to the house right in front of us.

    The Scottish architecture had a very different style from my homeland. The welcoming house was warm and cosy, with a rustic touch that made it even more beautiful. I''d stumbled upon Pierowall by chance while searching for a secluded place to spend a few months alone, focusing on myself and my writing. Westray Island seemed like the perfect spot: a remote place with a cosy touch. My plan was to stay on the island until the end of the year and then make a decision: go back to Spain or keep exploring the world.

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    That house seemed to be the heart of Chalmersquoy, the holiday complex run by Angus and his wife, Anne. The place consisted of several charming cottages rented out as a bed & breakfast, and although they didn''t usually offer long stays, Anne and I had arranged a three-month stay.

    ''Welcome to Chalmersquoy,'' Angus said with a proud smile as he led me to a cosy lounge area with capacity for only a few guests. ''Hope you feel comfortable here.''

    The house was tastefully decorated, blending rustic style with modern elements. The natural stone walls combined perfectly with the wood tables and chairs that must have served for breakfasts and meals. Each table had a small container with fresh flowers, adding a pop of colour and cheer to the room.

    Before I could keep discovering more details, a female figure entered the room, emanating a warm and welcoming energy. As soon as I saw her, I knew it was Anne, and I realised the photo I''d seen on the website did no justice to the genuine joy and warmth her gaze conveyed.

    ''Yer fin''ly here!'' she said in a warm, musical voice brimming with happiness. ''Walcome, dawtie, A''m richt appo tae see ye here.''

    I froze for a moment, a forced smile on my lips as I tried to pretend I''d understood what she said, though I hadn''t caught a single word. However, her body language was clear: she was welcoming me. I didn''t know in what language, but I was sure none of what she''d said was in English.

    ''Hello, I''m Andrea. Pleased to meet you,'' I said, forcing myself out of my stunned state and resorting to a phrase I''d practised for moments like this.

    Both hosts must have been around sixty, and they undoubtedly possessed that air of British elegance I''d imagined. But there was something more to them, a warm and cheerful energy I hadn''t expected to find, probably due to their life in a small village rather than a big, bustling city.

    ''A''ve been sair wantin tae meet ye!'' Anne exclaimed. ''An ye''re as bonnie as A thocht! Isna she, Angus?''

    Anne''s warm welcome took me by surprise, and for an instant, her accent left me puzzled, as I couldn''t understand what she was saying. However, her radiant smile and outstretched hand in a friendly gesture made me feel comfortable. By her side, Angus nodded with a kind expression on his face, supporting his wife''s words.

    ''Doll, speak a wee bit slawer, aye?'' Angus asked her, noticing my confused expression. ''Don''t worry, it''s all right,'' he added with a reassuring gesture, placing a hand on my shoulder.

    I struggled to smile, feeling a tinge of irony inside. ''Sure it''s all right, for you,'' I told myself with a touch of sarcasm. However, I decided to keep smiling and replied with a shy ''thanks''.

    Anne went to the reception and picked up a folder and some keys, handing them to me with a motherly smile. Then, she silently gestured for me to follow her. As we stepped outside, my eyes automatically went to the car parked out front.

    ''Follow her, I''ll take care of your suitcase,'' Angus said, walking towards the boot.

    I headed for the small house located nearby, where Anne was waiting for me by the door. The structure was similar to the main one, but smaller. As I reached her side, I realised Anne was waiting for me to open the door.

    ''Oh, sorry,'' I apologised, clumsily opening the door.

    As soon as I crossed the threshold, I was enveloped by a warm, cosy feeling that made me feel at home. The living room and kitchen merged into an open, bright space, and the view of the bay from the dining room window was simply breathtaking. It was like I''d found my place in the world. There were a couple of green couches that looked very comfortable, and the kitchen, though small, seemed to have everything needed.

    ''Everythin''s aaricht guid, bit gin ye dinnae wantae cook, ye''re walcome tae join''z onie time o day,'' Anne said, still smiling and striving to speak more slowly. ''A''ll sen ye an email wi aw the details an whit ye can dee tae get tae ken the place.''

    I nodded and smiled, at least understanding I''d receive an email with more information. Anne showed me around the house, decorated in a simple yet cosy style. The bathroom looked newly renovated, and the bedroom was lovely, with a solid wood king-size bed and a built-in wardrobe taking up an entire wall.

    ''If ye need oniething, geen''s a shout, hen.'' Anne said, pulling back the curtain to show how close the house we''d been in before was.

    We headed back to the living room and found Angus had already brought in my suitcase.

    ''Thanks so much,'' I said, moved by their kindness and hospitality.

    Angus put his arm around his wife, and they both looked at me with warm smiles, as if I was already part of their family. Then, they bid me a friendly goodbye and left, leaving me alone in my new home. Once the door closed, the emotion I''d been holding in burst forth within me.

 Chapter 3 - Westray Inn

    { Andy }

    After Anne and Angus had left, a feeling of tranquillity washed over me. I headed to the living room, where I had a hunch I''d find the most valuable treasure: the internet connection. I dropped my suitcase on the sofa with a weary sigh, took out my laptop, and sat down at the kitchen table. The screen took a couple of seconds to turn on. As soon as it did, an inner voice whispered that if I didn''t organise my suitcase right then, it would become a chaotic mess of crumpled clothes that I''d never get sorted.

    Huffing with reluctance and resignation, I made my way to the bedroom, knowing I had to face a task I really didn''t feel like doing. But as I crossed the threshold, I tripped over my own foot, and my not-quite-closed suitcase burst open, spilling its contents all over the floor. Shirts, trousers and socks scattered everywhere, creating an absolute shambles that left me breathless. I stood there, paralysed, eyes fixed on the chaos I''d created, feeling my frustration and tiredness multiply tenfold.

    Cleaning up that mess and organising the clothes in the wardrobe took me way longer than I''d have liked, but when I finished, I felt satisfied. The clothes, which had been crumpled and disorganised, were now neatly folded. I went back to the kitchen, connected my laptop to the Wi-Fi, and started browsing to see what I could find on the island. I felt like an eager tourist ready to explore a new place, with the advantage of not having a deadline to do it by.

    ''Hotels, the bay... a lighthouse!'' I exclaimed excitedly while checking Maps, a smile spreading across my face as I saw that the lighthouse, with its tall white tower, was only an hour and a half''s walk away.

    If that wasn''t enough, there was a castle too; plus, there were lots of other areas that caught my eye. I was raring to get up the next day and go exploring. I spent hours reading about the island, and night fell almost without me noticing. My stomach started growling, reminding me that I hadn''t eaten in hours, and that''s when I remembered the fridge was completely empty.

    ''Oops...'' I muttered, scratching the back of my neck with an annoyed gesture, feeling a slight twinge of regret for not having thought about food earlier. If, instead of focusing on finding places to visit, I''d looked for a shop, I could have gone shopping; but, as always, I let my curiosity get the better of me and forgot about basic needs. I laughed at myself: it wasn''t the first time something like this had happened to me, and it probably wouldn''t be the last.

    I remembered Anne had mentioned that they offered breakfasts, lunches and dinners, but a feeling of embarrassment and a little fear of not understanding anything again made me look for other options. It turned out there was a pub called ''Westray Inn'' only five minutes away, so I didn''t think twice about it.

    I put on my jacket and, before leaving, stopped for a moment in front of the hallway mirror to fix my ponytail and try to tame my unruly curls. I made sure all the lights were off and went out, following the directions I''d seen online. The pub was right next door, so I didn''t think I''d get lost.

    The night air, icy and damp, seeped through the fabric of my coat, leaving me chilled despite it being September. I wondered how the islanders could bear living in such a cold place all year round. I pulled up the collar of my jacket and quickened my pace, eager to reach the pub and warm up, where I hoped to find a cosy atmosphere and some good hot food.

    Why had I decided to throw myself into an adventure up north, where the cold was so intense? Why not wait for summer or find a warmer destination? I could''ve even chosen somewhere they spoke my language, but no... I liked making life complicated for myself, I guess. I''d always been an impulsive person, who dove headfirst into situations without thinking twice. But, be that as it may, there I was, and there was no turning back, at least not for a few months. I resigned myself to my fate and kept walking towards the pub.

    The internet hadn''t been wrong, the way was easy and in just five minutes I arrived at the impressive white stone facade I''d seen on my laptop screen. The architecture of the building reminded me of Chalmersquoy, although it was clearly bigger. All the old houses on the island seemed to have been built in the same way, with a characteristic style that I found fascinating. I stopped for a moment to admire the facade, observing the details of the stone and the way the moonlight reflected off it.

    Next to the entrance, there was a small garden with wooden tables that, in high season, must always be occupied by people enjoying the sun and a cold beer. However, now they were completely empty and the garden looked a bit unkempt, with the tables covered in dry leaves and withered flowers. It gave me the feeling that the outside of the pub was waiting for tourist season to come back to life, as if it were in a state of hibernation.

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    As soon as I crossed the threshold of the pub, I was enveloped in a warm, welcoming atmosphere that greeted me with open arms. It was a unique place, very different from what I was used to, but with an irresistible charm. The warm glow of the lamps and the crackling fire in the nearby fireplace created a cosy, homely ambiance that made me feel like I''d arrived at a haven after a long journey. The aroma of beer and hot food filled the air and, as with everything on that island since I''d arrived, I instantly fell in love with the place. There were high tables with red velvet stools, a long wooden bar that took up most of the space, and a few tables to my left where couples and groups of friends enjoyed their drinks and conversations. In one corner, a group of local musicians was playing live folk music at a long table, with traditional instruments that seemed to have been pulled straight out of a bygone era.

    I noticed some of the locals were looking at me with interest, probably because I was a new face in town, but they smiled at me in a friendly way and continued their conversations, showing no real curiosity. I sat at one of the empty tables on my left, the one closest to the fireplace, to enjoy the warmth it gave off and feel a little more comfortable in the unfamiliar setting.

    Suddenly, I was approached by a red-haired girl who couldn''t have been more than twenty-five, and my attention was immediately drawn to her. Her tousled ginger locks, pulled back into a casual ponytail, framed a face full of freckles that accentuated her natural charm. Her eyes, which reminded me of Anne''s warmth, smiled at me even before she reached the table.

    ''Hi there! How are you? You must be Andrea. I''m Nora, nice to meet you,'' she said with a radiant smile.

    Had she said my name? Did she know me from somewhere?

    ''H-hi. Sorry. I... I don''t... my English...'' I stammered, feeling like a complete dimwit, with my tongue tied and my mind blank.

    The girl looked at me with an expression of tenderness and pity, as if I were a poor, frightened little animal that needed to be taken in and comforted.

    ''Don''t worry,'' she said, slowly and clearly, making me feel like she was talking to a small child. Her tone was so soft and soothing that I felt a little calmer. ''Would you like something to drink? Fancy a beer?''

    Her gesture, as if she were drinking from an imaginary glass, was like a flash of humour in a tense moment. It turned out that sign language was much easier to understand than English. It made me smile, despite my anxiety, as if I''d found an ally in that strange place.

    ''Yes, please!'' I exclaimed happily.

    Anything she offered me was welcome at that point.

    ''Are you hungry?'' she asked, this time making a circular motion with her hand over her stomach, as if indicating she was hungry.

    ''Oh, yes,'' I said, nodding my head.

    I wish everyone would speak to me with that patience and kindness. It would make my life in Pierowall much easier.

    ''Perfect,'' she told me, winking and giving me a thumbs up in a gesture of optimism.

    She headed towards the bar, where a tall, dark-haired guy around her age with curly hair was waiting for her, looking at me curiously, as if he were trying to figure out who I was.

    I took out my phone to distract myself and not draw attention. I opened Instagram and scrolled through some stories without much interest, until the waitress came back with a massive beer that left me gaping.

    ''Wow!'' I exclaimed in surprise, my eyes widening.

    ''It''s a pint,'' she said, laughing at my puzzled expression. ''If you don''t drink much, next time you can order...'' she laughed again seeing my confused face, ''A pint,'' she repeated, pointing at the whole glass with her index finger.

    I nodded, trying to memorise the word and its pronunciation. Then Nora made a gesture with her finger, as if she were rolling something in the air, and I nodded again, squinting my eyes to try and guess what she meant.

    ''Next time, a half pint,'' she said, indicating half the glass with her finger.

    ''Oh! Half pint,'' I exclaimed, nodding happily, proud to have understood. I repeated ''half pint, half pint'' mentally to remember it. ''What''s your name?'' I asked, wanting to know it.

    ''I''m Nora,'' she said with a friendly smile.

    Suddenly, I remembered that she had already told me her name earlier, but I hadn''t been paying attention, as if my brain had been on pause and had just resumed functioning. I felt a bit embarrassed by my lack of concentration, but Nora smiled naturally, as if nothing had happened.

    ''Nice to meet you, Nora,'' I said, extending my hand to shake hers.

    Nora nodded with a smile that suggested she already knew, and gave me a soft, friendly handshake.

    The guy at the bar called her and Nora walked away, leaving me alone with my massive beer. To try and disguise the embarrassment that flooded over me, I took a long, careful sip, feeling the cool liquid refreshing my throat. Then, being very careful not to spill any, I picked up my phone again and started looking at photos from other visitors, seeking inspiration to enjoy the place and forget my own clumsiness.

 Chapter 4 - That man

    { Andy }

    The pub door was flung open, and the icy air from outside crept in, sending a chill down my spine that made my skin prickle. Although I didn''t notice who came in, I pulled a face of disgust at feeling the cold run down my back.

    I didn''t look up from the screen until Nora returned, accompanied by a delicious aroma of freshly cooked food. She set an oval plate on the table with what looked like battered fish and crispy chips, making my mouth water instantly.

    ''Do you like fish?'' Nora asked, pointing at the plate. ''Fish and chips, a true British classic that never fails.''

    I nodded, feeling a weight lift off me as I recognised the dish. I''d researched the typical food of the area before coming, and this plate looked very appetising.

    ''Yes, thank you so much, Nora,'' I said with a grateful smile.

    Nora went away for a moment and came back with a napkin, cutlery, and a glass of fresh water. I set my phone aside and, with my fork, speared a crispy chip and dipped it in the tartar sauce that came in a small bowl next to the plate. The sauce, with its smooth texture and salty, creamy flavour, exploded in my mouth, and I couldn''t help but let out a sigh of satisfaction.

    I cut off a piece of fish that was still hot and steaming, and as I brought it to my mouth, my eyes involuntarily drifted to the bar in front of me. There stood the most attractive man I had ever seen in my entire life.

    His face was a perfect blend of masculinity and sensuality, with a broad jaw and fiery red beard that matched his hair. The beard was thick and well-groomed, curving slightly upwards at the corners of his lips, giving him an air of mystery and allure. When our eyes met, his emerald green eyes shone intensely, leaving me breathless. His lips curved into an irresistible smile, and I suddenly felt a strong thump in my chest, as if my heart had skipped a beat.

    I wouldn''t lie if I said I was completely hypnotised by his imposing presence, which seemed to radiate an energy and confidence that filled the entire place. His height and broad back made him stand out from the rest, and his tousled, copper-coloured hair gave him an incredibly attractive touch. The intricate Viking tattoos covering his arms and neck made him look like a warrior from another era, a man who had fought a thousand battles and emerged victorious from all of them.

    I felt a wave of heat take over my body, inevitably flushing my cheeks, as if my face was on fire. It was as if an invisible force had me trapped, forcing me to stare at him without being able to look away. My heart was beating so intensely that I feared it would burst from my chest. I felt paralysed, unsure of what to do or say, only able to gaze at him in a daze.

    ''Mierda,'' I muttered in Spanish, with the feeling of having lost control of my body, an intense tingling running through my skin.

    I couldn''t believe I was reacting this way, like a teenager with her first love. But I couldn''t deny the attraction I felt for that man, having no idea what to do about it.

    I looked away, seeking refuge in the glass of beer I brought to my trembling lips, feeling an intense tingling across my skin. The cold liquid caressed my lips, but failed to quench the fire that was burning my skin, a fire that seemed to grow with every second that passed. I choked on the beer''s gas, which made me feel even more embarrassed, if possible. Could the situation become any more mortifying? I asked myself ironically, feeling like I was sinking into an increasingly uncomfortable situation.

    Of course it could. And, as if fate wanted to torment me, the red-bearded man rose from his seat and made his way towards me, his green eyes fixed on mine, making me feel completely naked, vulnerable and exposed before him.

    ''Ey, lass,'' he said in a deep voice with a thick Scottish accent, causing my stomach to flip. ''Need a wee bit of help?''

    I shook my head, raising my eyes to meet his concerned and curious green gaze. I tapped my chest lightly, trying to catch the breath that seemed to have gotten stuck in my throat, as if my body was struggling to re-establish the normal rhythm of my breathing. I felt as if I was drowning, and his closeness only made things worse, as if his presence increased the pressure on my chest.

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    ''I''m fine,'' I managed to say in a hoarse voice, trying to stay calm, though my heart was still pounding frantically.

    He looked at me sceptically, as if he didn''t believe a word, his eyes scrutinising my face for any sign that I was lying.

    ''Sure?'' he whispered, moving even closer until our faces were so near that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin.

    ''I''m sure,'' I repeated, this time in a barely audible whisper.

    ''Alright,'' he said with a mischievous smile. ''If you run out of air again, I''ll be right there.''

    His eyes roamed over my face, studying every feature, every curve, as if he wanted to etch my image into his memory. If I hadn''t been so focused on trying to remember how to breathe, I might have tried to say something more.

    Finally, he moved away, allowing me to regain control of my thoughts, at least enough to avoid choking again. I didn''t take my eyes off my phone for the rest of the meal, or at least, that''s what I tried to do, because every now and then I would sneak glances at the man who, sitting at the bar in front of me, had his back to me, as if he was trying to ignore me.

    ''Come on, Andy, write it down! You''ll see how it works,'' my friend Virginia had said to me between laughs and glasses of wine, after we finished the first season of Outlander, and I confessed my love for Jamie. According to her, if I wrote down the qualities of my ideal man and asked the universe for it, it would deliver him to me on a silver platter.

    At the time, it seemed silly to me, but Virginia had convinced me that I had nothing to lose by trying. So, with no hope, I had written down the characteristics of my ideal man: tall, green eyes, red hair, a sense of humour, and a Scottish accent.

    The temptation to take a photo of him and send it to my friend so she would be surprised was very strong. There he was! With his fiery red hair and seductive gaze, he was the embodiment of Jamie Fraser, but in a Viking version. The universe was playing a cruel joke on me, as if it had decided to fulfil my request literally, knowing that a man like him would never notice a woman like me.

    ''A coffee?'' Nora asked, appearing out of nowhere and taking my empty plate.

    I startled slightly, as I had been so focused on looking at the Viking that I hadn''t noticed her arrive. I nodded, trying to look innocent and staring at my phone as if I hadn''t been looking elsewhere. Nora laughed softly and went to prepare it. I regretted it instantly. I wasn''t much of a coffee drinker, especially at that time of day. But I had already nodded, and Nora had gone to make it. I felt a little frustrated with myself; now I would have to drink it. Although, come to think of it, I had gained a few extra minutes to keep enjoying the view, which I was glancing at again, trying not to appear too obvious.

    I wondered if they were brothers at the exact moment the waitress approached him at the bar and they started talking in hushed tones. And right then, as if they had guessed my thoughts, they turned towards me, making me feel like a child caught in the middle of mischief. I blushed and lowered my gaze to my phone again, trying to feign innocence. I was crowning myself with failures that night, and not in a positive way.

    Barely a couple of minutes had passed when Nora brought me a coffee that seemed excessively large.

    ''Next time, a half coffee,'' I said, and Nora burst out laughing.

    ''Shall I add milk and sugar?'' she asked with a smile.

    I nodded with a resigned sigh, knowing that I would have to pour in half a sugar bowl to make it drinkable. When she returned, she left me a small porcelain jug of milk and a couple of sugar bowls. As I struggled to take a sip of that bitter liquid, I heard the redhead clear his throat, which made Nora laugh heartily again.

    ''That man,'' Nora said, nodding her head towards him.

    I glanced quickly at him, feeling my temperature rise, and then turned back to Nora with a neutral expression.

    ''Yes?'' I asked, curious to know what was going on with him.

    ''He''s my cousin,'' she told me with a mischievous smile.

    She started talking at full speed, but I didn''t understand anything until she stopped abruptly and pointed at me with her left index finger, then pointed at her cousin with her right, and finally brought her fingers together with a mischievous look.

    ''What? No!'' I said, my face burning with embarrassment. Luckily, the word ''no'' was universal.

    ''No?'' she asked with an amused expression.

    ''No, no, no,'' I said emphatically, and without thinking, I took a sip of the coffee, which I still hadn''t sweetened, causing me to pull a face of disgust at its bitterness.

    The girl laughed and shrugged, walking away towards the bar under the amused gaze of her cousin and the smile of her co-worker.

    I had made enough of a fool of myself for today, so I took out my wallet and left a twenty-pound note on the table, hoping the bill wouldn''t be higher. Before making a fool of myself again, I quickly put on my coat.

    ''Goodnight, Andrea,'' Nora said before I went out the door.

    ''Goodnight, thanks for everything,'' I said in a slightly choked voice, looking towards Nora.

    I directed my last glance at the man, who was smiling at me with amusement and waving goodbye, leaning on the bar with his elbow. Once outside, away from the warmth of the fireplace and the searing gaze of the Viking, I realised how little I knew about men and how much I had to learn.

 Chapter 5 - By Odin

    { Erik }

    It wasn''t until the door closed behind her that I finally managed to look away. My head was spinning, still not fully believing it: the girl I''d thought about so many times, the owner of that smile I loved, was no longer just a memory from the past but was there in the flesh. Truth be told, I''d thought about her, or rather, about how her smile made me feel, more times than I''d ever admit. Whenever I had a shitty day, her image would appear in my mind, warming my chest just by remembering her.

    ''You really liked that woman, eh?'' my cousin asked, leaving a tray of empty glasses on the bar. Her voice made me disconnect from my thoughts, bringing me back to the present.

    ''You wouldn''t understand,'' I replied, with a tone that was half joking, half mysterious.

    And it was true. No one could understand the hurricane of emotions I had inside at that moment. Falling in love at first sight with a stranger five years ago, and her laugh still having the power to brighten my day was a story worthy of a romantic poet, not an ordinary bloke like me.

    ''You gonna stop grinning like a fool anytime soon?'' Nora joked, provoking a laugh from Callum on the other side of the bar. ''I''ll have to get a photo of that woman to show you when you''re being grumpy.''

    ''Don''t you dare encourage him,'' I warned Callum, who immediately put on an innocent face. ''I''m not a grump,'' I defended myself, downing the rest of my beer in one gulp.

    ''But you admit that you do shut yourself off sometimes, don''t you?'' my cousin retorted. ''Her name''s Andrea, and she''s made it pretty clear she''s not interested. I''ve tried,'' Nora added, having played matchmaker with good intentions but no success.

    ''I know,'' I replied with a sigh, leaning my elbow on the bar. ''Never been rejected so directly before. Guess she doesn''t go for redheads... or tattoos,'' I muttered, feeling a twinge of disappointment.

    ''Or maybe just not tramps,'' Callum quipped, causing me to toss a paper serviette straight at his face.

    ''This "tramp" will push you off the cliff next time you go near the lighthouse,'' I warned with a playful smile, unable to get Andrea''s image out of my mind.

    Callum and Nora had been mates since nursery. They''d grown up together, always thick as thieves. The attraction between them was more than obvious, but they both clung to the excuse of friendship, refusing to admit the truth.

    ''Anyway, she''s staying at my parents'' place, the house on the left,'' Nora informed me, with a mischievous look that I pretended not to notice.

    I took out a note to pay the bill and leave a tip before leaving. As I walked away from the pub, I couldn''t stop thinking about Andrea. I smiled as I remembered how she''d adorably wrinkled her nose in distaste when the cold air rushed in when I entered.

    She was beautiful, with her unruly, dark mane defying anyone who dared to stroke it, and her luscious lips always curved in a half-smile. Andrea had awoken a torrent of sensations within me that I hadn''t felt in a long time.

    When I reached the lighthouse, I took off my jacket and plopped down in the chair under the lantern, in front of the desk. I rubbed my face with my hands, trying not to think about her, but it was useless. Luckily, Finlay''s voice brought me back to reality and made me forget, if only for a moment, those lips that were driving me crazy.

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    ''You back, Erik?'' I heard his voice over the radio.

    ''Yeah, you can head off if you want,'' I said, realising I''d forgotten to let him know. Finlay was my lighthouse keeper partner in Birsay, whose capital was Kirkwall.

    We had an unwritten agreement to take turns going for dinner so there was always someone keeping watch over our coast. I took advantage of the calm to observe the vast darkness stretching out through the little window facing the sea.

    Andrea crept back into my head. The image of her eyes watching me over her phone screen, even when she thought I wasn''t looking, kept replaying in my mind over and over again. I had my back to her, but she hadn''t noticed the mirror in front of me that allowed me to see her furtive glances. She didn''t take her eyes off me all night, and I couldn''t take my eyes off her either.

    My thoughts jumped between one fantasy and another: the feeling of her unruly curls between my fingers, the depth of her eyes without the glasses that gave her such an intellectual air. I imagined the taste of beer on her lips and bit my lower lip as I remembered how much I''d wanted to wipe away the little smudge of sauce by the left corner of her mouth.

    By Odin, that woman awakened a primitive instinct within me that had remained dormant since my life fell apart almost six years ago. I rubbed my face, trying to erase the echo of her voice that, just by remembering it, gave me little spasms of pleasure in my brain. She didn''t speak English fluently, but her voice was so soft that I could listen to her speak in any language and be hypnotised.

    I didn''t dare approach her the day I fell for her smile, and I''d been torturing myself over it for all those years. Was I going to let the opportunity pass now that I knew we were on the same island? Definitely not. I had to find a way to talk to her.

    ''Erik?'' Finlay''s voice came through the radio again, making me pick it up to respond.

    ''Weren''t you going for dinner?'' I asked him, trying to clear my mind.

    ''Yeah, heading out now. Any fog at Noup Head?'' he asked me.

    I stuck my head out the window, waiting for the rotating flash of light to pass so I could check for fog in the area.

    ''Nah, can''t you see the lighthouse light?'' I responded as I climbed up to the lantern to check the lights again.

    ''Pretty dim, I think you''ve got some low beams,'' Finlay said over the radio.

    ''Hold on, give me a minute. I replaced one of the LEDs yesterday and might have left it a bit too low,'' I told him as I inspected the bulb I''d changed the day before.

    Sure enough, some of the reflectors were lower than they should have been.

    ''How about now?'' I asked him. On the next sweep of the light beam, Finlay confirmed everything was in order.

    ''Yeah, all good.''

    ''Go get your dinner, then,'' I said as I headed back to the office to make a note of the reflectors that had come loose so I could keep an eye out in case it happened again.

    In general, I liked the night shifts where I spent time keeping everything in order while reading or listening to music. But that night, it was impossible for me to concentrate on anything other than her sensual, curvaceous figure, capable of taking anyone''s breath away. For some reason, remembering her flushed face, glassy eyes, and laboured breathing made me sigh with desire.

    ''Fuck,'' I muttered, letting my hair loose and rubbing my temples, trying to relax a little.

    By 4 am, I''d managed to concentrate just enough to read a chapter of the book I had on hand, but my mind had concocted at least twenty ways to ask her out for a drink. I was dying to get to know her, to look her straight in the eye and be the one to make her smile. Every time I thought about her, I felt a tingling sensation coursing through me from head to toe, so frustrated at not being able to do anything but think about her, I sighed in resignation and set the book aside, leaning my head back and staring at the office ceiling.

    Tomorrow I''d swing by my aunt and uncle''s place in the hope of running into her and asking her out for coffee.

 Chapter 6 - I cant believe it

    { Andy }

    My eyelids slowly opened, letting consciousness gradually return to me. It took me a few seconds to remember that I was no longer in Madrid, but in an as-yet-unknown room in Piwerowall. I sat up on the bed, feeling slightly dazed, and gently rubbed my eyes in an attempt to dispel the feeling of bewilderment that was weighing heavily on me.

    I reached out towards the bedside table and my fingers found the cold touch of my mobile phone. When I lit up the screen, the clock showed just eight in the morning. I had more than enough time to get up calmly and prepare an unhurried breakfast... or not. Instead of enjoying a relaxed breakfast at home as I would have wished, I had to mentally prepare myself to go out and head to the commercial area to buy the basics to survive the next few days.

    A tingle of excitement ran through my skin when I remembered that today was the first day of my adventure in this new life I had chosen to live in Piwerowall. I got dressed quickly, eager to go out and explore the island.

    The fresh morning air caressed my face as I walked towards the shop near the port, just fifteen minutes from Chalmersquoy. Although the sun was already shining brightly, the sea breeze still retained the morning freshness, making me feel alive and full of energy. On the way, I discovered a small cosy cafe that I mentally noted to visit another time. At the shop, I limited myself to buying the essentials, avoiding being weighed down with too much, as I could always return later with the excuse of taking a leisurely stroll. On my way back home, I found Anne in the front garden of Chalmersquoy, who greeted me with a warm smile that lit up her face.

    ''Good mornin'', ma dearie,'' Anne greeted me with a warm smile.

    ''Good morning, Anne,'' I replied, returning her smile.

    Unlike the day before, this time I noticed how she pronounced each word calmly, making a conscious effort so that I could understand her without difficulty due to my limited vocabulary in her language.

    ''Did ye sleep awright?'' she asked affably.

    ''Yes. Very well,'' I replied succinctly.

    ''Nora telt me she saw ye last night,'' she mentioned while I left the bag on the ground, leaning it against the door as I searched for my keys in my purse.

    ''You know Nora?'' I asked, though immediately I felt a little silly, considering that everyone in that small village must know each other.

    ''Aye, coorse she did! She''s ma dochter,'' Anne responded with a smile at my surprised expression.

    ''Your daughter?'' I repeated, not too sure if I had pronounced that word correctly in her language.

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    ''Aye, ma dochter,'' she confirmed in a warm, prideful motherly voice.

    The sudden sound of a phone ringing inside Anne''s house interrupted our conversation. She apologised before disappearing inside to answer the call. I took that moment to open the door to my house and, once inside, I put the shopping away in the fridge and made myself a sandwich for the hike I had planned to the Noup Head Lighthouse.

    With everything ready, I set off towards my destination. I had written down the directions for the route on a piece of paper in case I lost signal or had any problems with my phone. The last thing I wanted was to get lost in that place on my first day.

    I whispered the directions to myself as I started on my way: ''Straight until the school and then left.''

    Getting to the school was easy, I just had to follow the main road and, once past the school, I took the left turn as my notes indicated. The rest of the journey didn''t present much of a challenge. I walked calmly along the side of the road, grateful for the non-existent traffic at that early hour.

    Finally, I arrived at a small bay called Noup Bay according to my notes. I stopped for a moment there to admire the beauty of the sea and catch my breath. I took the opportunity to take a couple of photos with my phone and send them to my mum.

    After that brief rest, I resumed the path along the dirt track that led me to the imposing structure of the lighthouse, stuck to the impressive cliffs. A feeling of accomplishment overcame me as I reached my destination.

    ''What impressive views!'' I exclaimed excitedly, while keeping a safe distance from the edge of the cliff, at least fifteen steps away.

    I found a large rock and sat on it, closing my eyes to enjoy that moment. I felt the stress and fatigue dissipating with each deep breath. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks and the cry of the seagulls merged into a symphony of peace and tranquillity. It had been a very pleasant walk and the reward of the views was, simply, perfect.

    I don''t know how long I had remained there in silence, immersed in the whisper of the sea, but it must have been long enough for my breathing to become slow and deep. However, when I opened my eyes, the blue sky that had welcomed me that morning had vanished and dense grey clouds began to unleash a cold rain upon me that, along with the icy wind that began to blow, made me shiver with cold.

    ''Oh, shit!'' I complained, quickly putting everything away in my backpack before setting off, trying to escape the rain that was falling with increasing force.

    Just as I was about to retrace the dirt path, a shrill whistle made me jump. When I turned around, I saw the redhead from the night before standing at the entrance to the lighthouse, his red hair glowing like a flame in the darkness. I stopped dead and my heart began to beat faster. We stared at each other from a distance, as if time had stopped, and then he gestured with his hand for me to run towards the white building that sheltered him from the rain.

    ''I can''t believe it,'' I muttered, quickening my pace as the rain soaked me to the bone. Once by his side, the man stepped aside, allowing me to enter the refuge of the lighthouse. Inside, the steady rhythm of the drops against the roof, added to the sepulchral silence, made me doubt whether that sound came from the storm or the loud beating of my own heart reverberating in my chest.

    He closed the door behind me, isolating us from the icy wind lashing the outside, and I felt comforted by the warm and minimalist interior ambience. The lone sofa, the vending machine offering drinks and snacks, and the display case with maps and brochures of the island seemed to be there as witnesses to our encounter.

    He turned towards me and our gazes met in an electric clash. His green eyes shone intensely and my breath stopped when his lips curved into a smile that lit up the entire room. I felt as if time had stopped, and only the two of us existed in that single moment.

 Chapter 7 - Good morning, lass

    {Erik}

    I stretched as I left the house, heading to the lighthouse where I worked. My gaze went straight to the imposing main building right in front of me. I''d left my mobile in the office after finishing my shift and had lost my head searching for it all over the house until I finally remembered I''d left it charging there.

    Although the day had dawned with radiant sunshine, I knew from the barometer readings that the atmospheric pressure was changing. The weather wouldn''t take long to turn nasty, which was a shame. I would''ve loved to walk down to the nearby village, enjoy the fresh air, and grab some breakfast at Aga''s cozy caf¨¦. But the weather forecast didn''t look very promising.

    As soon as I looked out the office window, with my phone safely in my pocket, I saw the thick grey clouds approaching Westray at an alarming rate. It would be pouring down in less than 10 minutes. Luckily, I had no plans beyond staying at home, surrounded by comfort and calm, retouching some of the latest photos I''d taken a couple of days ago.

    ''Finlay, there''s a stoater o'' a storm comin'' towards Noup Head,'' I warned over the walkie.

    ''Ach, dinna be daft! It''s roastin'' here...'' my colleague complained, yawning, which made me smile.

    ''Ye''ll need tae cancel the picnic wi'' yer lassie,'' I teased, grabbing the book I was reading to take home. The good thing about being single was not having romantic plans to ruin and being able to enjoy a quiet day to myself.

    Finlay complained that his girlfriend, Moira, would kill him for cancelling their date, but I knew he couldn''t control the weather. I turned to leave, but something stopped me dead in my tracks. My gaze fell on the window overlooking the cliffs. There, a dark mane was blowing in the wind, calling to me like a siren''s song. Leaning against the stone wall, knowing the chances of being seen were minimal, I gave in to the temptation of indulging in her presence.

    I was captivated by her happy face, and a shiver ran down my spine, awakening a deep and primitive need that had been tormenting me since last night. I felt irresistibly drawn to her, and my pulse quickened at the thought of going down to greet her.

    The first raindrops began to fall, driven by the wind. Her face transformed into a charming grimace, just like the night before when the cold made her screw up her face. She was bloody adorable.

    In a hurry, she started gathering her things, and I rushed down to prevent her from running to the village, which was far away. She wouldn''t find shelter for at least 15 minutes, ending up completely soaked, and I couldn''t let that happen.

    I whistled decisively as soon as I reached the door, making her stop in her tracks and turn to look at me like a deer caught in headlights. I beckoned her to take shelter from the rain inside the lighthouse, and my heart skipped a beat when she started approaching. Her proximity made me feel a sexual tension that ran down my spine. I was drawn to her in an inexplicable way, as if my body was programmed to respond to her presence. What did this woman have that could awaken such intense desire in me? I felt like a lovesick teenager, with butterflies in my stomach and a strange warmth growing in my chest.

    ''Good morning, lass,'' I said in a husky voice, breaking the silence that had formed as soon as she stepped inside and I closed the door behind her.

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    ''Good morning,'' she replied in a timid voice.

    I fixed my gaze on her drenched hair and her jacket, which, far from being waterproof, wasn''t thick enough to protect her from the island''s chill. The fabric of her coat clung to her body, revealing her curves and making me swallow hard as I averted my eyes not to make her uncomfortable. Her bright, curious eyes met mine, causing a shiver inside me.

    ''Do you need something to dry off with?'' I croaked, wishing I could make her feel dry and comfortable.

    She ran her hands over her face, pushing aside some of the dark strands that stuck to her damp skin. I smiled warmly at her, trying to convey that I was there to help.

    ''Come on,'' I said, opening the lighthouse door again.

    Without hesitation, we dashed through the torrential rain to my house, which was no more than fifteen paces from the lighthouse. I had lit the fireplace a couple of hours earlier, and the smell of burning wood filled the dining room, mingling with the earthy scent the rain brought. The contrast between the cold and humidity outside and the comforting warmth inside was welcoming. I closed the door behind us, isolating us from the storm.

    ''I''ll get you something to dry off with,'' I said, taking off my soaked sweatshirt and boots, trying not to make a mess of water and mud everywhere. ''Make yourself at home, I''ll be right back.''

    I gave her a smile before heading to the bathroom to grab a couple of dry towels. As I walked away, I couldn''t help but sneak a glance at her taking off her coat and shaking her wet hair with trembling hands from the cold. I returned with a towel and a warm sweatshirt, thinking she might need something dry and warm after the freezing rain. I stopped beside her, offering them with a kind smile.

    ''Thanks,'' she murmured, drying her damp hair a bit with the towel. Her jersey was soaked, and I could see her shivering.

    ''Here, put this on,'' I said, holding out the sweatshirt towards her.

    Our eyes met for an instant, and I detected a spark of curiosity in her brown eyes. Then, her gaze shifted to my arm, to the tattoos that had been revealed when I rolled up my sleeves. I noticed her blushing slightly, possibly intimidated by my appearance.

    ''I''m Erik,'' I introduced myself with a reassuring smile, trying to break the ice and make her feel more comfortable.

    ''Andy. Andrea,'' she corrected quickly with a faint, timid smile.

    ''Isn''t Andy a boy''s name?'' I asked, trying to tease a smile out of her with a playful tone.

    But instead of laughing, her brow furrowed and she gave me a confused and annoyed look, which only made my grin grow wider. I loved how her face changed expression in an instant.

    ''I''m not a boy,'' she defended herself, her tone firm.

    I swallowed hard, feeling a sudden warmth in my chest as I waited for her not to bring out that feisty side too often. It was already hard enough for me to keep my cool when she was around. If she had attitude too... Well, I was sure I wouldn''t be able to resist the temptation to tease her and see how far I could push her.

    ''Clearly not,'' I murmured, letting my eyes roam over her silhouette with deliberate slowness, as if savouring every curve and line of her body.

    ''Let me help you,'' I said, taking her soaked coat and backpack and hanging them on the hook by the front door.

    ''I''m sorry, I don''t speak English very well,'' she apologised, her face scrunched up in frustration.

    ''No worries,'' I replied with a sympathetic smile. My suspicions that she didn''t speak the language had just been confirmed, but that only made me more eager to get to know her. ''Mi espa?ol muy malo,'' I admitted, trying to recall the few words and phrases I''d learned on my trip to Barcelona years ago to communicate with her.

    Her eyes lit up like a flame had been ignited inside them, and the curve of her lips rose slightly. In that moment, I knew I''d do anything to make her smile again.

 Chapter 8 - The lighthouse keeper

    {Andy}

    Erik gestured for me to take off my boots, probably to prevent me from turning his house into a mud pit. Then, he beckoned me to follow him to what seemed to be the dining room, and as I entered, I noticed the room was very rustic and cozy, with stone walls, wooden ceilings and floors, and decorated in cream tones.

    ''The bathroom''s over there,'' Erik said, pointing to a door at the end of the lounge.

    ''Thanks,'' I replied immediately, heading towards it.

    I stopped in front of the mirror and gave myself a critical once-over, scrunching up my nose at the state of my reflection. My hair, wet and tangled, looked like it had been through a fight with the wind. I ran my fingers through the damp strands, trying to tame them enough to tie them up in a high ponytail. I didn''t like having my face on full display, as it made me feel vulnerable, but it was definitely better than the wild look I had with my hair wet and tangled.

    I took off the soaked grey jumper I was wearing and, as I did, I shivered with the cold, so I quickly put on the warm dark hoodie Erik had lent me, which, despite being a bit too big, made me feel much more comfortable. After tidying myself up a bit, I came out of the bathroom and saw Erik with his back to me in the kitchen.

    But when he turned around, his intense gaze swept over me from head to toe, making my cheeks flush. I felt a burning heat spreading throughout my body, and instinctively, I made sure the zip of the hoodie was all the way up, not wanting to reveal more than I was willing to at that moment. His piercing gaze made me feel naked, but it also awakened an emotion I hadn''t experienced in years: I felt attractive under his eyes.

    ''Let me, I''ll put it to dry by the fireplace,'' Erik said, approaching me and pointing to my soaked jumper.

    I was grateful that he accompanied his words with clear non-verbal language, because between my nerves about being in his house and the depth of his accent, I barely understood five per cent of what he was saying.

    He took one of the wooden chairs from the kitchen table and pulled it closer to the fireplace, draping my jumper over the back to dry. Meanwhile, I fidgeted with the cuffs of my hoodie, nervous, unable to tear my gaze away from him. I hadn''t exaggerated at all when I imagined his attractiveness. In fact, he was even more impressive up close.

    ''You should consider buying a waterproof jacket with a hood,'' he advised, snapping me out of my reverie.

    ''I''m sorry, what?'' I asked, confused.

    He smiled warmly, and his gaze met mine. He took a decisive step closer, accelerating my pulse. However, when his large hands gently took the hood of the hoodie and put it over my head, brushing against my cheek in the process, I held my breath involuntarily.

    ''A hood,'' he said, placing his hand on my head and then pointing towards the window. ''For the rain.''

    I blinked a couple of times, trying to process the information, but my mind was elsewhere, stuck on the spot where his hand had brushed against my skin with such gentleness. I opened my mouth as the words sank in, and I let out a sound of understanding. I nodded, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks.

    I observed his movements out of the corner of my eye as he prepared what I assumed would be a couple of cups of tea. I bit my lip, unable to help but admire his athletic figure as he moved confidently around his own home.

    ''Do you like black tea?'' Erik asked me in a smooth voice.

    ''Yes, thank you,'' I lied, trying to maintain a neutral expression.

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    The truth is, I didn''t like tea, neither black, green, nor any other colour, but I wouldn''t be the one to refuse a Brit a cup of tea after he had rescued me from the torrential rain. Erik approached the dark wooden coffee table in front of the sofa, placing the two cups with a soft clinking sound, and went back to the kitchen to fetch spoons and sugar.

    ''Where are you from?'' he asked me with curiosity, gesturing for me to sit on the sofa while he approached.

    I moved away from the fireplace, carefully circling the table to avoid bumping into it, which I often did. I sat relatively close to him, noticing how my skin prickled at his proximity.

    ''Madrid, Spain,'' I smiled with pride. ''Do you know where it is?''

    ''Yes, but I''ve never been,'' he replied, handing me the sugar bowl with a smooth movement. ''I only know Barcelona,'' he added, his eyes sparkling with interest.

    I was drawn to his smile and the way he looked at me, as if he was seeing something beyond my surface. I nodded, sighing with nostalgia for my hometown. My reaction must have amused him, because he let out a small, amused chuckle that made me look at him intrigued, with a smile on my lips.

    ''Yes... I know,'' I admitted, a bit embarrassed. ''It was sunny when I left,'' I added, trying to justify myself.

    In reality, my jacket didn''t have a hood, but I had gone out for a stroll with a certain sense of calm, convinced that the bright sun and blue sky didn''t foretell the sudden rain that had caught me off guard minutes earlier.

    ''It''s Scotland, never trust the sun,'' he warned me, with a mischievous grin.

    He turned towards the kitchen, where the water was bubbling in the electric kettle, and I took the opportunity to pull the hood back down, making sure my hair was still in place.

    As he moved around the kitchen, I approached the chair in front of the fireplace. I warmed my hands near the fire, although I didn''t really feel cold. It was impossible to feel cold when sharing the same room as that attractive man. Nevertheless, approaching the fireplace seemed less ridiculous than standing still in the middle of the room doing nothing.

    ''What''s so funny?'' I asked, curious to know what he had found so amusing.

    ''Don''t you like Barcelona?'' Erik asked, adding sugar to his tea after I had finished.

    ''I do, but Madrid is better,'' I affirmed, sounding firm and confident.

    ''I''ll have to go to Madrid to check it out,'' Erik said, handing me the cup. I didn''t want to drink the tea, but I didn''t want to seem rude either.

    ''Are you on holiday?'' he asked.

    I shook my head, making a huge effort not to express my dislike for the bitter taste of the drink.

    ''No, sort of. Long holiday,'' I croaked.

    My gaze drifted towards the sugar bowl, and for a moment, I had the temptation to pour all the sugar into my cup. Erik shifted on the sofa, turning towards me with a charming smile. His gaze stopped on my lips, making me wet them unconsciously, and his eyes returned to mine.

    ''You haven''t chosen the best destination to learn English,'' he said in a deep, grave voice.

    ''I''m not here to learn English,'' I ventured to reply, thinking he had said something about learning it.

    ''Then?'' he asked with curiosity, taking a sip from his cup.

    I fixed my eyes on his lips and how they wrapped around the rim of the porcelain. I could do without the sugar; surely, the tea tasted better on his lips.

    ''Uh... it''s complicated,'' I sighed, forcing myself to stop fantasizing and putting my cup down on the table.

    How did I explain to a stranger that my world had fallen apart and I was trying to pick up the pieces? I forced a friendly smile, but I couldn''t help but look down at the cup, feeling frustrated. The language was getting stuck in my throat more than I had thought.

    ''I understand,'' Erik replied softly.

    An uncomfortable silence settled between us, loaded with a palpable tension that made me more nervous than my own clumsiness with the language. I swallowed hard, desperately searching my mind for a topic I could handle with ease to break the ice.

    ''Do you live here?'' I asked, knowing it was a silly question but hoping I had at least phrased it correctly.

    ''Yes,'' he nodded, placing his cup on the table with a smooth movement. ''I''m the lighthouse keeper on the island.''

    I narrowed my eyes, trying to understand what that meant. Erik, seeing that I didn''t understand, got up and pointed towards the lighthouse through the window. Suddenly, everything clicked, like I had found the missing piece in a puzzle.

    ''Oh! Wow,'' I exclaimed, my eyes wide with surprise.

 Chapter 9 - About me

    {Erik}

    Andrea''s gaze was fixed on me, her lips parted in surprise as I revealed I was a lighthouse keeper. A reaction I knew all too well - a mix of amazement and fascination that often preceded a look loaded with desire. I''d seen that look countless times in the past when women discovered my profession as a firefighter. But never before had someone been so thrilled to learn I worked in a lighthouse.

    ''And what''s your secret?'' I asked in a low tone, letting my gaze slide slowly over her face. ''What do you do?''

    Before me stood an intelligent and elegant woman, whose natural calmness made me think of an office job, perhaps in accounting or finance. But there was something more to her, a mystery I sensed beneath that serene fa?ade. Maybe she was a creative artist hiding her inner passion. I leaned in, drawn by the curiosity Andrea sparked in me. Our knees almost touched, and I could feel the scorching heat of her skin, as if an invisible thread was pulling our bodies together.

    ''Me? Good question,'' Andrea replied with a mysterious smile, her eyes slowly scanning the dining room, as if searching for the answer in the air around us.

    Suddenly, her gaze stopped on the wooden bookshelf by the fireplace, packed with my books. Her face lit up with sudden joy, and she extended her delicate hand towards it, making me turn to follow the trajectory of her arm. My initial confusion turned to fascination as I grasped what she was trying to tell me.

    ''Are you a writer?'' I asked, my voice trembling with excitement.

    As a teenager, I''d seen a film where the gruff detective protagonist fell head over heels in love with a mystery novelist. The intensity of their love story had unconsciously turned writers into a fetish for me. I''d always seen them as mysterious creatures, with a passion and creativity that drew me in irresistibly. And now, here I was, sitting across from a woman who seemed to emanate that same aura of mystery and creative genius, stirring my deepest desires.

    She made a hesitant gesture with her head, causing one of the curls from her bun to escape wildly and bounce against her rosy cheek like a mischievous spring. With a slow, seductive movement, Andrea tucked the rebellious curl behind her ear.

    ''Soon,'' she replied finally, her gaze loaded with hope and a mischievous glint in her eyes.

    ''What do you write about?'' I pressed on, feeling my curiosity about this enigmatic woman growing with every passing moment.

    From the confused expression on her face, it seemed she wasn''t quite sure. She brought the tea cup to her full lips as if to avoid answering my question. Although she tried to hide it, her brow furrowed slightly, betraying that she didn''t enjoy the tea. She cleared her throat softly and, with a slow, seductive movement, returned the almost untouched cup to the table.

    She seemed to be buying time, trying to find the perfect words to respond. And I found myself waiting with rapt attention, captivated by her movements.

    ''About me,'' she whispered finally, her voice so low I had to lean in to hear her confession, bringing me perilously close to her lips.

    I was taken aback by her response. Did she write about herself? That was something I hadn''t expected. A sudden urge to know her story took hold of me. What secrets did her creative mind hide? What had driven her to settle in this remote corner of Pierowall to put her life on paper? I felt like I was on the verge of uncovering the mysteries only she knew, and my desire to uncover them grew with every second.

    ''Do you write about yourself in Pierowall? Why?'' I asked, filled with curiosity.

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    Andrea shrugged, and a shadow of anguish crossed her face, as if she was struggling to find the right words to respond. I kept my gaze fixed on her, hypnotized by every slight movement of her full lips and every blink of her long, seductive eyelashes.

    ''I don''t know,'' she said finally, her voice filled with uncertainty and mystery. ''Is it because it''s far away?'' she asked, more to herself than to me.

    ''You''ve certainly chosen a very remote place, far from Madrid,'' I teased softly. ''Are you running from someone?''

    But her eyes clouded over immediately, and I felt a pang in my stomach. I had unintentionally touched a sensitive topic. She was running from something, or someone.

    ''No, I... well. My English. It''s a way to practice,'' she stammered with a slightly trembling voice, as if trying to convince herself that was the real reason.

    I restrained the impulse to comfort her with a touch, seeing how her gaze fixed on the fire with vulnerability and her cheeks flushed, wanting to hide her deeper emotions. I didn''t know if it was due to her inability to express herself better or if my joke had reopened a wound from her painful past. Nor did I know the reasons that had brought her to the remote island of Westray, but I couldn''t bear to see her suffer. In that moment, I knew I would do anything to bring back her smile. With delicacy, as if I feared scaring a fragile creature, I extended my hand to gently touch hers on the sofa. A light contact, but one charged with scorching warmth.

    ''Your English is better than my Spanish,'' I said softly, trying to steer the conversation towards the excuse she had given herself. I hoped to dispel the shadow of sadness I had seen in her beautiful eyes.

    Andrea bit her lower lip sensually, rewarding me with a small, grateful smile. Her deep, brown eyes seemed to search for something in mine. After a few seconds, she sighed and looked away, surrendering to something her mind had told her.

    I wish I could read her thoughts and discover what secrets made her feel so fragile and vulnerable. But I could only see that helpless look and feel the urge to make her smile again, to bring back the light.

    It had been years since I''d had a partner, and months since my last physical contact with a woman. Although I didn''t think time would take its toll, it was clear that Andrea was awakening a deep desire in me that had been dormant for too long.

    But I didn''t want to scare her or make her feel pressured. She seemed like a wounded woman, and I felt like I only had one chance to make her feel safe and not shut down on me. So I promised myself I''d go slow, making her feel secure and protected, comfortable in my company, and most of all, that she could trust me.

    I turned to the window for a moment and saw that the rain had stopped, making it the perfect time to take her out and show her the surroundings of the lighthouse, distracting her from her inner demons.

    ''Come on,'' I said, standing up and extending my hand towards her.

    Andrea looked at it for a moment before fixing her eyes on mine in a way that was so innocent it made me shiver. It was going to be hard to be a gentleman if every time she looked at me, she did it with such sensuality and innocence mixed. Her delicate hand grasped mine, and an electric shock ran through me from head to toe. I wanted to feel those soft hands all over my body.

    I made a great effort not to think about my deeper desires and led her to the entrance, helping her with her boots while I put on mine. Once ready, I took my thick winter coat from the hook and handed it to her with a gentle gesture. I knew it would be huge on her, but at least it would keep her body warm. I put on my waterproof jacket, which wouldn''t keep me warm but would keep me dry. The cold outside wasn''t a problem for me; I was more than used to it.

    Andrea looked at the coat in her hand and then at her own, which was still damp.

    ''Wear it, it''s better than yours,'' I said softly.

    She hesitated for a moment, but finally put it on, and I couldn''t help but chuckle softly at how the coat practically reached her knees, while it barely covered my thighs. A simply adorable sight.

    ''Hood,'' I indicated with a deep voice, while I tucked my hair under the hood of my jacket.

    ''Hood,'' she repeated with an excited smile, remembering the word I had taught her earlier.

    ''Good,'' I smiled and winked at her, captivated by her joy.

    I approached her, invading her personal space, to adjust the coat''s toggles so the cold wind wouldn''t get in. My hand subtly brushed against her rosy cheek as I adjusted the hood. I wanted to make sure she was comfortable and protected from the cold of Noup Head. Once I checked that she was well-covered with my own coat, I opened the door and gestured with my head for her to follow me outside.

 Chapter 10.1 (Correction in progress)

    { Erik }

    The damp mist clung to the cliffs, blurring the horizon into a watercolor of grays. We left the lighthouse, leaving behind its comforting warmth, and walked towards the rock where Andrea had admired the views before the sky collapsed.

    My coat, loose on her petite frame, shielded her from the cold and rain. Sensing her lagging behind, I halted and turned towards her, offering an apologetic smile. My long, agile legs allowed me to move quickly, while hers, shorter, struggled to keep pace. From now on, I would have to pay more attention to her step, making sure she didn''t exhaust herself trying to keep up with my hurried pace.

    We reached the rocky area by the cliff, where Andrea had previously enjoyed the views. I sat on the largest stone, leaving the same space next to me that she had occupied a while ago. I gestured for her to sit, but she hesitated, looking at the sleeves of my jacket with concern, possibly fearing that sitting down would wet or soil it.

    "Don''t worry, it''s very hardy," I reassured her with a reassuring smile.

    Her large, expressive eyes looked at me distrustfully for a moment before relenting and taking a seat beside me. The physical closeness intensified the protective feeling I wanted to offer her, creating a bubble of intimacy amidst the storm.

    I admired her sweetness, rather than just enjoying the moment and the surrounding views. With an almost instinctive movement, I brushed away a puddle of water that had formed on the stone so she wouldn''t get wet. Andrea finally sat down, her shyness touching me, as I dried my hand on my knee.

    Once settled by my side, she directed her gaze towards the ocean. Despite the storm battering the coast, the lack of wind kept the waves in an almost hypnotic balance. A gesture of pleasure appeared on her face, and watching her enjoy nature was extremely attractive to me.

    "I love this place," I murmured quietly, leaning my hands behind me on the stone and closing my eyes, letting myself be carried away by the serenity of the moment.

    With my eyes still closed, I tilted my face slightly upwards, allowing the tiny droplets of water, more like a damp powder, to caress my skin. I enjoyed the sensation of freshness as the drops slid down my nose and disappeared among the hairs of my beard. I sensed her gaze on me and, half-opening one eye, I glanced at her sideways. A smile spread across my lips at her expression of innocence when caught. Quickly, she averted her gaze forward, trying to hide her mischief, but a charming blush had tinged her cheeks.

    She was truly beautiful, especially when her cheeks blazed like fire, radiant and wild. Her brown eyes, hidden behind glasses that gave her an innocent and intelligent air, seemed to contain an energy that her sweet features tried to disguise. I had always considered myself good at reading people, and that woman had an extraordinary potential to become whatever she wanted, even though, for some reason, she seemed to be trapped in some kind of invisible cage.

    "Are you cold?" I asked, leaning on my knees, concerned for her.

    She, with that thoughtful expression that seemed to process every word, looked at me as she searched her mind for an answer. With her silence, I rubbed my hands and then my arms, trying to convey the information through a gesture.

    "No, I''m ok," she replied softly, a bit awkwardly but adorably. "Your jacket is... good."

    "I know," I replied with a smile. "It gets really cold here in winter, so you have to be prepared."

    A comfortable silence settled between us, broken only by the sound of the waves and the rain.

    I was surprised that someone accustomed to living in a warm country, especially in a capital full of comforts, had decided to move to such a remote and cold island, without speaking the language and without being prepared for it. Perhaps she didn''t know that Pierowall rained practically all year round.

    "You need Spanish," she said with a mischievous smile that elicited a laugh from me. Had she just suggested that I, a native of these lands, was the one who needed to learn a foreign language?

    "Me? Spanish? I think you''re the one who needs to learn English," I replied between laughs, unable to help feeling intrigued by this peculiar woman.

    "Nah," she said with a gesture that only fueled my amusement.

    Despite her initial shyness, Andrea had a great sense of humor, a quality that set her apart from most of the women I had met. She was natural, spontaneous, and fun.

    "It''s a shame," I murmured, leaning towards her. "I could teach you, if you wanted." It was evident that language was not her strong suit, but if she was going to stay around here for a while, it would be good for her to be able to defend herself.

    "You? Teaching?" she asked incredulously.

    I nodded, observing her closely. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, but also from a touch of embarrassment that made her even more attractive. Her lips, barely visible under the edge of the jacket, seemed to invite me to something forbidden. Perhaps she noticed that I was watching her because she turned her face forward, depriving me of her eyes.

    "I don''t bite," I said, unable to resist the temptation to suggest it.

    "Sure?" she asked with a mischievous smile that ignited my desire.

    "Sometimes," I admitted with a mischievous smile, averting my gaze to the sea to resist the temptation to taste her lips.

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    A sigh of exasperation escaped her lips, followed by a mumble where she cursed.

    "I hate English," she grumbled, frowning with annoyance.

    "Why?" I asked, feigning indignation but unable to erase the smile from my face.

    "It''s hard!" she exclaimed with frustration.

    "It''s not, not at all," I shook my head. "You just need a little practice," I assured firmly.

    "I doubt it," she insisted, with a disgusted grimace as she looked ahead.

    "Alright, I''ll prove it to you," I said determinedly. "I''ll be your private English tutor."

    Was I excited about the idea of having found a perfect excuse to spend more time with her without it seeming forced? Definitely.

    "And your accent..." she left the sentence hanging, with a mischievous look.

    "What''s wrong with my accent?" I asked, amused. Holy hell, that woman had the gift of bringing out all the joy that had been contained within me.

    "It''s more difficult that English."

    A complicit silence settled between us, and I couldn''t help but burst into laughter. It was true that many considered the Glasgow accent a real tongue twister, but only those who had never heard the northern islanders could opine so lightly. Anyone who had heard my uncles conversing among themselves would know that my English and my accent were birdsong compared to theirs.

    "Oh girl..." I shook my head, clicking my tongue in a paternal tone.

    I couldn''t help but be hypnotized by the look she gave me and by the way she bit her lower lip, further fueling the desire burning inside me to kiss her. The rain, as if by magic, ceased its silent drumming on our heads. I took off the hood of my raincoat to feel the fresh air on my face, seeking some mental clarity, just as a ray of sunshine briefly illuminated us. Seeing that she was still sheltered under the protection of my jacket, I loosened the cords of her hood so she could breathe some fresh air, just like me.

    "Thank you," she said softly, a shy smile appearing on her lips.

    "You''re welcome, lass," I replied, winking at her conspiratorially.

    In that moment, under the faint sunlight breaking through the clouds, something within me shifted. The spark that had ignited between us in the rain threatened to become something more intense, something that promised to be as overwhelming as the storm that had just passed.

    "I feel... ridiculous!" exclaimed Andrea, attracting my attention. A torrent of words in Spanish flowed from her lips, expressing frustration and a hint of humor. She sighed, rolling her eyes as she ran her hands over her face, as if trying to calm the nervousness that invaded her.

    "Don''t worry, your English is better than my Spanish," I replied with a warm smile, placing my hand on her back in a comforting gesture. "How about if you teach me Spanish and I help you with your English?" I suggested.

    I doubted very much that I could learn to the level she needed to communicate without getting frustrated. However, between what she could speak in English and what I could understand in Spanish, it would be better than nothing.

    Doubt reflected in her eyes, but also a glimmer of hope. Andrea looked at me carefully, as if she could read my soul.

    "Do you want to speak Spanish?" she asked, surprise lacing her voice.

    "Of course," I assured her with a shrug. "I tried to learn some words a while back when my friends took me to Spain on vacation. But beyond ordering a beer, I don''t remember much," I confessed with a mischievous smile.

    Andrea returned the smile, her eyes sparkling with complicity. If she only knew what I would be willing to do to hear that contagious laughter again...

    "Do you have plans for tonight?" I dared to ask, my voice tinged with nervousness that I tried to disguise.

    Andrea looked at me intently, her eyes scanning my face as if searching for a map to guide her towards my intentions.

    "Tonight?" she asked softly, her honey-colored eyes shining with a mixture of curiosity and shyness.

    I nodded, feeling a sharp pang in my chest. It was now or never. I took a deep breath, searching for the right words to express what I felt. Language could be a bridge that united us or an insurmountable chasm that separated us.

    "At six," I said firmly, extending six fingers. "I''ll drive to your house," I pointed to my car parked next to the lighthouse and made a driving gesture.

    "Uh-huh," she murmured, her eyes roaming the vehicle before returning to me.

    "I invite you to dinner," I proposed, my voice filled with emotion. "You and me," I pointed to her and then to myself.

    "Dinner together?" she asked, seeking confirmation. I nodded enthusiastically.

    "Yes."

    I paused, waiting for her response, my heart in suspense. I didn''t want her to reject me. She seemed to think for a moment, her inquisitive eyes fixed on mine. Finally, she nodded with a shy smile.

    "Okay."

    My heart leaped with joy. She hadn''t rejected me. I had a real chance to get to know her better.

    "Wonderful," I said, containing my excitement. "We can go to the Westray Inn if you like. There aren''t many options in the village, so..." I got carried away, talking too fast.

    "Erik, Erik..." she interrupted with a gentle touch on my arm. "Voy a empezar a hablarte en espa?ol, a ver qu¨¦ te parece. "

    I opened my eyes, surprised and amused. Damn, what a sexy accent. She might not like my Scottish accent, but I loved hers. I definitely had to learn Spanish.

    "Are you trying to make it hard for me?" I asked with a mischievous smile, feeling her gaze tracing my lips.

    "I don''t understand," she said with feigned innocence. I leaned towards her, shortening the distance between us. She tensed slightly, feeling my closeness.

    "I''m going to take you home," I whispered, with a tone laden with insinuation. "I don''t want to bite you prematurely."

    I stood up and offered her my hand to help her. She hesitated for a moment, but finally accepted it. As her hand brushed mine, I felt an electric shock course through my body. I would have liked to prolong that contact, but I let go of her hand so as not to make her uncomfortable. I took the keys out of my pocket and opened the car door. Once inside, the music automatically turned on, filling the vehicle with the melodies of The Hu, the band I was listening to when I arrived the night before.

    "The Hu?"

    "Do you know The Hu?" I asked, pleasantly surprised. It wasn''t exactly a well-known rock band. I was passionate about alternative bands, and The Hu was a Mongolian group that played Hunnu Rock with traditional instruments, creating a unique sound.

    "Yes. I like them."

    At that precise moment, I knew I had to get to know her thoroughly. Andrea was a breath of fresh air in my life, a burst of color and joy that broke into the monotony of my existence at the lighthouse. After five years away from the world, I was ready to open up to someone again.

 Chapter 10.2 (Correction in progress)

    { Andy }

    "You''ve got a date!" Virginia exclaimed from the other end of the phone, her voice vibrating with excitement.

    "It''s not a date," I replied, trying to hide my embarrassment.

    "Oh, come on, Andy! You can call it whatever you want, but having dinner with a handsome guy all alone is still a date," Virginia insisted in a playful tone.

    I looked at my phone screen, meeting her playful gaze through the video call. Virginia had been my lifeline after my breakup with Oliver, one of the few friends I still kept close after all the drama. To be honest, she never liked Oliver, and we had known each other since high school, so it would have been strange if our friendship had been affected by something like that.

    "It''s just dinner... and I''m sure it''ll be a complete disaster," I sighed, sitting on the sofa in front of the window, my gaze lost in the bay.

    "And why do you say that? Andy, you''re a fascinating, intelligent, and funny woman... you have a lot to offer!" she exclaimed, trying to cheer me up.

    "I don''t speak his language," I lamented. "I can be as interesting as you want, but I can''t show it. It''s so frustrating to want to say something and not be able to express it." I made a grimace of frustration.

    "Well, you can always call me and put me on speakerphone," Virginia joked. "I''ll be your personal interpreter."

    Her bilingualism was an advantage I didn''t have. Virginia had lived in the United States for several years, perfecting her English even before moving there for work. I, on the other hand, had arrived with a suitcase full of dreams and a limited vocabulary.

    "No way," I replied, crossing my arms. "Knowing you, you''ll probably tell him whatever you want, not what I actually say."

    Virginia burst out laughing, admitting my accusation with total shamelessness.

    "Is he good-looking?" she asked slyly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. My facial expression said it all before I could open my mouth.ˇŞ "Okay, okay, I see him now!" she exclaimed between giggles. "He''s very handsome, isn''t he? Well, handsome by your standards... He could look like a homeless person to me, who knows? Tall, bearded, and with long hair?"

    I nodded. Virginia knew me too well to fool her.

    "How tall?" she continued her interrogation.

    "I don''t know exactly... about as tall as Carlos," I replied, mentioning her ex-husband to provoke her. Virginia''s face clouded over instantly.

    "6''3" then," she murmured, doing the math. "Brunette?" - I shook my head. "Blonde?" - I shook my head again. "Redhead!" she exclaimed with a squeal of excitement that forced me to pull the phone away.

    "Vir, this is Scotland!" I protested. "There are redheads everywhere."

    "Tattooed?" she insisted, ignoring my comment.

    "Tattooed..." I admitted in a small voice.

    "Green eyes?"

    I sighed, resigned. "Yes, Vir, it''s everything I wrote on that damn paper while I was half-drunk," I confessed, knowing she wouldn''t stop until she got the whole truth. A triumphant silence fell over the other end of the line.

    "Andy! You''ve found the universe''s man!" Virginia shouted, her voice full of enthusiasm. "I can''t believe it!"

    "I told you so," I replied happily. "He must be single, right?"

    "I guess so, I didn''t ask."

    "I bet you''re right. I doubt he would have asked you out if he had a girlfriend hanging around. Did he have a ring?" she asked with intrigue. I shook my head. "Oh, so you looked at his hand to see if he was married... you sly dog!" Virginia exclaimed in a playful tone.

    I rolled my eyes, remembering the moment when the idea of asking her for help had seemed like a good idea. A torrent of doubts and questions assaulted me: what should I wear, how should I act, what should I say? The prospect of the "date" filled me with a mixture of excitement and fear.

    "Well, are you going to help me or not?" I complained, with a tone of voice between exasperated and pleading.

    "Yes, what do you have with a neckline?" Virginia asked, feigning innocence.

    "I''m not going to wear a neckline. It''s freezing cold and it''s NOT A DATE," I emphasized, trying to silence the inner voice that suggested the opposite.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "If that were the case, you wouldn''t have asked me for advice on what to wear," she replied, with a perspicacity that left me speechless. "You would put on the first thing you found in your closet and there would be no drama. You want to impress him."

    "It''s not that," I defended myself. "It''s just that it''s the first man I''m going to have dinner with after Oliver and... I don''t want it to be an absolute disaster."

    "Honey, it wouldn''t be a disaster even if you wore a turtleneck sweater. Let me see what you have. Did you pack the black shirt I gave you last Christmas?" Virginia asked enthusiastically.

    I nodded and got up from the sofa. I walked to the bedroom, opened the closet and took out the black shirt.

    "And what about some black jeans?"

    I put the shirt on the bed and rummaged through my pants until I found a pair of black jeans that I felt comfortable in. "Yes," I confirmed.

    "Elegant but informal, yes," Virginia nodded, evaluating me with a critical eye. "And loose hair suits you, it gives you a wilder look."

    "Wild like a lioness with disheveled hair in the middle of a storm," I joked, imagining my hair tousled by the wind.

    "You''re a lioness, Andy," she replied firmly. "Stop trying to be a scared gazelle."

    "Okay, okay," I surrendered to her perspicacity. "And what about the language? How am I going to communicate with him if I can barely babble a couple of basic English phrases?"

    "Andy invited you out despite the language barrier, Andrea. I don''t think he''ll care too much if you don''t speak his language perfectly. I''m sure you''ll find a way to communicate. And if not... beer! Until you both speak so badly that you understand each other perfectly."

    I couldn''t help but smile. Vir was incorrigible, always looking for the positive side of things. That was one of the reasons I adored her.

    "I''ll tell you how it went when I get back," I said, returning to the sofa and sitting down with a sigh. "I don''t think the night will be long. What about you? Any interesting news?"

    A veil of discomfort crossed Virginia''s face. It was evident that she was praying that I wouldn''t ask her that question.

    "Nothing out of the ordinary, you know," she murmured, trying to change the subject.

    "Vir..."

    "Alright, you''re right," she confessed, looking down. "Oliver called this morning."

    "Why the hell is he calling you now?" I asked in disbelief and with a hint of resentment in my voice. As far as I knew, Oliver and Virginia didn''t get along either, and they hadn''t spoken since our break-up.

    "I guess he knew I''d tell you, and he wanted you to know too."

    I ran my hand through my hair, ruffling it nervously. A part of me begged not to know, to keep the bubble of ignorance intact. But the other part, the more masochistic one, urged me to ask.

    "What does that... ?" I bit my lip, looking for the most neutral way to refer to him. "What does he want me to know?"

    "He''s getting married," Virginia replied.

    A sepulchral silence fell over the room. We looked at each other through the screen, both with the weight of the news on our shoulders. I sighed deeply, feeling a mix of sadness, anger, and resignation. The truth is, deep down, I had seen it coming.

    "And did he invite you to the wedding?" I asked in a small voice, more out of inertia than interest.

    She nodded with a barely perceptible gesture. I made a sarcastic grimace, feeling a wave of bitterness wash over me.

    "And are you going?" I asked, incredulous.

    "Of course not, Andrea," Virginia replied firmly, as if reading my thoughts. "Are you crazy? I always thought he was a jerk. I never understood what you saw in him. And the day you showed up at my door saying you''d dumped him was the happiest day of my life. Even happier than the day I got divorced."

    "Vir, you''re exaggerating a bit," I laughed, trying to ease the tension.

    "I''m not exaggerating at all, Andrea," she insisted vehemently. "Oliver is an idiot. He did you a favor by cheating on you with that girl, and I bet you she''ll ask for a divorce before a year is up. I don''t understand how you could stand him for so long."

    "Because I was in love," I defended myself, feeling a lump in my throat.

    "No, you weren''t," she replied sternly. "You were addicted to him. Oliver found you young, molded you to his will, and did whatever he wanted with you. It took you twenty years to realize he was a complete imbecile." She crossed her arms, clearly annoyed.

    "Well, whatever," I said in a low voice. "In any case, I wish them all the best. I don''t want to know anything about him. I don''t care what he does with his life." I also crossed my arms.

    "That''s right, screw him," she finally said, her tone a little more conciliatory. "Tonight you focus on the redhead, give him the eye if you''re feeling down and let him distract you."

    In half a second, I felt my cheeks turn crimson red.

    "You''re not thinking of...! No! Vir, nothing is going to happen. It''s impossible for a guy like him to be interested in a girl like me. He''s just being nice; stop thinking he has ulterior motives," I pleaded, almost unable to speak.

    "Why are you so stubborn? Why couldn''t he be interested in a woman like you?"

    "Because I''m not his type!"

    "And how do you know?"

    "Because he''s handsome and hot. I''m sure he likes women like you, not me. So stop trying to give me hope about something that''s not going to happen."

    "Listen to me, Andrea," she said firmly. "You are a beautiful, intelligent, and funny woman. You deserve to be happy. And I''m sure this redhead can be the one to make you smile again. So tonight, have dinner with him, have fun, and don''t sabotage yourself. Do it for me, okay?"

    "You talk as if I do it often," I complained, trying to sound indifferent.

    "I''m going to pretend I didn''t hear that," she said in a dry tone.

    "Anyway, I''m going to... shower and stuff," I said, looking at the time on my phone clock. Erik should arrive in less than two hours and I didn''t want to rush.

    "Get ready, trust yourself, and then tell me all about it. Enjoy your date!" she encouraged me enthusiastically.

    "It''s not..." I didn''t have time to finish the sentence, as she hung up quickly, probably to avoid hearing my inevitable protest. I got up from the chair with a mix of emotions: resignation, nervousness, and a hint of hope. I headed to the bathroom, ready to get ready for a date that wasn''t even a date.

 Chapter 10.3 (Correction in progress)

    Five minutes to 6, I heard a car engine stop right by the entrance door. I glanced at myself in the mirror, giving the finishing touches and applying a bit of perfume, just before Erik knocked on the door.

    "Don''t get nervous. Everything will be fine," I told myself in a feeble attempt to gather courage.

    I stepped out of the room, and upon opening the door, I found Erik smiling, as usual. He was dressed in jeans, black boots, and a leather jacket that did nothing to prevent me from rolling my eyes for a moment. Yes, that was also on the damn list from the drunken night with Vir. "Viking-Rocker" because, well, might as well ask for the moon.

    "Uh," he said, with an amused gesture.

    "Uh?" I asked, surprised by his expression.

    "Your face. I guess you don''t like my jacket," he touched the jacket, and I figured he was referring to it.

    "No, no. It''s okay. I like," I said hastily. "One second," I asked before going back inside to grab my coat, which had already dried.

    Upon returning to Erik, he looked at me with a mischievous smile and shook his head. "Cold. My jacket is the better option," he said, pointing to his coat on the couch. I turned to look at it.

    "Ah," I went towards it, picked it up, and handed it to him.

    Erik laughed and shook his head. "I''m Scottish. I don''t get cold," he denied. "I''ll lend it to you until you get a warmer one." I bit my lower lip to refrain from sighing out of frustration. "Look at me."

    I looked up, my brow slightly furrowed. He pointed to himself and made a zipper motion with his hands, and my expression turned confused.

    "Youˇ­ silence?" I asked, and he nodded. "Why?"

    He shrugged and pointed to his coat, then mine, and made a spinning motion with his finger in the air, indicating that he wanted me to switch coats.

    "Ohˇ­ cold," I nodded, glad that I understood him.

    I took off my coat, leaving it on the couch and putting on his. As I looked at him, he gave me a thumbs-up and nodded, gesturing outside. I grabbed my phone, my bag, and the key to the little house before turning off the light and heading outside with him. It was really cold; I could feel it on my face, although thanks to his coat, the rest of my body wasn''t cold.

    I looked at him, and he looked at me as we walked towards the pub, which was very close to where I was staying.

    "You can speak. But slowly, please," I asked, and he chuckled, bringing his hands to my lips and making the zipper gesture again.

    The touch of his fingers on my lips made my heart beat faster. It wasn''t yet dusk, so I looked ahead, letting my curls, somewhat decent because they were freshly dried, cover my face a bit and hide the redness of my cheeks.

    "Butˇ­" I was about to say. If we didn''t talk, what kind of dateˇ­ dinner! were we going to have? Erik shook his head and gestured for me to keep quiet. I took a breath and nodded. The truth is, it made everything much easier for me. I gestured okay with my hand, and we walked in silence for the remainder of the way. When we arrived at the pub, he reached out to hold the door open for me as I walked in, and once again, people turned to look at me.

    I couldn''t remember if they were the same people from the night before, but after Erik entered, people greeted him cheerfully, and he just raised his hand in greeting. I turned to look at him when he placed his hand on my shoulder to get my attention and pointed towards the tables. I nodded, and we sat where I had sat the night before since it was empty.

    I took off my coat, as did he, and I could see that under the leather jacket, he was wearing a black t-shirt, and on top, a checkered shirt that, as always, suited him very well. I left the coat near me and realized he was staring at me. Too intensely, so I quickly looked at the shirt, fearing I had it stained or something, although I didn''t see anything unusual. Erik looked away, pressing his lips together to suppress a smile, and sat down, so I followed suit, sitting across from him.

    Nora didn''t take long to approach.

    "Good evening! How are you, Andrea?" Nora asked.

    "Good, thank you," I replied, but Erik looked at me with wide eyes, as if I were cheating.

    "Oh. Sorry," I apologized, and he shook his head, amused.

    "Is everything okay?" Nora asked, looking at him. He nodded, touched his lips, and shook his head, indicating that he wasn''t speaking.

    "A silent date?" she asked excitedly, looking at both of us.

    Erik looked at me, shrugged, leaned his elbow on the back of his seat, and waited to see what I would say. I just shrugged, like him.

    "Well, that way you don''t make too much noise," Nora laughed. "Beer?" Erik nodded. The redhead looked at me, and I gestured with my fingers, indicating that I wanted a small one. She laughed cheerfully. "Half a pint," I nodded, and she happily went away, but before leaving, Erik caught her by the shirt and made her turn around.

    He gestured for her to bring something to write with, and Nora pulled out a notebook and a pen from her apron, left it on the table, and went away.

    I looked curiously at what Erik was writing, but when he brought the notebook closer to me, I saw that he hadn''t written anything; instead, he had drawn something that I was completely unable to decipher. I looked at him and shook my head, and he scratched his beard, thoughtful. Crossing out the previous drawing and trying again, making something that looked like a chicken thigh and a question mark.

    I opened my mouth and touched my stomach, making circles, and he nodded. He was asking me if I was hungry, and I nodded gently, indicating that I was more or less. However, he pointed to himself and bit his fist, making me laugh. He was probably hungry.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    I had to give him credit for being an original guy and getting rid of the language barrier in one fell swoop. It was fun to know that, regardless of speaking different languages, we could understand each other through gestures.

    I took the notebook, and this time, I was the one who drew something a circle with eyes, a beard, and a ponytail that pretended to be him, and a question mark. He looked at the drawing and pointed at himself, asking if it was him, so I nodded. His gesture was funny, almost as if he were offended because his beard wasn''t that messy. He pointed at the question mark, wanting to know what I wanted to know about him. I drew something like a baby, wanting to ask something simple, like his age, and he shook his head, crossing out the baby.

    The good thing was that I knew he didn''t have children; the bad thing was that he didn''t understand me. Next to it, I

    drew a square with a number and a month, so he took the pen and wrote next to it, ''August 13th.'' I looked at the date and blinked. He looked at me, pointing at me, and I wrote underneath, ''August 14th.''

    Both eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he shook his head, possibly thinking I was joking, but I looked at him with a truth-telling expression, and then his smile widened even more. He took the pen and wrote a thirty-eight with a question mark, and I shook my head, writing a thirty-five. He raised an eyebrow, but this time it wasn''t a playful gesture, it was mischievous, and he tapped me on the head as if he were treating me like a little girl. I put on a pretend-offended face, obviously joking.

    "You two are adorable," Nora said, returning. Erik stuck out his tongue at her and took a sip of his beer, but when I went to grab mine, he gestured with his hand for me to wait.

    I looked at him, waiting to see if he wanted to gesture something else, and when he finished swallowing, he then indicated that I could drink. Why? He must have seen the question on my face because he laughed and pretended to choke. I blushed, and instinctively gave him a playful tap on the shoulder. Clearly, he was teasing me because the night before I had choked on the beer. He laughed even more, and I took a sip of my half-pint under his watchful gaze.

    "What would you like to eat?" the redhead asked.

    Erik got up to go to the bar, fist-bumped the curly-haired guy, and came back with what seemed to be a menu, handing it to me.

    "Are you going to be silent all night?" she asked, but I wasn''t paying attention because I was looking at the available options. The dish from the previous night had been good, but I wanted to try something different, so I decided on a chicken wrap that looked pretty good.

    I pointed to it, and she nodded. Erik quickly searched the menu and pointed to another dish that I didn''t manage to identify before Nora left. When I told Vir about the weird and fun non-date I was having, she would be thrilled, for sure. In the end, she was right, and Erik didn''t seem to mind at all how difficult communication seemed to be for me.

    Okay, so far I knew his birthday was one day before mine, he was 38 years old, and apparently, he didn''t have kids. He took the notebook and looked at me, squinting, probably thinking of what else to ask.

    We spent some time doodling and asking questions until Nora arrived with dinner. We had figured out that I was a cat person, he was a dog person. I liked the beach, he liked the mountains. I liked cars, he liked motorcycles. I was laughing quite a bit because Erik might be handsome, funny, and resourceful, but he drew terribly. Not that I was creating masterpieces either, but there was a bit more to them, or at least, I wanted to believe so.

    "Do the silent ones want some dessert?" Nora asked, clearing the dinner plates.

    Erik, as always, looked at me, wanting to know what I wanted. For a moment, I had been lost in my thoughts, so he took the notebook and drew a cup and what seemed to be a cake.

    I pointed to the coffee cup, remembering that I had quite liked the coffee last night. Nora looked thoughtful. "With milk?" she asked, and I nodded. She looked at Erik. "Your usual?" He nodded too.

    I watched Nora walk away, and when I looked back at Erik, I saw that once again, he was staring at me intently. Okay, it wasn''t the shirt. Did I have something on my face? I discreetly touched it, hoping not to find a booger stuck somewhere or something that would have made me look ridiculous all night, but I didn''t feel anything unusual.

    That''s when Erik picked up the pen resting on the table and extended his hand to me, palm up, asking for something. I looked at the notebook, and he shook his head. I raised my hand slightly, and he nodded. I brought it closer, and he gently took it, turning it to have my palm facing up, and began to doodle on it, tickling me, so I withdrew it for a moment before he looked at me with a mischievous face and held it a bit more firmly.

    When he finished drawing, I realized that what he had done was write a phone number on my hand, his phone number. I moistened my lips, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and nodded, glancing at him sideways. He extended his hand and handed me the pen so that I could write mine. Since I didn''t know it by heart, I had to pull out my phone to check, as the number was British.

    I saw several messages from Vir, possibly asking how the night was going, but I didn''t reply. I searched my phone and wrote the number on his palm. Now that I could see it up close, I noticed it was a working hand, the kind of hand people used to work with. I didn''t know what kind of physical work a lighthouse required, but Erik certainly used them a lot.

    Nora brought the coffees and sugar, and while I put some in mine, Erik drank his black and without sugar. I made a disgusted face, and he laughed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, as if I had no idea.

    Once again, he drew something in the notebook, which already had several pages scribbled with nonsense. He drew a lighthouse and a moon. I nodded. Lighthouse at night. He crossed out the moon, made a curly arrow, and drew a sun. Tomorrow? I looked into his eyes. I pointed at myself, made a finger gesture, and pointed to the lighthouse. He nodded. Did he want me to come see him tomorrow?

    He tried to draw an imitation of the first "Erik" that I had drawn, but with a clearly better beard, and I laughed, and then he drew a book. Did he want to lend me a book tomorrow? I wasn''t sure, but I gave him a thumbs-up, and happily, he sipped his coffee while I finished mine.

    When we finished, I asked Nora for the bill, and when he tried to pay, I made a sound with my mouth, shushing him, and he looked at me with a smile. I pointed at myself, and he raised his hands as if he were about to surrender. He was quite a funny guy. I left a bill on the table, surprised that the dinner was so cheap for the amount of food we had eaten, and Nora came to say goodbye, with a grin from ear to ear, and without saying anything, just gesturing with her hand.

    I put on my coat, Erik put on his, and we left the warm atmosphere of the pub. As we stepped outside, the air was quite cold. I made a gesture of displeasure, and he pulled up my hood, just like he had done that morning at the lighthouse. I realized I was biting my lower lip when I saw his eyes fixed on them, so nervously, I stopped. He looked at me through my glasses, and I swallowed hard.

    Luckily, he didn''t say anything. He just nodded and we walked back to the house.

    Once there, my heart raced. Now what? I stopped in front of the door, looking for the key, and he stopped too. I opened the door and looked at him. With his hands in his pockets, he smiled at me and I wanted to ask him if he wanted to come in, not knowing how to do it, so I just waved it at him. Erik looked in and then at me, shaking his head with an expression in his eyes that I couldn''t interpret.

    I knew it. See, Vir? Just a dinner. Not a date, he didn''t want anything.

    "Okay," I said, breaking the silence, feeling somewhat nervous.

    "Good night, lass," he replied. It wasn''t until I heard his voice again that I realized how much I liked it.

    "Buenas noches, Erik," I said, and he smiled, although I could tell by the dimples on his cheeks that he was trying to contain himself.

    "Buenas noches, Andrea."

    Ground calling Andrea. Don''t forget to breathe. Could anyone have a more damn sexy accent speaking Spanish? I doubted it.

    Erik turned to walk towards his truck, parked on the side of the house, and I waited until he got inside and started the engine. I waved to him, and he waved back in the same manner, driving away down the road. I entered the house before the cold could creep in, and as I closed the door, I leaned against it. I sighed, feeling a sensation I couldn''t quite identify, but it was clearly Erik''s fault.

 Chapter 11

    "Buenas noches, Andrea."

    Erik''s hand settled beneath my jaw, gently lifting my face to meet his gaze. His intense green eyes pierced through me, and my pulse quickened as he leaned in towards me. Just as his ginger beard grazed my lips, tickling me, an unpleasant sound jolted me awake, causing me to sit up in bed with my heart pounding.

    My phone was ringing, and I immediately recognized the ringtone I had set for identifying Vir''s calls.

    "Always at the most opportune moment, Virginia," I grumbled, reaching out to grab the phone, answer it, and then lay back down, shielding my eyes from the light seeping through the curtains with my forearm.

    "I want to know everything. Wait... you picked up very quickly. You''re not with him, are you?"

    I removed my forearm and glanced at my phone for a moment before pressing it back to my ear.

    "Are you crazy? How could I be with him? Virginia, it''sˇ­" I pulled my phone away again. "Nine-thirty in the morning. Why are you calling me so early?" I complained.

    "It''s half past ten for me; it''s time for you to get up and spill the beans about what happened last night," she demanded. It was then that I remembered we had a one-hour time difference. I sat up in bed, rubbing my face with my hands and stretching my back.

    "Nothing happened. I told you it wasn''t a date," I replied, yawning as I pulled the phone away. "He came to pick me up, we went to dinner, I invited him in, and he declined," I summarized.

    "What do you mean he declined? Are you sure? Maybe you misunderstood..."

    "Vir, he shook his head. I had a great time last night; he''s a really fun guy, but that''s it. There''s no further interest on his part. Besides, we''ve only seen each other twice. Do you think I''m living in a romantic comedy?" I asked, with a hint of annoyance. "35-year-old woman gets her heart broken, decides to move to a remote Scottish island in the middle of nowhere, doesn''t speak the language, and on the first day, she meets a ginger Viking who could be a god and falls in love with her at first sight."

    Virginia laughed on the other end of the phone, and I covered my face with my hand. Yes, that was exactly what she was thinking.

    "You know? That should be your story," she said, completely confident in her tone. "Why don''t you write one of those romantic novels that they later adapt for television and make us believe in love?" she asked.

    "Because those things never happen. They''re not realistic."

    "Andy, that''s why we like them. Because they''re pure fantasy! I would read it, without a doubt."

    "You''re my friend, you''d read even my grocery list," I complained.

    "That''s true too," she admitted. "So, how was it? Did you find it difficult to communicate with him?"

    "Not at all. He decided we were going to have a silent dinner," I smiled, remembering a couple of hilarious moments.

    "You had a silent dinner? How boring."

    "Not really. Erik made sure language wasn''t a problem, so he said we''d do mime only, and hey, turns out we understood each other," I said, noticing Vir''s full attention on my words. "I think the waitress, Nora, is his cousin, she''s also a redhead, and very pretty..."

    "Don''t talk to me about his cousin; keep telling me about the dinner," she scolded.

    "That''s it. He asked his cousin for a notebook and a pen, and between mime and drawings... we understood each other perfectly. Did you know his birthday is on August 13th?" I asked, a little excited.

    "What a coincidence. How old is he?"

    "38, I think."

    "And what else did you find out through mime and drawings? What a funny date. I would have never imagined having one like that. Considering how much I like to talk."

    "Dinner," I complained on the other end. "He likes dogs, motorcycles, I think he enjoys traveling, has no kids, I think." I wasn''t sure about that part, but I could guess. "He''s the lighthouse keeper on the island, likes his coffee black without sugar, and judging by his tattoos, he''s into Norse mythology."

    "And nothing else?"

    "What else do you want me to tell you? We didn''t talk that much. He''s fun, always has a smile on his face, and seems a bit cheeky. I don''t know... he''s an interesting guy," I murmured, getting up and heading to the kitchen to fix myself some breakfast.

    "And you like him."

    "Oh, come on. We''re what, 15 years old? I don''t like him. He''s... attractive. But that''s it," I said, feeling a pleasant sense of vertigo in my stomach.

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    I opened one of the kitchen cabinets to get something I had bought at the store the day before.

    "In a few days, you''ll tell me. I know you," she hinted. I preferred not to answer to avoid giving her more reasons to tease me. "What plans do you have for today?"

    I looked out the window; it wasn''t a great day. The sky was gray, and it seemed like the wind was blowing quite strongly at that hour. Taking a walk of an hour and a half to the lighthouse wasn''t something I felt like doing, although the reward was seeing him, and that always appealed to me.

    "I don''t know. He mentioned meeting up today. I think he wants to lend me a book, but it''s miserable weather," I said, taking the milk from the fridge and pouring myself a cup with some cocoa powder. "He lives in the lighthouse, which is an hour and a half walk. Maybe if the weather gets better later... Plus, I''m not sure if he''s there. I''ll text him first."

    "Do you have his phone number?"

    "Uh... yeah," I glanced at the palm of my hand, where his number was written.

    "Does he have yours?" she asked, with a suggestive tone.

    "Yes... where are you going with this?"

    "Nowhere. Have you texted him?"

    "No. Of course not. I don''t want to seem pushy. Just because I have his number doesn''t mean I want to bother him."

    "No, of course not. You''ve already said he''s a nice guy. He probably just wants you to have his number in case anything happens, someone to call if something goes wrong. Imagine you twist your ankle walking in the middle of nowhere," she hinted, though I sensed some sarcasm in her voice.

    "That''s it. Exactly that," I said. I picked up the cup and placed it on the table next to the couch, sitting down.

    "Text him," she ordered.

    "Are you crazy?"

    "Yes. Text him," she insisted.

    "Andrea, stop acting like a child. We''re strong, decisive women, and if you want to talk to him, you write to him. Don''t play hard to get, or wait for him to make the first move."

    "You''re a strong, decisive woman, and you''re the one who wants me to talk to him," I countered.

    "Don''t make me come to that remote demon island to drag you out from under the bed," she warned, and I shivered. Virginia was completely capable of showing up on the island in two days just to tell Erik in person that he was my type.

    "Fine, I''ll text him later to see if I got the book thing right."

    "That''s what I like to hear," I could almost sense her smile on the other end of the phone.

    "Bossy."

    "Coward."

    I rolled my eyes, looking at the ceiling for a moment and stirring the milk in my cup with the spoon before taking a sip.

    "Do you think I should write about my journey?" I asked.

    "I think you have a natural talent for talking about love, even though you haven''t experienced it properly. Maybe that''s why. You know the theory, but you have no practical experience whatsoever."

    "Well, I must have some experience; Oliver and I were together for 20 years."

    "Don''t mention that jerk," she hissed.

    "Yes, ma''am," I laughed.

    "Don''t think too much about what to write. Just write," she advised, and I nodded. "And obviously, keep me posted," she requested.

    Vir was the only one who followed my progress as an aspiring writer. She always said she liked the way I narrated things, and it was she who insisted I write something now that I had free time, as my life didn''t depend on chasing after a completely immature adult man.

    "As soon as I have something, I''ll show you. I''m going to have breakfast and then try to find some inspiration."

    "Text him," she reminded me, making me smile.

    "Alright, nag."

    "We''ll talk later, coward."

    We both hung up, and I looked at the bay through the window. It took me a few seconds to pick up my phone and open the contacts to save Erik''s number, which I hadn''t done yet to resist the temptation to write to him too quickly, but... thinking that if I didn''t do it, I might lose his number, and I didn''t want that either.

    Once I did it, I opened WhatsApp and saw that he was online. I enlarged his profile picture and held my breath. It was a picture of him next to the lighthouse. He was wearing that damn black shirt that suited him so well, his tattooed arms exposed, and he was gazing into the distance. I bet Nora took that picture.

    My phone vibrated, and I thought it would be Vir insisting I write to him, but no, I received a message from him, just three emojis.

    Thumbs up, sun, coffee cup, and a question mark.

    "Good morning, coffee?" I tried to guess, smiling like an idiot as I looked at the three emojis.

    I sent back the smiling face with glasses emoji, another sun, the coffee, and a thumbs up. I wasn''t even sure what I had put.

    He sent an emoji of a clock and squinted at the hands. 10 o''clock? I checked the time. It was a quarter to ten. Fifteen minutes left until 10. I swallowed nervously.

    I replied with the same emoji and thumbs up, leaving the cup of milk on the table and going to the bedroom to get dressed. I had 15 minutes to not look like I had just gotten out of bed.

    The phone vibrated, and I looked at it. A red car emoji and a winking face. Okay, he was on his way. I replied with a smiling face and quickly got dressed. I opted for the dark jeans from last night and a dark gray cotton t-shirt, along with a knitted sweater that I hoped would keep me warm. I also went to the bathroom to try to fix my hair a bit. I had forgotten to tie it up, and now it was completely tangled, and if I brushed it, it would be worse than a zombie apocalypse.

    I tied it up in a ponytail, applied some cologne, made the bed quickly, and just as I was placing the cup in the sink, I heard a couple of knocks on the front door.

 Chapter 12

    Opening the door, I was greeted by the smiling face of the redhead. He had his elbow resting on the doorframe, and I couldn''t have imagined that such a casual pose could make the ground shake beneath me. What was happening to me with this guy?

    I had to remind myself that I had been on this island for less than 72 hours, that I had known his name for less than 48 hours, and that things couldn''t be like this. I discreetly pinched my forearm behind my back to check that, unlike half an hour ago, this time it was real. And it must have been, because the pinch hurt quite a bit.

    ˇŞBuenas noches, Andrea, ˇŞhe said, with the same suggestive tone from my dream.

    ˇŞBuenos d¨Şas, Erik, ˇŞI smiled, a smile that quickly turned into laughter when his face changed from seductive to amused at his mistake.

    ˇŞGood... morning, ˇŞhe corrected, and I noddedˇŞ. Good morning. Good morning, ˇŞhe tried to memorise, shifting his posture and no longer leaning on the doorframe.

    ˇŞI... I... I don''t... coffee, here, ˇŞI tried to explain, since I didn''t drink coffee and didn''t have any at home.

    ˇŞOh, don''t worry, I came to invite you for breakfast out, ˇŞhe said casually, looking at me, and I was completely sure he knew I hadn''t understood. However, from his gaze, I gathered he was waiting to see if I''d figure it out.

    ˇŞYou and me... are in an English class. Yes?

    ˇŞThat''s it, ˇŞhe smiled proudly, nodding.

    I knew breakfast together couldn''t be so lovely and straightforward. Well, maybe I needed to reinforce the idea that nothing strange was happening; he was just being kind and wanted to help me with my English.

    ˇŞOne second, teacher, ˇŞI said, going to get his coat, leaving him at the door with it open.

    When I returned, I locked up, and Erik headed straight for the road, pointing towards the village area where I had gone the previous day to buy things I needed. Great, now I could buy some more stuff, and hopefully, he''d help me carry them. Punishment for what I was about to endure with his darn language.

    ˇŞDo you know numbers? ˇŞhe asked meˇŞ. One, two, three...

    ˇŞYes. And colours... and animals... and a lot of words, ˇŞI replied. I didn''t know English because I couldn''t express myself, but before coming to the island, I had tried to learn a bit and had vocabulary, even though I didn''t know how to express myself with it.

    ˇŞThat''s good. Do you want to play something else today? ˇŞhe asked.

    ˇŞPlay?

    ˇŞLast night we played mimicry and drawing, ˇŞhe reminded me.

    ˇŞOh... okay. What today?

    ˇŞMimicry and... words, ˇŞhe said.

    I furrowed my brow a bit, trying to understand what he wanted to play. Erik smiled and pointed at me, then made a gesture with his hands, like holding an invisible steering wheel, and pointed to a carˇŞ. You, drive?

    Ah! If I drove. I shook my head, and he looked surprised, as if he expected everyone to drive.

    ˇŞNo. In Madrid... good... public transport, ˇŞI said, which was true. I didn''t need to drive because in my city, there was excellent public transportation, and when I needed something more specific, I had Oliver. Driving had never been a priority for me.

    ˇŞOkay. Uhmˇ­ ˇŞhe pointed at me againˇŞ. Do you have a boyfriend? Husband? ˇŞhe touched the ring finger of his right hand. It took me a second to understand, but when I did, I emphatically shook my head.

    ˇŞNo, no, no, no, no, ˇŞI said, making him laugh.

    ˇŞOkay, okay, ˇŞhe laughed.

    ˇŞAnd you? ˇŞI asked, seizing the opportunity to clear that doubt from my mind since he had brought up the topic. He wrinkled his nose and shook his head softly, somewhat reluctantly.

    ˇŞUhm... no. Women are very complicated, ˇŞhe replied.

    ˇŞWhat?

    Erik looked at me, pensive, trying to figure out how to explain his words. He pointed to his left handˇŞMe ˇŞand then showed me his right handˇŞ Women.

    I nodded, knowing he was going to depict something like a puppet show. He put on a rather funny high-pitched voice with the hand representing women and without saying anything coherent, he began to act out that the right hand talked a lot, the left one sighed, and the right one got angry and yelled.

    I couldn''t help but laugh, having to cover my mouth. If I wasn''t misunderstanding, perhaps he was very calm, which women didn''t like, so they always scolded him. Or something like that.

    ˇŞOkay, ˇŞ I said, unable to wipe the smile off my face.

    ˇŞWhat about you?

    ˇŞMe... uhm... I, ˇŞ I pointed to his previous right hand and smiled, leaving it in a puppet positionˇŞ, My ex-boyfriend,ˇŞI pointed to my left handˇŞ, other woman, ˇŞI pointed to my right hand.

    Erik looked at me, interested, alternating his gaze between his hand and mine.

    ˇŞOkay, got it, ˇŞhe said.

    ˇŞOh, Andy... I love you, ˇŞI commented in a deep voice, moving my left hand in a pathetic attempt to imitate Oliver''s voice, kissing Erik''s hand with mineˇŞ. I love you, ˇŞI said, taking Erik''s hand by the wrist and moving it.

    I withdrew Oliver''s hand and, half-hidden between my two hands, began to give kisses.

    ˇŞDid your boyfriend cheat on you with another woman? ˇŞhe asked, visibly upset, though amused by the hand puppetry.

    ˇŞYes, ˇŞI sighed, rolling my eyes.

    ˇŞWhat a jerk! That''s not okay, ˇŞand then he said something with such a deep accent that I could swear it wasn''t even English.

    ˇŞSo... no more boyfriends. Cats. Only cats, ˇŞI said, sighing with a hint of defeat in my voice.

    ˇŞDon''t punish the rest of the world for a jerk like him. You''re very beautiful, nice, and fun. Take your time, but don''t give up, ˇŞ he looked at me, and despite not understanding much, I swear he said something nice, and my cheeks instantly flushed.

    ˇŞThank you, ˇŞI said as a survival tactic, not entirely sure what he had said.

    ˇŞYou''re welcome, ˇŞhe winked at me, and my heart skipped a beat. I had to look ahead to not appear too nervousˇŞ. Repeat after me. You''re welcome.

    ˇŞYou''re welcome, ˇŞI repeated.

    ˇŞVery good, ˇŞhe put his hand on my back and gave me a little encouraging caress that lasted barely two seconds, but it was something I knew I would remember all day.

    We stayed silent for a few minutes, as I was impressed by the beautiful view of the bay. I never got tired of seeing its turquoise waters, which, despite not shining as much because the sky was gray, were still impressive.

    We arrived at the caf¨¦ I had seen the day before, and just like in the pub, he reached out to open and hold the door, letting me go in first.

    ˇŞThank you.

    ˇŞCheers.

    ˇŞCheers? Not ''you''re welcome''?

    ˇŞThat''s another way to say it. More informal, among friends, ˇŞhe explained as we entered the small caf¨¦.

    ˇŞAre we friends? ˇŞI asked interested, once inside the cozy place.

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    ˇŞYes, if you want to be, ˇŞhe smiled, looking at me intently.

    Oh, I definitely wanted to be. Honestly, I appreciated his openness and friendliness. I had thought it would be much harder to feel welcomed on this island. Before meeting him, I was completely sure that, being such a small island with a small population, people would be very closed off to foreigners, especially one who didn''t speak like them. But I had been pleasantly surprised.

    I nodded with a smile as we approached a table. The place wasn''t very large, barely six tables, and behind the counter was a woman with a friendly face who seemed to be handling everything herself. She approached and greeted Erik warmly.

    ˇŞThis is Andrea, she''s new to the island. She doesn''t speak much English, ˇŞErik said, looking at me. The woman also looked at me and smiled.

    ˇŞHello Andrea, nice to meet you, ˇŞher accent was very different from Erik''s. I couldn''t quite tell where she was from, but it was clearly not from around here.

    ˇŞHi, nice to meet you, ˇŞI said, with a shy nod of my head.

    ˇŞThis is Tatiana, she''s from Russia. She arrived here 5 years ago, ˇŞErik explained, then laughed when he saw me silently asking him to slow downˇŞ. Tatiana. Russia. 5 years here, ˇŞhe pointed at the table, though I knew he meant the islandˇŞ Cakes ˇŞhe gestured towards his mouth and blew a kiss into the air.

    ˇŞBetter, ˇŞI said, making the woman laugh.

    ˇŞYou''ll get used to it, ˇŞshe said, amusedˇŞ. What would you like to order? ˇŞShe looked at both of us.

    ˇŞI''ll have the usual and whatever you have freshly baked, ˇŞErik said, then Tatiana looked at me. She was blonde, with light eyes and a nose worthy of a doll. Despite being around fifty, she was a very attractive woman, tall and elegant.

    ˇŞMeˇ­ coffee with milk, please. And sugar, ˇŞI said, smiling.

    ˇŞAnd for food, would you like something? Do you like chocolate?

    I hesitated for a moment but noddedˇŞ. Yes, please, ˇŞI saidˇŞ. and yes, I love chocolate.

    She withdrew and I looked at Erik with narrowed eyes, thoughtful.

    ˇŞWhat? ˇŞhe asked, amused, as if I had caught him doing something mischievous.

    ˇŞDo you like chocolate?

    He laughed and noddedˇŞ. I love chocolate. Why would you think I don''t? ˇŞHe moistened his lips, and I couldn''t help but look at them. They weren''t overly thick, and despite his beard being quite abundant, he had certain areas perfectly trimmed so it wouldn''t be uncomfortable to kiss. Drink! I meant to say.

    ˇŞI don''t know. You like coffee alone, ˇŞI tried to explain.

    ˇŞBlack coffee or espresso. We don''t use the word ''alone'' for coffee, ˇŞhe explained ˇŞ.Latte for you, espresso for me. ˇŞHe shifted in his seat, getting more comfortable and casual.

    My eyes were tracing the tattoos on his neck, and although I had heard him explain the names of our coffees, I didn''t respond because I was distracted by his tattoos. He lifted his face towards the ceiling, allowing me to look at the tattoos without any hindrance, and that''s when I realized how obvious I was being.

    ˇŞSorry, ˇŞI apologized, and he laughed, shaking his head.

    ˇŞIt''s okay. Do you like tattoos? ˇŞHe rolled up his sleeves so I could see his forearms and the tattooed backs of his hands. They all followed the same theme, they looked like Vikings.

    ˇŞYes, a lot ˇŞI murmured, tempted to trace those black and gray lines that adorned his skin.

    ˇŞDo you have any? ˇŞHe leaned slightly over the table, bringing his hands closer to me so I could see them better. On his right hand, he had what seemed to be Mjolnir. I knew a bit about Norse mythology because of the TV show Vikings, which had sparked my interest in it.

    ˇŞNo. I want, but... no, ˇŞI said, noticing the tattoo on his right hand. The style was the same, only on that hand, it seemed to be a snakeˇŞItˇŻs a snake? ˇŞI asked.

    ˇŞIs it a snake?ˇŞhe corrected me.

    ˇŞIs it a snake? ˇŞI asked again, this time correctly.

    ˇŞNo. It''s J?rmungandr. Do you know who that is? ˇŞI looked up at him and smiled mischievously.

    ˇŞA snake, ˇŞI said, making Erik laugh too.

    ˇŞYes, well, technically it''s known as the Midgard snake, ˇŞhe withdrew his hand as Tatiana returned with both coffees. A latte for me, an espresso for him.

    ˇŞWhy... Vikings? ˇŞI asked.

    ˇŞWell... my grandparents were from Norway. My father named me Erik, after Erik the Red. Viking explorer and colonizer, ˇŞhe handed me a small jar of what must have been brown sugarˇŞ. Do you prefer white sugar? ˇŞhe asked, but I shook my head, the brown one was fine.

    ˇŞSend me a text and... explain why you like Vikings. I can''t understand long sentences, ˇŞI pouted sadly. I really wanted to, but it wasn''t easy.

    Erik looked at me with a hint of tenderness and smiled, placing one of his large, tattooed hands over mine and squeezing it gently.

    ˇŞYou''ll get there. You''ll see, ˇŞhe nodded, grateful for his understanding, and let go when Tatiana returned with a slice of chocolate cake for me, looking incredibly delicious, and a huge muffin that seemed to have red berries for him, which smelled incredibly good.

    I took one of the forks that Tatiana brought us along with some napkins and grabbed a piece of chocolate cake. Delicious was an understatement for how good it was.

    ˇŞMmm... ?Incre¨Şble! ˇŞI exclaimed in Spanish. Erik looked at me with an excited smile, almost as if he were enjoying it as much as I was, and he offered me a bite of his pastry.

    ˇŞTry this, ˇŞhe urged.

    I used the fork to cut a piece of his dessert, not wanting to touch the whole thing, and as I tasted it, I rolled my eyes back and sighed. It was also delicious.

    ˇŞUhmˇ­ Wow, ˇŞI said, looking at him.

    I couldn''t tell if it was just me, but Erik seemed a bit flushed. It could have been the reflection of his beard, but I found it amusing to think that for some reason, he was blushing, and I wasn''t the only one. He shifted in his seat, clearing his throat softly, and I looked at him, puzzled.

    ˇŞAre you okay? ˇŞI asked, and he blushed a bit more, nodding and bringing his coffee to his mouth.

    ˇŞPerfectly fine, Andy, ˇŞhe said, looking me in the eyes.

    My name in his mouth sounded too good. Now it was my turn to blush, so I preferred to keep eating, thus avoiding having to talk or stumble through English.

    We hardly spoke during breakfast, and truth be told, it wasn''t uncomfortable at all. I felt like our gazes spoke better than our lips. It was nice to be there with him without the need for forced conversation.

    After finishing breakfast, he gestured with his hand to stop me before I did anything.

    ˇŞToday, it''s on me, ˇŞhe said, pointing at me with his finger, and I laughed.

    ˇŞOkay, your turn, ˇŞI said, conceding since he let me pay last night.

    He got up to go pay at Tatiana''s counter, and I took a moment to check my phone. I had a message from Vir, asking if I had written to her.

    "Better, I''m finishing breakfast with him" I replied, and then got up to put on my coat.

    As we exited, Erik headed back, but I took his arm for a moment, and he stopped, looking at me confused.

    ˇŞI needˇ­ ˇŞI pointed to the shop across the street, and he noddedˇŞ. If you need to... goˇ­ ˇŞHe shook his head, gesturing for us to cross.

    We entered the shop, and the man working there, an older man with a very complex accent for me, started talking to Erik while I took the opportunity to pick up a few more things. Some shampoo and gel, as the travel-sized ones I had would run out soon. Also, some vegetables for dinner that night, and some more meat for variety.

    I hadn''t taken long, wanting to avoid making Erik wait. I paid, and when the man bagged everything, Erik stepped forward and took the bag for me.

    ˇŞI can, ˇŞI said somewhat shyly, not wanting him to have to carry my shopping.

    ˇŞSo can I,ˇŞhe smiled, gesturing for us to head outside.

    ˇŞThank you.

    ˇŞAndy, ˇŞhe turned, looking at me, intriguedˇŞ. Have you started writing? ˇŞHe blinked, not sure what he meant. He made a gesture with his hands as if opening something.

    ˇŞOh, my book? ˇŞI asked, and he nodded.

    ˇŞNot yet... I need a... story. ˇŞI sighedˇŞ I don''t know about... what.

    ˇŞWhat do you like? ˇŞhe asked.

    ˇŞLove. ˇŞErik raised both eyebrows, and I laughedˇŞ. I know... no more boyfriends, but I love books about love.

    ˇŞThen write a love story, ˇŞhe suggested.

    ˇŞWell... It''s difficult. My experience... I only had one boyfriend. 20 years... and not very good love, to be honest.

    Erik came to a sudden stop, so I turned to look at him, wondering what he was thinking.

    ˇŞ20 years and he cheated on you?

    ˇŞYes. 20 years of... lies. ˇŞI averted my gaze, uncomfortable. He said something that didn''t seem like English, then sighedˇŞ I''m okay now. Better alone.

    ˇŞOf course you are. ˇŞWe started walking againˇŞAre you busy today?

    ˇŞNo, ˇŞI answered, understanding that he was asking if I was busy.

    ˇŞGreat. You''re coming with me to the lighthouse. I want to show you some books, ˇŞhe said with a smile.

    ˇŞWith you to the...

    ˇŞLighthouse, yes. If you want.

    ˇŞI want, ˇŞI said, perhaps too quickly.

    He smiled, looking ahead. He seemed happy with the idea of me going with him to the lighthouse. Perhaps he spent a lot of time alone there, and the idea of having someone to talk to, even if their English was as bad as mine, was appealing to him.

    We arrived home, and this time, he followed me inside. He let me put away the groceries without rushing, looking through the dining room window. When I finished, I grabbed my laptop.

    ˇŞI''m ready, ˇŞI said. He turned and looked me in the eyes, remaining silent for a couple of seconds.

    Every time he looked at me like that, I felt like the world stopped. Erik had the ability to speed up my heart and slow down time.

 Chapter 13

    It had been almost a week since I arrived in Pierowall, and I had to admit I was feeling happy. Despite the cold, which could be quite uncomfortable at times, there were so many positive aspects to this experience that I was starting to feel very content with the decision to move to a remote island in the north of Scotland. I had never lived alone before; I left my parents'' home at eighteen to move in directly with Oliver, with whom I had already been for three years at that time.

    My big dream had always been to study journalism, but life decided it had other plans for me. Oliver, who was 24 at the time, worked for a large marketing company and after a promotion, he started traveling a lot for work. At first, the idea of accompanying him on his trips to Spain while he had meetings with clients sounded exciting. But over time, I realized I was losing my own life, feeling like my existence revolved around him and his schedule.

    At twenty, we had a big argument because I wanted to stay alone for a week when he was traveling to Barcelona to present a project. Oliver simply didn''t understand why I needed that time for myself. Did he suspect I wanted to cheat on him? In the end, I gave in and went with him. That''s when I started neglecting important things, like my career. I never found time to study, or sometimes I couldn''t even attend exams because we were out of town.

    My friendships also faded away, replaced by Oliver''s friendships. Only Vir remained by my side. Now, with hindsight, I realized I had given up my entire life for a man who, under the guise of "taking care of you," only wanted to control me.

    Facing the idea of living alone after so many years under his shadow was scary. But the worst part was when I started looking for an apartment in Madrid. The city was terribly expensive! And the idea of ??going back to my parents'' house was not appealing at all. Fortunately, Vir did me the huge favor of taking me into her home, helping me heal, and, above all, opening my eyes to all those little things that I hadn''t been able to see before because I was so focused on Oliver.

    My relationship with him wasn''t as healthy as I thought; it was quite dependent, and Oliver turned out to be more toxic than I had imagined, although I didn''t want to or didn''t know how to see it.

    Thanks to Vir, I got a job in her company. She worked in a publishing house and offered me one of those jobs that nobody wanted, but I loved it. I was in charge of being the first filter for the editors. Every time someone sent a manuscript, my task was to read it and make an initial assessment of whether it was worth having someone more experienced read it. Also, if the assessment wasn''t positive, I was the one who had to meet with the author and explain where the major flaws were, give some recommendations, and pray they didn''t throw the book in my face.

    It wasn''t a very exciting or well-paid job, but it allowed me to save money and discover some writers whom I hoped to see on the bestseller list soon.

    After nine months of working and saving as much as I could, I finally saved up enough money to go to Pierowall and work remotely, at least for a while. I wasn''t sure what I wanted to do in the long term: whether to return to Madrid or get lost on that island for longer. The idea was starting to become quite appealing to me, not only because of Erik, but also because Madrid was a city where everyone was always rushing, where there was never time to listen to the silence, and the rhythms were always marked.

    That week in Pierowall had possibly been the most peaceful of my entire life, where the only thing that really mattered was what I wanted to do at every moment, regardless of what the world wanted me to do.

    Like every morning, just at Vir''s break time, around half past ten in Spain, half past nine in Pierowall, my phone rang.

    ˇŞWhere''s my favorite northerner? ˇŞshe asked as soon as I picked up the phone.

    ˇŞGetting ready to leave, ˇŞI smiled as I packed up my laptop and notebook into my bag.

    ˇŞOff to the lighthouse again? ˇŞshe asked, a mix of joy and teasing in her tone.

    ˇŞWriting with the sound of the sea in the background is incredibly relaxing. Plus, I have to submit a report before I start writing, ˇŞI explained.

    ˇŞHave your holidays ended already?

    ˇŞYes, I only took a week. I have a meeting with Ruben this afternoon, let''s see what he has for me. Hopefully, it''s not more stories about handsome mobsters kidnapping young girls who end up completely in love with the guy who could kill them while they shower, ˇŞI grimaced, and Virginia laughed.

    ˇŞWhat''s up with the new generation of writers and mobsters? ˇŞshe asked. Being in the higher levels of the publishing house, she received manuscripts in a much more filtered manner than I did, having to read everything mercilessly.

    ˇŞI wish I knew, ˇŞI sighed as I took the phone to the bathroom to prop it up on the sink and comb my hair.

    ˇŞHow about your book? Any progress? ˇŞshe asked, interested.

    ˇŞNo. I''m drawing a blank. Everything seems too clich¨¦d, childish, or uninteresting, ˇŞI said as I brushed my hairˇŞ. Erik left me some books to skim through, but they''re all in English, and, as you can imagine, I don''t understand a thing.

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    ˇŞWell, don''t stress. Are you getting better with the language?

    ˇŞA bit. He''s teaching me basic expressions. At least I know how to order a coffee now, ˇŞI laughed as I returned to the room to grab a wool jacket to keep me warm, as it was cold at the lighthouse, although Erik''s dining room was quite warm thanks to the fireplace.

    ˇŞWhen are you going to introduce him to me? ˇŞshe asked innocently. I glanced at the phone screen, and Vir must have laughed at my expressionˇŞ. Oh, come on, you''ve been glued to him for a week. It wouldn''t be strange for you to introduce me to your new friend.

    ˇŞI''m not glued to him, ˇŞI defended myself.

    ˇŞYou spend more time at his house than yours, ˇŞshe countered.

    ˇŞBut he''s at the lighthouse, doing lighthouse things, not sitting beside me. Theoretically, I''m alone, ˇŞI continued to defend myself.

    ˇŞIn any case, he picks you up in the mornings, you spend the whole day there, and he drops you off at home in the evenings with a kiss on the forehead. Next thing you know, he''ll be giving you one on the lips and eventually you''ll move in together.

    ˇŞVir! That''s not true. He doesn''t give me kisses on the forehead, he''s not going to kiss me, and I''m not going to live with him. Don''t be so dramatic, ˇŞI pleaded, trying to steer the conversation away.

    ˇŞI''m just saying I don''t want you to repeat the same pattern as with Oliver... you went there to find your own space, and you''re spending too much time with him. It''s okay to be alone, in your house, without the redhead lurking a few meters away.

    Was my best friend right? Unknowingly, was I repeating the pattern of not knowing how to be alone?

    ˇŞAs I said, I have a meeting with Ruben this afternoon, so I''ll have to come home soon, ˇŞI said as an excuse.

    ˇŞDon''t be mad at me, Andy. I''m just trying to prevent you from suffering again. You''re a very sweet and affectionate person, and people immediately feel good around you, and you, you get attached very quickly, ˇŞshe explained softlyˇŞ. Take some time for yourself before bringing anyone new into your life.

    I blushed and rolled my eyes.

    ˇŞYou''re talking about the situation as if something were happening between us. Really, there''s nothing, we''re just friends. This island is very small, the weather is horribleˇ­ ˇŞI fell silent for a moment upon hearing the sound of the motor outside. ˇŞ I have to go, I''ll tell you later. Take care! ˇŞI said goodbye to her.

    I quickly put on my boots, grabbed my coat, my bag with my things, and went outside, where Erik was waiting inside his van with his usual smile.

    ˇŞBuenos d¨Şas, Andy, ˇŞhe said in almost perfect Spanish. He had also learned a few words; he was good with languages, infinitely better than me.

    ˇŞGood morning, ˇŞI replied cheerfully, getting into the car, grateful that the heating was on.

    ˇŞDid you sleep well? ˇŞhe asked, and I nodded, fastening my seatbelt. It was starting to drizzle, and the day seemed quite gray.

    ˇŞGood. And you? You looks tired, ˇŞI said, looking at him.

    He sighed and shrugged.

    ˇŞElectrical system problems, ˇŞhe said briefly, setting off towards the lighthouse. ˇŞDo you have homework today? ˇŞhe asked, wanting to know if I had finished the book I told him about yesterday, and I nodded.

    ˇŞYes. I finish the book, but I need to write a report, ˇŞI said, looking displeased. ˇŞBad marks. It''s never good, ˇŞI clicked my tongue, but his smile cheered me up a little more.

    As we arrived at the lighthouse, the wind began to blow stronger than in the bay. Erik parked closer than usual, I assumed so we wouldn''t get too wet. When I got out of the car, I saw him running towards the entrance to hold it open when I arrived. I entered his dining room and quickly approached the fireplace, seeking warmth without even taking off my coat.

    ˇŞIt''s so cold! ˇŞErik complained. I turned to look at him and couldn''t help but laugh.

    ˇŞIf you say it''s cold, it''s very cold, ˇŞI said, stepping away from the fireplace, leaving my bag on the sofa. Then, I took off my coat as Erik went to prepare a couple of cups of freshly made hot coffee.

    ˇŞHave you had breakfast? ˇŞhe asked me. I shook my head; truth be told, I hadn''t had time.

    I sat at the round wooden table by the kitchen, where I usually worked with my laptop. Erik placed a cup of milky coffee in front of me and took some cookies from the cupboard, bringing them over.

    ˇŞOh, don''t worry, ˇŞI said quickly.

    ˇŞYou need fuel to get your brain working, ˇŞhe winked and glanced out the window upon hearing some voices outsideˇŞ. I''ll be right back, ˇŞhe said, leaving the house. I looked out the window and saw a car parking in front of the lighthouse.

    I took a butter cookie and delved into my files, searching for the document I needed for the report on the book I had just read. I had to have everything ready before the meeting in the afternoon.

    "I''m just saying I don''t want you to repeat the same pattern as with Oliver..."

    Virginia''s voice echoed in my head, and I sighed. Was she really right? Had I gotten used to someone''s company too quickly?

    "Genial," I grumbled in Spanish, taking advantage of being alone. "I''ll work in my damn empty living room. But tomorrow," I decided, because since I was there, I wasn''t going to leave so quickly.

 Chapter 14

    Erik came back quicker than expected. As he walked in, I was just finishing my coffee and enjoying one of the biscuits. My eyes were fixed on the screen as I tried to fill in the data for the report I had to submit later. When I looked up, I met his intense green eyes, staring at me, unfiltered and unguarded.

    ˇŞWhat happens? ˇŞI asked, with a shy smile, quickly shifting my gaze back to the screen.

    ˇŞNothing, ˇŞhe replied curtly, taking a sip of his coffee and finishing it off.

    ˇŞYou are look at me. What are you thinking? ˇŞI asked, studying him for a moment before returning to typing.

    ˇŞI was thinking you''re veryˇ­ ˇŞI looked up, but Erik was interrupted by a beep from his phone, prompting an annoyed sighˇŞ. Be right back, ˇŞhe grumbled, heading out again. From the window, I could see him entering the lighthouse. The weather was worsening with heavy rain, the wind howling, and daylight diminishing.

    I didn''t know exactly how much time passed before Erik returned, but when he did, his expression was one of disgust.

    ˇŞAll okay? ˇŞI asked as he leaned in to search for something in the kitchen cupboards.

    ˇŞYeah, calm down, ˇŞhe replied as he rummaged throughˇŞ. The electrical panel is acting up again, ˇŞhe calmly explained.

    ˇŞCan I help you? ˇŞI offered, and he turned to look at me with interest.

    ˇŞDo you know about electricity? ˇŞI shook my head, and he smiledˇŞ. Then, I''m afraid not, ˇŞhe finally found a flashlight, which seemed to be what he was looking for.

    ˇŞI''m sorry, ˇŞI said with a smile, and he shook his head, approaching me and leaning in very close. So close that my heart skipped a beat instantly.

    ˇŞIt''s better you''re not perfect, because in the end, I''ll end up falling in love, ˇŞhe said, holding my gaze for a moment before leaving, taking a part of my breath with him. I turned to watch him leave the house as a knot formed in my throat. His gestures of closeness not only confused me but stirred up emotions that left me in a sea of ??confusion.

    "He picks you up in the mornings, you spend the whole day there, and he drops you off at home in the evenings with a kiss on the forehead. Next thing you know, he''ll give you one on the lips and eventually you''ll move in together."

    Vir''s voice shook me from my thoughts again, eliciting a grimace of disgust from me. ˇŞOh, Vir. Shut up, ˇŞI pleaded to the solitude of the dining room, hiding my face in my hands.

    I sighed and tried to refocus on the report. As long as I was absorbed in that lousy mobster story, I wouldn''t have to think about Erik''s green eyes, his warm breath, or his tattooed hands preparing coffee... I huffed, shifting in my chair. Definitely shouldn''t allow myself to think of him that way.

    I ran my hand through my still perfectly styled hair and moistened my lips. Unable to concentrate on the report, I got up and collected the two empty cups and the empty plate of biscuits. I washed the cups and plate, leaving them on the drainer, and glanced out of the window. Raindrops fiercely pounded the glass, and the sea looked turbulent. I saw Erik leaving the lighthouse without a coat and frowned.

    ˇŞHe''s going to get sick, ˇŞI complained as I went to fetch his coat to hand it to him. I wrapped myself in the jacket he had lent me, and as I did, it felt as if he himself were hugging me. The weather outside was worse than it seemed inside the house. With difficulty, I made my way to the door through which Erik had entered, which I assumed led to the electrical area of the lighthouse. When I reached the door, I noticed it was all dark.

    ˇŞErik? ˇŞI called out, getting no response. I pulled out my phone to use the flashlight and discovered some stairs descending somewhere. Carefully, I went down the old, slippery stone stairs. Upon reaching the bottom, I heard a groan I couldn''t quite distinguish and found Erik next to a huge panel of lights, with the flashlight in his mouth, trying to fix something.

    Erik turned around, surprised, when he saw me, and I handed the jacket to him so he wouldn''t feel cold. He smiled, standing up.

    ˇŞThanks, ˇŞErik whispered, although in that echoing place, it sounded louder than perhaps he intendedˇŞ Oh, wait, you have a spider, ˇŞhe warned, his hand moving towards my hair.

    ˇŞA spider?! ?Qu¨Ştamela! ˇŞI exclaimed nervously, closing my eyes and waving my hands. I felt Erik''s hand on my head, pulling something and saying it was gone. When I opened my eyes, I saw the huge bug in his hand and brought my hand to my mouth to suppress a scream of disgustˇŞ ?Que asco! ˇŞI took a step back, tripping over a toolbox and losing my balance.

    Erik acted quickly, letting go of the bug and catching me before I fell. However, the momentum carried us backward, and my back hit the stone wall. I felt the impact, but thanks to Erik''s hand on my head, it was much softer than expected.

    ˇŞAre you okay? ˇŞhe asked, looking at me in the dim light, with the only illumination coming from his flashlight and the flash of my phone that had fallen to the ground with the spider scare.

    ˇŞYes, ˇŞI whispered, staring into his eyes.

    I don''t know why, but my eyes descended to his lips, recalling Vir''s words at that moment.

    "The next thing is he''ll give you one on the lips and... "

    ˇŞJoder ˇŞI complained, looking up to find a certain confusion in Erik''s eyes. He stepped back gently, allowing me to regain my composure and releasing the hand that had prevented a harder blow against the wallˇŞ. Thanks. I''m sorry, ˇŞI apologized for the scare.

    ˇŞJust give me a second, we''ll leave soon, ˇŞhe said, crouching down to the electrical panel, trying to lift a flap several times before giving up. He put away the tools, leaving the toolbox aside, and picked up my phone from the floor. He reached out his hand to me, and without thinking, I gave it to him, expecting him to return the phone to me, but he didn''t. He simply took my hand and carefully guided me up the stairs.

    I felt like my heart wanted to leap out of my chest. I didn''t know if it was from the spider scare, the fear of having fallen when I stumbled over the tools, or from the very masculine look he had given me in the dim light. But I couldn''t articulate a word.

    Once upstairs, he put the hood on me, closed the door, and with his arm around my back, he led me home, shielding me from the strong wind blowing. Upon arriving inside, we headed straight for the fireplace.

    ˇŞYour hands are freezing, ˇŞhe commented, rubbing them to warm them up.

    I watched his hands rubbing mine and then his eyes, where concern shone, perhaps for something not working right in the lighthouse.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ˇŞErik, ˇŞI whispered. His eyes left their downward gaze to meet mineˇŞ. I''m sorry ˇŞ He made a confused grimace.

    ˇŞWhy? ˇŞhe asked.

    ˇŞI... donˇŻt wait... here, ˇŞI confessed, feeling guilty for having come despite his indication not toˇŞ. You donˇŻt have your jacket. I donˇŻt want you to ˇ­ cold, ˇŞI apologized, glancing down at the floor.

    One of Erik''s hands released mine and gently settled on my chin, lifting it so our eyes met again.

    ˇŞYou don''t have to apologize. Thank you for thinking of me, ˇŞhe said, with a reassuring smile that instantly filled me with calm. I nodded, feeling somewhat relieved, and his thumb gently stroked my chin.

    My breathing became heavier, and once again, time seemed to stand still, as it had so many times before. But as always, something broke the spell. The sound of an email notification brought me back to reality. I moistened my lips, turned my head, and remembered I needed to breathe.

    Erik let go of me and stepped away to put the flashlight back in the drawer where he had taken it from. I took off the coat and headed towards the entrance to hang it back up.

    ˇŞThe weather''s bad, ˇŞhe observed, as if it were news. I approached the table and noddedˇŞ. Would you like to stay for lunch? ˇŞhe asked, looking at me with some nervousness. Why?

    ˇŞUhm... okay. If is not a problemˇ­ ˇŞI didn''t want to be a burden.

    ˇŞIt would be worse to drive in this wind. We can wait for the storm to pass, and then I''ll take you home, ˇŞhe replied, turning around and speaking with a tone that was hard to interpret.

    ˇŞI have aˇ­ call this afternoon, ˇŞI informed him, but if driving in this weather was dangerous, I could do it from his house. After all, it was just a video call.

    ˇŞWith your boss? ˇŞhe asked.

    ˇŞYes.

    And suddenly, the power went out.

    ˇŞGreat, ˇŞhe muttered with some indignation, rubbing his face. Fortunately, it was still daytime, although the light was scarce due to the cloudy skyˇŞ. Finally, I can use the candles Nora gave me for Christmas, ˇŞhe added, heading to the dining room and taking out a pack of candles.

    He lit one and placed it near my computer in case I needed more light. They were white with flower petal details and smelled really good.

    ˇŞWould you like to practice some English? ˇŞhe suggested, pointing to the sofa. I nodded and sat next to him, maintaining a respectful distance. With the fireplace right in front of us, the warmth was comforting, and the lighting was perfectˇŞ What do you want to learn today? ˇŞErik leaned his arm on the back of the sofa, adopting his usual relaxed position and tilting his head slightlyˇŞ. Tell me about... what you like?

    "Don''t say ''you'', don''t say ''you''..."

    ˇŞWell, I like... reading, ˇŞI responded, trying not to dwell too much on the question. Erik made a gesture, snapping his fingers, and headed to his bedroom, which I hadn''t seen yet and had no intention of asking him to show me, at least not for now. He returned with a book that seemed to be a children''s story and handed it to meˇŞ. Selkies, ˇŞI asked, reading the silver letters on the cover.

    ˇŞSelkies. Read, ˇŞhe approached me so he could also see the contents of the book. I swallowed nervously and knew this would be a challenge. Although it was a children''s book, I hoped it would be full of illustrations.

    ˇŞThe Secret of the Selkies, ˇŞI said, reading the letters on the cover.

    ˇŞSi, not Se, ˇŞErik corrected me, so I repeated "secret" correctly this time.

    ˇŞOnce upon a time, in the misty shores of Scotland, there was a little village where people lived in harmony with the sea, ˇŞI read the first text on the first page, where a tall cliff with a village drawn on it could be seen.

    ˇŞShores, ˇŞErik pointed to the coastal area in the drawingˇŞ. A little village, ˇŞhe pointed to the small town.

    ˇŞSea, ˇŞI smiled, touching the sea.

    Erik looked at me and bit his lower lip, suppressing a smile, but nodded.

    ˇŞPlease continue, ˇŞhe said.

    ˇŞIn this place, there was a legend of the Selkies, magical creatures that dwelled in the depths of the ocean, ˇŞI read the text on the next page, where some seals were playfully poking out of the water.

    ˇŞDwelled? ˇŞI asked, knowing I was mispronouncing the word.

    ˇŞLive ˇŞErik clarified, smiling.

    ˇŞWhy are you so nice? ˇŞI blinked a couple of times, not understanding why I asked the question. In silence, he searched for the answer by scanning my face with his eyes, which felt like two feathers invisibly caressing me.

    ˇŞWhy shouldn''t I be? ˇŞhe finally asked.

    ˇŞI don''t know. You don''t know me, ˇŞI shrugged, turning the page.

    ˇŞA little bit, yes, ˇŞI noticed that his hand, the one on the back of the sofa, was playfully twirling one of the curls of my ponytail behind me.

    ˇŞAre you always good person? ˇŞI asked.

    ˇŞI try to be. But not everyone is as nice as you, ˇŞhe kept his gaze on the next illustration, trying not to die of embarrassment.

    ˇŞOn a cold spring morning, a girl named Aileen went for a walk on the beach with her dog, Finn, ˇŞI read calmly.

    I felt a slight tug on my hair that made me tilt my head back. I turned around, surprised, and looked at him. It hadn''t been painful, more playful, and it certainly made me feel a tingling sensation in various parts of my body.

    ˇŞSorry. My hand got tangled, ˇŞhe said, with an expression of innocence that couldn''t hide his smile.

    ˇŞAre you sure? ˇŞI asked, amused, raising an eyebrow.

    ˇŞYes, completely, ˇŞhis mischievous boyish expression and that charming smile made me feel like a hormonal teenager. I took a deep breath to continue reading, trying not to think about how much I wished he would tug my hair again.

    ˇŞAs they walked, they heard a soft murmur coming from the sea, ˇŞErik''s hand was no longer playing with my hair but had started to gently massage the base of my neck, making me close my eyes with a mixture of pleasure and relaxation.

    ˇŞIntrigued, they approached and saw a beautiful seal frolicking in the waves. Aileen was amazed by the creature''s elegance and decided to get closer, ˇŞhe continued reading, with absolute perfection.

    ˇŞI love your accent, ˇŞI whispered, still with my eyes closed.

    ˇŞI thought you hated it, ˇŞhe opened his eyes and looked at me with some embarrassment, but I couldn''t help but get lost in those lips that seemed to hypnotize me every time they spoke.

    ˇŞOnly when you speak fast. And much.

    ˇŞI can be quiet if you want, ˇŞhe suggested, lowering the tips of his fingers to the skin of my neck, making me take a gulp of air that tickled my lungs.

    ˇŞMaybe.

    I could swear he gestured to move closer to me, bringing his hand to the base of my head, but the landline phone started ringing, and he closed his eyes, apparently with some reluctance. He cursed something I couldn''t identify, but he didn''t move.

    ˇŞNo answer? ˇŞI asked, amused, while I still had my head gently held by his hand.

    ˇŞNo.

    ˇŞCould be important, ˇŞthis time, I put on an innocent look and a mischievous smile. He squinted his eyes, and before I could predict it, he leaned towards me until his nose touched mine, and his breath, with a slight aroma of coffee, brushed my lips.

    ˇŞOnly because you ask, ˇŞhe whispered before letting go of me and walking towards the phone on the kitchen wall.

    I regretted telling him to answer the call at that moment, but thanks to that, I was able to try to regain some sanity that I was quickly losing with every look and every close gesture.

 Chapter 15

    Erik answered the phone while I struggled to keep calm. What the hell was going on here? My romantic history was limited to Oliver, but that didn''t mean I was blind to the signals Erik was sending. Or was it just my imagination playing tricks on me?

    It could be that Erik was feeling lonely and desperate for any kind of company, even mine. But I didn''t want to fall into that pit of insecurities that only clouded my judgment. It was easier to pretend that everything was fine and move on.

    I got up from the sofa, trying to appear normal, while checking the email that had arrived minutes before. Rub¨¦n needed to postpone our meeting for a few hours. It wasn''t a problem for me, so I quickly replied that it was okay. After all, six in the evening in Spain was still a good time for me, even if it was five in the afternoon in Scotland.

    ˇŞIt was Anne, ˇŞErik said, hanging up the phone and approaching the tableˇŞ. She was worried about you, ˇŞhe added, looking at me. His words echoed in my mind as I tried to process them.

    ˇŞFor me? ˇŞI asked, seeking confirmation, and he nodded.

    He picked up his mobile phone, typed for a few seconds, and a notification popped up on the messaging app linked to my laptop. Erik had sent me a message, and in Spanish, how thoughtful!

    "She was worried about you. She went to your house to see if you were scared of the storm and when she didn''t find you there, she thought you might have been trapped on the road. She wanted to know if you were with me," the message said.

    I smiled as I read it and looked up to meet his gaze. I sat down in the chair and opened the translator to type faster. I copied the English text and sent it to him.

    ˇ°And what''s more dangerous, you or the storm?ˇ±

    I saw a smile forming on his lips as he read my response, looking at me with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

    ˇŞOf course, me, ˇŞhe responded with a smile, sitting back on the sofa and typing on his phone again, sending me another message.

    "Now that we can communicate, I can ask you directly anything I want to know. Let''s see... something spicy."

    After reading the message, I felt my cheeks burning and quickly turned to face him, only to elicit a amused laugh from Erik at my obvious embarrassment. Nevertheless, he didn''t stop and continued typing.

    "Do you prefer spicy ramen or pesto spaghetti?" he asked this time.

    I looked back at him, a mixture of amusement and disappointment dancing in my eyes, expecting something more awkward. I was beginning to understand Erik''s humor; he was a big kid and somehow that was attractive to me. But I also knew how to play with innuendos.

    ˇŞSpicy. Always spicy, ˇŞI replied, looking directly into his eyes with a courage I never thought I''d have.

    Erik tilted his head with a smirk and typed on his phone again.

    "I want to ask you something easy to understand. Do you prefer it written or with my accent that apparently you like so much?"

    I swallowed, this was getting dangerous. In the end, I would regret it when I found out Erik was just joking, with no real intentions.

    ˇŞI prefer your voice, ˇŞI replied, not averting my gaze from his.

    Erik left his phone on the sofa and approached me in just a few steps, resting one hand on the table and the other on the chair''s backrest. He looked down at me, causing a pleasant shiver to run through my body.

    ˇŞDo you like my voice? ˇŞhe asked softly, making it deeper than usual.

    ˇŞYes, ˇŞI could barely mumble.

    ˇŞAnd what would you think if I told you..., ˇŞhe paused, looking into my eyesˇŞ, ...that ah met ye a few years back, when ah wis at ma worst, and ah fell in love wi'' yer smile and yer joy? Ah never thocht ah''d see ye again, but here ye are, richt in front o'' me.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    I didn''t understand most of the words he said, many of them didn''t even seem to be in English, but they sounded so good that the gentle shiver I had felt earlier turned into a quake inside me.

    ˇŞSabes que no he entendido nada, ˇŞI said to him in Spanish, as a way of revenge.

    ˇŞI love it when you speak in Spanish, ˇŞhis words caressed the air until they reached my ears, widening my smile.

    ˇŞTell me this in Spanish, ˇŞI asked amidst laughter, amused by what was happening.

    ˇŞEhmˇ­ Me gustas en espa?ol, ˇŞhe said, struggling with the pronunciation.

    ˇŞOh, eres adorable ˇŞI replied, laughing at his accent. Erik dropped his dominant and sexy posture to look at me, crossing his arms with a smile that he tried to hide under an appearance of annoyance that clearly wasn''t real.

    ˇŞWhat did I say? ˇŞhe asked, confused.

    ˇŞI like you in Spanish, ˇŞI responded, not entirely sure if it was translated correctly.

    He made a "Yeah, more or less" faceˇŞ. How would you say it? ˇŞhe asked, sitting in the chair next to me.

    ˇŞMe gusta cuando hablas en espa?ol, ˇŞI translated back to Spanish naturally. Erik slid a bit in his chair, putting on an exaggeratedly pleased expression, looking up at the ceiling and emitting a funny sound, like an animal growl.

    ˇŞMore, ˇŞhe requested, and I laughed.

    ˇŞ?Qu¨¦ m¨˘s quieres que te diga? ˇŞI asked, sticking to Spanish.

    ˇŞWhat did you say? ˇŞhe chuckled in confusion, returning to a normal posture in his seat. I rested my elbow on the table and held my head with my hand, looking at him amusedly.

    ˇŞWhat else you want, ˇŞI ventured to translate.

    ˇŞAll yer smiles, yer tears and yer angers. All yer good, bad, and grey days. Ah could tell ye sae mony things... but if ye understood the way ah look at ye, ye could understand it aw.

    I stayed silent, staring at him. Erik was also looking at me, as if waiting for me to respond to all those nonsensical words he had just said.

    ˇŞI donˇŻt understand you, ˇŞI sighed, shaking my head and looking away.

    ˇŞI know. That''s why I tell you, ˇŞhe smiled, winking at me.

    ˇŞThis is... tricky, ˇŞI said, not very sure if "tricky" was the right word, but I decided to risk it.

    ˇŞIt''s not. It''s not my fault you don''t understand me, ˇŞhe replied cheerfully.

    ˇŞOh, come on, ˇŞI complained. I got up to fetch his phone from the sofa and handed it to him, eager to know what he was saying. I could see in his eyes that it was something important and I didn''t want to be left wondering.

    ˇŞAre you sure you want to know? ˇŞhe asked, and I nodded determinedly.

    He bit his lower lip and typed on his phone. Then he seemed to delete what he had written. He sighed and typed again, looking at me with narrowed eyes while my heart pounded, waiting for his message. I turned with some impatience upon hearing the notification on my computer.

    "You''ll have to keep improving your English, it''s not something I want to tell you over a message," I read. I opened my mouth and turned, looking at him with a disgusted expression on my face.

    ˇŞCome on, please, ˇŞI beggedˇŞ. No puedes dejarme con esta curiosidad ˇŞI continued, in Spanish.

    ˇŞAh, ah. When you can understand me, I''ll tell you, ˇŞhe promised. I rolled my eyes and sighed, defeated. I was sure he wouldn''t tell me.

    ˇŞAnd what about charades? ˇŞI suggested.

    It was then that I noticed Erik''s cheeks turning slightly redder, it wasn''t my imagination. What was he trying to tell me with that blush at my suggestion of charades?

    He reached out to caress my cheek, causing my heart to skip a beat. He leaned forward and almost brushed his lips against mine. It was a dizzyingly pleasurable moment.

    ˇŞWe can''t, ˇŞhe whispered, diverting his lips at the last moment to give me a kiss on the cheek. Close to the lips, very close... but more on the cheek than on the lipsˇŞ h''m itchelin'' tae kiss ye sairly, but ah dinnae want tae scare ye, ˇŞhe whispered, not moving his face away from mine.

    I turned my head slightly to look at him directly, feeling his warm breath mingling with mine. His eyes, so close, were incredibly beautiful, filled with tiny specks of gold mixed with the intense green of his iris.

    ˇŞDon''t play with me,ˇŞI begged.

    His hand, which had been caressing my cheek, lowered to my chin and lifted it slightly.ˇŞNever, ˇŞhe whispered.

 Chapter 16

    I had never felt so vulnerable with a man before as I did with Erik. He stirred emotions in me that I thought were only possible in the pages of my favourite romantic novels. Those feelings that seemed reserved for fantasy now stirred within me. It was absurd, I had barely known him for a week. How was it possible?

    Perhaps that sensation was what some called chemistry. If I could talk to Vir about it without dying of embarrassment, I''m sure she would tell me that it was called chemistry and that it wasn''t something experienced with just anyone. Was I the only one feeling that spark, or could Erik also perceive it?

    I begged him not to play with me. I had suffered a lot with Oliver and I wasn''t ready to keep suffering, and although Erik promised he wouldn''t, the wounds of the past began to ache. Every shout, every lie from the man I shared twenty years of my life with echoed in my head. His false declarations of love and empty apologies made me recoil.

    "I can''t, Erik," I said, fearing he would shout at me or make me feel embarrassed for imagining things where there were none.

    "It''s okay, don''t worry," he replied, with a calmness that surprised me, making me meet his gaze again.

    In his eyes, I saw no trace of anger or disapproval. He didn''t seem to hate me, but I could perceive his concern, as if he had caused some harm.

    I tried to explain that I wasn''t ready, that fear paralyzed me, but I could barely articulate the words.

    "I...," I wanted to explain that I wasn''t ready, that I had suffered a lot and felt insecure about what I was feeling.

    "Andy, it''s okay. You don''t have to give me explanations," he murmured calmly, softening his smile. "I''m sorry if I did something that made you uncomfortable."

    I nodded, although I wasn''t entirely sure of what he said. I could feel the concern in his gaze, wondering if he had said something that bothered me. He gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek and walked away calmly. Was everything really okay?

    A sigh escaped my lips as I looked down at my knees, which I rubbed nervously. Why did I feel this way? Erik had never done anything to make me uncomfortable, quite the opposite. From the beginning, he was attentive, he tried to make me feel good, despite the communication barriers. In just one week, he had managed to make me laugh more than I had in the past years. So, what was wrong with me? Was that what Vir meant about not sabotaging myself?

    "Are you hungry?" I looked up to meet his eyes. "Andy, what''s wrong?" he quickly approached, crouching in front of me with a look of confusion and concern on his face.

    "Nothing, is just..." I inhaled deeply, trying to undo the knot in my throat. How had I managed to ruin everything like that? We were fine, we were friends, we had fun together, but now, by letting myself go, I had ruined it all.

    "You can tell me," he whispered as he brushed a strand of hair from my face, a gesture that deeply moved me. Despite his large size and rugged appearance, he always treated me with astonishing gentleness.

    "I donˇŻt know how," I complained, frustrated once again.

    "Are you okay with me? If you want to leave, I can take you home," he said, his gaze shifting to the window, where the rain continued to beat forcefully against the glass.

    "IˇŻm good with you. IˇŻm good here," I replied. That was the problem. I was too good with him. In a week, I had forgotten my purpose of being an independent and solitary woman, and now I was repeating the same pattern of dependence.

    I would get used to his company, think everything was fine, and then realize there was nothing. Then, I would suffer and decide to go somewhere else. Africa, maybe. It was warmer there.

    Erik took my hand and squeezed it gently, bringing me back to the present, away from my musings about Africa.

    "I understand you''ve suffered a lot with your ex-boyfriend," his thumb stroked my hand as he spoke. "I won''t hurt you," his voice sounded firm, determined.

    "Are you angry with me?" My question made Erik frown in surprise before his expression changed to confusion.

    "Why would you ask that? Of course not," he assured me. I shrugged, feeling ridiculous. "Andrea, it''s understandable. Your ex did something horrible to you." He brought my hand to his lips and gave me a loving kiss on the knuckles, reassuring me.

    "But you are nice," I said, embarrassed by saying that. A sweet and somewhat mischievous smile formed on his lips.

    "Am I nice?" he asked, making me blush. I nodded. "You''re nice too." I pressed my lips together to contain a shy smile.

    "Can I hold you?" I asked. Erik squinted thoughtfully and then nodded.

    I approached him and hugged him, feeling how he responded to the hug, resting his head on my shoulder and gently stroking my back.

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    "Andy," he whispered.

    "Tell me," I replied, feeling safe in his arms, protected and less vulnerable than I had felt a moment ago.

    "Hug you," he said playfully, squeezing me a little tighter.

    "What I said?" I asked, closing my eyes, comfortable in his embrace.

    "Hold you," he laughed, not moving an inch, allowing me to stay in that hug for as long as I needed. Finally, out of shyness, I pulled back a little and looked into his eyes. "You can hug me whenever you need to. Got it?" He looked me in the eyes, making me feel dizzy, but I nodded.

    "Ok, Teddy bear," I joked, enjoying the jokes with him more than the insecurity.

    "That''s my girl," he said. He leaned in to give me a kiss on the forehead and then returned to the kitchen.

    I bit my lower lip. Not being ready for anything more than friendship didn''t mean I was naive, and those displays of affection didn''t go unnoticed. I felt, in many ways, that Erik was too much for me, but I also knew it was because of my insecurities, fueled by the terrible relationship I had had before.

    "Do you need help?" I asked as I watched him open the fridge and look inside.

    "Will you teach me to cook something Spanish?" he asked, scratching his head.

    "Of course. What do you like?" I asked, approaching him. His eyes ran over me from top to bottom, and then he adopted a pensive expression.

    "Paella," he said, eliciting a laugh from me.

    "Paella is difficult," I said, knowing that we probably lacked some ingredients, but we could look for them if he wanted to try it another day. "How about...?" I stroked my chin, thinking of simpler recipes.

    "Tortilla de patatas?" he asked in Spanish, with his charming accent.

    "Oh! Yes, I love it," I said happily. "Do you like onions?" I asked, and he nodded. "Perfect," I said cheerfully. I loved it with onions, and Oliver hated it, so I could never enjoy it the way I liked it.

    "What do we need, boss?" he asked.

    "Careful with call me boss. I like it," I warned, amused.

    "You''re in charge, boss," he finished, making me laugh.

    "Huevos, patatas y cebolla.," I said in Spanish, wanting to check if he understood.

    He took potatoes from a basket, onions from the fridge, and when he grabbed the eggs, he looked at me with an unsure look, wondering if it was the third ingredient.

    "?Huevos?" he asked, and I nodded, leaving behind the bitter feeling from a few minutes ago and returning to enjoy our friendship, without fears or doubts.

    "Do you like cook?" I asked as I washed the potatoes.

    "I live alone, I had to learn," he shrugged, skillfully starting to peel the potatoes I was washing.

    "Sexy," I blurted out, and he stopped peeling, looking at me almost incredulously. "I mean... men who cook are sexy," I corrected, nervously.

    "IˇŻm sexy and I know it," he sang the chorus of the LMFAO song.

    "And funny," I pointed out, which only made him clown around singing the song in a comical way.

    One of Erik''s great attractions, beyond his obvious appearance, was his personality. He wasn''t afraid to show who he was or try to act serious and masculine. He lived and acted like a nearly forty-year-old child who enjoyed life without caring what others thought.

    "Cebolla.," he asked when he finished with the potatoes. He began to cut it, and his eyes started to tear up.

    "Don''t cry, everything''s fine," I said amused, stroking his back while he, with red eyes, wiped away the tears with the back of his hand. "No hagas eso, ser¨˘ peor," I said, taking his hand to prevent it.

    I grabbed a napkin and wiped away his tears, as my hands were clean.

    "I''m crying because you don''t love me," he complained jokingly.

    "That''s your opinion," I replied, trying to seem indifferent.

    "Do you love me?" he asked, giving me a playful tap on the shoulder.

    "Obviously not, that''s because you''re crying," I laughed, making him open his mouth in surprise. The silly guy then took a piece of onion and brought it closer to his face to cry even more.

    "?Erik! No hagas eso, tonto." I laughed, taking the onion away from him.

    "I''m sad!" he said between laughs, although he regretted it afterward because his eyes started to tear up even more.

    "Silly boy," I clicked my tongue, taking hold of his chin to wipe his eyes again.

    "Andy," he pouted exaggeratedly.

    "What"

    "No need for you to cry too," I raised an eyebrow, looking at him confused before he took the onion away from me and brought it close to my nose.

    "Erik!" I immediately moved away, amused, although my eyes started to tear up.

    "Come on, let''s cry together," he said, hugging me and caressing my head with the back of his hand, which was clean. "Don''t cry, I''ll take care of you," he said as if he wasn''t the one to blame for anything.

    "You''re silly," I poked his ribs, tickling him and making him let go of me.

    "I know, but you love it," he kissed me on the cheek and continued cooking as if nothing happened.

    "Maybe," I shrugged, trying not to smile to avoid giving him the satisfaction.

    Our gazes met, and we both smiled silently, not wanting to add anything more to this perfect moment.

 Chapter 17

    "Claro, Rub¨¦n, ma?ana mismo le enviar¨¦ el correo. (Of course, Ruben, I''ll send the email tomorrow itself,)" I replied to my boss, tearing my gaze away from my computer screen for a moment to glance at Erik. He was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in a book while I finished my meeting.

    "Andrea?" Ruben called me, and I turned my attention back to the screen. "Buen trabajo. Te enviar¨¦ el nuevo manuscrito. (Good job. I''ll send you the new manuscript.)"

    I nodded, wondering what kind of story awaited me this time. I just hoped it wasn''t another drama of toxic loves or violent situations.

    "Lo revisar¨¦ ma?ana. (I''ll review it tomorrow)," I smiled, and after saying our goodbyes, I hung up the call. I lowered the laptop screen and let out a sigh. The call hadn''t been long, but I always got nervous at the prospect of being called out, and not in a positive way.

    "Finished?" Erik asked.

    I nodded, shrinking at the sound of the lightning that streaked across the sky outside. The storm didn''t seem to be easing up, quite the opposite. I sighed softly, looking out the window with a hint of worry.

    "Are you scared of storms?" Erik asked, and I looked at him, shaking my head.

    "I don''t like, but no, I''m not scared," I replied. It wasn''t entirely a lie, but it wasn''t entirely true either. They had never terrified me, but the idea of being alone during a storm like that didn''t thrill me. And if the storm didn''t let up, Erik wouldn''t be able to take me home.

    I got up and headed towards the window, watching as the sky darkened even more. Something hit the glass and I startled, taking a step back and bumping into Erik''s hands.

    "I''m here, you don''t have to worry," he smiled, gently rubbing my back. "Do you want some tea or coffee?"

    "Coffee, thanks," I rubbed my arms, feeling a shiver, although the dining room remained warm thanks to the fireplace Erik had lit. "You don''t have a television," I remarked, now realizing it.

    "I don''t need one," he said, preparing a coffee maker.

    "You don''t... watch movies?" I moved away from the window and approached the fireplace.

    "I prefer reading. Books are always better."

    "And you are not bored here always alone?" I rubbed my hands in front of the warm flame, being careful not to touch the glass to avoid burning myself.

    "What makes you think I''m always alone? I have friends," he laughed, coming closer and rubbing my hands. Those kinds of gestures were what I loved about him. He was never intrusive, always there to comfort me.

    "Really? I don''t believe you," I joked, teasing him a little.

    "Of course I have friends... just not on this island," he shrugged. "They''re in Glasgow."

    "Glasgow is far," I remarked, knowing it was considerably further south.

    "I know. I used to live there," he surprised me with that information. I had assumed he had spent his entire life on this island. I had many questions, but I didn''t know how to broach them, or if I really wanted to pry into his privacy. But curiosity nagged at me.

    "Is your family in Glasgow?" I asked, trying not to sound too nosy. I noticed his gaze dimmed and turned sad suddenly. He shook his head and walked to the kitchen to retrieve two cups from the cupboard. I felt like I had touched on a delicate subject.

    "Angus, Anne, and Nora are my only family," my heart sank, and as if the pieces of the puzzle aligned in my mind, I inferred that his parents or siblings or some other loved one had lived in Glasgow with him, but something happened, and he moved to this island. I doubted a simple argument would have distanced them so much, although... well, there I was. Far away from my home too.

    "I''m sorry," I apologized.

    "It was a few years ago, but it still hurts," he added sugar to my cup and turned to look at me. "Don''t worry."

    The sound of the coffee maker indicated that the coffee was ready. He poured it into two cups and approached the fridge to get milk for me. He knew how I liked my coffee and I only had to tell him once. I sat on the sofa and Erik approached, placing both cups of coffee on the wooden table in front of me.

    I was about to say something when he gestured with his finger for me to be quiet and turned his head towards the door, as if he had heard something. With a pensive expression, he left the dining room, opening the door and letting the cold in like a winter hurricane, making me shrink a little.

    It was only a few seconds, but when he closed the door, he was already by the fireplace, trying to warm me up.

    "What''s happend?" I asked, watching him return to my side with a trembling ball of fur in his arms.

    "He was outside," he said, sitting on the floor by the fireplace. "Can you bring me a towel from the bathroom?" he asked. "Towel," he added more slowly and clearly.

    "Yes," I headed to the bathroom, grabbed a towel, and returned, handing it to him.

    He quickly covered whatever it was between his legs and tried to dry it off. As soon as the animal poked its head out from one side, I saw it was a dark-haired puppy.

    "Is it a dog?" I asked, crouching down and offering my hand for it to sniff.

    "A puppy. Must have gotten lost in the storm, poor thing," he said, getting up and gesturing for me to take care of it while he went to the kitchen to get water and some bread. As soon as he put it in front of the puppy, it began to drink desperately.

    I had to admit I wasn''t much of a fan of dogs. I had never had one, and they were too much responsibility, but that dark furball was really adorable.

    "Hola," I said in Spanish, petting its head. The poor thing was freezing and completely soaked despite Erik having rubbed it with a towel. The puppy whimpered in fear, trembling and hiding under the towel when a new thunderclap echoed through the house.

    Erik grabbed some bread and tucked it under the towel in case it wanted to eat while feeling more protected.

    "When I take you to the village, I''ll give him to Alec," he said, as if the puppy understood him perfectly.

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    He got up, leaving it covered with the towel, and extended his hand to help me up too. I stood up, and we went to the sofa for the coffee. I took my cup in my hands, warming them with it. There was barely any light now, except for the candles and the fireplace.

    "You are wet," I said, seeing his damp sweatshirt. Erik, who seemed not to have noticed that until I mentioned it, immediately took off his sweatshirt.

    Damn, he was wearing a black T-shirt underneath. I swallowed and tried to act normal, looking at the trembling lump by the fireplace.

    "If it doesn''t stop raining, you can sleep in the bedroom," he offered, taking his cup. "I''ll sleep on the sofa." I glanced at him.

    "Okay."

    "If it bothers you, I can go to the lighthouse," he offered, I looked at him and shook my head.

    "No, it''s not that," I said quickly. He rested his elbow on the back of the sofa and turned a bit to look at me, so I did too to be a bit more face-to-face. "I don''t have pajamas."

    Erik burst out laughing and I punched his arm lightly so he wouldn''t laugh at me.

    "First my coat, then my pajamas... Andrea, you ask for more than a girlfriend," he continued laughing.

    "Oh, shut up," I turned to face him, sipping my coffee.

    "Don''t choke," he said, and true to his word, I began to cough because of him, leaving the coffee on the table and coughing while he ran his hand down my back without hitting me.

    "It''s your fault," I reproached him.

    "It is," he ran his thumb over the corner of my lip, wiping it gently.

    My eyes, trapped in the curve of his lips, made me want him more than ever. I had thought many times about the taste of his lips, about what it would be like to kiss him and what I would feel when I did. But one thing was to fantasize and quite another was to wish to feel it for real.

    His hand slid just a couple of centimeters towards my neck. It was warm and pleasant. I turned my head slightly, adjusting to his touch. I closed my eyes softly, breathing calmly, not feeling like the world was going to end because of that soft and complicit caress. His thumb, caressing the profile of my jaw, also brushed my cheek when I turned my head a bit more, until my lips planted a timid kiss on his palm.

    I opened my eyes to look at him. He was staring at me with shining eyes. I could almost see the flames from the fireplace reflected in them. He didn''t move closer or try to kiss me, probably fearing my reaction like hours before. I opened my mouth to say something, but he stopped me by gently placing his thumb on my lips.

    "Shh. Everything is fine. Nothing''s going to happen," he whispered, removing his finger from my lips and continuing the pleasant caresses on my jaw and neck. "Come here."

    He lifted his arm for me to snuggle up beside him, and I did so without hesitation, embracing him and nestling against his ribs, resting my head against him in such a natural way that it seemed like I was made to hug him.

    "Andy, I really like you," he said, and I widened my eyes, unmoving. Because if he intended for me not to understand, he completely missed the mark. I understood him perfectly.

    "Why?" I asked, my voice trembling.

    "You wouldn''t understand," he said, rubbing my arm and pulling me closer to him before moving to look me in the face. "But nothing''s going to happen that you don''t want. I promise you." It took me a few extra seconds to process what he was saying. "You''re the boss. You''re in control."

    "Me?"

    "You."

    I nodded, wanting to gather the courage to tell him that he also made me feel things, that every time I saw him my legs shook, and there hadn''t been just one or two nights that I had dreamt of him. That just seeing him in the pub my first night on the island, he seemed like the most attractive man in the world, but his incredible and shining character was a thousand times better.

    I wanted to tell him how much I laughed with him, how much I enjoyed the time we spent together, and how scared I was that everything was happening so strongly, so quickly.

    But I didn''t say any of that, I just bit my lower lip and sighed softly. I didn''t want to confuse him, it was enough that I was confusing myself.

    "I need time," it was the only thing I managed to say.

    He hugged me again, kissing my head and resting his cheek against the top of my head.

    "I have all the time in the world," he assured me. "And if not, I''ll live with it, but let me be your friend." I didn''t quite understand that.

    "Can you send it to me by text?" I asked, with a playful smile, making him laugh too.

    "No. Learn English," he retorted. "Do you want to tell me something in Spanish?" I lifted my face, looking at him inches away, and nodded.

    "Are you sure you don''t understand me?"

    Erik leaned his head back amused and looked back at me.

    "Unfortunately."

    "Okay," I said, starting to open up in Spanish. "Me haces sentir muy bien. Tengo muchos miedos, pero contigo me sientoˇ­ diferente. Bien. (You make me feel really good. I have a lot of fears, but with you, I feel... different. Good.)"

    I saw in his eyes trying to catch words, something that made sense to him, without much success it seemed.

    "Me asusta sentir algo de verdad y que me hagas da?o. (I''m scared of feeling something real and you hurting me)," he might not understand my words, but he must be understanding the way I looked at him, because he gently squeezed my hand against my arm, giving me confidence. "Necesito tiempo, para conocerte un poco m¨˘s y saber que no est¨˘s jugando conmigo. (I need time, to get to know you a little more and make sure you''re not playing with me)." The knot in my throat returned.

    "I like it when you smile. I don''t want to see you sad," he murmured with sorrow in his words.

    "I''m not sad," I assured him.

    "Are you happy?"

    That question caught me completely off guard. Was I? Had I been in recent years? I was a cheerful person, but was I happy?

    "I don''t know," I said, realizing a truth that was too painful.

    "Can I help you be happy?" he asked, and I didn''t understand why me, why he wanted to make me happy.

    "Why?" I asked again, confused.

    "You wouldn''t understand," he said with frustration, running his free hand over his face, but not letting go of me with the other.

    "Try," I pleaded.

    "Barcelona. Five years ago," he nodded. "Port Aventura," I frowned. Wait... what?

    "Continue," I asked, my heart racing.

    "I saw you at Port Aventura, with a friend, I think. Tall, brunette," he tried to explain. Yes, I had gone with Vir to Barcelona for a few days to celebrate her divorce from her jerk of a husband, and there, on a whim, we decided to go to Port Aventura to relive our teenage years.

    "And you remember me?" I couldn''t believe it.

    "Your laugh. How happy you looked," he denied. "I was very sad. I saw you laugh with so much joy that you made me smile, for the first time in months."

    Oh, come on, these things only happened in love novels. But how could he make something like that up? I was going to ask if he was sure it was me, but damn. It was me! I was there, with Vir. He couldn''t know if he hadn''t seen me.

    "When I saw you at the Westray Inn, I swear..." he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It was like the sun came out. You are the sun."

    I opened my mouth, not knowing what to say. I doubted that anyone had ever told me anything remotely similar. I felt my cheeks burning, and my heart had been racing for a while.

    "Joder. I mean... Joder..." I covered my mouth to keep him from seeing my incredulous expression and laughed out of pure nerves. I couldn''t believe it. It was too... otherworldly.

    "That time, I didn''t dare to thank you," he hugged me affectionately. "Thank you for making me smile that day and knowing that I could smile again."

 Chapter 18

    We clung to each other, as if time had surrendered to our union, blending minutes and seconds into an endless embrace. With Erik by my side, the clock ceased to matter. We shifted positions without letting go, immersed in a silence heavy with thoughts.

    Erik''s words continued to resonate in my head, like a persistent echo of a surprising revelation. The vast world, the countless lives, and here we were, finding each other again. But my mind searched in vain, unable to find any memory of his existence in my mind.

    I wanted to ask him about the sadness that seemed to have enveloped him in the past, but something held me back; I feared delving into old wounds.

    "Are you alright?" he whispered, his warm breath brushing against my forehead.

    "I want to tell you so many things. But the words..." I tried to explain.

    "They get stuck," he completed, making me nod.

    "Are you happy now?" I asked, and Erik let out a sigh, settling back on the couch, still holding me.

    "I suppose so," he shrugged. "My life is simple, peaceful. There''s no reason for sadness," he confessed.

    Seeing him like this, I wondered if my own lack of sadness was enough to consider myself happy.

    "What''s your dream?" I asked, intrigued. "Did you always want to be a lighthouse keeper?"

    He gently shook his head, getting up to return with an impressive camera in hand. It was clearly professional and expensive.

    "I always wanted to be a photographer," he commented, sitting back down next to me and turning on the camera.

    "A wedding photographer?" I inquired, surprised by the idea that didn''t seem to fit him. He smiled and shook his head.

    "Travel. Nature... of the world."

    On the camera screen, a magnificent photograph of the lighthouse appeared. He enlarged it, and my heart skipped a beat seeing myself seated on a rock, by the cliff. That image must have been from the first day I visited the lighthouse, just a week ago.

    "That''s me," I affirmed, as if it needed confirming.

    "Really?" he asked, furrowing his brow thoughtfully, then grinned "Ah, of course it''s you!" he chuckled. "I didn''t want to forget you in case you disappeared again."

    "I''m not going to disappear," I asserted with determination. There was no reason to.

    "You won''t be trapped on this island forever," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice, showing me another picture of the sea and the cliffs. It was incredible, the composition, the light... it was a photograph worthy of a gallery.

    "Who knows. Maybe," I replied, shrugging, looking at the next picture of the bay "Why aren''t you a photographer? You''re really good."

    "My father always wanted me to be a firefighter, like him. And I was for 10 years," he said, showing me a picture of Pierowall harbor.

    "You were a firefighter?" I asked, genuinely surprised. That explained his physique.

    "I was, almost 6 years ago. Now I''m a lighthouse keeper," he said, moving on to the next picture of fluffy sheep in a green meadow full of colorful flowers.

    "You lost someone, right?" I dared to ask, and he nodded "I''m sorry."

    "It''s not your fault," he reassured me, gently squeezing my forearm, though the unpleasant feeling in my chest persisted.

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    "And why aren''t you a photographer now?" I asked, turning my head to look him in the eyes. He seemed to ponder, his gaze lost in the void even though he was focused on me.

    "I don''t know. I suppose I''ve grown accustomed to this quiet, solitary life," he said calmly, observing my face.

    "You''re not alone, you have friends. In Glasgow," I reminded him, making him smile.

    "And you," he reminded me.

    "Yes, I''m here too," I said as I gently squeezed his forearm. Erik turned off the camera and placed it on the wooden table, next to the empty coffee cups. The trembling lump by the fireplace remained still, so I assumed that, after eating, drinking, and warming up, the puppy had fallen asleep under the towel.

    "Do you like to travel?" he asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders again so we returned to that comfortable position we were in before he went to get his camera.

    "More or less. Yes, but... no," I replied; the answer was a bit complicated.

    I loved traveling, I enjoyed exploring new places and discovering the history of the sites I visited, but my trips with Oliver had never been like that, at least not in the last 15 years. At first, we did some sightseeing together after his business meetings, went out to eat, or visited something in the area. But then, the trips became an obligation where I felt like I was an object being taken for a ride.

    "Have you traveled the world?" Erik asked, and I shook my head.

    "Just Spain. Well, and now Pierowall," I replied, letting my hand slide down his forearm, tracing the ink lines that adorned his skin.

    "Scotland has a lot to offer, you should explore it," Erik turned his arm so that I could easily stroke the inner part, and he seemed to relax with the contact.

    "Do you like to travel?" I asked, as my fingers explored the lines of his palm, gently, as if trying to decipher an enigma.

    "I love traveling."

    "Then, you should travel and take photographs," my hand slid to his fingers, caressing them softly.

    "You''re tickling me," he said, with a smile on his lips. I looked at him, confused as to what he meant, so he reached out the hand that was on my shoulders and tickled me.

    "No, stop!" I said, laughing, trying to tickle him back. We both ended up laughing. Erik held my wrists, easily immobilizing them.

    "Now you''ve gone too far with your antics," he said, looking at me intently, with eyes full of amusement.

    I swear if I could at that moment, I would have started burning with more intensity than the flames consuming the logs in the fireplace. From nowhere, a fire so intense appeared inside me that I almost scared myself. I was sure I had never felt anything like that before. At least, not so strong. I tried to release myself, but Erik lifted my arms and brought them over my head, leaving me lying on the couch.

    "Apologize to me," his deep voice didn''t help to calm the fire burning inside me.

    "No," I said firmly. Erik smiled challengingly.

    "Andrea, don''t play with fire," he warned.

    "I''m the boss," I said, looking at his lips. I heard him softly growl, as if regretting telling me thatˇŞ "I''m in control," I reminded him, and he bit his lower lip, squeezing my wrists a little tighter, but it didn''t hurt me at all.

    "Yes," he whispered.

    "Let me go," I ordered, looking him straight in the eyes. I saw him hesitate, but he let go of me, never breaking eye contact. My hands, now free, returned to a more natural position although the right one approached his beard, which I gently stroked "Good boy," I didn''t know what was happening to me, but I was completely eager for the fire inside me to engulf everything.

    "You''re going to get burned," he warned, his eyes dropping to my lips.

    "You were a firefighter, right?"

    "You don''t want me to kiss you," he scoffed with a hint of bitterness in his voice. Technically it was true, but in reality, I was dying to kiss him.

    "Close your eyes," I asked him. He did so without hesitation. I pulled his T-shirt toward me and kissed his cheek softly. He leaned his arm on the couch so as not to put all his weight on my body, and from how he was breathing, I knew he was struggling to keep control "Who''s in charge?"

    "You are, boss," he said, calmly and playfully "Are you playing with me?"

    "I want to know if I really have control," I said. Erik opened his eyes and looked at me, barely inches away.

    "Now and always," he asserted with such conviction that I could only believe him.

    "Are you going to hurt me?" I asked, as his hands held my face, bringing his forehead to mine, brushing my lips but not kissing me.

    "Never," he assured.

    "How can you be so sure?" I whispered.

    "Because you''re the sun. My sun."

 Chapter 19

    My mind struggled against the tide of emotions threatening to sweep me towards him. Erik had bared his heart, revealing his feelings and the desire to kiss me. Though I found it hard to believe, there we were, tangled on the sofa over a mere jest, our foreheads touching and sharing the same breath.

    Beneath the comforting weight of his body, leaning on his knee and cradling my face in his hands, I felt protected. The noise of the rain pounding on the glass faded away under the soft whisper of his breath, and I found myself completely absorbed in him.

    With a touch of shyness, my hands slid to his face, trapping it between my palms and gently pulling him towards me until his lips finally met mine. A roar echoed outside, but to me, it was just the symphony of overwhelming pleasure realizing I was kissing him.

    I parted my lips softly, allowing his to fit perfectly against mine, dispelling the cold I felt instantly with his warm taste of coffee and something indescribably delicious. My breath grew heavier, and my hands traveled from his face to his nape, wrapping his neck with my arms as one of his hands delicately caressed my body, from my neck to my waist, sliding down my back and pulling me closer to him.

    The sensation was overwhelmingly pleasant, with just our lips in contact. As Erik''s tongue met mine, I sighed, squeezing him tighter between my arms and feeling our bodies melding together.

    What started as a slow, timid, and soft kiss gradually transformed into a passionate exploration. I loved feeling how he held me every time we delved with our tongues, and he seemed to relish my sighs each time he ventured into my mouth.

    After a few minutes, Erik lifted his head and looked into my eyes, seeking to make sure everything was okay. I didn''t need to say anything; I understood everything with just one look. I nodded with a shy smile and ran my fingers through his hair, drawing him back to me because I wanted to keep kissing him.

    With astonishing ease, Erik drew me towards him as we sat on the sofa, placing me on his lap so that I had more control of the situation. His hands rested on my hips, and my mouth continued exploring his, even daring to softly bite his lower lip. His reaction was evident as his hands tightened around my waist and a small gasp escaped his throat, further igniting my desire to keep teasing him.

    What I absolutely didn''t expect was to be the one gasping at Erik''s obvious response to my kisses. I pressed my forehead against his, but had to part our lips to catch my breath. Could it be true? Could I really be causing Erik so much excitement?

    His hands continued to stroke my back, slowly ascending until one of them settled at the curve of my neck and the other descended to my hip, making me shift slightly on top of him and confirming that the hardness I felt beneath my body was indeed very real.

    "We can stop if you want," Erik whispered, his voice restrained.

    "I don''t want," I dared to say honestly. "But I''m not very expert," I added, wanting to make it clear that I didn''t have remarkable previous experience. I had never considered myself extraordinary in sexual matters, and my only experience was from my previous relationship, which wasn''t anything to write home about.

    Erik pulled his face away from mine to look me in the eyes, and I felt embarrassed. The desire I perceived in his gaze seemed too much for someone like me.

    "We can take it slow, there''s no rush," he whispered, caressing my face with his thumb and looking at my lips with a longing to devour them. I nodded gratefully. "I just want to keep kissing you," he added, his tone pleading. "Even if we can''t do more," he admitted, as my rapid breathing sped up again at the thought of continuing down that path.

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    I yearned for more with him, but I feared that when I undressed, he wouldn''t like what he saw, that he would be disappointed, or that his excitement would diminish. But we enjoyed kissing each other, him and me, so we could keep doing that.

    I returned to his lips with genuine desire, kissing him with even more passion than before, eliciting a groan of pleasure from him. My whole body burned, especially the area in contact with his groin.

    Somehow, I knew that sooner or later he would want more from me, from my body and from the situation. Could I give it to him when the time came? Despite my fears and insecurities, there I was, wishing he would strip me of my clothes despite it all.

    Erik parted his lips from mine and began to kiss the contours of my face with soft, brief kisses, tracing a delicious path to my neck. When his teeth grazed the skin of this area with extreme gentleness, I let out a long moan. What was that? My whole being vibrated with excitement.

    "More," I begged, and he obeyed, causing my entire body to tremble with pleasure once again. On instinct, my hips moved against him, rubbing his erection gently and making him gasp as well.

    "More?" he asked, and I nodded eagerly. This time, instead of biting me, his tongue traced a path of fire to my earlobe, where he did bite me, plunging me into a state of submission and absolute pleasure. "You''re in charge, boss," he reminded me, making me grind against him again.

    I turned my face to look him in the eyes, and I had never before seen such an intensely erotic expression on a man. I gently stroked his hair, taking his already disheveled bun and pulling it gently so that he showed me his neck, while consciously I moved my hips again, wanting to see his reaction, and he didn''t disappoint; he accompanied the movement of my body with his hands, making it more intense.

    "I like you, a lot," I whispered, now bringing my mouth to his neck to kiss it slowly. I felt his legs tense slightly under my body, and I hoped it was from pleasure. I kissed his skin, adorned also with tattoos, and then he licked it, mimicking his gesture, causing his hands to urge me to continue. "Are you be okay if we stop here?" I asked, fearing he would be disappointed or annoyed.

    Erik looked me in the eyes, releasing my hips and taking me by the chin tenderly. "Wherever we end up is okay," he said, kissing my lips sweetly. "It doesn''t have to be today," he whispered between kisses. "Or ever, if you don''t want to."

    This time, it was him who bit my lower lip, eliciting a new, deeper sound from my throat.

    "I want to... but I feel insecure," I confessed. I didn''t understand how Erik made me so honest; I had never before expressed my feelings and fears so naturally.

    "I won''t hurt you. I won''t play games with you. I won''t deceive or use you," he affirmed, looking me in the eyes. I nodded, stroking his lip with my thumb.

    "Thank you," I whispered, hugging him. Erik didn''t say more; he simply hugged me affectionately, holding me close to give me security. Although his body wanted more, he didn''t demand it. "I want more," I whispered with my face buried in his neck from the hug.

    "Ask me anything you want, I''m here to serve you, boss," he whispered seductively.

    "And what if you don''t like me?" I asked fearfully. In an instant, he moved to hold my chin and force me to look at him.

    "That''s completely impossible, Andrea," he said confidently. "I adore you," he assured me. "You drive me crazy," he added, exploring every corner of my face with his gaze. "You''re a beautiful woman," he concluded, and kissed my chin tenderly.

    "But..." I couldn''t finish because his lips descended to my neck, drowning out my words.

    "I''ll kiss every inch of your body until you understand how wonderful you are, both physically and mentally. I really like you," he said determinedly. His hand pulled my sweater collar down a bit, and his lips brushed against the skin of my collarbone, making me tremble again.

    "I don''t understand you..." I smiled, trying to make a joke.

    "Good, because I''ll love you silently until you do," he affirmed before biting my shoulder, causing me to lose what little sanity I had left. "I don''t need words to make you feel how much I like you."

 Chapter 20

    Erik''s words echoed in my mind, and I felt a part of me more connected with him. I was drawn into the mystery of the part I didn''t understand, eager to grasp every detail of its meaning. Did he want to love me? In what way? Uncertainty engulfed me, but amid it, a certainty solidified: we didn''t need words to understand each other.

    His warm breath brushed against my skin as his lips delicately explored my shoulders, smoothly gliding as the fabric of the sweater surrendered to him. The caress of his lips and beard provoked a nervous laugh and a pleasant tickling that ran through my body.

    "Do you want me to stop?" he asked between kisses, his voice laden with tenderness.

    "No," I replied, longing to explore more, although a shadow of fear hinted inside me, afraid to venture too far into unknown territory.

    "Do you like it?" he whispered against my skin as he descended towards the neckline, eliciting a barely audible sigh from me between kisses.

    "Yes," I murmured, feeling my voice filled with excitement.

    He stopped playing with my sweater to get rid of his shirt, revealing a torso that took my breath away. The details of the tattoo on his forearms extended to cover the upper half of his body. There were too many details to see them all, but among them stood out two intertwined Viking axes on his chest and a skull with horns, imposing and fascinating at the same time.

    "I got burned in the accident," he explained, taking my hand and guiding it to a part of his torso where I could clearly feel the relief of the scars. "I got tattoos to hide them," he let go of my hand and I continued to caress his torso with curiosity.

    "Also on your arms?" I asked, and he shook his head. "For pleasure then?" a small laugh escaped from his lips as he nodded. "Vicioso (Naughty)," I said in Spanish, making him look at me amused for a moment before closing his eyes again.

    I leaned in and kissed his skin as I ran my hands over his torso. Erik let himself fall on the couch, sighing with pleasure at my kisses, dropping his arms to the sides and completely surrendering his body to my lips.

    My lips found the scars, which I kissed affectionately, without any trace of discomfort. However, I felt a huge need awakening in me to caress and care for him. After a few minutes, those innocent kisses weren''t enough; I longed for more of him. I straightened up, catching Erik''s attention, who looked at me with eyes as fiery as the flames in the fireplace, which reflected in his greenish iris.

    With some unease in his voice, he affirmed that it wasn''t necessary for me to do it, what he didn''t know was that I was dying to do it. He nodded and delicately caressed my arms.

    "You''re beautiful," he whispered, leaning towards me to kiss the bare skin of my neckline. I released the band of his hair, which no longer held it well, and took advantage of that freedom to play with his reddish and curly locks.

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    "You make me feel that way," I murmured before kissing his head, enjoying the play of lips on my body, which bordered the limit of my bra, as if respecting an invisible border.

    "Hold on," I didn''t have time to ask what he intended when I felt his movement and instinctively clung to his neck.

    Erik spun in an agile movement, leaving me sitting on the couch while he knelt in front of me. He looked at me with an expression between amused and innocent at the small cry that escaped from my lips when he lifted me with him. I stuck out my tongue in response to his mischief.

    "Don''t do it again," I scolded him with a smile.

    "Yes, boss," he whispered, making a small bow of submission with his head. He took my hand and began to kiss it from the wrist to the forearm delicately, unleashing sensations that spread throughout my being, making me tremble with desire.

    "You like kisses," I affirmed. Never before had someone kissed me like that, and I had to admit that I loved it and doubted that I could get tired of it quickly.

    "I like kissing you," he corrected, ascending my arm. His fingers took my chin for a moment before descending to my neck, encircling it in a way that made me shiver. I couldn''t explain why it excited me so much that he held me that way. He didn''t exert pressure, he just looked at me with desire, keeping his eyes fixed on my lips.

    Something told me that Erik was much hotter in intimacy, but he was holding back to not scare me, letting me feel like I had control.

    I moistened my lips suggestively, watching how his gaze didn''t waver from them, feeling his fingers exerting a slight pressure against my skin, as he had done before with my hip when excitement invaded him.

    "Kiss me," I asked, and he didn''t hesitate to throw himself at my lips with passion, further igniting the fire between us. I took his hand and directed it to my chest, knowing that perhaps he was worried about taking the first step after I confessed my insecurity about it. However, as soon as I gave him permission, he pressed gently, flooding me with new sensations that I thought I knew, but turned out to be completely new.

    His fingers timidly slid under the fabric of the bra, causing me to arch my back and gasp with pleasure, but maybe he misunderstood it because he withdrew them immediately.

    "I''m sorry," he apologized, still kissing me.

    "No. Do it again," I asked, biting his lip and pulling it mischievously, though gently. Erik put his hand back in, this time with more confidence, until he could cup my breast with his palm. I knew that fabric could be a bit tricky to handle if he wanted to play with my body, and although a part of me feared he wouldn''t like my breasts, I thought it was better to find out now than later.

    I unhooked my bra, letting it fall as Erik stopped kissing me to admire me. He swallowed hard and stood up, gently pulling my hand so that I would also stand up.

    "I would like to spend the rest of my life caressing your skin," his fingers touched me delicately, sending shivers down my body. I closed my eyes, feeling how certain parts of my body were burning completely. "I don''t want to scare you or pressure you," he bit my neck, and our naked torsos fit perfectly, making the heat of our desire create a connection that seemed otherworldly.

    "I''m fine," I assured, stroking his back gently with my nails, feeling him bite me a little harder, which I enjoyed at that moment.

    He moved his mouth away from my neck to stare into my eyes. "Tell me to stop now, because if you don''t, I''m going to want you to scream my name until you''re hoarse," his tone of voice was sensual like I had never heard it before.

    "Do it."

 Chapter 21

    Erik guided me into the dimly lit room, adding a touch of mystery to our surroundings. His reddish hair framed his face, giving him an enigmatic and seductive appearance.

    The only sounds, besides our heavy breathing, were the crackling of the fire in the dining room fireplace and the occasional rustle of fabric as we moved together. But in my mind, I could hear the beating of my heart as Erik''s lips trailed over my skin, sending shivers of pleasure down my spine.

    I could feel Erik''s warm arms around my waist, carefully guiding me to the bed as a shiver ran through my body, feeling that this room was colder than the previous one. I pressed my body against his, seeking his warmth as the wooden floor creaked softly under our steps.

    Erik''s skilled hands moved over my skin, almost as if he wanted to memorize every inch of it. With each caress, the spark of pleasure within me ignited further. My breath quickened in response to his touch, creating a rhythm that matched perfectly with the beat of my heart.

    The soft, cool fabric against my back contrasted with Erik''s warm hands. His fingers caused hundreds of tiny electric shocks to dance all over my body, making me grip the sheets tightly, arching my back in pleasure.

    Our eyes met in that momentary pause between kisses, and I saw a flash of understanding and mutual desire. In that instant, nothing else existed except our intertwined bodies, exploring each other.

    "You okay?" he asked as his nose brushed against the skin of my neck. I nodded, feeling his face descending down my body to one of my breasts. Despite his gentleness, I could feel the passion with which he licked the pinkish area of my chest, making me writhe in pleasure. After a playful nip, I laughed and gasped in equal parts, mingling with the man''s labored breath who was driving me crazy, and we had barely started.

    My hands clung to the sheets, but Erik took hold of my wrists and brought them to his back. "Punish me, not the bed," he whispered as he continued to explore every inch of my chest.

    Without warning, he bit me again, causing me to dig my nails into his skin, and by the way he groaned, I understood that it was just what he wanted.

    His hands traced invisible patterns on my belly until they encountered the button of my pants. I gritted my teeth at the mixture of excitement and nervousness. Erik must have noticed, as he returned to my lips immediately.

    "I''m sorry, I''m a bit nervous," I murmured. Erik took my face in his hands and kissed my lips gently.

    "You have nothing to apologize for. It''s my fault. Sometimes I''m a bit impatient," he whispered, licking my lower lip. "Come, I don''t want you to be cold."

    The soft moonlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow in the room. Under the sheets, our bodies fitted together. I loved the feeling of my bare chest pressed against his warm torso, and his large hands gently roamed my side, eliciting new sighs of pleasure from me.

    This time it was my hand that descended to Erik''s pants button, unbuttoning it somewhat clumsily. Erik helped me without separating his mouth from mine, and as I reached inside, wanting to explore the hardness I had noticed on the couch, I recoiled in surprise. I felt a wave of heat invade me as Erik''s erection throbbed in my hand.

    "Boo," he joked with a mischievous smile.

    "Silly," I laughed. "Aren''t you uncomfortable?" I asked curiously, noticing how tight his erection was against the fabric of his pants. I pulled the garment down a bit, indicating that I wanted him to take it off, and as soon as he freed himself from the fabric, his erection sprang towards me, feeling it against my body.

    "Much better, undoubtedly," he sighed, letting the fabric fall to the floor.

    With no barrier, I could stroke him much more comfortably, feeling tingles in my fingertips and laughing every time Erik had an uncontrollable spasm. I knew I was falling in love with him the moment he enveloped me in his arms and pressed his forehead to mine, telling me he never wanted to let me go.

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    My mind couldn''t deal with the concept of love at that moment, I needed distraction or my fears would ruin everything. I placed his hands on my pants, needing him to distract me again, so together we got rid of the last barrier of fabric that kept us apart. In silence, I felt every inch of our bodies fitting together, like two perfect pieces of a complicated puzzle. I loved the way he looked at me, as if I were a work of art.

    Erik hugged me tightly, making me feel protected. I could feel the hardness of his erection throbbing against my stomach, but he didn''t try to go further. He simply held me close and kissed me tenderly. In that moment, all my fears vanished. I caressed his face and gently rubbed my body against his, wanting to give him pleasure and making him groan with desire. His hands gripped my waist, but he stopped, giving me the chance to stop him, although I didn''t want to.

    His fingers slid between my legs, eliciting a moan of pleasure so intense that even I surprised myself. He knew the way, as if he had traveled it a million times before.

    "I love it when you do that," he whispered in my ear, biting my earlobe while changing his position to lie on top of me.

    "What?" I asked mischievously. He gently pressed his finger right where he knew it melted me, and my body writhed in pleasure, making me let out another moan.

    "That," he purred, his voice full of desire.

    "I''m not quite sure," I joked, seeking his eyes as Erik inserted his finger even deeper inside me, making me moan louder. "Ah, that," I said with a trembling voice.

    He took his time caressing every part of my body, stimulating and discovering my sensitive spots. He showed me how my body reacted to his touches, driving me crazy. After a while, he leaned over to his bedside table to grab something and returned to me, kissing me without any filter.

    "You still have time to stop me," he whispered, bringing his skilled hand back between my legs.

    "I don''t want to stop you," I gasped with desire.

    "Are you really here with me?" he asked, replacing his passionate kisses with a sweet one.

    "Yes," I replied, feeling the anticipation of feeling him inside me.

    His body melded with mine, and between kisses, I felt us becoming one. I needed to kiss him harder to drown out my moans, and he, placing a hand on my hip, went deeper, entwining his tongue with mine. When our hips finally collided, he stopped and looked at me intensely.

    That connection, that moment, was out of this world.

    "Ask me," he pleaded with a seductive tone.

    "More," I begged, feeling his hips moving in perfect synchrony with mine, increasing the rhythm and making me moan with the pleasure he was giving me.

    "More than what?" he insisted, remaining motionless.

    "More pleasure," I pleaded. Erik moved with intensity again as I let myself be carried away by ecstasy.

    Erik moved his hips once more, penetrating me with more force, making my body tremble. His lips burned against mine as our movements became more energetic and synchronized. I couldn''t help but moan, and he growled in response, igniting a fire that was spiraling out of control inside me.

    "If you knew how much I desire you..." he whispered, sliding his hand provocatively down my neck. As soon as he encircled it, his eyes blazed with excitement.

    "Erik," I gasped louder. "Don''t stop," I begged, clinging to him.

    "Never," he assured, maintaining the rhythm, even increasing it a little more.

    Unknowingly, my voice rose until I was shouting his name. My arms clung to him as if I feared the world would disappear. For a moment, everything disappeared, and I found myself floating in the most incredible sensation I had ever experienced. It was only a few seconds, but undoubtedly the most wonderful of my entire life.

    As the world slowly began to reappear, I felt Erik''s arms holding me. He breathed heavily next to my ear, trying to control himself.

    "Erik," I whispered, turning to kiss him.

    "What...?" he gasped.

    "I''m yours," I said.

    I didn''t need to say anything else; I felt those words shatter his self-control, and his moans filled the room. His hands clung to my body, and he trembled with pleasure as he gave me something very intimate: his ecstasy. I kissed him tenderly when he became aware again, he hugged me and kissed me uncontrollably, reaffirming my theory that he was much wilder than he had wanted to show me.

 Chapter 22

    My heart was still echoing in my chest, pounding strongly after the experience I had just lived through. I could assert, without a shadow of a doubt, that none of the sexual encounters I had with Oliver during our 20 years together compared to what I had just experienced with Erik. Not only in terms of pleasure, but also in the trust he conveyed to me. He made me feel part of the situation at all times, even making decisions about how we progressed and at what pace. It was a unique sensation, as if I had discovered a new level of intimacy and connection in sexuality.

    Lying next to him, my head resting on his chest, Erik absentmindedly stroked the curls cascading down my back as he listened to the beat of his heart. He pulled me closer with his arm, gently squeezing me as he leaned his face towards mine and felt his lips tenderly brushing against mine. The warmth of his touch enveloped me like a soft blanket, and I couldn''t help but feel complete in that moment. The sound of our breaths mingled, creating a melody of calmness that I didn''t want to stop listening to.

    "Do you feel cold?" his warm voice asked, tucking a rebellious strand of hair away from my face.

    "No. You''re warm," I smiled, nestling my legs between his.

    "Are you hungry?" he kissed my forehead, then rested his cheek against my head.

    I stretched my neck a bit until I managed to nibble on his softly, enjoying the sensation immediately as I felt his skin prickle under my lips.

    "I think so," I grinned mischievously, biting him a bit higher than I had the first time. Erik laughed in response and stretched out on the bed, stretching after a few minutes of rest.

    "And what would you like to eat?" he asked with a seductive voice as his fingers slid through my hair to caress my head.

    "Pizza," I said, lifting my face to look at him.

    "Pizza?" he asked, a little confused but still smiling. "I''m pretty sure I don''t have pizza, but we can make some." I laughed because he didn''t get my joke, but I liked the idea of making pizza together.

    "What do you have to offer?" I asked, moving to straddle him, still under the covers. Erik widened his smile and crossed his arms under his head, looking at me with amusement as I traced my fingers over his tattooed torso.

    "Whatever you want. If I don''t have it, I''ll make it," he replied with a hint of boldness in his voice.

    As I sat up, the sheet slid down my back, leaving my naked body exposed to his gaze. I had feared this moment for the past few months, the moment of being with another man again and feeling insecure about my body, but far from truly feeling it, the way Erik looked at me made me feel like a beautiful woman.

    His eyes traced an imaginary path from my face to my breasts and as if invisible hands were caressing me, my skin reacted to his gaze. Perhaps the privacy provided by the dim lighting made me feel more daring, but I felt no shame in my nudity. It was what it was, and he liked it. This was not only confirmed by his smile and the desire in his eyes, but also by the bulge growing again between my legs.

    "Erik with chocolate?" I asked, imagining the delicious combination of licking that sweet off the redhead''s skin.

    "Caramel?" he offered, making me laugh because apparently, he didn''t have chocolate.

    "Ugh, no... just Erik then."

    He put his hands on the bed, sitting up and shifting a bit so that his back was supported against the wooden headboard separating his body from the stone wall. With me still on top of him, he slid his fingers down my arm, making my skin tingle.

    "So, it''ll have to be just Erik," he said, shifting his touch from my arm to my chest, barely grazing it. The sensation sent fire through my veins.

    A sudden sharp bark startled me. I had completely forgotten about the dog Erik had rescued in the midst of the storm, and now it was perched on the mattress, seeking attention.

    "Que susto. (Scared me)" I exclaimed in Spanish, placing my hand over my chest. My heart was racing, but this time it wasn''t from excitement.

    Erik pulled me towards him to embrace me, then stroked my back and reached out to calm the dog''s barking by giving it a little attention.

    "I think he''s hungry too, but I''m not offering Erik with caramel to him," he chuckled, covering me with a sheet to keep me warm.

    "We need to go out of bed?" I complained, sounding a bit childish.

    "We probably should, but... if you don''t make me sleep in the lighthouse, or feel bad for making me sleep on the couch, we can come back later," he hinted, causing a slight blush to rise in my cheeks.

    "Maybe," I smiled and gave him a kiss filled with desire. He tightened his fingers around my hip, but the dog barked again, and we both sighed in unison, knowing that loving each other again would be difficult with the fluffy ball of fur barking next to us.

    "I''m coming, I''m coming," he said with a frustrated look as he got out of bed.

    I sat on the edge of it, covering myself with the sheets while Erik grabbed clothes from the wooden wardrobe in front of me. He handed me a pajama that he assured me was comfortable and warm, and after he dressed himself with another one, he left the room to feed the dog while I got dressed.

    I picked up the clothes from the floor, finding only half of what I had worn during the day, and then I went to the dining room, picking up the other half and folding it aside so it wouldn''t be scattered around the dining room. I approached the window and checked that it was still raining heavily. The sound of the rain hitting the glass was comforting, like a lullaby.

    "Is always raining in this island?" I asked, wishing deep down that the answer was negative, although my intuition told me that unfortunately, it was.

    "In winter, yes. But today is an electrical storm, they''re not usually common," he explained, with the dim light of his phone illuminating his features, as we still had no electricity. "What do you think if we make pizza then?" he proposed, extending his arm towards me.

    Without hesitation, I approached, seeking refuge in him. He was affectionate, warm, and his closeness filled me with a sense of peace that I couldn''t describe.

    "Do you know how to make it?" I asked, laughing as I saw him shrug. I sensed a negative answer, but trusting that we could figure it out together.

    "Flour, oil, yeast..." I listed the ingredients, watching as he nodded and began to search for them.

    "Are you good at cooking?" he asked, with a spark of excitement in his eyes.

    "I think so. Do you have more candles?" I asked, and Erik nodded before stepping away to find them. The only light we had came from the warm fireplace and the flashlights of our phones. Erik lit up the kitchen with more candles, and we set about making the pizza dough. I mixed the ingredients, and then he enjoyed kneading the result. It was

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    "That''s what they say. Do you have more candles? "I asked, and Erik nodded before moving away to fetch them. The only light we had came from the warm fireplace and the flashlights on our phones. Erik illuminated the kitchen with more candles, and we set out to prepare the pizza dough. I mixed the ingredients, and then he entertained himself by kneading the result. It was a surprise and a relief that Erik enjoyed camping, as he had a gas stove that we used to cook the pizza in a large frying pan. We knew it wouldn''t taste the same as in an oven, but at least we wouldn''t have a cold dinner.

    Placing the ingredients on the dough was, like everything we did together, fun and full of complicity. Erik offered me some cheese, depositing it on my lips with his own, which unleashed complicit laughter between us that ended with cheese-flavored kisses.

    Despite being a basic pizza, it looked delicious, and while he prepared the stove and placed the pizza in the pan, I took care of cleaning the countertop and washing the utensils we had used.

    "Why are you single? Wait... You are single, right? "I asked, somewhat incredulous, and he laughed at my confusion.

    "Married with three kids "he joked. When he saw my surprised expression, he quickly clarified": I''m kidding, I''m single".

    "Oh. "I exhaled, feeling a sudden relief.

    "It''s a long story "he commented, while washing his hands and approaching me." After losing my father, I was afraid of losing someone else and decided to be alone "he explained, and although his words were brief, they conveyed a huge emotional burden.

    "Six years ago? "I asked, trying to remember the time elapsed since the accident.

    "Yes. "Erik replied, looking at me with a sad smile. "And you?"

    "I... after Oliver, I don''t know if I want to feel love again "I admitted, shifting my gaze to the floor.

    "I understand that after what he did to you, it''s difficult to trust again. "Erik gently lifted my chin so that our eyes met in the dim light. "He''s a piece of shit. "he asserted with confidence.

    "What? "my confusion made Erik burst into amused laughter.

    "You deserve something better. "that statement resonated strongly within me. I understood it. I felt it deep within my being. I looked into his eyes, unsure of what would happen next. We had shared an intimacy that had bonded us in a special way, but what did that mean for us? Was it just a fleeting moment or something more? Would he forget by tomorrow morning?

    "What are you thinking about? "concern reflected in Erik''s eyes as he caressed my face tenderly, seeking to reassure me.

    "It''s hard to explain. "I confessed, finding some relief in the language barrier that allowed me to avoid uncomfortable explanations.

    "But are you okay? "he asked, his voice full of concern, and I nodded.

    "Confused. "I admitted.

    "Regretful? "I immediately shook my head, it wasn''t regret at all. I had enjoyed every moment, but the uncertainty about what would happen now overwhelmed me. What would our relationship be like from now on? Could I overcome my fears and open up to love again? Vir''s words echoed in my mind, reminding me of my fears of falling back into a couple''s routine.

    "No. It''s not that. "nervously, I played with the sleeve of the pajamas Erik had lent me, not knowing how to express my fears and not wanting to ruin what had developed between us.

    "Andy. "I looked up, finding it a bit harder than usual to focus on him, as I wasn''t wearing my glasses". Who are you? "he asked, looking directly into my eyes.

    "The boss? "I replied, with a smile. He nodded.

    "Exactly. "he kissed my forehead. "And what does that mean?"

    "That I''m in control? "I suggested. He made a playful gesture, tilting his head, smiling sideways, and sighing.

    "Yes. For now. "he laughed as he bent down to pick up the puppy, who was trying to climb onto his leg. "What do you say, shall we let her be in charge? "he asked, and the dog barked in response.

    "He said yes. "I commented, as if I understood the dog better than Erik.

    "Yeah? "the dog barked again. "Hey, I''m the one who saved you from the storm, get on my side. "Erik complained, and the dog tried to lick his face enthusiastically, causing me to burst into laughter.

    "You''ve a new friend.

    The aroma of the pizza began to fill the air, so Erik turned to move the pan and prevent the base from burning. He lifted a glass lid he had placed over the pan to concentrate the heat and cook it more evenly. The delicious smell of freshly baked pizza filled the kitchen, making my stomach growl. I hadn''t realized how hungry I was until that moment.

    "It still needs a little more time. "he covered the pan again and adjusted the temperature of the stove, reducing the heat.

    "Do you usually camping? "I asked, full of curiosity as I looked at the place where he was cooking the pizza.

    "Used to. It''s been a long time since I wandered around like that. Living here alone offers me the calm I sought when camping in the mountains. "The dog, which was already on the floor, headed towards the towel next to the fireplace and lay down there, enjoying its warmth.

    "I''ve never camping. "I confessed.

    "Never? Don''t people camp in Madrid? "he moved the pan again with a circular motion.

    "Some people do. But not me. "I shrugged.

    "Would you like to? "he took out a plate from the cupboard, placing it nearby to put the pizza on when it was ready.

    "Sleeping outside, getting bitten by bugs, and eaten by a bear? "I joked. "No, thanks." Erik let out a playful laugh and pulled my arm to bring me closer to him.

    "What if I scare away the bugs for you? "he proposed, giving me a little smack on the buttocks that made me blush. "Or what if I eat you instead of a bear? "he asked in a loving voice.

    My heart skipped a beat at his suggestion, imagining a scene where Erik delivered the same passion to me under the starry sky, and... the idea didn''t displease me at all.

    "What about the cold? "I caressed his beard with my nose, feeling the warmth of his proximity.

    "I''ll take care of that too. I can think of a couple of ways to keep you warm. "his hand, which had previously caressed my buttocks, now gently squeezed it, pulling me closer to him.

    "We can negotiate. But at the first bug, bear, or cold, I''m out of here. "I warned amidst laughter.

    "Deal. "he said, reaching his hand out to me. I shook it, and without warning, he kissed me passionately, spinning us around to let me lean against the countertop, trapping me between his body and the furniture. "Earlier, you said you were mine."

    His voice echoed in my ear as he kissed my neck, sending shivers of desire throughout my body. Yes, I had said that, but now I worried he might take it literally. I sighed and nodded.

    "Yes..."

    "You know it''s not true, right? "he asked, bringing his forehead close to mine, allowing me to catch my breath. "But I loved hearing it. "he caressed my chin.

    "I thought you might. "I replied. "You seem... dominant, but you''re very sweet."

    Erik backed away slightly, looking into my eyes with passion and tenderness.

    "I am... and you''re the first woman I''m willing to give control to. "his hand slowly moved up my body to caress my neck.

    "Why? "I asked, feeling my head spinning trying to understand each word, frustrated by sensing things without being sure of what was being said.

    "Because you''ve never been allowed to take control of your life, and with me, you don''t have to fear that. "he explained. Sometimes my head hurt from trying to understand word for word, but I liked his sincerity.

    "You don''t expect me to submit to you? "I asked, sliding my hands over his torso. Erik looked at me, gently shaking his head as he knelt in front of me, placing my leg over his shoulder and kissing the inside of my thigh, causing me to grip the edge of the countertop with excitement and anticipation.

    "What I expect is for you to submit to me. "he said in a deep voice, looking up at me from that position.

    If the floor could tremble, we would be in a magnitude six earthquake on the Richter scale.

    The smell of the pizza began to toast, and Erik gently bit my thigh before letting go and turning his attention back to the pan, leaving me completely ready to repeat what we had just shared in the room minutes before.

 Chapter 23

    Sitting on the sofa in front of the crackling fireplace, Erik held the children''s book we had been reading hours earlier, ''The Secret of the Selkies'', in his hands. I leaned against his side, using the flashlight from my phone to illuminate the pages as we were still without power.

    "When the seal saw Aileen, it dove into the water and disappeared beneath the waves." he read calmly, pronouncing each word correctly and pointing out a particularly difficult one for me to repeat.

    "Beneath," I said, not knowing what it meant, turning to look at him.

    "Under the waves," he explained, using simpler words for me to understand. I nodded, now understanding the meaning of the phrase. I leaned forward to grab a slice of pizza and offered it to him first before taking a bite myself. The warmth of our bodies and the comforting aroma of pizza filled the room as we continued reading together.

    "But just then, something strange happened: a seal skin was left behind on the beach," I smiled at his storytelling tone, sure he would be an expert children''s storyteller, and wondered if he liked kids, although that question remained only in my mind.

    As I looked at the drawing on the page, I saw a seal skin floating on the shore as the little girl named Aileen picked it up. She held it close to her face, examining it with curious eyes.

    "It''s a bit... creepy," I laughed. Erik turned to look at me, his expression asking why I found it so disturbing. "A moment ago, it was alive. And now... it''s just skin," I tried to explain.

    "You''re right," he nodded, reaching for the glass of water. "Have you ever seen a Selkie?"

    I shook my head. "In my city, there''s no beach. And we don''t have selkies in our culture," I explained, glancing back at the illustration of the seal skin in the girl''s hands...

    "Tell me, what magical creatures do you have in Spain?" I raised both eyebrows, reflecting on the question.

    "Witches, in the north," I smiled. "Goblins, fairies... and a dragon."

    "No dead seals? How boring," he joked, and I shook my head in disgust.

    "No, thank God."

    We finished dinner and read a few more pages. Erik was a great teacher, and in just over a week, I had learned many words, expressions, and, with his efforts, could understand him well though forming longer sentences remained a challenge.

    "You''re falling asleep," he whispered. I opened my eyes to look at him. "Let''s go to bed," he said, setting aside the book and standing up, extending his hand as I yawned.

    Fortunately, the rain had stopped but the wind still blew strongly. We walked to the bedroom, and I got into bed while yawning again. I saw that he intended to leave, and I was worried he might end up sleeping on the couch.

    "Where are you going?" I asked, sitting up and watching his silhouette near the door.

    "Do you want me to stay?" I nodded. "I''ll be right back," he said before leaving.

    I settled into bed, clutching the pillow tightly and trying not to fall asleep until he returned, although he didn''t take long. He lay down beside me and lifted his arm for me to snuggle against him, which I did immediately.

    "You''re very hot," I murmured in a sigh as I let myself drift into sleep, listening to Erik''s laughter fill the room.

    "Am I?" he asked with a soft, deep voice, gently stroking my back.

    "Very," I whispered, feeling the world fade around me until I fell completely into a deep sleep.

    The next morning, I woke up to the insistent sound of my phone. I knew it was 9:30, the time Vir always called me during her mid-morning break. I picked up the phone and rested it on the pillow.

    "Good morning," I said sleepily, still with my eyes closed.

    "Are you still sleeping, Sleeping Beauty?" Vir asked cheerfully. "Wait... that''s not your ceiling. Where are you?" I opened my eyes suddenly and sat up in bed, realizing I was alone in the room.

    "Shit..." I looked around, noticing that Erik wasn''t there, which was a relief to me. I grabbed the phone and tried to focus it only on my face so that Vir wouldn''t suspect anything. "At home, as usual," I lied.

    "You''re not fooling me, the lamp is different. Are you hiding something from me? It''s ugly to lie to your friend..." she said playfully, pretending to be offended.

    "Yesterday I... I got caught in the middle of a storm and..." I began, trying to give a believable explanation.

    "Are you with Erik?!" Vir shouted, and I quickly lowered the volume of the phone, getting out of bed to peek out the door and make sure he wasn''t in the house. I saw him outside through the window and sighed in relief.

    "I''m at his house, yes," I finally had to admit.

    "You hooked up... Did you hook up?! You hooked up!" she exclaimed excitedly, pacing back and forth in her office. Her curiosity was palpable even over the phone.

    Vir let out a cry of joy as I confessed, blushing, "Just a little..." Through the window, I could see Erik with the little dog by his side, chopping wood for the fireplace. It was a wonderful sight at that time of the morning.

    "Why that look of desire? What are you seeing?" my friend asked. I turned the screen to focus on Erik, with his back to me, wearing jeans and a checkered shirt with his hair tied up in a bun as he split logs with an axe that looked quite heavy. "Damn it... Andrea... does he have a brother or something for me?" Vir asked, drooling over the image on my phone. I quickly moved it away before she could continue.

    "I''m afraid not," I replied, rubbing my face and flopping down on the sofa, still half asleep.

    "Are you wearing his pajamas? Did you sleep together... You slept together... OMG you slept together!" she exclaimed excitedly.

    "Yes," I confirmed.

    "And that look on your face... Was it a disaster?"

    "No, quite the opposite actually. It was amazing. Erik is an amazing man," I sighed, clicking my tongue and avoiding her gaze.

    "So, why do you look like you''re suffering?" Vir asked.

    "Exactly because of that. He''s wonderful: attentive, caring, and patient... and damn it, last night I felt things I didn''t know were possible," I confessed, blushing again.

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    "And is that a bad thing?"

    "No, but... I''m starting to like him, and I don''t want to," I said dramatically, with a embarrassed expression.

    "Darling, it''s been almost a year since you broke up with Oliver, isn''t it time to allow yourself to feel something for another man?"

    "But I don''t want to, Vir," I replied, feeling a spark of fear in my stomach. "How long until he hurts me too?"

    "Andrea, not all men are the same," Vir said, sitting in her desk chair and looking at me kindly.

    "Let''s put aside my experience because it boils down to that idiot Oliver... How many men have you met, and how many have lied to you?" I asked. Vir looked uncomfortable.

    "A few... but hey, I''m terrible at choosing, you don''t have better taste than me, except for Oliver, of course."

    "And now what? I mean... okay, we hooked up. What''s the next step?" I asked, completely lost. The last man I slept with lasted 20 years.

    "Well, now you just keep hooking up as many times as you want," she warned, further reddening my cheeks. "Andy... you''re adults, you can sleep together without drama if that''s what you want. Nowadays, having a relationship with someone just because you enjoy sex is a thing of the past," she explained as she took a sip of her coffee.

    "Okay, no drama. Just sex," I said, trying to convince myself. "What if he wants something more?" I worried. "I mean, I doubt it, but..."

    "And why do you doubt it? You''re a wonderful woman, I wouldn''t be surprised if he wanted something more," she said. "But if you don''t want that, just make things clear and that''s it. Hey, just sex, if that''s fine with you, perfect, and if not, I''m off to another island," I huffed, as if it were that easy.

    "And what the hell do I do when I run into him? Pretend a friendly smile or throw myself into his arms as if nothing had happened? Shit, this is too complicated. I don''t understand why I did it..."

    "Well, if you feel like it, you can give him a kiss, take off his pants, and wish him good morning in a more... intimate way," Vir suggested with a mischievous smile.

    "Virginia!"

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Nothing, you''re impossible," I complained, waving my hands in the air.

    "I hope you used protection. Just in case..."

    "Of course, don''t be silly," I replied, feeling my cheeks burn.

    "Okay, I just wanted to make sure. Sometimes you''re so naive about these things that..."

    "Yes, thank you for reminding me," I said even more embarrassed.

    "Give me a minute, Alicia, I''ll be right there. Andy, we''ll talk later," Vir announced, briefly raising her gaze from her screen before saying goodbye and hanging up.

    I took a deep breath, taking a few seconds to process what was happening. I got up with a sense of urgency and quickly got dressed, nervous that when Erik came in, he would find me in pajamas. But my attempt to look more presentable was in vain when I heard a sound behind me. Turning around, I found him standing still at the door as I changed. In his hand, he held several pieces of wood, one of which fell to the floor, and he looked at me as if he were seeing a woman for the first time.

    I quickly put on my bra and sweater, completely embarrassed as he bent down to pick up the piece of wood and then headed to the dining room to leave everything he had brought.

    "I''m so sorry, I didn''t mean to..." he apologized when I came out, mortified.

    "Don''t worry. You haven''t seen anything new," I coughed uncomfortably.

    "Not new, but definitely the lighting is better compared to last night..." He approached me and kissed me on the lips, saving me the anguish of making the decision myself. It might seem silly, but that gesture reassured me; it meant he didn''t regret what had happened. Did he? I could feel my fears roaring inside me.

    "Have you slept well?" I asked, noticing how my fears raged within me.

    "Very. You''re very soft and pleasant to cuddle," a strand of hair fell on my face, so with a gentle stroke, he placed it behind my ear before kissing my forehead tenderly. "Do you want to go to the village or do you prefer breakfast here?" he asked. What did I want to do? Staying seemed tempting, but there was also the fear that he would think I wanted more than was really possible. Enough. My insecurities wouldn''t dictate my desires.

    "Have you had breakfast?" I asked, trying to hide my anxiety.

    "No, I was waiting for you. Give me a minute to prepare coffee," he gave me another kiss on the forehead before heading to the kitchen.

    I watched him as he washed his hands, wondering if I should talk to him about my feelings or just leave things as they were. In the end, I decided to keep quiet. If he didn''t bring it up, we could still be friends and forget what had happened between us.

    I picked up my laptop and the documents I had been working on the day before from the kitchen table and helped prepare breakfast in silence. Once we were seated at the table, he passed me a cup of coffee with an expression that indicated he wanted to tell me something.

    "Tell me," I preempted his question as he scratched his head, thoughtful. This was the moment when he would say we shouldn''t make a big deal out of what had happened and go back to how things were before.

    "I loved last night," his words burst my bubble of insecurity.

    "Oh... I liked it too," I said timidly, feeling a blush on my cheeks.

    "I don''t want you to feel uncomfortable, Andy. If you don''t want this to happen again..." Erik hinted with a tone of voice that made me look up confused.

    "Erik, it''s not that. It''s just... something new for me," I tried to explain, afraid of how he would react.

    "I know. That''s why I don''t want to pressure you into anything," he reached out his hand to me across the table, and I took it gently. I smiled weakly and squeezed his hand softly.

    "You''re not pressuring me, quite the opposite. I feel like you think more about how I feel than about yourself," I assured, showing my gratitude for his consideration. But the reality was that I felt overwhelmed by his constant concerns and attentions towards me.

    "I''m glad to hear that," he leaned forward and kissed the back of my hand gently. "Does it bother you if I give you kisses, or do you prefer I don''t?" he asked, noticing my preference for keeping things discreet for the moment.

    "I love your kisses," I confessed without thinking twice.

    "Do you prefer them only in private?" he asked, noticing my preference for discretion at the moment.

    I nodded quickly, still unsure how to handle the situation.

    "I have to go to Glasgow in a couple of days," he informed me as he took a sip of hot coffee. "Would you like to come with me?" he asked hopefully.

    "How long does it take to get from here to Glasgow?" I asked, knowing it was quite far.

    "It depends on the route. I usually drive to Inverness and then take a flight from there. But if you want, we can go by car and enjoy the Scottish landscape together," he offered.

    Part of me was excited, but I was also intimidated by the idea of spending so much time with him. Feeling like I was constantly battling my own fears and resistance to an imaginary relationship.

    "I don''t know... I have to work and..." I hesitated, trying to find a reasonable excuse to reject his invitation without hurting his feelings.

    "Andy, you don''t have to give me explanations. If you don''t feel like it, it''s okay. Don''t worry about it," he smiled and gave my hand another reassuring squeeze.

    "You don''t... get angry?"

    I asked, not understanding why he didn''t call me selfish for not wanting to go.

    "Of course not. Your life doesn''t revolve around me," he said calmly. I clenched my fists, feeling a pang of guilt inside.

    "Thank you."

    "For what?"

    "For not bothering you," I admitted, feeling the tension building up in my chest.

    Erik got up from the table and crouched beside me, placing his hands on my legs and looking at me intently.

    "I''m not going to get mad because you have other plans. Nor am I going to get mad because you don''t want to do something that I want to do," I could see a hint of concern in his eyes. "I''m sorry you spent so many years with someone who made you feel so small."

    "I''m so sorry. I don''t want to be like that with you," I confessed with anguish.

    He gently stroked my face and kissed my forehead.

    "You don''t have to apologize. Everything''s fine. I''ll bring you something nice to remind you how much I''ve thought of you," he added before stepping away and returning to his seat to finish breakfast.

    Afterward, I gathered my things, and we went down to the village. He accompanied me with the car to the grocery store in case I wanted to do a heavier shopping without having to carry it home, and after helping me pack the bags, he said goodbye to me.

    When he left, I sat on the dining room sofa, feeling the house cold and empty. A feeling of anguish invaded my chest, but I didn''t know how to shut it off. I had gotten used to living with someone who made me feel small and useless, and now, with Erik, I didn''t know how to deal with so much love and understanding.

 Chapter 24

    The day dragged heavily, as if time itself had slowed down as a form of punishment. The computer screen remained blank, mocking my inability to put a single word on it. I tried to immerse myself in the manuscript Rub¨¦n had sent me in the morning, but his words couldn''t penetrate, my mind feeling completely distracted. The sea, with its eternal calm, was the only thing that managed to distract me a little, inviting me to lose myself in its infinity from my window.

    In the late afternoon, Erik''s message came, like a flash of light in the midst of my emotional gloom. However, my fingers hesitated over the phone keyboard, unable to find the right words to reply to him. How could I explain to him that my mind was stuck?

    Finally, I opted for the cowardice of a smiling emoji and a thumbs-up, a digital mask to hide the storm I felt inside. Erik responded with a couple of emojis, forwarding the thumbs-up, but also a question mark making it clear that he didn''t understand if everything was okay. Was it? There was no reason to be upset. I liked what had happened last night, despite feeling a huge sense of guilt suffocating me.

    I didn''t realize I had become lost in my thoughts until my phone vibrated again. I hadn''t replied to Erik''s last message and far from feeling like doing so, I decided to go take a shower to distract myself and not continue wasting time in complete silence and darkness.

    It wasn''t usual for me to take so long in the shower, but this time, I allowed myself not to worry about the time or the water. I had always liked the water very hot, it relaxed me and in a way, it gave me pleasure, in a way that I couldn''t explain. I turned up the temperature of the tap little by little, letting the steam fill the space around me.

    I closed my eyes, surrendering to the pleasure of the burning sensation that enveloped me, letting the weight of the day fade away little by little, with every drop. My hands explored every corner of my body, as if they were seeking refuge in the sensory ecstasy that temperature provided.

    After a time that could have been a sigh or an eternity, I decided it was enough, unable to reach anything similar to what Erik had made me feel last night. Wrapped in a towel, someone knocked on the door. I cursed silently. Just when I was starting to find a moment of peace, someone wanted to ruin it.

    As I approached the door, I thought it might be Anne who was calling, but my thoughts dissipated when Erik''s figure appeared through the peephole. Upon opening the door, I prepared myself to face his possible reproach for not having replied to his message, but his expression revealed something completely different.

    His eyes roamed my figure, wrapped only in a towel, and before I could react, he took a step forward, gently taking my face in his hands, and the touch of his body against mine made me feel an electric current run through my skin.

    The door closed behind him, and, without warning, he trapped me against the wall before melting into a passionate kiss that stole the breath from my lips. My back gently collided with the nearest wall, and a sigh escaped my lips at the intensity of the moment, letting myself be carried away by the excitement that unfolded between us.

    Erik''s hand traced a path of fire on my back, awakening a new wave of desire. A moan escaped my lips as I felt his firm grip on my buttock.

    "I was passing by andˇ­" Erik whispered hoarsely before sealing our lips again in a kiss full of urgency and longing. His lips roamed my skin eagerly. I closed my eyes, letting myself be carried away by the sensations that only he awakened in me, resting my head against the wall as a sigh of surrender escaped my lips.

    At that moment, all guilt and uncertainty vanished. Our eyes met and I knew there was no room for remorse when I was with him.

    The kisses didn''t stop, he continued descending until one of my breasts and kept going down, delighting me with the most erotic sight as he knelt before me.

    "What are you doingˇ­" I managed to whisper.

    "What I''ve been wanting to do all dayˇ­" he growled as he lasciviously bit my hip. My breath quickened as I felt his hot breath on my skin. I bit my lower lip hard, feeling the lust spreading throughout my body. I had never had a mouth so close to that area before, and although I had fantasized about it, reality exceeded all my expectations.

    Erik''s nose gently brushed my groin before leaving a burning kiss on the skin of my thigh. I groaned with pleasure, feeling breathless, and as if we were in his kitchen, he took my leg again and placed it over his shoulder. But this time, there was no fabric separating us and his lips met directly with my intimacy.

    "Do you want me to stop?" he whispered. His expert hands slowly and torturously ran over my thigh, while the other held onto my waist firmly. I couldn''t resist him, any hint of shame had disappeared, and his scorching breath filled all my senses.

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    "No," I said tersely, feeling nervous about what seemed to be about to happen. His hand took mine and led it to his hair, specifically to the bun where he usually tied his hair.

    "If you want me to stopˇ­" he began, making me pull his hair, but instead of pulling away, I pushed him towards me with an urgency that surprised me. A lascivious smile appeared on his face, indicating that I had lost the battle of self-control. Erik pressed his forehead against my skin, heating up the place that was already burning on its own with his breath. His fingers slid slowly down my leg, from the ankle to the groin, making me tremble with pleasure. On the other leg, he scratched me gently, sending waves of ecstasy through me.

    Unable to look him in the eyes because of the shame I felt, I closed mine, focusing on every sensation Erik was giving me. A shiver ran through my body when he stopped caressing me with his breath and did it with his tongue. A involuntary moan escaped from my throat, making me hold onto his hair tighter while he continued devouring me.

    If I thought last night couldn''t be surpassed, I was very wrong. Erik delighted in my body in the same way as the night before, exploring every inch and discovering what things made me shudder even more. He repeated those actions over and over until I could no longer contain my moans. As his tongue played skillfully, all my thoughts vanished until only his name remained in my mind.

    My cheeks were flushed, and my body trembled. When I finally regained my senses after the amazing orgasm, I realized we were far from being finished.

    Erik got up and kissed me, guiding me to the bedroom and letting me fall onto the bed with less delicacy than the night before. I leaned on my elbows, admiring his body as he undressed and longing to feel him inside me again. But instead of that, he knelt before me and dove between my legs without warning.

    "Hey, heyˇ­" I gave his head a gentle tap to make him stop and look at me, which he did immediately. "And what about you?" I asked, with a smile on my face as I savored his lips.

    "I''m getting to that point," he replied with a mischievous grin before burying himself against me once more. I stifled my moans as he used his hands to keep my legs apart, unable to move as he expertly explored every inch of me with his tongue. I needed to cover my mouth so that we wouldn''t be heard across the entire island.

    From that moment on, nothing in my life would ever be the same. At some point, he released my legs and crawled towards me. I saw him take something out of his trouser pocket, knowing exactly what it was when he put it on. He lay on top of me and kissed me with such intensity that I needed to catch my breath after a few seconds. But as soon as I regained my breath, he took it away again when he claimed me with a strong push.

    "I desire you so muchˇ­" he gasped, running his fingers through my hair, staring into my eyes.

    "Much?" I asked with a smile, trembling with every movement of his hips.

    "You have no idea," he bit my neck, making my skin tingle and my nails dig into his back.

    "Harder," I pleaded, feeling him restrain himself. Erik lifted his head to look at me, intensifying his movements and giving me the same pleasure as hot water cascading down my skin. I moaned, and as I got used to that level of intensity, I asked for more, causing another wave of pleasure to invade me.

    The rhythm and intensity continued to rise until Erik couldn''t hold back anymore, and although I was close to a new explosion of pleasure, it didn''t occur to me to complain given all the enjoyment and sensations I had already experienced until that point.

    Hearing him moan was the most erotic thing I had ever heard, and as he kissed me again after returning to the world''s consciousness, he was simply adorable, putting all his wild aura back into his eyes and kissing me as if he were going to break me. I knew, I knew he was wild and intense, and I wanted to find out to what extent.

    My fingers traced comforting circles on his back as we both caught our breath, and when he lay beside me, I instinctively turned to hug him, letting my hands explore his chest while he gently stroked my back.

    "Actually, I came to invite you to dinner to see you before I leave tomorrow," his smile was pure innocence.

    "Are you leaving tomorrow?" I lifted my head a little, confused, thinking he had said in a few days.

    "Yes, since you''re not coming, I thought I''d go earlier and see my friends," he explained, and I nodded slowly, processing the information.

    "And the lighthouse?" My mind worried about the pending responsibilities, but he held me tightly against his body, kissing my forehead gently.

    "Angus covers for me when I have to be away," his voice was reassuring, and I clung to his words with relief. My arms wrapped around him with affection, and I sighed calmly.

    "How many days will you be away?" I asked, letting out my curiosity.

    "Four or five."

    "I''m going to miss you," my smile turned a little more tender, unable to avoid showing my affection.

    "And I you," he said as he hugged me tightly, pressing his face against mine.

    We stayed silent for a while, enjoying our breaths until I finally agreed to go to dinner with him at the pub.

 Chapter 25

    Nora stopped in front of me and, with a warm smile, placed a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee on the table. I breathed in the rich aroma and gratefully moved my laptop aside to make room for the cup.

    "Thank you very much," I said appreciatively as I reached to warm my hands with the cup, as even though the local pub was nearby, I felt I had cooled down on the way there.

    Nora tilted her head curiously, her eyes scrutinizing the glow of my screen. "Are you working on something special?" she asked, a spark of intrigue dancing in her gaze.

    "I''m trying," I confessed with a frustrated sigh as the rebellious words resisted taking shape. "It''s much harder than I imagined."

    "Erik told me you''re a writer. Are you working on a book?" she asked excitedly, her voice full of curiosity and admiration.

    I nodded, sliding my gaze back to the blank screen. "More and less," I confessed with a resigned smile, feeling the weight of my own expectations pressing down on my shoulders. "Although I''m still not sure what kind of story I want to tell."

    Erik had left the island the day before, and although we kept chatting through messages, I couldn''t help but think of him more often than I consciously wanted to. It was impossible for me to write something about love without my memories with him hijacking my mind.

    At this time of the afternoon, the pub was practically empty, except for a couple of people and myself. Nora sat down beside me, curious about my venture into being a writer.

    "I like love stories," she said as she settled into her seat. My eyes drifted towards the bar, where Callum, the curly-haired guy, was busy preparing some drinks. Nora blushed and denied something that hadn''t been asked aloud. I smiled innocently, though inside I knew there was something more between the two of them.

    "We''re just friends," she clarified, as if she could read my thoughts.

    "He''s very handsome," I said, admiring his face as she blushed slightly.

    "Erik is too," she replied with a mischievous smile, causing me to blush as well.

    "He is," I agreed, trying to hide a foolish smile.

    "Do you like him?"

    Before I even had the chance to answer, the door of the pub swung open. My amused smile froze instantly when I saw Nora getting up and enthusiastically greeting two newly arrived tourists. And I immediately knew they were tourists because they weren''t speaking English... and because I instantly recognized Oliver, with his blonde lover on his arm.

    A knot formed in my stomach, and my heart began to pound frantically. I felt the urge to vomit as I lowered my gaze, searching for anything to cover my face and hide. How was this possible? Of all the damned places in the world... why the hell did Oliver have to be right here on this remote island lost in the middle of nowhere? I felt trapped in a nightmare impossible to escape from.

    "Andrea! What a surprise!" he said, quickly approaching the table.

    A suffocating lump formed in my throat as I tried to control my breathing and force a fake smile on my face.

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    "Oliver... what are you doing here?" I asked, unable to avoid stealing a furtive glance at the blonde woman whom I had casually met and who innocently told me about her wonderful relationship with her boss.

    "Well, you won''t believe it. Luc¨Şa and I wanted to take a trip and explore this part of the world. We were recommended this island and thought... why not? Oh, sorry, let me introduce you to her," he said, as I felt my blood begin to boil.

    The girl took a second to recognize me, but then showed a huge smile.

    "Hey! You''re the woman from the nail salon... I remember your eyes!" she said with a friendly smile, completely unaware of the truth.

    Our encounter was pure chance. I didn''t usually go to that area, but that day I wanted to surprise Oliver and take him out to eat after getting my nails done. And there she was, so in love that she couldn''t stop talking about the love of her life, an older man who was about to leave his wife for her because their relationship was horrible.

    When she unlocked her phone to show me a photo of them together, I felt my stomach churning with disgust. She didn''t take long to tell me they had been together for six months, and at that moment my world fell apart.

    "Yes, what a coincidence..." I replied with a trembling voice. I didn''t have the courage to tell that naive girl who I really was, or who her beloved Oliver was. But maybe I should have.

    I had no idea why the hell Oliver was there, but I couldn''t bear to be under the same roof as him for another second. So I simply closed my laptop and put it in my bag with the intention of leaving.

    "Are you leaving already? Come on, stay for a drink with us, you still... are you drinking coffee?" he asked, the cup still on the table. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt. How could he act like this? As if everything was fine and he hadn''t shattered my life? I knew I couldn''t stay a second longer in that place, with him.

    "No!" I said, louder than I meant to, feeling a burning sensation in my chest threatening to explode.

    "Oh, come on, Andrea. Don''t be so dramatic," he said with a mocking smile as he held onto my arm tighter than necessary. I felt the urge to hit him over the head with my laptop, but all I could do was scream silently as I shook my head.

    "I''m really sorry," he said as he continued to squeeze my arm, starting to hurt me. I could feel his fingers digging into my skin, and I had to hold back tears.

    "I''m glad to see you," he added with a malicious look, intensifying my desire to escape even more. How could he be here? I had chosen that distant island precisely to get away from him, and now he was in front of me again, looking at me with his eyes full of malice.

    Nora approached, worried about me, and asked if everything was okay. But all I could think about was escaping, leaving behind that cursed island and the monster in front of me.

    "I have to go. Goodbye, Nora," I said with a strong pull to free myself from Oliver''s grip. I struggled to get out, feeling my lungs struggling to get enough air. As I stepped outside, the cold island weather made my cheeks burn, and I couldn''t hold back the tears that began to flow from the rage that consumed me. I walked back home with long, quick strides, locking myself in my room and closing the curtains, leaning against the wall as I struggled to breathe.

    I couldn''t help but wonder how it was possible. Why was Oliver there? I knew it wasn''t a coincidence. He knew I would be here, he had come to rub his new girlfriend in my face, the one who, according to Virginia, he had proposed to. Why couldn''t he leave me alone? I had left his life without causing more trouble than the fact of disappearing... Why was he doing this? What did he want from me? Anger and confusion swirled inside me, threatening to drown me as I faced Oliver''s betrayal once again.

    My body shook as I got up from the floor. I walked to the bathroom almost dragging myself, desperate to get away from him and his disgusting memory. With each garment I removed along the way, I felt the need to burn it, to destroy any trace of his presence in my life.

    I turned on the hot water and submerged myself under it, feeling the intense heat trying to erase the marks his touch had left on my skin. But I couldn''t escape that horrible feeling of his hands squeezing my arm tightly, or his malicious gaze. I screamed with fury, and my screams mingled with sobs as tears streamed down my face. I cried until there were no more tears left, and when I finally turned off the tap, I wrapped myself in a towel and crawled into bed, hiding among the sheets, wishing to disappear from the world and forget that he existed. But I knew it was impossible, because he would always come back to remind me that I couldn''t escape from him.

 Chapter 26

    The shrill ringtone of my phone pierced through the silence of the house. For the first time since I arrived in Pierowall, I didn''t answer Vir''s call. Or any of Erik''s messages that had flooded my phone since yesterday afternoon. In fact, I had done nothing but lie under the sheets since I showered the night before.

    ''Come on, you can''t stay holed up at home forever,'' I scolded myself, rubbing my sore and swollen eyes. But my body refused to cooperate, gripped by an overwhelming sense of fear. A sudden knock on the door made me shudder, shrinking under the sheets with no intention of opening it. The only person I wanted to see was 555 km away, according to the calculations Erik and I had made before he left. Besides, he wouldn''t be back until tomorrow, so there was no reason to let anyone else in.

    As soon as the phone started ringing again, I knew it was Virginia calling. I would explain everything to her later, once she understood why I couldn''t respond for a couple of days. But not today. When my phone rang for the third time, I was fed up. In a fit of frustration, I got out of bed, completely naked, and approached my phone to turn it off without even bothering to see who was calling. I didn''t want to talk to anyone, I didn''t want to know anything about the world until Oliver and I were separated by at least 3000 km again.

    Sometime between nine-thirty and noon, my body reminded me that this strike had to have exceptions, like going to the bathroom and putting on some clothes because I was cold, as well as drinking water and eating if I didn''t want Erik to come home and find me like something out of a horror story, like the seal from the children''s tale I had been reading. So I got up in complete silence, closed all the curtains, grabbed some supplies, my laptop, and retreated to bed where I stayed all day under the pretext of having to work to keep myself fed and living on that island. Although the idea of ??escaping to another, more remote and distant one was starting to be something that lingered in my mind.

    I struggled to focus on the manuscript in front of me, a story about a girl seeking healing after losing her fianc¨¦, but every sound in the house made me hold my breath, fearing to hear his voice again.

    As the light began to fade, someone knocked on the front door. Anne, asking if I was there. I didn''t respond, preferring her to think I wasn''t home. But she wouldn''t give up easily like Vir. She knocked on the door several times over a few hours until I finally got tired and got out of bed with the intention of lying to her and saying I was sick. I didn''t bother to fix my appearance. Surely that way my lie would be more believable.

    But when I opened the door without looking first, I came face to face with what I had been avoiding for the past 24 hours.

    "Finally, I found you." he said, pushing the door, not giving me time to react. He entered the house, and I stood there like an idiot, looking outside, hoping to see the blonde, who wasn''t there.

    "What are you doing here, go away." I said with a fragile voice, trying not to tremble.

    "I''m not in a hurry. So, this is the hole where you hide. Adorable and pathetic, just like you." he said, approaching the curtain of the dining room window, which overlooked the bay.

    "Please Oliverˇ­ leave." I pleaded

    "Nine months without seeing each other and this is how you receive me? Darling, I''ve missed you so much. Haven''t you missed me?" He came closer to me, and I moved away from him, taking a few steps back. Oliver pushed the door, and I could see in his smile that malice that he had inside and that I had always tried to ignore.

    "Where''s your girlfriend?" he took another step back.

    "Resting, we''ve spent all morning outside enjoying the island and hoping to bump into you but of course, you were here, hiding." he clicked his tongue.

    My back hit the wall, preventing me from retreating further. I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my mouth, and the closer he got to me, the more I wanted to merge with the wall, with no success.

    "What do you want?" I asked trying not to break down in tears, feeling my legs trembling as he ran the back of his hand across my face, barely touching my skin.

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    "You, always. Andrea, you can come back, I forgive you. Look, I know sometimes you''re impulsive and capricious, but come on, darlingˇ­ we can deal with this, like we have dealt with all the screw-ups you''ve had over the years." he tucked one of my hair strands behind my ear, and I felt myself getting smaller and smaller.

    "And your girlfriend?" I asked, hoping he would forget about me.

    "Oh, Lucia is just... entertainment," he shrugged. "She''s good in bed, but she doesn''t satisfy me like you do. She doesn''t take care of me in the same way, she''s just a girl who doesn''t know what she wants... look, we can do something." he took me by the chin and forced me to look into his eyes. "I''ll sleep with her, but every night I''ll come back to be with you. That''s true love," he said, leaning in and making me feel disgusted again as I felt his breath on my face.

    "No," I said He tightened his grip on my chin, forcing me to look at him again against my will.

    "No what?" He demanded, with obvious annoyance in his voice. "You''re just a jealous and selfish bitch, Andrea. Fine, I''ll break up with her and it''ll be just you and me again. After all, you suck it better." He let go of me with a sigh of resignation and took a step back.

    "Leave", I begged him, once again.

    "Are you kicking me out?" he asked, frowning.

    "Oliver, go", I repeated firmly.

    I could see the vein in his neck throbbing, he was getting angry, but I''d rather he finally carried out his threats than stay by his side. He took a step closer to me, grabbed my arm, and pulled my body quite aggressively.

    "We need to talk." he said, wanting me to sit with him on the sofa. Would Anne or Angus hear me if I shouted? Would they have time to come?

    "Let go of me, Oliver." I pulled my arm away, and without thinking, I wanted to lock myself in the room, there I had my phone, I could call Virginia, I couldˇ­

    I didn''t have time to reach it before feeling Oliver grabbing me by the hair and pushing me onto the bed, making me stumble and fall against the bedside tables. I hit them and felt a stab of pain in my knee, where I had hit harder.

    "Andrea, so many years learning manners just for you to forget them in a few months, you disappoint me so much. I thought you had already understood what your role was." He clicked his tongue, closing the door behind him.

    Then, I understood, I understood why I was so afraid, I understood why I had gone so far. He was a monster and I hadn''t been able to see it because I felt unable to escape. Hundreds of images buried in my memory hit me harder than all the times he had done it. His first shout a few days after we started dating, because a waiter smiled at me. His first push after being a few minutes late because I had been talking to Virginia and the first time that, according to him, I pushed him to the limit so much that he slapped me unintentionally.

    After each storm, there were always a few days of calm, where he was the best boyfriend in the world, where there were flowers, gifts, dinners, and trips. Where the ''I love you''s'' and hugs distorted the fear I had so much that it became a normalized cycle in our daily life that I had forgotten about all the horrors I had gone through, as if by taking off the engagement ring and leaving that house, everything had been hidden away in some corner of my memory, and it wasn''t until that moment that I had reopened Pandora''s box.

    "LEAVE!" I shouted trying to get up before feeling that familiar burning heat against my face.

    "How dare you shout at me? Stupid ungrateful, I''ve come all the way to this damn island to find you and this is how you repay me." He pushed me onto the bed, disapprovingly.

    I knew it wasn''t going to be a quick or gentle punishment, but this time I wasn''t going to give in, or apologize, or promise it wouldn''t happen again. I was going to rebel even if it was the last thing I did. Oliver''s weight on me made the bed sink slightly, I pushed him off my chest trying to get him off me with no success. He was bigger and heavier than me and the more I tried to push him, the more he hurt my wrists.

    "Who made you into such an ungrateful whore? Who are you screwing?" he asked, as if it were my fault once again.

    "Let go of me," I growled trying to use my legs to help me, with no success. His hand wrapped around my neck and squeezed, drastically reducing the amount of air able to enter my lungs.

    "Apologize, repent, and after the punishment, I''ll let you go back home," he said.

    My hands grabbed his wrists, trying to get him to loosen the pressure on my throat. My temples started to throb and I was getting dizzy. Slowly my vision began to darken, the pressure squeezing my throat spread throughout my head. I didn''t care about ending this pain, what really hurt was that his face would be the last thing I saw, and his voice the last thing I heard.

 Chapter 27

    The air rushed back into my lungs with such force that it felt like I was being torn apart from the inside. My ears were ringing, I felt a strong urge to vomit, and I struggled to think clearly. I wasn''t sure what was happening, but just when I thought it was all over, the world appeared before my eyes in a violent and painful manner.

    "Andy, I''m here, breathe," Erik said.

    I blinked, unable to understand a single word. I began coughing, feeling the excruciating pain in my chest rise up my throat. There were shouts, noise, and a reddish flash caught all my attention. Erik was by my side, but he stood up, moving away from me, and I reached out my hand in fear, afraid he''d disappear again.

    A loud bang made me turn my head to see Erik, his face completely contorted with fury, grabbing Oliver by the collar and slamming him against the wall. Without yelling, but in a clearly threatening manner, he said something that my mind couldn''t process. Oliver was screaming, trying to break free, but Erik grabbed him by the neck, and, if it weren''t hard to believe, I''d say he lifted him off the ground for a moment before quickly letting him go, and Oliver''s body fell to his knees with a dry thud against the carpet.

    The next thing I could process was Angus entering the room, looking at me with concern and quickly pulling out his phone as Erik crouched beside me.

    "I''m here," he said, caressing my face with a terrified look, scared for me. I started crying and hugged him tightly, finally feeling safe. His arms surrounded me, and he stood up, lifting me as if it took no effort at all.

    "Is this the one you''ve been sleeping with all this time, you piece of trash? Is that why you came to this island?" Oliver shouted from the floor, making me shrink in Erik''s arms.

    "If I hear you open your mouth one more time, I''ll drown you in the depths of the bay, and I assure you they won''t find your body," Erik replied without letting me go, his voice so loaded with aggression that he didn''t need to raise it to make Oliver shut his damn mouth.

    We headed outside, and Erik brought me to the truck, placing me in the passenger seat and quickly taking off his jacket to put it over me.

    "No te vayas (Don''t go)," I pleaded in Spanish when I saw he intended to go back inside.

    "I won''t be long, I promise," he looked into my eyes, and I feared letting him go in case I never saw him again, but he kissed my lips gently, and I had to trust he''d return.

    He went back inside, closing the door behind him, and I huddled under his jacket, wanting to hide from the world. Just a couple of minutes later, he returned carrying some of my things, got into the truck, and drove off. He didn''t say anything, but his jaw was tight, and he gripped the wheel firmly. I noticed his knuckles were reddened, and it wasn''t until we left the town behind that he relaxed the tension he''d been exerting on the wheel.

    Arriving at the lighthouse, he stopped the truck by the entrance to his house, circled the car, and opened the door to carry me in his arms again, because I was barefoot and the ground was muddy. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he didn''t let go until we were inside the house, on the couch.

    "Thank you," I sobbed, making him hug me and gently rub my back.

    "You didn''t answer my calls," he said, resting his head against mine. "I was scared."

    "Why?" I asked, not knowing what miracle had made Erik arrive a day earlier, just when I needed him.

    "Last night, Nora called me worried about you. She said there was a Spanish guy bothering you," he held my chin and wiped away my tears with his thumb, his voice softer than usual.

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    So every vibration I heard while hiding under the sheets must have been him, asking what was going on.

    "I''m sorry."

    "I called you this morning, five times... I sent Anne to check if everything was okay, and she said she couldn''t reach you. Andrea was very scared," he pressed his forehead against mine, and the knot in my throat seemed to loosen a bit by sharing my fear with him.

    "I just wanted to hide until you came back," I sobbed.

    "Why didn''t you call me? I would''ve come back immediately."

    "I don''t know... I just wanted to wake up and have it be a nightmare."

    "Please, don''t go through something like that alone again. I''m here," he pleaded.

    I didn''t know how good I had been throughout my life, but Erik was the greatest reward for the 20 long years I had been suffering Oliver''s shouts, insults, and blows. The mere thought made me shrink, and Erik didn''t hesitate to hug me again, letting me cry against his chest for as long as I needed.

    "I don''t know how he found me," I said through tears.

    "It doesn''t matter because he won''t dare to even think of your name again, I swear," he said firmly, looking me in the eyes.

    "How do you know?" I asked, finding it hard to believe him.

    "Because if he comes within 1km of you again..." he clenched his jaw so hard I could almost hear his teeth grind. "He won''t. "he concluded.

    "I want to leave this island... I want to go far away," I said, sniffing, unable to shake off the horrible feeling of vulnerability.

    "Where do you want to go?" he asked.

    "I don''t know, far away," I wiped my tears with the back of my hand.

    "Can I go with you?" he asked, stroking my hair. I looked at him, not understanding why he would, why he would leave his quiet life on this island for me.

    "And what about the lighthouse?" my question must have been stupid enough to make him laugh in such a situation.

    "What about the lighthouse?"

    "Who will take care of it?"

    "I want to take care of you," he pressed his forehead against mine.

    "I can''t ask you to give up everything," I complained, and his lips curved into a small smile.

    "Maybe it''s time to be brave and be what I''ve always wanted to be, a photographer. And you, a writer," he rubbed his nose against mine. "Let''s get out of here, wherever you want," he whispered.

    "I don''t know where I want to go, Erik."

    "Then let''s find out along the way. You can work from anywhere, right?" he asked, not knowing where he was going, but I nodded.

    "Yes... but..."

    "Then come with me to travel the world until we figure out where you want to stay," I saw in his eyes the need to escape with me.

    If there was one thing I had realized during these days, it was how much I enjoyed being with him and how much I had missed his jokes, his accent full of nuances that I didn''t understand, or his mischievous looks. His kisses, his caresses, and above all, his joy.

    "In your red truck?"

    "What do you have against my truck now?" he smiled.

    "Nothing... your accent is worse,"

    I teased him, making him roll his eyes in a funny way.

    "Andrea," he said, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles gently.

    "Erik," I repeated.

    Even though I still wanted to cry, to scream, and to hide underground, he made the sun shine brightly enough for me not to stay in the shadows.

    "I really like you, and I don''t want to let you feel scared ever again."

    "Then you can''t leave for Glasgow without me," I said with a slight pout. I had been stupid; I should have gone with him instead of staying out of pride.

    "I won''t go anywhere without you again," he promised.

    I hugged him and nodded without letting go.

    "I''m very indecisive, we''re going to have to travel a lot," I warned, making him laugh as he settled on the couch without letting me go.

    "To the end of the world if necessary."

 Chapter 28

    At some point, I must have fallen asleep on the sofa, nestled in Erik''s arms, because I woke up startled by the sound of the phone on the kitchen wall.

    "Relax, one second," he got up and quickly headed towards it, silencing it.

    It must have been Angus, as Erik usually put on a deep and incomprehensible accent when talking to his uncles. I managed to distinguish a few words, but I barely understood 1% of what he was saying.

    At that moment, I remembered that my phone was still off, and I hadn''t spoken to Virginia about what had happened yet, although I didn''t feel like it at that moment. I looked up to find Erik leaning against the wall, with his back to me, and I sighed. He really was handsome, and every one of his poses exuded masculinity. He turned towards me, making me blush. I lowered my gaze, and he shook his butt a bit, which intensified my blush. I wasn''t looking at his butt! Not this time, at least. I saw him laugh, and I knew he was joking, as always.

    "Tonto," I whispered, and he, who probably didn''t hear me but understood my gesture, winked at me from a distance, making my whole body vibrate with such a simple gesture.

    He said goodbye to the person he was talking to and approached me with a mischievous smile dancing on his lips.

    "I wasn''t looking your butt," I defended myself immediately.

    "No? I could feel your gaze fixed there."

    "Well, I wasn''t. Your butt isn''t the only thing I look at," I complained, and he burst into laughter.

    "I look at you a lot, I must confess."

    "Do you look my butt?"

    "Every chance I get. It''s your fault for having such a nice one."

    "It''s not nice," I grimaced.

    Erik raised an eyebrow and then made a face, as if to imply he didn''t understand anything. He tousled my hair slightly before heading to the kitchen.

    "Are you hungry?"

    I hadn''t finished asking the question when my stomach started growling. Maybe spending practically the whole day without eating contributed to the feeling that now that Erik was back in my life, I could conquer the world.

    "Yes."

    "Would you prefer Erik with chocolate or..." he hinted, looking into the fridge.

    "Are you on the menu today?"

    "For you, always," he said, not making a big deal out of it, slightly accelerating my pulse.

    "I want sushi," I lied, knowing he didn''t have it and couldn''t make it, even though the last time we ate at his house he said if he didn''t have something I wanted, he would improvise.

    Erik turned to look at me with an amused expression, containing that mischievous boyish smile that characterized him so much.

    "Are you going to make me jump into the sea to make you dinner?"

    "Would you?" I asked, getting up and approaching the kitchen.

    "Ask me and we''ll find out," he said, lowering his voice, staring at me intently.

    "No, you''re crazy," I complained, without a hint of doubt that he would actually do it, even risking hypothermia.

    "Then ask me things you''re willing to let me do."

    He closed the fridge and looked me straight in the eyes. I felt the need to moisten my lips to make sure my mouth wasn''t dry.

    Part of me wanted to say something that would make Erik nervous, and the other part just wanted to snuggle with him and forget everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.

    "Would you be able to stay alone for 20 minutes, or will I come back to find the house on fire?" he asked sweetly.

    "Do you think I''m a... dangerous?" He laughed and shook his head, embracing me gently.

    "Of course not, but I don''t know if you feel uncomfortable staying alone."

    "I''ll hide under your sheets until you come back," I proposed, letting him cuddle me.

    "Do you like wine? I have some in the cupboard. Open the bottle you like the most; I won''t be long."

    "But where are you going?" I asked, watching him put on his jacket.

    "For your dinner, boss."

    Erik left without giving explanations, closing the door behind him and leaving me alone in his house, a place where, surprisingly, I felt safe. I followed his instructions and opened the cupboard he had indicated. Although I wasn''t an expert in wines, I remembered that I usually enjoyed white wine. After a few minutes of effort, I managed to open the bottle, pour myself a glass, and settle on the sofa under the warm blanket that Erik had placed over me when I fell asleep.

    Lost in thought, I stared at the flames dancing in front of me, trying not to feel overwhelmed when reflecting on what might have happened if Erik hadn''t arrived in time. My mind went over the last twenty years, trying to understand how I could have completely ignored Oliver''s abuse since I left home and left the keys behind, as if leaving home meant leaving behind all the memories of his abuse. I took a sip of wine, wishing to dispel the knot forming in my throat. It was over, he had no more power over me, he never would.

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    I picked up my phone, which Erik had kept along with my belongings, and turned it on. Reading his messages, filled with obvious concern, I was overcome with a sense of guilt for ignoring him like that. If only I had had the courage to tell him what was happening... I sighed, closing the messaging app, and decided to call Vir.

    "Hey, why are you calling at this hour? I called you this morning but..."

    "I know, I''m sorry," I took another sip of wine.

    "Are you drinking wine at Erik''s house?" she nodded, turning the phone and quickly showing me a panorama of the living room.

    "He went out for a moment. I think to hunt a kraken or something," I said, making Vir look confused. "It''s a joke, he''s coming back now. Vir, I have to tell you something... something happened."

    By my tone of voice, my face, the hours, and the wine, Vir asked for a second to pour herself another glass and drink together.

    "Shoot," she said, settling into her sofa.

    "I saw Oliver yesterday."

    "What? How on earth did you see Oliver? You''re on the other side of the world. Well, not literally, but... how is it possible?"

    "I don''t know how he knows I''m here, but he knew I was here and came with his... with the... with..."

    "Yes, with the other. Hey, wasn''t Erik in Glasgow? Why are you at his house?"

    "That''s what I''m getting at, wait," I asked. "Yesterday when I ran into Oliver, Nora, Erik''s cousin, called him and told him there was a Spanish guy who seemed to be bothering me. Erik called and texted me, but after leaving the pub, I didn''t want to talk to anyone, and he got scared, so he took the first flight from Glasgow to come back, as fast as he could with the car."

    "I love that man. Marry him."

    "I''m not going to marry him."

    "Why not? You like him."

    "I''m trying to explain the climax of why I''m at Erik''s house," I sighed,

    and Vir fell silent, taking another sip of her glass.

    "Oliver has been roaming around the town until he found out where I was staying and showed up at my house, telling me to come back, that he forgave me..."

    "Son of a bitch."

    "Yeah... he... he tried to... I...," I started to stammer, and I could clearly see the concern in my friend''s eyes. I had never told Vir anything about what had happened with Oliver, because I never wanted to see that look in her eyes.

    "Sweetheart, what did he do?" she asked clearly worried.

    I took a breath and showed her the marks on my neck, causing Vir to scream in alarm. "Andrea, that''s reportable, you have to report it! He tried to kill you!" she shouted.

    "Erik showed up just in time and got me out of there. I don''t know what he did or what he said to him, but he assured me that Oliver won''t come near me again," I paused.

    "You have to go back and report him, Andrea. He could be doing the same to the other woman. You have to report him!"

    "I don''t want to confront him, I can''t."

    "You can, and you will, and I''ll be here. Let me talk to my brother; maybe he can help us..."

    "Vir, I don''t need a lawyer, I need a hitman."

    "Then we''ll find one, come back home, you know you can stay with me for as long as you need, we''ll find a way to keep that bastard from getting near you again."

    I looked down, taking a silent sip and letting out a heavy sigh.

    "No... I don''t want to go. I want to stay here a little longer."

    "Well, then stay, but come, report, and go back. Oliver deserves to be punished. He almost killed you, he didn''t yell at you over the phone or insult you via message, Andrea. He went to where you were deliberately, and... damn it."

    The door of the house opened, I looked tensely at the entrance until Erik returned, with a paper bag in hand.

    "Virginia?" he asked with a smile.

    "YES, I''M VIRGINIA!" she said through the other end of the phone, changing her tone to a more cheerful one. "It''s time you introduced him to me," she told me in Spanish.

    Erik approached the kitchen to leave the things on the table and glanced at me sideways without losing his smile.

    "She wants to meet you," I told him, feeling a bit shy.

    "Look at her, she even speaks English," my friend joked.

    "Shut up or I''ll hang up," I threatened, and she put on a good-girl face.

    I stepped aside, and Erik sat next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders and smiling cheerfully, happy to finally meet the person I had talked so much about. Of course, Vir couldn''t hide her excitement at seeing such a Viking god in such a friendly pose with me.

    "?Entiende espa?ol?" she asked in our language.

    "Un poco," he said.

    "Not much," I corrected him, looking at him, and he made a mocking face.

    "Almost like your English," he said wrongly but very amusingly.

    "It''s okay, I speak English perfectly. Nice to meet you, Erik."

    "Likewise, Virg... Virginia," he said, struggling with the G pronunciation.

    "I was scolding Andrea for what she told me. You have to bring her to Spain to report that asshole, otherwise, I''ll go get her."

    "Vir!" I scolded her.

    "I need an ally; you''re not going to give in. Erik, bring her, and between the two of us, we''ll take her to the police station, then I''ll let you take her back again," she proposed.

    "Deal."

    "What do you mean, deal? Don''t I have anything to say?" I asked, looking at both of them with some annoyance.

    "You have to have dinner. Nice to meet you, Vir; I hope to see you soon," Erik kissed me on the cheek and left my friend''s view to go get whatever he brought in the paper bag.

    "I like him, I want you to marry him," she said, making me blush again, lowering the volume so Erik wouldn''t hear, although I was sure he had heard it because he had laughed.

    "Your Spanish is good when you feel like it," I complained, approaching to see what he had brought. "What is this?" He opened a box with freshly made rice and another with fish.

    "Hot sushi. It''s the best I could get," he said, shrugging.

    I couldn''t hide a smile of happiness that made the gray cloud that had spread over my head, because of the memory of my ex, disappear.

    "You''re too good to be true," I complained. Erik took my face in his hands and shook his head.

    "I''m too real to be good. But I do what I can," he kissed my lips, and I couldn''t help but wrap my arms around his neck.

    "I''m not going to marry you," I warned him, making him laugh.

    "We''ll see about that. Let''s have dinner," he bit my lower lip, making the ground shake under my feet.

    "That''s not your dinner," I complained.

    "No. It''s my dessert."

 Chapter 29

    I woke up with my heart pounding so frantically that I feared it might break my ribs. I sat up abruptly in bed, feeling as if an invisible hand, Oliver''s hand, was squeezing my throat and choking me. In the blink of an eye, the bedside light came on, revealing Erik''s room before my eyes.

    "Hey, are you alright?" he asked, gently stroking my back. I nodded, swallowing hard.

    It had just been a nightmare, but the echo of the suffocating sensation still lingered, making it difficult to breathe. Erik got up silently and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I ran my hands over my face, trying to rid myself of the horrible feeling enveloping me. Over the years, I had been sweeping all the problems, the shouting, and the gruesome things that had defined my relationship with Oliver under the rug. Now, with the rug lifted, I was facing head-on all that accumulated filth, and I felt terrified. It was true that with Erik around, the fear was less, but not enough.

    After dinner, we had hugged, kissed, and he had made me feel desired, but as soon as his lips touched my neck, I froze completely. He understood, of course, but I didn''t want to feel this way, like a broken doll simply because my former owner had shattered me. Erik returned with a glass of water, which I greatly appreciated, and I took a sip, noticing how dry my throat was.

    "We should listen to Vir," he said, looking at me with concern.

    "Which part?" I asked, glancing at him sideways.

    "The part about the wedding, you''ve already said no," he smiled.

    "And about going to Spain too," I pointed out.

    "You should do it for yourself, but also for all the poor women who have the misfortune of meeting him. If the police already know what kind of person he is... with a second complaint, they''ll take it more seriously," he said, looking me straight in the eyes.

    He was right. Such people deserved to be marked and punished. Oliver hadn''t just raised his voice on a specific day, nor had he broken a table because of a bad day at work. He was horrible ninety percent of the time, although the other ten percent knew how to make you believe he was an excellent being of light.

    "I just don''t want to run into him again, and..."

    "I''ll go with you, you''re not alone in this," he assured me.

    "And Vir will ask you a thousand questions," I bit my lower lip knowing that my friend would ask him things that wouldn''t even occur to professional investigators.

    "What are you afraid she''ll find out?" he laughed. I took another sip of water.

    "I don''t know. That you have another girlfriend in Glasgow or..." Erik didn''t let me finish the sentence, he put his hand on my wrist and squeezed gently, making me look at him.

    "I''m not your ex. I''m not going to deceive you. Nor shout at you, nor do anything horrible to you," he said with such confidence in his voice that it was impossible not to believe him.

    "I know."

    "Then stop doubting. The only thing she can find out about me through your friend is that I tell her how much I like you. Because you don''t seem to believe me," he smiled, and I rolled my eyes with embarrassment.

    "It''s hard to believe," I defended myself.

    "Why is it hard to believe?"

    "Because you''re very handsome." Erik laughed, making a very funny face.

    "Do you think I don''t like you because I''m very handsome? Thank you, you''re also very beautiful, but that doesn''t mean I don''t believe I like you when I look at you like that," he said, looking at me intently and smiling when he noticed I was blushing. "And your cheeks turn fiery."

    "Why would you want to be with a girl like me?" I simply didn''t understand, he could be with whoever he wanted. Why me?

    "Because you don''t understand half of what I say," he said jokingly, I gave him a little slap on the arm and he laughed even more.

    "So, Spain is your hunting ground."

    "I already went to Spain and fell in love with a Spanish girl''s smile," he reminded me. "Now I''m trying to win her over."

    "I didn''t know Scotsmen were players."

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    "You thought all we did was go to the pub to drink whiskey?" he laughed, and I nodded amused.

    "And wear skirts"

    "kilts." He corrected me by rolling his eyes.

    "And throw logs."

    "You need a Scottish boyfriend to change your perspective," he denied, making a very funny noise with his tongue.

    I looked at him. Did he just say I needed a boyfriend? Did he not count himself? Did he think of himself as a potential relationship? What were we?

    "What did I say?" he asked, possibly seeing the doubts in my gaze.

    "Nothing," I said, looking away.

    "Andy..."

    "What are we?" I asked, bluntly. Erik raised both eyebrows, probably not expecting that question at all, but quickly relaxed his features and took a deep breath gently.

    "What do you want us to be?"

    "I asked first," I defended myself.

    "I know, but my answer depends on yours."

    Okay, I had no idea what I wanted us to be. I liked being his friend, and obviously, I liked Erik as something more than that, but... Was I ready to take that step? Did I want to get into another relationship and end up suffering? Why did I assume I would suffer?

    "I like you." Erik smiled, lighting up the room more than the light on his bedside table.

    "Do you like me?" he asked, playfully, and I nodded, blushing.

    "But that doesn''t mean that..."

    He didn''t let me finish before he put his lips on mine and kissed me gently, making all the doubts that were stuck in my head relax.

    "What do you think if instead of labeling it, we set boundaries?" he suggested, gently pulling away from me.

    "What do you mean?" I asked, somewhat confused.

    "One of my boundaries is lying. Don''t lie to me," he asked, and I nodded, I liked that boundary, I wanted it too.

    "I accept it and ask the same of you," Erik nodded.

    "We can negotiate what we have, without calling it anything, when you come up with things you want or don''t want, you tell me," thank goodness I was already somewhat adept with the language because when Erik spoke as if he had been there all his life, I felt like a beginner again.

    "I think I understand. Like a contract," I said, and he laughed.

    "Do you want a safe word too?" he said, amused.

    "Do we need one?" I asked, putting the glass of water on the bedside table and lying down next to him. Erik adjusted his arm so that I could lean on it and turned off the light, stroking my hair.

    "It never hurts."

    "I''m not sure if I can give you that right now," I confessed. Erik turned to look at me, although the room was too dark to see each other well.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Something more... intimate. I know we''ve already slept together but..."

    "Andy, I don''t like you for sex, although I have to admit I like sex with you," he kissed my forehead. "If you didn''t want to cross that boundary with me again, I would respect it." His words left me confused.

    What kind of man wanted to be with a woman without sleeping with her? Did he have a completely wrong concept?

    "But then, you would sleep with others. We wouldn''t be a couple."

    "Do you think I sleep with a different woman every day?" he asked, with a playful voice.

    "You could," I shrugged.

    "But just because I could, doesn''t mean I want to."

    "You don''t want to?"

    "Why would I want to?"

    "Why do you always answer me with questions?"

    "Because I love how your forehead wrinkles when you don''t understand me," he kissed my forehead. "Don''t worry about that. I won''t sleep with anyone else."

    "And in 20 years?"

    "Are you going to put up with me for 20 years?"

    "Erik!" I complained, because he answered me with another question.

    "Andrea, stop worrying about everything. You''re here, now, with me. Forget about what will happen in 20 years," he turned to stay facing me, putting his forehead against mine.

    "From your mouth, it sounds easy."

    "It''s a lifestyle, making things easy. Do you want to be here now, with me?"

    "Yes."

    "Well, that''s all that matters," he rubbed his nose against mine. "I won''t do anything you don''t want. And if I do something you don''t want, you have permission to kick me out of your life without remorse."

    "I don''t want to kick you out of my life."

    "Then stop worrying and enjoy." I felt like it was a dream.

    Too good to be true. Perhaps, I had become so accustomed to the nightmare that, faced with a healthy person like Erik, I felt out of place.

    "I don''t want to confuse you. I want to kiss you, but I don''t know if I can go further." Erik put his lips to mine, but didn''t kiss me, just left them there.

    "You can do whatever you want with me, as far as you want, when you want, and how you want," he whispered, intoxicating me with his warm breath. "And if we go further and you decide to stop, we''ll stop. Never feel bad about setting boundaries." I gave him a small, soft, short kiss.

    "I''m not a bad person for it?"

    "Neither bad, nor a slut, nor taking advantage."

    "You''re not real. Surely at some point, I died on my way to this island and you''re my reward for so many years of suffering." Erik hugged me, resting my head against his chest and kissing my hair.

    "Then enjoy your hell, you''ve got a pretty mischievous devil."

 Chapter 30

    As I stepped off the plane, the warm, dry air of Madrid gently kissed my face, bringing a smile to my lips. Even though only two weeks had passed since my last visit, time seemed to stretch endlessly.

    "Oh, I forgot how intense the sun shines here," Erik complained behind me as we descended the airplane''s stairs, shielding his eyes with his hands. I couldn''t help but chuckle at his disgruntled expression.

    "Welcome to Madrid," I said cheerfully, a smile impossible to contain illuminating my face.

    It had been almost four days since the incident with Oliver, and although Erik hadn''t left my side, I still sometimes felt the bitter sensation of my world crumbling. The reason I had agreed to come to Spain and report him was simply to avoid the fear of encountering him in the future. Erik had gathered evidence that Oliver had been on the island, and with his testimony and the marks on my neck, I hoped it would be enough to be taken seriously for the harassment and abuse report.

    After passing through passport control and navigating halfway through the airport, we finally reached the exit, where family and friends awaited to greet the travelers. I quickly spotted Vir, who upon seeing Erik, not me, began jumping with joy.

    "Get ready," I sighed, knowing Vir would be like a child in a toy store all day.

    "FINALLY!" she exclaimed, dodging some passengers to reach us. She enveloped me in a warm, excited hug but quickly shifted all her attention to my tall, strong, and very handsome companion.

    "Pleased to meet you, Vir," Erik said, extending his hand.

    "We give two kisses here, come on," she said, approaching and giving Erik two kisses, as warm as ever. She wasn''t stupid. Who would miss the chance to kiss such a man? My friend gave me a look full of complicity and approval and guided us towards the exit. She had parked the car in the airport parking lot and asked us about the trip, if it was Erik''s first time in Spain... I found it hard to keep up with the conversation; my mind was neither in Spanish nor in English, so I let them talk.

    Erik told her how we ''met'' a few years ago at the amusement park in Salou, PortAventura, and Vir thought it was a sign from destiny, glad that we were finally together.

    "No estamos juntos," I said in Spanish, and she looked at me amused.

    "A bit, yes," she said with complicity, making me blush. I looked ahead and let them continue talking.

    I felt a bit jealous seeing how comfortable Vir was talking to him, as if language were not a problem. If only I could speak with Erik as fluently as I spoke Spanish... everything would be different.

    We arrived at my friend''s house, where we would spend the three nights we would be in Madrid. Upon opening the door to the room where I had stayed until going to the island, I saw that she had prepared everything for us. I felt embarrassed, although we hadn''t been sleeping separately, we hadn''t slept together again either. Every time things heated up, I got anxious, and Erik simply hugged me, without pressuring me. Nothing was going to happen at my friend''s house, but it almost felt like we were together. Why was I worried now if I had handled it well on the island?

    Vir left, and Erik left the two travel bags we had brought, as if they weighed a ton each.

    "I like your friend, she''s very cheerful," he said, bringing me back to reality.

    "She likes you too," I smiled, sitting on the bed. He sat beside me and rested his hand on my knee.

    "Are you okay?" I nodded, nervous about the visit to the police station, anxious in case we crossed paths with Oliver, happy to be back in Madrid, and a little embarrassed to be with him.

    "Yes, it''s just a lot of feelings," I tried to explain. He wrapped his arm around me and kissed my head.

    "One at a time."

    It was time for lunch, at least by Spanish standards. On the island, we would have already eaten three hours ago, but in Madrid, people usually didn''t eat before two-thirty in the afternoon. Vir offered to go to a nearby place with a terrace, since it was sunny, although according to her, it was also chilly.

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    "It''s almost summer compared to the cold in Pierowall," I said in Spanish, and Erik laughed, nodding.

    In less than 10 minutes, we were seated at the terrace Vir had suggested. I closed my eyes, letting the sun envelop me with its light and warmth. One of the things I didn''t like about the Scottish sun was that, despite illuminating, it barely warmed. I had almost forgotten how pleasant it was to feel the sun on my skin. In the background, I could hear Vir and Erik talking, and from what I could understand from the conversation, they were talking about his work at the lighthouse.

    "Before being a lighthouse keeper, he was a firefighter," I told Vir, and Erik nodded. Vir looked at me with a mischievous smile, an expression I knew well but could easily be interpreted as just a smile.

    "Firefighter?" she wanted to confirm.

    "Yes, in Glasgow. But despite the good pay and how exciting it was, the life of a lighthouse keeper is quieter and safer," he said, reaching for his beer.

    "But you have firefighter friends," Vir insinuated, and Erik laughed, nodding again.

    "Do you want him to introduce you to a friend?" I asked Vir, who nodded with a not-so-innocent look, saying that we had always done everything together, and she wouldn''t let me be the only Spanish hooked on a Scottish firefighter.

    "I''m not... oh, forget it," I complained.

    Erik smiled and gently squeezed my knee, as if reminding me that I didn''t have to be embarrassed.

    "Are you going to see your parents?" my friend asked, probably without double intention.

    "I should," I glanced at Erik "Do you want to meet my parents?" I asked him, and for the first time, I saw a hint of shyness on his face.

    He looked at me steadily and nodded slowly, almost as if we were analyzing each other''s non-verbal response.

    "Do you want to?"

    "I asked first."

    "Yes," he replied.

    "Okay, then I''ll call them later," I took a sip of my beer, but choked. Erik laughed and patted my back, explaining to Vir that it happened to me quite frequently.

    After lunch, we took advantage of the good weather to stroll through Retiro, one of Madrid''s most beautiful parks. Vir, who walked a few steps ahead talking on the phone, gave us some space.

    "I like your city, it''s very beautiful," Erik commented, putting his arm around my shoulders as we walked together.

    "It is. Very different from Pierowall," Erik nodded.

    "I know you don''t like public displays of affection. Does it bother you that I act like this with you?" he asked, and I shook my head. I actually felt good being close to him. It embarrassed me, but I didn''t dislike it at all.

    "But be careful with my father, he might bite you," I joked, and he blushed slightly "Are you embarrassed to meet my parents?" I asked, and Erik shyly looked away.

    "A bit," he admitted.

    "Why?"

    "I''ve never met the parents of a girl I liked," he shrugged, and that revelation made my stomach flutter.

    "Never?" I asked impressed, and he shook his head "It''s not necessary if you don''t want to..." Erik stopped and looked into my eyes just as we passed by the pond full of boats in the park.

    "I want to meet your parents," he said, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

    "And why are you embarrassed?" I smiled, rubbing my face against his hand.

    "Because it''s the first time I want to meet the parents of a girl I really like, and that girl doesn''t want to be my girlfriend," he laughed, making me blush now.

    "Do you want me to tell them you''re my boyfriend?" I asked, and Erik rested his forehead against mine, caressing me with his warm breath.

    "I don''t want to lie to your father if he asks me what I feel for you."

    "Fortunately, you don''t speak Spanish, and my father doesn''t speak English," I smiled amused, enjoying the little legal loophole I had just found.

    "Then will you tell him I''m just a friend?"

    Damn, it was true. My parents, especially my mother, would want to know what we were. She would ask questions, take things for granted. Both would think we were a couple.

    "I''ll tell him we''re getting to know each other," I said, trying to evade the topic.

    Erik smiled and kissed me gently, with the beautiful backdrop of Retiro and its pond.

    "I like you," he whispered.

    "I like you too," I admitted.

    We said those words to each other often; I felt they were a mask for something more, something we both felt but for which we still didn''t have permission to express, because everything was moving too fast, too fast. For days we had been sleeping together, having breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. I showered at his house, worked at his house... and after such a long relationship, reaching those levels of intimacy with a person in just two weeks scared me, even though my body felt fine with it. It was a constant struggle between my heart and my head, my feelings and my logic.

    ''Head vs Heart''

    Erik kissed me again gently and hugged me, making me feel part of his world in a way I loved too much not to want to be there, but which also terrified me too much not to just enjoy it.

 Chapter 31

    The day flew by with the journey, the meals, and the strolls. The pleasant weather and the nostalgia of Madrid''s streets made me completely forget how tired I was. Vir dropped us off in the city center before heading home, and Erik regretted not bringing his camera. I promised him we would return so he could capture all those images he had in mind, insisting that his phone couldn''t capture the essence as he wanted.

    As night fell, Vir suggested meeting up for dinner and drinks, and although I felt exhausted, I accepted due to Erik''s excitement to continue enjoying. But upon arriving at the place Vir indicated, I was pleasantly surprised to find some friends I hadn''t seen in a while.

    "Andrea! What a joy to see you!" exclaimed a familiar voice.

    I instantly recognized Maria and her boyfriend Pablo, always so pleasant. Despite the tensions with Oliver, who never got along with them, we preferred to avoid encounters to avoid arguing about Maria''s style, which Oliver found inappropriate for her age, although to me, she had always been a woman with an enviable style.

    "At least a couple of years. How are you?" I asked, joyfully giving Maria two kisses as we met again. "Let me introduce you to Erik," I said, turning, but her eyes were already fixed on him.

    "He''s much more handsome than you told me, Vir," she smiled mischievously in a low voice.

    "Don''t worry, he doesn''t speak much Spanish. You can call him ugly to his face," I joked, and Erik looked at me amused, understanding that word.

    "Erik, this is Maria, a friend," I introduced, and Erik gave her two kisses following the Spanish protocol that Vir had taught him at the airport. "And this is Pablo, her boyfriend," I added, presenting them.

    Pablo shook Erik''s hand with a friendly smile, while Maria watched me with amusement.

    "Boyfriend for a short time. We''re getting married!" Maria announced joyfully, showing me the ring on her finger.

    "Really? When did that happen?" I asked, happy for them but a little sorry for not having found out earlier.

    "A few months ago. He finally decided," Maria commented amused.

    I couldn''t blame her for not informing me; after all, I hadn''t been very communicative myself during the last year.

    "I''m so happy for you both," I replied sincerely, while Pablo asked us what we wanted to drink, kindly taking care of ordering it from the waiter.

    There we met some more friends, and everyone seemed genuinely interested and curious about Erik''s presence. Those who spoke English tried to have conversations with him, while those who didn''t, asked for help with translation. Erik seemed in his element, sociable, approachable, nothing like the distant Oliver who didn''t enjoy going out for beers with my old friends, with whom, over time, I had grown apart.

    After a long time with them, Erik approached me and enveloped me in his arms.

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    "You seem tired," he said, resting his head on mine. I squeezed his forearm affectionately and shook my head, turning towards him.

    "Not really. It''s just been a while. I''m feeling a bit overwhelmed," I smiled, perhaps a more accurate description of how I actually felt.

    "Your friends are very nice," I looked at the group of men with their beers, laughing a couple of steps away from us.

    "I''m glad you like them," I said, genuinely happy about it. "I think they like you too, even though some don''t understand you," I looked into his eyes, and the smile he returned was so beautiful that my whole body shook again, only this time, the origin was my chest.

    My heart was beating strongly, and the energy it emitted spread to the rest of my organs. Maybe the couple of beers I had already drunk helped me feel more carefree about the matter, but at that moment, I really wanted to kiss him, and I didn''t care if I was in the middle of my group of friends.

    "If you keep looking at me like that, I''m going to ask you to show me the darkest corner of this place," Erik said, returning a gaze full of desire.

    "Don''t tempt me. When I drink two beers, I loosen up a bit..." I hesitated in choosing the word, but basically, with two beers, I stopped feeling so inhibited.

    Erik took a long sip from his bottle and then approached me, challenging me with his gaze. When his lips brushed mine, I knew he had beer in his mouth and that if I kissed him, I would taste it on his lips, something I didn''t hesitate to do.

    I grabbed his shirt, pulling him towards me until he leaned down enough to kiss me. He was taller, and I was sitting on a stool. He rested his hand on the bar behind me, enclosing me against it, and kissed me calmly as I felt the cold liquid of his lips pass onto mine before his tongue, warm and playful, found mine, more shy and elusive.

    I didn''t know if it was the beer that went down my throat or the fire that rose in my chest, but we had never kissed like that before, with such urgency for something more. He pulled back a bit to look into my eyes, and I could see how desire made them burn.

    Erik had respected my pace, sleeping by my side without doing more than hugging or kissing me until I felt uncomfortable, but I could always see in his eyes how much he wanted to explore and enjoy me, and although I wished he would, I felt guilty about it. However, at that moment, that feeling disappeared. I didn''t feel guilty. I was tired of feeling that way and just wanted to enjoy the good things life could offer me, and Erik seemed to be something very good.

    "I really like you," he whispered with his nose brushing mine.

    "And I like you too," I replied, feeling enveloped in a bubble that separated us from the rest of the world.

    "Will your friends hate me a lot if I kidnap you?" he asked, taking my chin to give me a small, short kiss on the lips, followed by another.

    "I don''t think so," I smiled like a teenager.

    "And Vir?" I glanced at my friend, who was busy talking to Maria and didn''t seem to be paying attention to us.

    "Maybe she will," I laughed.

    Erik''s hand slipped through my curls, gently massaging the base of my neck.

    "I''ll have to keep being charming so she''ll let me kidnap you," He turned his lips to my neck, leaving a small kiss that made my skin burn, and then he pulled away from me as if nothing had happened, leaving me wanting more.

    I swallowed, knowing what was going to happen; the fire would grow until it consumed me. Normally, I could contain it, but today I just wanted everything to catch fire.

    "Erik," I called before he walked away, he turned to look at me, and I found myself lost in his eyes. "You''re going to get burned," I warned him, and he smiled in such a seductive way that I felt like I had just opened the door to the beast.

    "I was a firefighter, I know how to handle fire," he winked at me, unleashing a quake of desire between my legs that made me shift on the stool and cross one leg over the other. I was about to fan myself with my hand. Definitely, I wanted to feel him inside me again, giving me his best.

 Chapter 32

    Erik held the door open with a chivalrous gesture as I stumbled into Vir''s apartment. My hand fumbled for the hallway light switch, and once it flickered on, I placed the spare keys that Vir had given me months ago when I lived with her on one of the baskets near the entryway. Erik and I returned home alone, as Vir had spent the whole night flirting with a blond man and decided to spend the night with him, leaving us some privacy, supposedly.

    "Oh god. It feels so good." I gasped as I finally took off my shoes.

    "I haven''t even touched you yet," Erik joked, causing me to turn around and give him a playful smile.

    Maybe the four or five beers I had consumed helped me smile instead of turning red, maybe they even gave me the courage to look at him mischievously as I headed to the room where I had been staying during my time at Vir''s place. I took off my jacket and when I removed my sweater, I felt Erik''s warm hands caressing my shoulders and massaging them gently.

    "You were right, now I can truly say ''it feels good''." I laughed, closing my eyes and instantly relaxing.

    Erik not only had large hands, he also knew how to use them, whether it was for cooking, caressing or giving massages.

    "I can make it even better." He whispered, his lips brushing against my ear.

    "Do you think so?" I asked playfully.

    His breath tickled the bare skin of my neck. Normally, I would have been embarrassed to be standing in front of the man who turned me on so much wearing only a bra, but alcohol was definitely an incentive to throw any inhibitions aside.

    "I''m sure of it." He whispered before placing a kiss on my shoulder.

    With a sigh, I inhaled deeply as I felt his hands caress my arms and his mouth leave a trail of small kisses along my neck. But I was not relaxing, on the contrary, each kiss was like an electric shock that ran through my body, making me gasp with desire.

    "That''s not relaxing me," I whispered between moans when I felt his teeth on my neck.

    "I''m not trying to relax you," he responded with malice, inching closer to my body.

    His lips kissed my skin again, but this time they traveled down my back. He pushed my hair aside, letting it fall over one shoulder, and without hesitation, unclasped my bra and let it fall to the floor because I didn''t protest at all. He lightly grazed his nails over my skin, from my hips to the nape of my neck and back down my arms. I could feel my body reacting to his touch, not just with goosebumps on my skin.

    "I have some bad news for you," he said, pressing his torso against my back.

    I wasn''t sure when he had taken it off, but he wasn''t wearing a shirt and I could feel the heat from his skin melting into mine.

    "What''s wrong?" I purred, tilting my head so he could continue kissing my neck.

    "Today, you''re not the boss."

    It was a seemingly silly statement, but it made me open my eyes and turn my head to look at him. There was a mischievous smile on his lips that stole the breath from my lungs. And when he turned me around to face him, our chests brushed together, igniting pleasurable sensations throughout my body.

    "No?"

    "No, today I''ll be the one in charge," he declared as he reached for the button of my pants and undid it while never breaking eye contact.

    "And what if I don''t want you to be in charge?"

    I couldn''t bring myself to stop him, because deep down I didn''t want him to. I had fantasized countless times about seeing Erik in his true form, unleashing the beast that I knew lurked within him.

    "You can tell me to stop at any time and I will," he said, as he unzipped my jeans and slipped his hand inside without giving me a chance to process what was about to happen.

    "No..." I gasped, closing my eyes and grasping onto him as his fingers found their way between my legs.

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    Slowly, he traced that familiar path, causing my hips to move towards him in search of more contact, but then he withdrew his finger. Confused, I looked at him and saw in his gaze that he was going to relish making me suffer. He pulled down my pants and helped me remove them, leaving me completely naked before him. He sat on the edge of the bed and gestured for me to sit on his lap, leaning my back against his chest.

    As I did so and placed my legs over his, he spread them wide open, giving him full access to my body. With my pulse racing, I braced myself for what was about to come. His lips played with the skin on my neck once again while his hands massaged my breasts like stress balls.

    "You''ve had me hard all night. Every time you looked at me, all I could think about was bringing you home and making you mine," he whispered into my ear, nibbling on my lobe.

    "Are you going to punish me for it?"

    "I''m going to punish you for it."

    His teeth sank into my neck, causing me to release a long and deep moan. It wasn''t painful; rather, it felt incredibly arousing. Before I could catch my breath, his hand skillfully made me moan again. His middle finger traced circles around my pleasure button so gently and slowly that it felt like he was opening the floodgates of my pleasure. Those precise circular motions seemed to tune into my moans until they gradually grew louder and more intense with each passing moment.

    As soon as my legs tensed even slightly, he stopped. I released the air I was holding in my lungs, not realizing I had been holding my breath.

    "Don''t forget to breathe," he said, tuning back into my wet sex which was pulsing with excitement.

    "Yes, boss," I moaned.

    Without warning, one of his fingers pushed inside me, making me arch my back. I tried to close my legs but Erik wouldn''t let me.

    "Shhh...I didn''t say you could close them," he scolded lovingly, stopping his touch on my sex and spreading my knees wide open again.

    "I''m sorry," I said, with a trembling voice from the pleasure I felt, willing opening my legs for him.

    "Good girl," he whispered in the most erotic way I had ever heard.

    I gasped when his finger entered me again, trying hard not to close my legs. I gripped his thigh, still dressed in jeans, and threw my head back onto his shoulder, letting him touch me however he wanted until minutes later when he had me right where he wanted me - on the edge of an orgasm. But then he stopped, pulling away just as I was about to reach it.

    "Why do you stop?" I asked, panting.

    "Because we''ve only just begun," he replied with a wicked grin.

    He stood up and carefully placed me on the bed before stripping off the rest of his clothes. My eyes hungrily drank in the sight of his hardened arousal begging for attention.

    I would be lying if I said my mouth didn''t water at the thought of tasting him. Erik must have noticed because he came closer to me and hissed for me to stop as soon as my hand went towards him. I looked up at him, searching his eyes and silently pleading for permission to give him pleasure like he was giving me.

    "Do you really want to?" he asked with a devilish smirk.

    I nodded instantly. Truthfully, it was never something I had relished before. I had always avoided it, my experiences limited to times when I felt forced and uncomfortable. But with him, I found myself yearning for it. Not because he expected it, but because I wanted to know what it felt like to genuinely want to do it.

    Erik gathered my hair in his hand so that it wouldn''t bother me and caressed my face while maintaining eye contact, as if assessing whether I truly wanted this.

    "Open your mouth," he requested, tenderly stroking my lower lip with his thumb.

    I complied, opening my mouth slowly, eager to fulfill his wishes. He leaned forward to kiss me passionately and eagerly, intertwining his tongue with mine and panting with desire. Then he pulled away and looked down at me from his towering height.

    "Do what you want," he said almost commandingly. His voice was deep and colored by arousal.

    I moved closer to his bare thigh covered in a thin layer of reddish hair and kissed it gently before moving upwards to his hip which I playfully bit causing him to smile and groan sensually. With my hands, I attended to his other leg caressing the inner side up towards his buttocks which I also stroked.

    I pulled back just enough to see the fire in his eyes desiring for me to continue - so that''s exactly what I did. Grasping onto his hardened excitement, I slowly brought my lips close but only barely grazed him before pulling away again. The desperation in Erik''s eyes was evident which made me smirk mischievously.

    "Don''t be naughty," he pleaded lightly tugging on my hair prompting me lift my gaze higher towards him.

    With a cheeky smile trying to appear innocent, I opened my mouth again slightly sticking out my tongue teasingly against him. As soon as I did this he let out a groan and I felt his legs tense up. He was longing for this, yet he hadn''t asked or demanded it at any point.

    "More?" I asked innocently.

    "All," he replied biting his lower lip.

    I wrapped my lips around him and the sensation of him contracting was incredibly pleasurable, even though it wasn''t as physically satisfying as when he directly touched me. My mouth gradually took in more of him until I couldn''t go further. I held him there for a few seconds before retracing my steps. It wasn''t unpleasant, on the contrary, it was damn exciting.

    Pulling back with a mischievous smile and defiance in my eyes, I teased "Told you you''d get burned."

    "I told you that I could handle the fire," Erik gasped not expecting me to take him into my mouth again so soon. Making him lose control was going to be my new favorite pastime from that night onwards.

 Chapter 33

    "Good morning."

    My friend''s voice resonated in the kitchen, startling me out of my thoughts. I didn''t expect to see her there at that hour. Our gazes met, and mine must have reflected embarrassment because she let out a mischievous laugh as she casually stirred the sugar in her coffee.

    "Good... good morning. Weren''t you sleeping out?" I asked, trying to appear normal as I approached to pour myself a cup of coffee.

    "Since when do you drink coffee?" Vir asked me, bringing the sugar bowl closer to my seat as I sat down.

    "Since the night I met Erik. What time did you get in?" I tried to change the subject, but her playful expression indicated she was determined to tease me.

    "About half an hour ago," she clarified, taking a sip of her coffee. "His name is ¨˘lvaro, he''s a pediatrician, and he''s very attentive," she explained, summarizing her night.

    I glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall; it was eight in the morning.

    "And did you sleep enough to be here so early?" I asked with a smile.

    "He had to go to work, he said he''d write to me later," she shrugged. "How was your night? Nice pajamas," she commented, observing my attire.

    I looked down, remembering I was wearing one of Erik''s T-shirts that were too big for me. At that moment, the doorbell rang, and Vir got up to see who it was, while I finally took a sip of my coffee. But the drink caught in my throat when I heard Oliver''s voice.

    "Where is she?" his voice echoed from the door.

    "Oliver, out of my house," Vir responded firmly.

    I sat frozen in my chair, clutching the coffee cup as if it were my only anchor in the midst of chaos. Oliver entered without giving me time to get up. He had a wound on his lip that my instinct told me was Erik''s handiwork.

    "Look at you, now you''re back, huh? Where''s your gorilla now? You have no shame," he spat his words at me.

    "I recommend you leave if you don''t want things to get worse for you," Vir insisted, entering behind him and placing herself between us.

    I remained in place, frozen, unable to move.

    "Luc¨Şa told me she saw you yesterday at the retreat. After everything you''ve done to me, you dare to come back to this city, you''re pathetic," Oliver continued.

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    "Oliver, if you don''t leave, I''m going to call the police," Vir urged.

    My eyes passed over Vir''s shoulder and Oliver''s figure. Erik''s imposing and tattooed figure appeared at the door, with his hair completely wet and only wearing jeans, presumably the only thing he had time to put on after hearing my ex''s voice.

    I sprang from the chair to go to him, passing by Oliver whom I dodged when he tried to grab my arm. Oliver turned around, his face contorted upon seeing Erik stepping aside for me to hide behind him.

    "Out," he said firmly.

    If Luc¨Şa had seen me, but Oliver didn''t know Erik was there, he could only have figured it out when I approached the ice cream stand alone. It didn''t make sense that Luc¨Şa didn''t tell him I was with someone, nor did it make sense for Oliver to come and harass me knowing he could get another punch.

    "Now you''re sheltering whores and savages in your house?" he asked Vir, wanting to direct his anger against her.

    "I''ll let into my house whoever the hell I want. GET OUT," she urged, pointing to the street.

    "This won''t end here, Andy, you''ll pay for this," he pointed at me, and Erik took a step towards him with a stern look, making Oliver step back and leave amidst insults.

    Once he was outside, Erik relaxed his features and looked at me with concern.

    "I''m fine," I said immediately, even though I felt like all the blood in my body had frozen.

    "You definitely need to report him, Andrea, that guy is crazy. You need a restraining order," Vir hugged me, and Erik''s hand gently stroked my back, saying he was going to dry off and come back.

    "Why won''t he leave me alone?" I asked with some agony.

    "Because he''s sick and obsessed. But we''re going to fix it, he won''t come near you again," my friend assured me.

    After Erik dried off and had a coffee, I still had that bitter feeling. Every time I started to feel better about myself and my life, Oliver''s shadow returned to remind me that I was nothing, no one. That he controlled everything even when he wasn''t present in my life.

    "Are you ready to go?" Erik peeked into the room while I stared at the ground.

    "Yes, I''m coming," I said, snapping out of the trance I was in and standing up.

    "Everything will be fine, Vir and I are with you," he said, embracing me.

    "I know."

    We headed towards the police station where it was difficult for me to speak, and if it hadn''t been for Vir, I didn''t know if I would have been able to report him. Every question they asked reopened wounds inside me. When the threats had started, what evidence I had, if I had feared or feared for my life... the minutes became endless as I answered all the questions, and when I finally finished, I felt relieved, though scared.

    Obviously, with a report of abuse with evidence and having shown that Oliver had tried to assault me in Pierowall, getting a restraining order would be easy. We had to talk to my lawyer to start criminal proceedings, and although I didn''t have a lawyer, Vir assured me that her brother would take care of everything. I had known Alberto all my life, just like her, and I knew he could help me.

    "It''s done," Vir said when we left the office where we were.

    Erik had patiently waited sitting outside, and as soon as he saw me, he approached, gently taking my face to check that I was okay. I smiled with sadness and discomfort, but it was done. The process to remove the tumor that Oliver meant in my life had finally begun.

 Chapter 34

    "Anything I should know about your parents?" Erik asked, gently squeezing my hand, his eyes sparkling with joy.

    "Yes, they don''t speak English," I reminded him with a hint of amusement.

    After going to the police station with Vir to report what had happened with Oliver, we had something to eat at the bar across the street to calm our nerves and celebrate that Oliver wouldn''t get away with it again. Now we just had to wait for everything to be processed. It was possible that I would have to go back once I was on the island, but Erik had already assured me that he would come with me and not leave me alone in all this, unless I wanted him to stay, which, of course, I didn''t.

    "Pero yo se poco espa?ol ahora," he said, making me laugh at the way he pronounced the phrase in rushed Spanish.

    "Enough to win over my dad?" I looked at him teasingly.

    "Do you want me to win over your dad?" he hinted with a mischievous smile.

    "Don''t start answering with questions," I complained, and he let out a laugh.

    I stopped in front of a building and took a deep breath, feeling a surge of nervousness. I didn''t know exactly how to approach the conversation with my parents. They already sensed that Oliver wasn''t the angel I had sometimes painted him out to be, but they didn''t know the extent of the problems I had had with him and, honestly, I preferred it to stay that way. They also didn''t know anything about Erik, although my mother was already aware that I had returned for a few days'' visit accompanied by a ''friend'' and that I wanted them to meet him.

    As I pressed the doorbell, my mother answered instantly and opened the building door. We got into the elevator and, before we reached the floor, I could already hear her opening the door to greet us.

    "?Mi ni?a! Cuanto tiempo." she exclaimed, rushing to hug me before laying eyes on Erik.

    "Solo han pasado tres semanas" I replied with an affectionate smile. "Mam¨˘, este es Erik," I said, and she looked at him with wide eyes, as if she didn''t expect my friend to be so... handsome? Sexy?

    "Hello, Erik, encantada," she said, obviously in Spanish, extending her arms to give him a hug.

    Erik leaned in to reciprocate the hug without any difficulty.

    "Hola, encantado," he said fluently in Spanish, albeit with an adorable and slight accent.

    We went into the house and the familiar aroma enveloped me. My parents'' house had a particular smell that I would recognize anywhere in the world. My father appeared from the kitchen with a wide smile and hugged me tightly, not taking his eyes off Erik.

    "Hola," said my father, extending his hand in a friendly gesture. Erik shook it with a warm smile.

    "Hi, soy Erik. Encantado de conocerle," he said fluently.

    Either he had practiced those phrases a lot or he knew more Spanish than he had led me to believe.

    "Por favor, venir. Tu padre estaba terminando la comida. Arroz para la ni?a" my mother said, guiding us towards the dining room. I turned to Erik with a knowing smile.

    "My dad is making paella, you''re going to have the pleasure of trying it," I said, and his eyes widened with excitement.

    Oliver hated going to my parents'' house because there were always awkward silences. My parents had never been very fond of him, although they had never interfered in our relationship. However, both of them seemed to be delighted with Erik and, despite the language barrier, between what I translated and my ''friend''s'' attempts to speak Spanish, the meal was most enjoyable. Erik was fascinated by the paella and, as soon as we finished, he offered to help my father clear the table and make coffee.

    "He''s very nice," my mother commented once they both left the dining room. I nodded enthusiastically.

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    "He is. And very attentive, sweet, funny..." I trailed off before my mother jumped to conclusions, but it was too late. She had already reached them a while ago.

    "I''ve never seen you so radiant, Andy. I see you happy," she said affectionately, taking my hand.

    "It''s just that with him, everything is so easy," I looked down.

    "And what''s the problem with a man making everything easy? You''re too used to having a jerk make your life difficult. You should enjoy yourself now that you''ve finally dared to claim your own happiness," she told me, squeezing my hand.

    "It''s too soon. I''m not ready," I said, scared of what I felt for Erik.

    "Honey, it''ll be a year soon since you left that horrible house. If you''re feeling good things now, don''t self-sabotage and enjoy yourself. Erik seems like a good man."

    I looked at my mother and nodded with a shy smile.

    "He is."

    My father and Erik appeared through the door, laughing at something, and I wondered what it could be.

    "Andy, tenemos que ir donde vives," my father said suddenly and I looked at him surprised.

    "?Por?" I asked.

    "Oliver me ha dicho que vive en un faro. Tengo que verlo." he explained and then I noticed a detail that I hadn''t noticed before. My father loved lighthouses, he had several models and whenever we went to a coastal town, he wanted to go visit them.

    "That''s true," I murmured to myself, surprised at the coincidence. "Ense?al¨¦ tus maquetas," I said and he nodded, calling Erik over with his hand to take him to a room where my father used to lock himself up to read or do crafts, which he loved.

    "Your father was worried that you had met another jerk, but it''s obvious that he likes him," my mother said, looking at the coffee cups. "Four?"

    "Yes, I drink coffee now too," I laughed as I took the cup I knew Erik had made for me; it was easy to identify because he always left the spoon in after adding the sugar, a small gesture that I loved.

    "I see." My mother smiled slyly, taking another cup and adding sugar.

    "Your father has a perfect replica of Mazatl¨˘n," Erik returned excitedly.

    "La de M¨¦xico," my father clarified so that Erik knew which lighthouse he was referring to.

    "Ah, do you like them too?" I asked the redhead as he sat down next to me and put his arm over the back of my chair, with a loving and close gesture.

    "I''m a lighthouse keeper, of course I like them," he joked. "But the Mazatl¨˘n lighthouse is famous because it''s the tallest in the world," he explained enthusiastically.

    "Do you want to go to Mexico to see it?" I asked playfully, seeing his expression of an excited child at the idea. Although being Erik, I bet he did.

    "Can we?" he asked in surprise, and I wondered if he was really considering the idea of a trip of such characteristics together. But being Erik, I bet he was.

    "They speak Spanish there and it''s not cold. We can," I laughed, and Erik gave me a kiss on the cheek, making me blush under my mother''s tender gaze.

    My mother, with her maternal look and a smile she couldn''t hide, seemed to want to perpetuate the moment, as if she were sending off a son who was leaving on a long journey. Erik, for his part, responded to her affection with warmth and kindness, his eyes shining with genuine admiration. I, on the other hand, was torn between discomfort and amusement. It was obvious that my mother had developed a special fondness for Erik, and I wouldn''t be surprised if she already considered him a potential son-in-law. The idea made me feel a mix of nerves and butterflies in my stomach.

    The farewell between Erik and my parents was a scene worthy of a romantic comedy. With the determination of a warrior, I took Erik by the arm and dragged him towards the exit door.

    "Come on, let''s go," I said in a tone that did not allow for replies.

    "Fue un placer conocerles," Erik said, giving my mother a big hug and a cordial handshake to my father.

    "Igualmente, hijo. Vuelve cuando quieras," she replied with a radiant smile.

    I went back to my parents to say goodbye with a kiss and a hug.

    "?Nos vemos pronto! Lo prometo," I repeated for the third time.

    "?Cuida de ella!" my mother asked Erik when I was already pushing him towards the elevator and he was laughing.

    "I will!" he replied with a wink before the doors closed.

    Finally, alone in the narrow elevator cubicle, I looked Erik in the eye with a mixture of amusement and reproach.

    "I''m not going to marry you," I said firmly, trying to sound more confident than I really was.

    Erik, far from being fazed, let out a laugh and adopted an innocent pose, raising his hands as if surrendering to a higher power.

    "I haven''t said anything," he replied with feigned innocence. "But you could if you wanted to."

    A blush crept up my cheeks, and I couldn''t help but smile at his audacity.

    The idea of a future with Erik, a future full of laughter, complicity and, perhaps, something more, filled me with a sense of warmth and excitement. In that moment, I knew that, although I didn''t say it out loud, the possibility of a ''yes'' wasn''t so far-fetched.

 Chapter 35

    The days in Madrid had flown by in the blink of an eye. As I stepped off the ferry, back in Pierowall again, a wave of emotions washed over me. It was like coming home, even though it had never really been my home. Yet, I felt more connected to this island than to my own hometown. If it weren''t for the cold and dampness, Pierowall could be a wonderful place to put down roots. Suddenly, Erik''s voice pulled me out of my reverie.

    "I''ve been thinking... if you want to, you can stay with me," he said, with a shyness that contrasted with his usual confidence.

    "With you?" I asked, surprised.

    "Yes, at the lighthouse. You know, we''ve been sleeping together for the past few days and I really like having you around. You make the days less... boring," he said as he switched his shoulder bag and headed towards his car, parked in front of the harbor.

    "You mean live together?" I wanted to confirm, taking in his proposal.

    "Yes. It''s silly for you to pay rent when you could save that money." We reached the car and he put the bag in the trunk.

    His words caught me off guard. The idea of living with Erik, of sharing with him not only physical space but also the intimacy of everyday life, awakened in me a mixture of nervousness and excitement. The connection I had felt from the first moment I saw him grew stronger every day, and now, with this proposal, the possibility of exploring it fully opened up before me.

    However, a part of me hesitated. Was I ready to take this step? Was it really what I wanted? The questions swirled in my mind as I watched Erik close the trunk and look at me with an expectant expression in his eyes.

    "If you''re uncomfortable, just tell me no," he said softly.

    "That''s not it. I''m not uncomfortable with you, Erik," I tried to answer, searching for the right words to express what I was feeling. If it was already difficult for me to express my emotions, doing it in that moment was even harder.

    "Too fast?" he asked, and I nodded.

    It might seem silly, because we had really been together all day for the last few days and everything had been fine. I liked sleeping with him and knowing he was there, but that part of freedom I had, I was reluctant to let go of so soon.

    Erik tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and kissed my nose.

    "It''s okay, don''t worry. I understand," he said with a warm smile. "Step by step." He kissed me on the tip of the nose and we got into the car.

    He drove straight to my house and dropped off the bag with my clothes, along with his. We had decided to only take one each as it was going to be a short trip and there was no need for two suitcases. As I entered, silence greeted me. I hadn''t slept there alone since the incident with Oliver and that was over a week ago. I took a deep breath as Erik put the bag on the bed so I could take out my clothes.

    ˇ°Fancy dinner together tonight?ˇ± I asked, entering the room after him.

    ˇ°Of course,ˇ± he replied with a smile. ˇ°Do you need me to buy anything? I guess the fridge will be empty.ˇ±

    With him, everything was so simple, just as I had talked to my mother about. He wasn''t an emotional roller coaster, but a haven of stability and security, far from the uncontrollable falls that plunged me into fear.

    ˇ°Don''t worry, I''ll go. I was planning on taking a walk,ˇ± I admitted.

    ˇ°If you need to buy something heavy, leave it there and I''ll pass by before I come, so you don''t have to carry it,ˇ± he said with a smile, sitting at the foot of the bed while he took out my clothes.

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I asked, looking at the half-empty suitcase.

    ˇ°Because it''s silly for you to carry something heavy when I can do it,ˇ± he explained naturally.

    ˇ°I''m not talking about that,ˇ± I denied. ˇ°Why do you make everything so easy?ˇ± I looked him in the eyes.

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    Erik looked at me bewildered, as if he didn''t understand my question or what I expected as an answer. I let the air out slowly, put the bag aside, and sat down next to him.

    ˇ°I don''t understand,ˇ± he finally said. ˇ°Why should it be difficult?ˇ± he asked, taking my hand and squeezing it gently.

    ˇ°I don''t know,ˇ± I lamented. ˇ°Life isn''t that simple.ˇ±

    I lived with the constant feeling that I would wake up from that dream at any moment and return to the nightmare of my daily life, plagued by dramas and arguments. It was as if I was waiting for Erik to take off his mask and suddenly start yelling at me and reproaching me for everything.

    ˇ°Life isn''t complicated,ˇ± he replied. ˇ°It''s us who complicate it, and I... I don''t like to complicate things,ˇ± he shrugged. ˇ°What are you afraid of?ˇ± his thumb caressed the back of my hand.

    A bitter taste ran down my throat as I felt a knot forming. My heart began to pound and my body went into that state of alert that I knew so well. Fear, yes, but an unfounded fear, without a real reason. However, my body reacted in that way, without me being able to control it.

    ˇ°Falling back into the same pattern,ˇ± I finally said, letting the words out with difficulty.

    ˇ°Do you think if we spend more time together IˇŻll become your ex?ˇ± Erik asked, searching for my gaze. I shook my head.

    ˇ°Not exactly,ˇ± I looked into his eyes. ˇ°It''s the feeling of... suffocation,ˇ± I brought my hand to my throat. Erik gently stroked my back, nodding in understanding.

    ˇ°It''s been many years with him, Andy,ˇ± he said as he hugged me. ˇ°It''s normal that you feel this way.ˇ±

    I hugged him back, grateful that he understood my situation without taking it as a rejection or a sign that I didn''t want to be with him. My anxiety didn''t have to become a reason for an argument.

    ˇ°I would like to feel different,ˇ± I admitted sincerely.

    ˇ°And I wish you didn''t feel this way,ˇ± he replied. ˇ°But we''re a team and there''s no rush. The only thing I want is for you to be okay,ˇ± he met my gaze again and a smile spread across his lips. ˇ°You''re going to be my wife at some point, I''m in no hurry,ˇ± he said jokingly, managing to get a smile out of me too.

    ˇ°Why are you so sure I''m going to marry you?ˇ± I asked, amused by his joke.

    ˇ°I just know,ˇ± he replied with conviction.

    His eyes were like the anchor I needed in the middle of the storm. I reached out and caressed his face, leaning in to kiss him. This is how I should have always felt: safe, stable, and loved. Without the constant expectation that everything would collapse into a storm of pain and suffering.

    ˇ°Plus, you have a book to write, and if I was around you all the time, I wouldn''t let you work,ˇ± he said with a mischievous smile, lowering his lips to my neck. ˇ°I would spend all my time kissing you and you wouldn''t be able to concentrate.ˇ±

    ˇ°True,ˇ± I sighed, closing my eyes with a smile on my lips. I felt the knot of anxiety unraveling inside me.

    ˇ°So, I''ll have to wait until you finish writing the book to try again,ˇ± he said playfully.

    I chuckled, enjoying the lightness of the moment. In that instant, I knew I had found a safe haven, a place where I could be myself without fear of hurting or being hurt. The calm had come after the storm, and for the first time in a long time.

    His forehead joined mine in a tender gesture, and his thumbs stroked my cheeks delicately. I nodded, surrendering to his touch, and kissed him softly.

    ˇ°Don''t forget we have a trip pending,ˇ± I reminded him, with a shy smile peeking out from my lips.

    ˇ°Then get writing already,ˇ± he urged me, sliding his fingers through my hair and stroking my head lovingly.

    ˇ°But I don''t know what to write about,ˇ± I complained, rubbing my nose against his.

    ˇ°Write about yourself,ˇ± he whispered in a deep voice. ˇ°Share your experience, your struggle, your rebirth. Let your words serve as a beacon for those who find themselves in the darkness, believing they live in a normal reality when they are actually trapped in a cage of pain.ˇ±

    My big mistake with Oliver had been not knowing that there were other options, that love didn''t have to be synonymous with suffering. I had accepted my reality as the only valid one, without realizing that I was living in a hell disguised as love.

    ˇ°Help them find their own Erik?ˇ± I asked, a smile spreading across my lips as I watched his eyes sparkle with complicity.

    ˇ°Am I going to be your muse?ˇ± he purred, bringing his nose close to the side of my ear. ˇ°In that case, I''ll have to be a great example,ˇ± he added with a mischievous tone, gently biting my earlobe.

    I pulled away from him and looked into his eyes, where a spark of mischief twinkled.

    ˇ°And that''s why I can''t live with you,ˇ± I declared playfully, pointing to his crotch. He looked down and then back at me with complicity.

    ˇ°You''re right, but it''s your fault for being so irresistible,ˇ± he defended himself, standing up and adjusting his pants. ˇ°I''m leaving you to let your creativity flow, writer. Then let me know if you need me to bring you something heavy from the store,ˇ± he winked before leaning in to kiss me and pick up his bag of clothes.

    ˇ°See you later, muse.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ll miss you,ˇ± he said, placing one last kiss on my lips before leaving.

    I fell back onto the bed, a smile on my face. There was no doubt that all women needed an Erik in their lives.

 Chapter 36

    December had arrived in a whisper, enveloping the city in a blanket of frigid air. Despite the cold, the morning was peaceful, free from the rain and wind that often battered the coast. Not a bad day, I thought, as I walked briskly towards the lighthouse. The thought of a hot coffee and Erik''s company brought a smile to my face.

    Upon reaching the imposing stone structure, the door creaked open, revealing Erik, disheveled and his face etched with weariness.

    "Good morning," he greeted, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What are you doing up so early?"

    "It''s almost eleven," I replied with a smile, raising a paper bag that contained the freshly bought pastries from the bakery. "I brought you breakfast."

    In an instant, Erik enveloped me in a warm hug, resting his head on mine as he let out another yawn.

    "Thanks, love," he whispered in a husky voice. "Just what I needed."

    "Long night?" I asked, stroking his back tenderly.

    "Yeah," he replied, sighing. "Heavy fog and a ship had trouble on the Hirtshals-Torshavn route. I had to be on standby all night, with the radio blaring non-stop."

    "Hirtshals? Where''s that?" I asked, frowning.

    "Hirtshals is a town in Denmark, up north," he explained. "And Torshavn is the capital of the Faroe Islands. A beautiful archipelago, by the way. I was there a couple of years ago and was mesmerized. Coffee?"

    I nodded and Erik started the coffee maker while I placed the pastries on the wooden table.

    "Are the Faroe Islands independent?" I asked, confused about their actual political status.

    "They''re part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but they''re an autonomous archipelago," he clarified.

    "Maybe someday we can go together," I murmured, feeling my heart pounding in my chest.

    Erik looked into my eyes, and in his gaze, I saw a flicker of desire that ignited something within me. He smiled, a mischievous grin that melted my heart.

    "I''d love that," he replied, pulling me closer and placing a tender kiss on my lips.

    "How''s your novel going?" he asked in a husky voice, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "What percentage have you finished?"

    I had finally started writing it. In the end, Erik was right, and putting my story into words had helped me bring to light many repressed emotions. I felt like I was slowly healing, and I had also taken the brave step of contacting a psychologist. I had bi-weekly sessions with him that had allowed me to better understand my past with Oliver and the source of my fears with Erik.

    "I''m not sure, but I''d say around 40 or 50%," I replied.

    While the story was not a strict autobiography, it did contain many of my thoughts and experiences. However, I still resisted putting my experience with Oliver completely in writing, aware that this book would be read by people I knew, my parents, my friends... I was not ready to fully open that door to my privacy and my wounds.

    "Well, almost half, that''s very good." Erik sat down next to me while preparing the coffee, stroking my knee tenderly. "You''ve come a long way."

    "Yes, but then comes the revision process, polishing the draft... it''s not that simple, it''s still a long way off." I sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. "By the way... uh..." I didn''t know how to approach the question.

    "Just spit it out, don''t try to soften it." Erik smiled, with that intuition of his that always seemed to know how to read my thoughts.

    "Christmas."

    "Are you going to Spain?" Erik asked.

    "Yes. My mom and Vir asked if you''re coming," I replied, tapping my fingers on the table nervously.

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    The question had popped out of my mouth without much thought, but the idea of spending Christmas with him, surrounded by my family and friends, filled me with excitement.

    "Do you want me to come?" Erik asked, searching my eyes for the answer.

    "Can you?" I whispered, feeling my heart pounding in my chest.

    "Who''s answering questions now?" Erik laughed, throwing the ball back at me in a playful tone.

    "I don''t know if you can," I said, trying to hide my nervousness.

    "Ask me," Erik smiled with a mischievous grin, his eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and complicity.

    I stared at him intently. Our relationship was something undefined, a constant dance of feelings and emotions. We saw each other every day, shared a bed, dinners, and confidences. Erik had been my refuge, my unconditional support on the road to healing. However, every time the moment came to define our relationship, fear would invade me. My psychologist attributed it to the aftermath of my toxic relationship with Oliver.

    "Do you work on Christmas?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

    "That''s not what you really want to ask me, Andy," Erik replied with a sly smile, pinching my nose and getting up to pour the coffee.

    "But it''s what I have to ask you because it depends on the answer, I ask more, or not," I said, adjusting myself in the chair, unable to hide my nervousness.

    "If you''re going to Spain and I''m left here alone, possibly," Erik replied as he poured the coffee into the mugs.

    "Don''t you celebrate with your aunts and uncle?" I asked, looking for an excuse to change the subject.

    "Don''t evade the issue. Ask me the question," Erik said firmly, his eyes locked on mine.

    I groaned, because he always caught me in my attempts to avoid the problems I wanted to face.

    I sighed, resigned. It was time to face my fears and take a step forward.

    "Do you want to come with me to Spain for Christmas?" I finally asked.

    Erik looked into my eyes, and in his gaze, I saw a spark of joy that lit up my heart.

    "Of course I want to," he replied with a radiant smile. "I''d love to spend Christmas with your family and you."

    At that moment, I knew I had made the right decision. Spending Christmas with Erik, surrounded by my loved ones, was the perfect gift to celebrate the end of a difficult year and the beginning of a new one full of hope.

    "But it''s not going to be weird, is it?"

    "Weird why?" I asked.

    "I don''t know, maybe it''s a cultural thing," Erik explained, blowing on his coffee mug. "In Scotland, Christmas is for spending with family. I don''t want to be an intruder."

    "But you''re like my family here," I murmured, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

    "Oh, yeah?" he said with a mischievous grin. "Do you really consider me part of your family?"

    His hand ran down my leg, sending a shiver of excitement through my body.

    "Of course I do," I replied, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. "You''re very important to me."

    "Like a distant cousin?" Erik insinuated with a mocking smile, sliding his hand under my shirt. I gave him a light punch on the arm, pretending indignation, while he withdrew his hand with feigned amusement and resumed his coffee.

    "I don''t sleep with my cousins," I said with mock indignation, provoking his laughter.

    "You have to write faster," Erik reminded me with a knowing wink, referring to our private joke: no being a couple until I finished my book.

    "I''m not going to finish it before Christmas," I shrugged, taking a sip of my coffee. Erik made a dramatic grimace that endeared him to me.

    "Then I''ll have to settle for being the friend," he said with a tone of false sadness. Erik''s wit and humor always managed to get a smile out of me, even in the most difficult moments. "But I have one condition," he added with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

    I looked at him with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

    "What is it?" I asked with intrigue.

    "Every year I have dinner with my friends from Glasgow, a few days before Christmas. If I''m going to eat with your family on Christmas, I want you to meet mine."

    The idea took me by surprise. I didn''t dislike the idea, but the mere mention of meeting his friends filled me with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

    "As your distant cousin, I suppose?" I joked, trying to ease the tension I felt.

    Erik burst out laughing. "I don''t sleep with my cousins either," he said mischievously.

    We both looked at each other in silence, and a shared image crossed our minds: Nora. A grimace of disgust appeared on our faces, followed by an explosion of uncontrollable laughter.

    "Alright, I accept. I''ll be the poor foreigner you''ve adopted out of pity," I said with irony, trying to hide my true enthusiasm.

    "I was thinking of introducing you in a different way," Erik looked at me with a mischievous look that instantly piqued my interest.

    "In what way?" I asked with intrigue.

    "Ah, you''ll have to find that out when you meet my friends," he shrugged with an enigmatic smile.

    "Alright, I accept," I resigned myself, unable to hide my excitement. Meeting his friends didn''t seem like such a bad idea after all.

    "Tell me which days you''re free to fly and I''ll make arrangements with them and Angus to cover me at the lighthouse," Erik said, visibly enthusiastic.

    I nodded with a smile. I would look into the flights later. When I told my mother that I would spend Christmas with Erik, I was sure she would be overjoyed.

 Chapter 37

    ''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.

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    "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.

 Chapter 38

    Facing the bathroom mirror, I was battling a rebellious curl that kept falling over my face. My wild, electrified lion''s mane was my sworn enemy, why couldn''t it be as docile and smooth as Vir''s?

    "Nervous?" Erik asked, poking his head through the bathroom door as I tried to tame the lock with a hairpin. "And what''s with that serious expression?" he laughed as he approached to hug me from behind.

    "No, annoyed," I replied with a pout, pointing to the rebellious curl that insisted on defying me. "This hair... I hate it!"

    Erik took the hairpin that was trying to tame the curl and, with a delicate gesture, released it. The cursed lock fell back over my forehead.

    "Curious," he said, with a lopsided smile. "I love it."

    I looked at our reflection in the mirror. He was so tall that he towered over me by a head. He leaned forward, resting his chin on the crown of my head and smiled. His reddish beard contrasted with my dark hair. His pale, freckled skin with mine, slightly tanned. His green eyes, huge and full of joy, with mine, brown, hidden behind glasses and full of frustration.

    "Because it''s not yours," I replied with a smile, leaning against his body and observing the strange couple we made.

    Never, not even in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined myself like this: embraced and in love with a tattooed Viking, sweet, tender, loving, funny and intelligent. For so long I had felt inferior, that I had ended up accepting as my destiny an angry, busy, raging and cruel man. But Erik was proof that life always had something good to offer, all you had to do was trust in yourself.

    "You''re beautiful," he whispered, stroking my face and looking at me through the reflection. "You''re the most beautiful woman I''ve ever met."

    "And you''re quite the gentleman," I replied, turning my face to kiss his hand sweetly.

    "Let your hair be free," he suggested with a mischievous smile. "It gives you a very sexy air."

    "You mean wild and messy," I corrected him, raising an eyebrow.

    "I said what I wanted to say: sexy," he emphasized firmly. "You''re a woman with a lot of character, Andy. Stop trying to fit in where you don''t belong. You''re perfect just the way you are."

    I turned to hug him and Erik wrapped me in his arms, stroking my back gently.

    "What if I wake up one day and you''re not here?" I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.

    "Where would I go?" Erik replied, laughing with that chuckle that always made me smile.

    "I don''t know..." I admitted, lifting my face to look into his eyes without losing my smile. "Maybe you''re just a dream."

    He looked at me with that mix of tenderness and mischief that drove me crazy. Erik''s eyes had that spark that could make me forget everything, even my own fears.

    "I''m not, but if you wake up and I''m not by your side, look for me at the lighthouse. I''ll be waiting for you there." He laughed as he kissed my forehead and lowered his nose to my neck. Feeling his warm breath made me shiver. "I love the way you smell."

    His deep, soft voice in my ear sent a chill down my spine, but not of fear, but of that vibrant emotion that only he could evoke in me. I clung to his arm, but tried to remember that we had to go.

    "We''re going to be late," I whispered, although my accelerated breath betrayed my desire to stay.

    "And don''t you think that''s a good idea?" he insinuated, with a mischievous tone.

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    Erik always knew how to make me blush and want something more. His words always played with that line between casual and provocative, and I couldn''t help but play along.

    "I have to win over your friends, being late is not a good way to start," I explained, trying to sound firm even though I was struggling to maintain my composure.

    Erik looked at me with that little boy''s expression that he knew would melt me, his big, round eyes, and his slightly trembling lower lip. I couldn''t help but smile, knowing full well that it was part of his charm and his tactic to get his way.

    "Alright," he replied with feigned resignation, but with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

    Suddenly, without warning, he grabbed me by the waist and squeezed my bottom slightly. It was a brief touch but enough to send an electric current through my body. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing, but I couldn''t help but smile mischievously and nod, as if giving him permission to play with me. He knew it and enjoyed it.

    "You really do enjoy taking risks," I said with a raised eyebrow, feigning disapproval. But I couldn''t help but soften my tone. Being around Erik always made me let my guard down.

    Erik pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, "It''s always worth the risk with you."

    I felt my cheeks blush and I paused to look at him. He had this ability to make me feel like I was the only person in the world, and I never wanted that feeling to end.

    "Let''s go before we''re really late," I said, trying to regain control of the situation, even though deep down I wanted to stay with him all day.

    He let go of me so I could finish getting ready. I looked in the mirror, fiddled with the lock for a bit, and ended up deciding to leave it loose. I put on some lipstick and I was ready to go.

    Far from being the typical sports bar I imagined, the pub was an oasis of warm light and festive atmosphere. It blended the essence of an Irish pub with the energy of a cocktail bar. Round tables were scattered throughout the venue, filled with groups of friends enjoying their dinner, drinks, and lively conversation.

    At the end of the pub, I spotted Jer and Joe, raising their pints to greet us enthusiastically. Joe greeted me with two kisses, while Jer, more shy, opted for a handshake. With a mischievous smile, he explained that he wasn''t a big fan of kissing in general, but that he found it a great tool for breaking the ice when meeting women.

    They got up immediately to greet me, Joe with two kisses and Jer with a handshake, saying that he wasn''t used to the whole kissing thing but that he thought it was great when meeting women because it broke the physical barrier more quickly and naturally.

    Sure, here is the translation of the text into British English for a B2 level reader:

    In just 15 minutes, we were already immersed in a wave of infectious laughter, listening to the anecdotes and adventures of Erik''s friends. Joe, with his innate kindness, became my interpreter, translating the phrases I didn''t quite understand into English. They were a couple of very funny guys, and I didn''t wonder why Erik had such a contagious sense of humor. It was clear that he had been surrounded by good people before he moved to Pierowall.

    "You have to convince him to come back," Joe told me in Spanish at one point while Erik and Jer were engaged in a heated discussion about fire engines.

    "He loves being at the lighthouse. Maybe it''s you guys who should all move to the island," I replied, imagining the madness it would be for the residents of Pierowall to have such an energetic group of firefighters living among them.

    "If I move that far, Sam and Hanna would kill me," Joe joked with a mischievous smile. "We''ll just have to make do with seeing each other every now and then," he added, gesturing to the waiter to order another round of beers. They opted for pints, while I, still remembering the incident from my first day in Pierowall, ordered a half-pint. "How did you two meet?"

    "Technically, while I was choking on a pint," I confessed, causing Joe to burst out laughing. "He turned around, looked at me, I got nervous... and the beer went the wrong way," I exclaimed between laughs. "The next day, I went for a walk around the island and visited the lighthouse without knowing he was there. It started raining buckets and he offered me shelter at his house. He even lent me a hooded jacket because mine didn''t have one." A flood of pleasant memories flooded my mind as I relived that moment.

    "Erik has always been a gentleman," the fire captain affirmed proudly.

    Erik, hearing his name, turned to us with a mischievous grin.

    "What about me?" he asked in Spanish, causing Joe to look surprised.

    "Are you learning the language?" he inquired. Jer, who didn''t understand anything we were saying, put on such a comical expression that I couldn''t help but laugh.

    "That''s how I feel most of the time," I replied to the deputy captain, also in English, causing another round of laughter among everyone. Jer raised his half-full glass and clinked it with mine.

    "What a nightmare!" he said, visibly relieved to hear English.

    "You get used to it," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

    The waiter arrived with the new round of beers, accompanied by plates overflowing with chicken wings, crispy onion rings, and nachos covered in melted cheese. I could immediately understand why this place was the firefighters'' favorite hangout after their shifts.

 Chapter 39

    Suddenly, a woman burst into our table, drawing all eyes.

    "Erik! Long time no see!"

    If it hadn''t been for the look of disgust that Jer and Joe exchanged, I would have sworn that the woman approaching the table was an old friend. She was very pretty, with long, perfect hair that framed a round face and sapphire blue eyes. She looked like a porcelain doll dressed in the latest fashion, molded from the same pattern as Barbies.

    Erik stood up to greet her and she clung to him like an octopus in love, looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

    "Hi, I''m Grace, nice to meet you," she said, loosening her grip on Erik but wrapping her arm around him with obvious possessiveness.

    "Hi. Nice to meet you too," I replied, feeling a twinge of discomfort. Grace''s attitude was too territorial, as if she was marking her "territory" with Erik.

    "Grace, this is Andy," Erik intervened, trying to ease the tension. "She''s my..."

    "His girlfriend," Jer finished, causing my cheeks to flush as if two poppies had bloomed on them.

    "Your girlfriend?" Grace asked with an innocent expression, looking me up and down. Erik shrugged.

    "Something like that, we''re negotiating," Erik replied with a mischievous smile, winking at me. "More or less, according to her," he grinned.

    "His girlfriend," Joe reiterated.

    I looked at him, bewildered by the situation. Why was this woman marking her territory? And why had Jer reaffirmed my "position" in Erik''s life? A chill ran down my spine: she was his ex! This woman was his ex, no doubt about it.

    "Oh, well, for not being Erik''s type, you''re quite pretty," Grace said with a condescending smile. Her eyes reflected disapproval of my status as her ex''s ''girlfriend''.

    "Erik has always liked brunettes," Jer said in the same condescending tone, looking at Joe.

    "Yeah, that''s what I thought," Joe replied, shrugging.

    It was clear that the blonde didn''t like them. I looked at Erik, who seemed to be enjoying the show with a mocking smile.

    "The truth is that Andy fits my prototype quite well," Erik said, addressing me. "Funny, intelligent, a bit clumsy and beautiful," he added, blushing even more.

    I wasn''t there to compete with anyone, let alone endure the murderous and superior look that the ''Barbie doll'' was giving me from behind her fake smile.

    "Wow, you look different," Grace said, changing the subject abruptly. "Why are you growing your hair long? You were so handsome with short hair," she added in a dismissive tone as she looked at my ponytail with disgust.

    I had no reference for how Erik looked with short hair, but it was clear that the ponytail suited him.

    "People change," Erik replied calmly. "You''re the same as always. Did you come with anyone?" he asked, searching for someone with his eyes.

    Grace smiled and said that she had come with a friend, but that she was leaving.

    "Enjoy him, Andy," she said with a sarcastic tone. "One day they''ll leave without warning and the party''s over," she added, causing Jer to snort under his breath.

    The blonde gave Erik a kiss on the cheek and left, swaying her hips like a supermodel. Erik sat down next to me, looking at me with concern.

    "Are you okay?" he asked softly, stroking my hand with his thumb.

    I replied with a sweet smile and a nod, trying to hide the little pang of insecurity that had lodged itself in my chest. Grace''s stunning beauty, her confident and outgoing attitude, had taken its toll on my self-confidence.

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    "I don''t know how you put up with her," Jer exclaimed, letting out a sigh of exasperation.

    "It was an easy relationship," Erik replied, squeezing my hand reassuringly. The word ''easy'' echoed in my mind, fanning the flames of doubt. It was impossible not to feel a little inferior to such a woman. She really was the prototype of a woman who went with someone of Erik''s physique, not me. However, there we were, holding hands. I wanted to focus on that and not on the obvious physical difference between Grace and me.

    "She was a pain in the ass," Joe whispered to me in Spanish, leaning in and lowering his voice. "Whiny, bossy, capricious and unbearable."

    "She probably still is," Erik said.

    "So why do you say it was easy?" I asked Erik, switching back to English so Jer wouldn''t get upset again for not understanding us.

    "We didn''t see each other much, and when we did, it was to... well, we didn''t see each other much."

    "You can say you slept with her, I''m not going to go into drama mode," I said with a smile, squeezing his hand to show him that everything was fine. "But I''m not her girlfriend, yet," I clarified to Jer and Joe, who burst into laughter.

    "No?" Jer asked playfully. "Then you can be mine," he proposed in a mischievous voice. Erik threw him a french fry and put his arm around me.

    "You know accidents happen sometimes, right?" Erik threatened in the same playful voice as his friend.

    I laughed, trying not to choke on the sip of beer I had just taken. The tension of the moment dissipated, and I relaxed in my chair. Grace''s presence had almost ruined the atmosphere, but I wasn''t going to let it cloud my relationship with Erik.

    "Captain! He''s threatening me!" Jer said, throwing another french fry at Erik, as if they were two little boys. Joe, the first mate, gave them both a slap on the head, as if he were the older brother of the group. That only made me laugh harder.

    "Can''t I be Jer''s girlfriend?" I asked Erik in a whisper, leaning towards him, seeking a little complicity.

    "You can, but mine too. Jer''s not going to take all the prize," Erik frowned, but there was a hint of mischief in his voice.

    "Can I have two boyfriends then?" I said in a mocking tone.

    "If you want, I don''t see why not. But I warn you, Jer is a pain in the ass," Erik said, throwing a potato back at Jer.

    "I''m not a pain, I just have energy. Don''t listen to him," Jer rolled his eyes and went back to the conversation with Joe, while Erik and I were trapped in our own bubble.

    "Don''t close yourself off to either of them so soon. Tomorrow you''ll have dinner with the rest of the guys, and who knows, maybe you''ll like one of them more," Joe added, taking us out of our bubble for a moment. Erik made a face that made me laugh.

    "I''m going to have to work hard tonight so that none of them are a temptation for you tomorrow," Erik said, running his hand down my leg. His touch was gentle, but as his hand moved up my thigh, the heat inside me increased.

    The intimacy grew between us, and I felt a wave of desire that made the outside world disappear completely.

    I got lost in his eyes, as if everything around us had vanished in an instant. It was just Erik and me, and that electrifying energy that vibrated between us.

    "Nope, we''re no match for that look," Jer laughed, jolting us back to reality with a thud.

    The moment of intimacy was broken, but the desire was still lingering in Erik''s eyes. His eyes, laden with promises, made it clear to me that this conversation was not going to end here. I looked around, the bustle of the bar filled the air, but it seemed as if everything was blurred, losing sharpness, while he and I were focused on a different tune.

    "Shall we go?" I whispered, leaning towards him, feeling the warmth of his breath on my neck.

    "I thought you''d never ask," he replied with a lopsided smile that sent shivers down my spine.

    His hand slowly crept up my thigh again, stopping just before it could get too obvious to the others. The touch ignited me, but I tried to maintain my composure. Jer, seemingly oblivious to the electric current that was coursing between us, continued joking with Joe.

    "We''re going to take off, we''ve got a lot to do tomorrow," Erik said with a smile that, while intended to be innocent, was anything but.

    His friends exchanged an amused glance and nodded without trying to convince him otherwise. We said our goodbyes cheerfully and Erik took my hand, interlocking his fingers with mine. Every step I took with him towards the hotel made me feel more alive, as if every cell in my body was vibrating with anticipation. We stepped out into the cool night air, where the sound of laughter and music from the bar seemed to fade far away.

    As we walked away, Erik looked at me with those eyes that seemed to see right into me. It was as if he knew everything I was thinking, everything I desired, and shared those same thoughts and desires. His lips curled into a mysterious smile as he squeezed my hand tighter.

    "We have a lot to talk about," he said, with a tone that suggested the conversation wasn''t going to be just with words.

    I felt a tingle run down my spine. The hotel wasn''t far, but the walk felt endless. Each step was a mix of anticipation and nervousness, and though I tried to stay calm, I couldn''t help but glance at Erik every few seconds, as if wanting to confirm that this was actually happening.

    Finally, we reached the hotel and stepped into the elevator together. Erik pressed the floor button and the elevator began to move. The tension between us grew in the small space, and before the elevator reached our floor, I turned to him, feeling the uncontrollable urge to get closer. Erik smiled and leaned his face towards mine, his lips just a breath away. The elevator arrived at our floor, but we didn''t move, staying there, in that bubble we had created, ready to let the fire between us ignite completely.

 Chapter 40

    After the night Erik had shown me he could melt my body with just a touch, we spent the following day strolling through Glasgow''s cobblestone streets, feeling like the world was ours for the taking. He took me to an impressive park called Pollok Country Park, where we stumbled upon a magical area that simulated a fairy village, complete with tiny doors and windows in the rocks that transported me to a world of fantasy, reminding me of the hobbit holes that had always fascinated me.

    ˇ°Do you like the place?ˇ± he asked, noticing the excitement reflected on my face.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs amazing,ˇ± I said, feeling my gaze getting lost in the landscape. ˇ°It reminds me of The Lord of the Rings film. The way the houses blend in with nature... itˇŻs like weˇŻre in Middle-earth.ˇ±

    Erik smiled, nodding his head, and pointed out a stone dragon hidden among the houses, like a hidden treasure. I walked up to it, feeling the rough texture of the stone beneath my fingers.

    ˇ°WeˇŻll put New Zealand on the list of places to visit,ˇ± he said, as we strolled through the park. ˇ°ThatˇŻs where they filmed the movies, and you can go inside some of the hobbit houses. Imagine being able to sit in Bilbo BagginsˇŻ garden, surrounded by flowers and green grass.ˇ±

    ˇ°New Zealand? That would be a dream come true!ˇ± I exclaimed, feeling my hand naturally finding its way into his.

    The world seemed like a wonderful place to be explored, and I was only just starting to uncover its secrets. I felt like a kid in a toy shop, with my eyes wide open, taking in every detail.

    ˇ°You seem to have travelled a lot,ˇ± I said, noticing the nostalgia in his voice when he talked about his travels.

    Erik nodded, his smile growing on his face.

    ˇ°Since I was a kid, I''ve always loved travelling,ˇ± he told me, his voice full of passion. ˇ°Every year, my dad and I would take the car and go discover a new place in the UK and a foreign city.ˇ± His eyes sparkled with excitement, and I could feel the connection he had with his father.

    I found it adorable how his face lit up when he talked about his dad. It was as if he was reliving those happy moments, and I felt lucky to be witnessing them. I was sure his dad had been an incredible person, someone who had instilled in Erik that passion for adventure and exploration.

    ˇ°What was your last trip?ˇ± I asked, curious to know more about his adventures.

    ˇ°The year I was taken to Barcelona,ˇ± he replied, a nostalgic smile on his face. ˇ°If we don''t count the visit to Madrid, of course.ˇ±

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    I made a face, surprised it had been so long since his last trip. It was as if he had been in some kind of hibernation, waiting for someone to wake him up. And I wanted to be that person.

    ˇ°We need to fix that,ˇ± I said, determined to help him regain his passion for travel. ˇ°You need to keep exploring the world.ˇ±

    Erik laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

    ˇ°Well, we''re in Glasgow and we''re off to Madrid tomorrow. That counts as travelling, doesn''t it?ˇ± he said, joking.

    I shook my head, smiling.

    ˇ°No, it doesn''t count,ˇ± I said, playfully. ˇ°But it''s a good start.ˇ±

    ˇ°Let''s buy one of those huge maps and fill it with pins,ˇ± I said, excited. ˇ°We''ll have to combine a place you already know with one you don''t, so we both discover new things, although I''ll be discovering double what you do,ˇ± I added, laughing.

    ˇ°Oh, I love the idea,ˇ± he agreed, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. ˇ°And what if, in every city we visit, I make you scream my name in pleasure?ˇ± he whispered, his low, seductive voice sending shivers down my spine as he kissed my neck with passion, making my skin tingle with desire.

    ˇ°Is that a question?ˇ± I laughed, knowing it was actually a certainty.

    ˇ°In that case, we''ll need pins of two colours,ˇ± he said, his voice full of mischief. ˇ°One for the city visited and another for the stretch of the world conquered with our... love,ˇ± he added, his eyes sparkling with desire as he pinned me against a tree and kissed me mischievously. Luckily, there was no one around, and we could afford to lose control a bit.

    ˇ°Don''t you settle for the city? Do you want to conquer the roads too?ˇ± I laughed, closing my eyes and letting myself be swept away by his kisses, which made me feel alive and desired. His warm breath on my skin made me tremble with desire.

    ˇ°Aye, effectively,ˇ± he purred, gently nipping at my chin, his mouth tracing the curve of my jawline, sending a shiver down my spine that made me crave more.

    Things could have gotten hotter, but just when we were about to lose control, we heard the cheerful shouts of kids approaching. Erik sighed, and his warm breath in my ear made me shiver. He gave me an innocent kiss on the cheek, but his mouth brushed against my skin with intention, as if to remind me that we weren''t done yet. Then, he took my hand, and we continued strolling through the park, trying to pretend we hadn''t been on the verge of succumbing to passion.

    However, when we got back to the hotel after lunch, he took his revenge for being interrupted. He looked at me with eyes that sparkled with desire, and his smile warned me that he was going to make me pay for the wait. He took his time, barely giving me enough time to get ready for dinner with his friends. He kissed me with fury, and his touch was like a fire that consumed me from the inside out.

    Unlike the day before, we were going to a restaurant, as it counted as a ''Christmas dinner'' for them. I put on a black dress that wasn''t excessively elegant, but not too casual either. I wanted to feel comfortable and confident. When I came out of the bathroom, I was literally left breathless. Before me stood Erik, but not the Erik I knew. Erik had swapped his boots for shiny black shoes, his jeans for a tailored trousers that fit him like a glove, and his usual cotton shirt for a black one. His appearance was so elegant that he seemed like a stranger, and for a moment, I felt like I was seeing him for the first time.

 Chapter 41

    "Do you remember how to breathe?" he asked with a smile, moving in close to me.

    "I don''t recall," I replied, batting my eyelashes.

    He left me breathless. Despite the laid-back Viking vibe suiting him down to the ground, I couldn''t deny that the outfit made him look even more handsome.

    "I saw you grab the black dress before you went to shower and I thought it''d be fun if we dressed alike," he said, buttoning up his cuffs.

    His beard and hair stood out even more against the dark outfit. I was lost for words, overwhelmed by what I was feeling in that moment.

    "You look stunning," I assured him, moving in closer to examine him more closely.

    "Thanks. Do you know how to braid?" he asked, giving me a kiss and turning to face the mirror to detangle his long, damp locks.

    "Yeah, do you want me to do one for you?" I asked, and he nodded with an excited smile.

    "I love them, but I''m rubbish at doing them and always end up with a bun," he said, as I went to fetch one of the transparent hair ties from my makeup bag; when I returned, he was already sitting on the floor, at the edge of the bed, so I could sit comfortably.

    I brushed his hair, which was already detangled, and began to braid it slowly, making sure it was perfect.

    "If you had a longer beard, you could braid that too," I joked.

    "I''ve been thinking about it for a while, but I didn''t know if you''d think it was a daft idea," he said, stroking his beard with his fingers.

    "Why would I think it''s a bad idea?" I asked, puzzled.

    "I don''t know, because it would look like I''m a tramp," he laughed.

    "A very handsome and sexy one," I added, adjusting his head so he''d look up.

    "Blimey, you didn''t say ''we''re not dating''!" he laughed, and I smiled back at him with amusement.

    "I''m starting to think we are dating," I said, teasing him.

    "Really?" he asked, turning to me with a happy expression, and I adjusted his head again, trying to hide my smile.

    "Add clumsy to the list of handsome and sexy," I leaned in to give him a kiss on the head.

    As I braided his hair, Erik gently stroked my ankles. When I finished, he gazed at himself in the mirror with the look of a kid who''d just received their dream gift.

    "I love it," he said, moving his head to see himself from different angles.

    It was a simple braid, no big secret to it, but it seemed to be something very special to him.

    "I can do it for you anytime you want," I offered, and he nodded, wrapping his arms around me. "And if you grow your beard long, too," I added, softly kissing his lips. If it was important to him and the only reason he hadn''t grown his beard that long was because he thought I''d dislike it, I wanted to show him it wasn''t the case.

    "I''m the luckiest man in the world with you," he whispered, gently stroking my face.

    "You''ll regret it, yet," I said with a smile, looking into his loving eyes.

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    "Do we go or do you need more time?" he asked, softly kissing my nose.

    "I''m ready," I replied.

    We left the hotel, and despite wearing warm clothing, the air was freezing, so the dress didn''t provide the warmth I needed. Erik pulled me close to shield me from the cold, but when we arrived at the restaurant, I felt relieved to enter a warm and cozy space.

    Erik gave his name and a waitress led us to a long table where some of his colleagues were already seated, who, upon seeing him so elegant and with his hair braided, smiled and teased him, hugging him affectionately.

    I knew some of them from the day before, but other faces were new. Erik introduced me to his colleagues and their partners, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I wanted to belong to something more than just being myself.

    "Are you sure you''re Scottish?" Joe asked, arriving with a blond man who must be Sam. "You look stunning," he said, giving me two kisses. "Let me introduce you to Sam," he said, and the man, who had a bright and sweet smile, greeted me warmly, saying that Joe hadn''t stopped talking about me all day.

    "I hope it''s been good," I said, and Sam nodded with a cheerful smile.

    "Is Hanna with your sister?" Erik asked, shaking Joe''s hand and giving him a hug.

    "Yeah," Joe replied. "What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

    "10:00am?" Erik asked, not sounding very convinced.

    "10:30am" I clarified to both of them.

    "That''s early, I doubt we''ll have time to say goodbye," he commented with a hint of annoyance.

    "We can catch up when we get back, I''d love to meet her," I said, and Joe lit up with a smile.

    We settled in at the table and the others didn''t take long to arrive. I spent most of the dinner chatting with Sam, who, although he didn''t speak Spanish, had a very clear accent and spoke slowly, allowing me to understand him. He was very kind and I could clearly see why Joe had fallen for him. He was one of those people with a natural talent for winning others over, like Joe.

    After dinner, they decided to go for drinks at a nearby spot. Erik was in his element, laughing and joking with his friends, and the more I saw him enjoying himself, the more I fell for him hopelessly. He was the embodiment of joy.

    "I know that look," Sam said, sitting down beside me and placing his hand on my knee in a conspiratorial manner. "How long have you two been together?" he asked, and I took a sip of my drink.

    "In theory, we''re not together, but... we''ve been practically living together for a couple of months," I explained, smiling, and he told me that a friend of his had started out the same way with her boyfriend, living together before becoming an official couple.

    "And how''s it going for them?" I asked, interested.

    "Oh, very well, they complement each other perfectly, they''re a match made in heaven," Sam smiled, observing how Joe was playfully tugging on Erik''s braid.

    "If it were up to Erik, we''d have been together for two months, but... it''s hard for me," I admitted, feeling a lump in my throat.

    "Did someone hurt you?" Sam asked, and I nodded, remembering the pain of the past.

    "I was with my ex for 20 years and... he cheated on me with someone else after asking me to marry him. It''s hard for me to trust," I said, stirring my drink and focusing on the ice.

    "It''s normal that it''s hard for you to accept, but... do your ex and Erik have anything in common?" Sam asked, and I immediately shook my head.

    "No, not at all, they''re complete opposites. Oliver was... a liar, cruel, selfish... Erik is the complete opposite, he''s an amazing person, caring and fun," I said, looking at him laughing and enjoying himself among his friends.

    "Then, if they''re not the same person, you shouldn''t fear being hurt in the same way," Sam said, shrugging his shoulders.

    I knew he was right, but every time I thought about the stability of a relationship, I felt trapped.

    "I know. It''s just a label, really... we''re living like a couple, but it''s like without putting that label on it, I feel free," I sighed.

    "Honey, you''re not free if you''re currently a prisoner of your fears," he said, gently squeezing my knee, and I looked into his blue eyes, because he was right.

    "It won''t change anything, just because I accept that we''re something, right?" I asked, almost as if I needed to hear it.

    "It shouldn''t... and if it does and you feel bad, you''re still in time to run. Although, by the way you look at him, I think it''s not exactly what you''re thinking every time your eyes meet," he smiled, and I blushed.

    "That''s true," I smiled, timidly.

    "Then, face your fear and take away its power," Sam recommended with a confident smile.

    I nodded, because he was right. Maybe I was just acting like a scared and hurt child, but in these months, Erik had shown me not only that he was a great guy, but that I could trust him, because he wanted to make me truly happy, in a grown-up, mature, and responsible way.

 Chapter 42

    It was two in the morning when Erik grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the party, taking me back to the hotel. The night had been crazy, full of laughs and conversations that didn''t want to end, but we knew we couldn''t afford to lose track of time. We had a plane to catch at half ten in the morning, and before that, we had to get to the airport in plenty of time to check in our suitcase, which this time was bigger than the last time we travelled together. We''d be in Madrid from the 23rd of December until the 2nd of January, and the idea of spending the holidays with Erik made me feel like a little girl, excited in a way I hadn''t been excited for Christmas in years.

    Despite Vir''s kind offer to let us stay at his place, Erik and I had preferred to rent a small independent studio right in the centre of Madrid. We wanted the freedom to do whatever we fancied, without having to worry about other people''s schedules or being a nuisance to Vir or my parents.

    ''You''re very quiet,'' Erik said, twisting one of his fingers in my hair as we walked towards the hotel. ''Did you have a good time?'' he asked, his eyes shining with interest.

    ''Very much,'' I told him, my voice soft and quiet. ''You''ve got great mates.'' Erik smiled, his finger sliding a little deeper into my hair.

    ''To be fair, I''m dead lucky,'' he nodded, pulling me a bit closer as we passed between two buildings and a gust of wind enveloped us.

    ''Don''t you ever feel tempted to move back?'' I asked curiously, as he shook his head.

    ''I''m well sorted in Pierowall,'' Erik said softly and thoughtfully as we walked to the hotel. He pulled the door key out of his pocket. ''My life ain''t the same as it was a few years ago and the truth is, here, despite having my mates nearby, I was living with constant stress and adrenaline that just ends up draining you in the end.'' I thought I saw a flash of tiredness in his eyes, a flash that quickly disappeared when he smiled and let me go through to the hotel first. ''Have you thought about what your plans are after Christmas?'' he asked me, and my stomach did a little flip at the question.

    Officially, I''d already left my refuge in Chalmersquoy, which I''d rented until the 20th of December, knowing I''d be going home for Christmas. Erik had offered again for me to stay at his place and in his life, but up until the chat with Sam about labels and fears, I''d been pretty indecisive about it.

    ''I''ve not finished my book yet and I''m scared I''ll get too distracted in Madrid,'' I told him, trying to sound serious but unable to hold back a mischievous smile.

    I called the lift at the same time as Erik let go of me and looked at me with an excited expression.

    ''Does that mean you''ll be coming back with me in January?'' he asked, his voice full of excitement.

    He''d been the only one to buy return tickets, and although he''d never pressured me into coming back, it was clear he wanted me to. I could see it in his eyes, in the way he looked at me. I could see it in his eyes, in the way he looked at me with so much affection. And deep down, I wanted to as well. I liked Pierowall, I liked the peace of the village, the way people knew each other. I liked the idea of having a place to fit in, to be part of something bigger than myself.

    ''At least until I finish the book,'' I smiled, enjoying how his smile lit up, like he''d won a prize.

    ''Then I''ll distract you so you never finish it,'' he said, hugging me as we got into the lift.

    ''You''ve been rushing me to finish it soon for months,'' I laughed, pressing the button for our floor. ''Now you don''t want me to finish it?'' I asked, laughing as the lift started going up.

    ''I wanted you to finish it so I could ask you out, remember you said no dating until you''d finished,'' he reminded me, his voice full of humour.

    ''Well if I don''t finish it now, how are we gonna dating?'' I asked, laughing.

    ''I''d rather have you at home, even if you won''t let me call you love,'' he said in a deep voice, gently caressing my face.

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    I liked the way he caressed my face, like he was trying to tell me something without words, something only I could understand.

    Erik was an incredibly sweet man. I''d always liked that about him. He could seem a bit intimidating because of his appearance, but he was the most affectionate man I''d ever met. He wasn''t afraid to show his emotions, or to make a fool of himself just to make me smile. His masculinity wasn''t based on acting cold, but on being a self-assured man who didn''t need to prove anything to anyone. He was attentive, thoughtful, and although I knew he was holding back because I still didn''t quite feel comfortable with the idea of us dating, I was sure that the moment I accepted being "his girlfriend" he''d shower me with words of love and affection. I felt drawn to his way of being, to his ability to show emotions without fear of being judged.

    ''You''re such a romantic,'' I smiled, caressing his chest over the black shirt he''d chosen to match my dress.

    ''Only ''cause I''m in love,'' he smiled, catching my eyes, his gaze full of sincerity and love.

    ''Are you in love?'' I asked, though deep down I knew the answer.

    ''Deep down to my soul,'' he cradled my face in his hands before kissing me softly and tenderly.

    I let myself get carried away by the kiss, feeling that electric sensation coursing through my body like a wave of heat as our lips met. As soon as our tongues touched, a moan of pleasure escaped my lips and the kiss intensified. It was one of his favorite tactics, cornering me against any available surface so I couldn''t escape, and I had to admit it made me lose my mind. I liked feeling trapped, my legs trembling and my heart racing, knowing there was no way out, that I was completely under his control.

    ''You''re still so sweet, you''ve almost got me eating out of your hand,'' I whispered with a seductive smile when he pulled back just enough for me to see the passion burning in his eyes with an intensity that made me feel desired and wanted.

    Erik took my hand and led me to the door of the room, handing me the keycard with a smile that seemed to say something more. Then he knelt down beside me, and for a moment I thought he was going to adjust his shoelaces, that he was trying to tie his shoes, but I soon realized that wasn''t the case. His hand began caressing my leg with a softness that melted me, moving up from my ankle to my thigh. My heart had started pounding in my chest, and my breathing had become shallow as I anxiously waited to see what would happen next.

    ''What are you doing?'' I whispered, trying to stay calm as his hand softly caressed me.

    ''Making sure you don''t call me sappy,'' he said with a mischievous smile, looking up at me with smoldering, passionate eyes. His hand slowly slid under my dress, sending a shiver through my body.

    My eyes met his, we were in the middle of the hallway and someone could see us at any moment. But Erik didn''t seem to care, his gaze was dark and seductive. When he threatened to make love to me right there if I didn''t open the door, my heart raced. I tried the keycard but it didn''t work, I thought there was no escape from his game.

    ''It''s not working,'' I complained, feeling his hand slowly caressing my hips in an exquisite torture that threatened to consume me.

    ''Too bad,'' he whispered, pressing his body against mine, his hot breath on my ear making me tremble.

    I tried again but the door wouldn''t budge, while his hand roamed my waist and moved up, delicately caressing my breasts with tantalizing slowness. My breathing quickened and my skin prickled under his touch, struggling not to succumb to my growing desire.

    ''Erik...someone will catch us,'' I warned in a low voice, my cheeks burning with embarrassment and want at his ability to awaken my most intimate instincts.

    ''Even better,'' he breathed into my ear, his nose nuzzling my skin and sending shivers of pleasure.

    The elevator announced its arrival and before the doors opened, Erik took something from his pocket and opened the door in one motion, pushing me inside without giving me time to think. He turned me around to kiss me passionately, leaving me breathless, and gently laid me on the bed.

    When he diverted his lips to my neck, I raised my hand with the keycard and realized it was actually his driver''s license. A mix of surprise and amusement washed over me.

    ''You cheat!'' I complained laughing, earning me a mischievous smile as he enjoyed his prank.

    ''Not my fault you''re so cute and easily distracted.''

    ''You do whatever you want with me,'' I feigned outrage.

    ''Oh yeah? Then you know what you have to do,'' he said innocently, but his eyes shone with a playful challenge, daring me to a game of power.

    I gave him a seductive smile and ordered him to lie down and stay quiet, my voice on the edge of losing control. I straddled his muscular body and began unbuttoning his shirt, kissing the exposed skin like a forbidden luxury. His breathing quickened with each caress.

    ''If you go too far, I''ll make you suffer later,'' he warned with a seductive laugh.

    ''You''ll just get your revenge anyway,'' I replied wickedly, earning another laugh.

    ''You''re right. In that case, don''t hold back.''

    He looked at me with desire-filled eyes, ready to surrender to passion. I pressed my lips to his ear.

    ''I''ll take you to the edge, until you''re the one begging me,'' I whispered, feeling him tremble in anticipation.

 Chapter 43 - Kill me now

    Erik shut the door behind me and lugged the suitcase to the room that would be our refuge for the next few days. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the flat was cosier than I''d imagined from the internet photos; although I''d expected a bit more space, the location in the heart of Madrid more than made up for any lack of square metres.

    "Are you getting into bed?" I asked, a bit worried that it might be too small for his height.

    Erik lay down on his back, and although his feet barely touched the edge of the mattress, at least they didn''t hang in the air. I felt relieved to see that he fit, just about.

    "I''ve had nights in much worse places," he said with a smile, sitting up on the bed. "So don''t worry about it."

    Meanwhile, I set about exploring the rest of the flat, which barely reached 50 square metres; however, the natural light pouring in through the windows made it seem brighter and more spacious.

    "Thank goodness we''re not living here all year round," I joked, returning to the bedroom and finding him peering out of the window, where you could see the Tribunal metro stop.

    "Don''t you like it?" he asked, turning his head towards me with curiosity.

    "I love that it''s right in the centre, you''ll be able to experience the authentic Madrid nightlife," I said, getting excited.

    To be honest, I''d never really gone out partying, just a couple of times with Vir, and it had always ended in a row with Oliver. But now, I felt like I had the chance to let my wilder side loose.

    "That sounds dangerous and sexy," he said with a suggestive tone.

    "With you, anything sounds sexy," I said, resting my head on his chest, feeling his heartbeat.

    From the window, I could see the cars driving by and people rushing to their destinations, and I was overcome with a strange sense of normality that made me sigh with relief.

    "Do you miss living here?" he asked.

    "A bit," I said. "I''d like to be closer, but... Pierowall has got me hooked," I added, with complete sincerity.

    Yes, I missed Madrid, its bustling streets, its lively people, its iconic shops and restaurants. I missed Vir, my parents, and the comfort of having everything within reach. But the truth was that the tranquility you breathed in Westray was something I couldn''t find in Madrid. Westray had conquered my heart in a way I couldn''t explain; it was a place where I could be myself, without needing to be always on the go.

    "Very nice. Very nice," Erik gave me a little nip on the neck and pulled away with a pretend offended face, which made me burst out laughing. I loved how he could make me laugh so easily.

    "I''m also in love with the Fish & Chips at the Westray Inn," I said, playing along and making his expression of disgust even more theatrical.

    Erik flopped onto the sofa, as if he was about to faint, and I crouched down beside him, looking at his face covered by his forearm.

    "Don''t go on, please," he said, exaggerating his suffering.

    "And the views from the lighthouse," I continued, showing no mercy.

    "Kill me now, don''t make me suffer anymore, please," he complained, opening one eye and giving me a playful glance.

    "If you die, you''ll miss the best part," I hinted, and he looked at me with interest, as if he was eager to know what came next.

    "Go on..." he whispered, with a voice of feigned desperation.

    "And Aga''s carrot cake," I said, and Erik laughed, shaking his head and showing his characteristic smile.

    He made a movement as if he''d been stabbed in the chest, followed by a grunt of pain, and pretended to die, which made me laugh until I cried.

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    "You''ve finally got rid of me, you must be thrilled," he whispered, with a tone of jest.

    I stroked his hair affectionately and leaned forward to kiss the tip of his nose, feeling a great tenderness towards him.

    "But, despite being in love with all those things, you''re the only reason I want to go back," I said, feeling my heart beat faster as I spoke those words.

    Erik uncovered his face and kissed me softly, but just then, a knock at the door interrupted our intimate moment.

    "Saved by the bell," he said, smiling, before getting up to answer the door.

    "Erik!" Vir shouted, hugging him as soon as the door opened, with an enthusiasm that seemed infectious.

    "Anyone would think you''re more excited to see him than me," I complained, sitting down on the sofa, pretending to be offended.

    "Come here, silly," Vir said, opening her arms wide for a hug.

    I got up and hugged her tightly, although it had only been a couple of months since I last saw her, it was the longest time I''d ever gone without seeing her, so I held her close.

    "You two are adorable," Erik said, joining in the hug. I felt surrounded by warmth and affection in that moment, feeling like everything was in its place.

    "How was the trip?" my friend asked, separating from us and looking at us with curiosity.

    "Quiet," Erik replied. "Yesterday, Andy met my friends, and, just so you know, he didn''t sell you out to any of them," he added with a mischievous grin, which made Vir look at me with a fake offended face.

    "Andy!" Vir complained, giving me a little tap on the shoulder and shaking her head. "I want a firefighter for myself too."

    "Don''t worry, I''ve got it covered," Erik said with a sly smile, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall with a mischievous look.

    And that''s why he''s my favourite, Vir said, turning to him with a playful glance. "Do you have a photo of Jeremy?" she asked, interested, while Erik pulled out his phone to find one of the ones we took the night before.

    "I''m going to the toilet, and we''re off," I said, trying to sound serious. "Don''t plan the end of the world while I''m out."

    "Relax, your wedding is keeping us busy," Vir joked, and I rolled my eyes at the thought of how many times I''d heard that joke.

    The day we actually got married, if that day ever came, Vir was going to be the happiest woman in the world. Even happier than my mother or I myself.

    I didn''t take long to come out, but as soon as I did, Vir approached me and asked if we could visit in January.

    "Speak for yourself, I live there at the moment," I said, knowing she wasn''t aware of the decision I''d made the night before.

    "Aren''t you staying here?" Vir asked with a genuinely surprised expression, and her gaze turned to Erik, who shrugged with an innocent face, like a good boy who hadn''t done anything wrong.

    "You''ve stolen my friend!" Vir accused him.

    Erik looked at me and raised his chin with pride, as if still mock-offended.

    "She made the decision herself," he said. "Apparently, she''s in love with Pierowall, the fish and chips, the lighthouse views, and Aga''s carrot cake. I have nothing to do with her choice," he added, with a smile that betrayed his satisfaction.

    Vir changed the subject and focused on her interest in meeting Jer.

    "In any case, if you''re going to stay there permanently, I''ll have to come visit you," she said, with a sparkling gaze.

    "Do you know he''s the current deputy fire chief?" I asked, trying to contain a smile.

    "No need to try to convince me, I''m going," Vir laughed. "Where do you want to start?" she asked as we walked out the door, and Erik took care of closing it behind us.

    "Andy told me you guys put squid in bread here," she said, making me laugh, remembering the absurd conversation we''d had about whether squid was eaten with bread or not, days before.

    "Squid sandwich? Of course, you''ll love it," my friend said, with a confident smile, while Erik raised an eyebrow, with a skeptical expression on his face.

    "I already told him it''s a weird invention, but he has his doubts," I said to my friend, with a joking tone.

    "If you don''t like squid sandwiches, I won''t let Andy marry you," she warned him, as we entered the elevator, with a playful smile.

    "What''s with you and marriage?" I complained, laughing. "I thought you were the one who said it was a social construct and that getting married was old-fashioned," I added, with an ironic smile.

    "Pero solo en mi caso" she said in Spanish, with a mischievous smile. "Erik is a sweetheart, not a jerk," she added, as if defending Erik from some accusation. "I''ll take care of it, you go find a ring," she whispered to Erik, with a joking tone.

    "If he ever asks me, I''ll say no just to spite you," I said, crossing my arms, although I wasn''t really upset, I was actually enjoying their attitude.

    "You''re going to give me a heart attack today," Erik said, clutching his heart, with a fake anguished expression.

    As soon as the elevator reached the ground floor, I was the first to step out, grateful to be on solid ground and leave behind the claustrophobic feeling the elevator had given me.

    "Don''t worry, I know how to revive you," I said, winking at him, as we stepped out onto the street, where the bustle and activity of the city made me feel more alive and full of energy.

 Chapter 44 - Your life has only just restarted

    Erik slid his thumb along the edge of my lips, fixing some of the lipstick that had gotten out of place after the loving kiss he''d just given me.

    "Perfect," he whispered with a sweet look, observing me closely.

    "You, on the other hand..." I laughed, seeing his lip stained with lipstick.

    He looked up to check his reflection in the elevator mirror and examined himself carefully.

    "Hey, this color doesn''t look bad on me," he laughed while trying to wipe off the reddish stain he''d gotten from kissing me.

    "Red is definitely your shade," I assured him.

    He didn''t often wear much makeup, and even less lipsticks in those shades, so I''d never worried about buying one of those transfer-proof ones. But seeing that Erik didn''t mind the taste or getting stained, I''d have to, for both our sakes, buy some long-lasting color that wouldn''t smear from kissing.

    When we reached my parents'' front door, he looked at me before ringing the bell.

    "Presentable?" he asked, smoothing his shirt.

    "Perfect," I said with a slight nod.

    Erik leaned in to kiss me again, but this time, to avoid unnecessary stains, he kissed my forehead instead.

    No more than two seconds passed from when I rang the doorbell until the door opened. My mum opened it with her huge smile, hugging me, though she quickly turned to Erik, telling him how eager she was to see us both. Inside, several voices echoed from the living room, and one of my aunts quickly appeared in the hallway, wanting to meet "the girl''s boyfriend," as I heard her say while coming out of the dining room.

    "Hello darling, I''m Ana," she said, giving me a hug. "What a handsome one," she whispered with a knowing smile while giving Erik another hug.

    "Hello. Pleased to meet you."

    Erik had improved his Spanish quite a bit, although his accent still sounded sexy and charming to me. We''d spoken a fair amount of Spanglish these past few weeks because he wanted to be prepared to meet my family.

    "Come in, please," my mum gestured for us not to remain at the door.

    We walked towards the dining room where my dad, my other aunt Olga, her husband Roberto, and my cousin Pablo, who was only a few months younger than me, were gathered.

    "You''re here, great," said my dad, coming over to hug me while smiling at Erik, who had caught everyone''s gaze as the newcomer.

    "Hi dad," I said happily to have him close again. "Erik, this is my aunt Olga, her husband Roberto, and my cousin Pablo," I introduced them.

    Like Ana, my aunt didn''t hesitate to give him a hug, while my dad, uncle, and cousin shook his hand, asking if he understood Spanish.

    "A little," Erik admitted.

    "Quite a bit, so watch what you say," I warned them.

    I loved my family for many reasons. They were fun, affectionate, and very close-knit. They always got together for Christmas dinner, but in recent years I hadn''t joined them for...obvious reasons from my past.

    "How was the journey? Come here," my mother and aunts quickly pulled me into the kitchen, leaving Erik with my dad, uncle and cousin.

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    I knew he''d handle himself well - he had a natural ability to win people over and my dad adored him, so I was more worried about the third degree I''d get from the women in my family than about Erik.

    "We want to know everything," my aunt Olga said as soon as we entered the kitchen.

    "There''s not much to know..." but my aunt Ana cut me off abruptly.

    "Not much to know? Your mother told us you''re already living together."

    "Mum..." I sighed as she played innocent. She had no secrets from her sisters. "A couple of months or so," I ended up admitting.

    "Are they all like that where you live?" Ana asked, intrigued.

    "No. I snagged the cool ginger for myself," I said amusedly while my mum fetched a small beer bottle from the fridge and offered it to me, asking what Erik drinks. "Beer for him too."

    "Now that your mum''s gone and can''t hear us...is he good in bed?" Ana asked with a mischievous tone.

    I shouldn''t have been surprised by that question - that''s just how my aunt is. Quite liberal and open-minded, she freely associated with men although never committed, saying she was too old to learn to live with anyone despite not even being fifty yet.

    "Given I don''t have much to compare to...I''ll say yes," I answered, because not answering would be worse.

    My aunts laughed and when my mum returned, we all put on innocent faces.

    "How long are you staying?" Olga asked.

    "Until the 3rd," Erik answered, poking his head through the door. "I''m going to get...something." He looked confused and I laughed.

    It was tradition at my house that before sitting down for dinner, my dad, uncle and by extension my cousin, would go downstairs for a beer while my mum and aunts finished the preparations.

    "They''re going to try to get you drunk," I warned, reaching for his beer bottle. "Don''t give any intimate details." Erik looked surprised.

    "They''re going to try to get a Scotsman drunk?" he asked amusedly.

    "Show them who''s boss," I said playfully, pulling him into a hug. "If you need backup, text me and I''ll come get you." I gave him a shy peck on the lips.

    Understandable, given we had three pairs of eyes watching us like a romantic movie.

    Erik left and I stayed with my mum and aunts, telling them what living in a place like Westray was like - the people, the weather, the food.

    "So you''re coming back in January?" my mum asked sadly, hugging me.

    "Yeah, at least until I finish the book, I don''t have much left," I told her.

    "But do you want to stay living there?" Ana asked.

    "On one hand I like living there, but sometimes it feels a bit too small," I admitted. "Erik wanted to take an extended holiday from the lighthouse and travel, so maybe...I''ll join him." I smiled.

    We''d talked about doing one of those long road trips, visiting Scotland from top to bottom without rushing. Erik wanted to show me the wonders of his country to convince me to stay with him, but I insisted that not even all the greenery in the world could make up for the sun of my homeland.

    "And he wouldn''t come to Spain?" Olga asked.

    "We haven''t discussed it," I replied.

    "But is that a possibility?" my mom wanted to know.

    I shrugged. I really didn''t know - we hadn''t talked or joked about ending up in Spain. If traveling around the world, sure, but Erik always said he liked his life in Pierowall and I hadn''t tried convincing him otherwise. Did I see myself living long-term in Pierowall? I wasn''t sure.

    An hour or so later, the front door opened and I heard the happy laughter of my uncle and dad. I went to greet them and they seemed cheerful, maybe due to the occasion and the beers they''d had. Erik was undoubtedly the most sober-looking.

    My cousin told me he was unshakable and I laughed.

    "I know, you should see the size of the beers in his village. Like this," I said, gesturing with my hands to show my cousin the size of a pint.

    "Alright, take a seat, dinner''s ready," my mom said, setting some plates of food on the table and going back to the kitchen for the rest.

    I sat next to Erik, taking his hand under the table and looking at him lovingly. It meant so much to me to be with my family on this day and to be able to do it again - it filled me with joy.

    "You look happy," he whispered, leaning in close.

    "I am very happy," I admitted, smiling at him.

    "Good, because your life has only just restarted. We have many years to make up for." He kissed my cheek, possibly out of shyness with my dad there, and the aroma of my mom''s home cooking hijacked all our attention.

    I was sure none of the dishes Erik would eat that night were familiar to him, but I knew he''d enjoy the flavors, the moment and our traditions like the big kid he was.

 Chapter 45 - The end of my idyllic dream

    Dinner at my parents'' house went as well as could be expected. Erik handled the language pretty well and won over the rest of my family without breaking a sweat. Part of me felt like I was living a dream, everything was "easy" and precisely because of that, I felt a bit uneasy, as if I was about to wake up from that lovely dream and face harsh reality.

    On the 25th, we did some sightseeing and I showed Erik how beautiful Madrid was at Christmas, the decorations, lights, shops, and the main square, packed with Christmas stalls. We had a waffle with chocolate and whipped cream in the afternoon, and on the 26th, we were meeting my friends for a drink in the afternoon.

    We were strolling down Gran V¨Şa, one of the busiest streets in central Madrid, when Erik bent down to tie his boot, which had come undone. He let go of my hand for a second, and it was like my dream started to unravel.

    I''m not exactly sure when it started to fall apart, but time seemed to stretch like chewing gum, and I almost felt like I could see in slow motion, like a spectator, the disaster that was my life.

    "You''ve got no shame!" I heard, turning my face to the left to find myself staring at the face that could turn my dream into a nightmare.

    I felt a slight push that made me take a couple of steps back, tripping over a shop sign, but the fall didn''t hurt, I barely noticed it. However, seeing Erik spring to his feet as Oliver pushed him too, was what sent chills down my spine.

    Erik was by the kerb, and having been bent down, he lost his balance and took a step back, misstepping on the kerb just as a horn blared, warning of what I had feared the most. The end of my idyllic dream.

    "ERIK!" I screamed, trying to grab his hand but with no chance of success.

    He was too far away from me, and it all happened so fast. A motorbike, the one that had honked, hit him and made his head crash against the kerb.

    "No, no, no... ERIK!" I screamed, scrambling to my feet and running towards him. A car screeched to a halt beside us, preventing the ones behind from running him over, and the motorcyclist, who was also on the ground, although luckily okay, rushed over.

    Someone said they were calling an ambulance, and then time, which had slowed down just seconds before, sped up, overwhelming me with the noise and people around us.

    I looked up, searching for Oliver, but I couldn''t see him. The motorcyclist apologised for not seeing him step off the pavement, but despite understanding his words, I wasn''t really listening.

    "Erik, please wake up," I sobbed, stroking his head. I felt something warm and when I looked at my hand, I saw it was bleeding. "No, please, no..." I felt the lump in my throat start to choke me, and I instinctively covered the wound with my hand, as if that could do something for him.

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    But his eyes wouldn''t open. They didn''t look at me with that loving expression they had just a couple of minutes ago. His lips didn''t curve into that mischievous smile that could make even the grey Pierowall sky seem pleasant.

    Time sped up and slowed down, making me lose all sense of it, I didn''t know if minutes or hours had passed, but suddenly there was an ambulance beside us and paramedics asked me to give them some space. I stepped back, feeling my body tremble all over, without taking my eyes off them.

    "Why isn''t he reacting?" I asked, completely terrified as they checked his eyes with a flashlight.

    "What happened?" one of the paramedics asked.

    "We were... we were walking and... " I swallowed hard, looking around at the crowd, without seeing Oliver''s face. "My ex... appeared and pushed him into the road." I noticed a hand on my shoulder and turned around, startled, to find a man in a police uniform.

    He said something I couldn''t process, because they were putting Erik on a stretcher.

    "Are you a relative?" the paramedics asked.

    "His girlfriend," I said in a barely audible voice, and they gestured for me to get into the ambulance with them and go to the hospital.

    When we arrived at the hospital, Erik still wasn''t reacting, and although I wanted to go in with him, they wouldn''t let me, forcing me to stay in a waiting room where my legs were shaking so much I couldn''t stand. I sat down, feeling the lump in my throat making it hard to breathe, and then the police, who had followed the ambulance, came over to ask me what had happened.

    I tried to explain it as best I could, obviously giving them Oliver''s contact details, the address where we had lived, the office address, his parents'' address... everything that came to mind so they could find him and clearly, I was going to report him, as well as inform them of the previous complaint and the restraining order.

    They left, and I still had no information about Erik. They were attending to him, which was all the girl at the reception desk in front of me could tell me.

    I took out my phone, my hands shaking as I dialled my mother''s number. After assuring her I was okay, she said they were on their way. Then, I called Vir.

    "Are you guys already there?" she asked with a cheerful voice.

    "Vir..." I didn''t need to say more for her to know something was wrong.

    "Andy, what''s going on?" she asked with a worried tone.

    "I''m at hospital, Oliver pushed Erik into the road and he got hit." I sobbed, wiping my face with my hand, feeling my tears welling up again.

    "I''m on my way," she said, hanging up.

    A doctor came out asking for Erik''s relatives, and I stood up immediately, following him to the small room where Erik was, still unconscious.

    "Is he okay? Is he going to be okay?" I asked, really worried.

    "He''s had a pretty strong blow to the head, and we''ve had to give him several stitches," he informed me. "But he''s not in any danger." He smiled, and that made me relax significantly.

    "When is he going to wake up?" I looked at his face, which seemed to be at peace.

    "I''m sure it won''t be long. You can stay with him. If anything happens, just press the button," the doctor said, and I nodded, sitting down beside him and taking his hand.

 Chapter 46 - My wee one

    The time had turned capricious again. Time seemed to stretch out, making every second feel like a whole minute, and my anxiety about Erik''s unconscious state grew with each passing moment. The doctor had assured me he was out of danger, but why wasn''t he waking up?

    "If you''re just pretending to be interesting, you can stop now," I said, hoping he''d suddenly open his eyes, but he didn''t.

    I ran my hand over my face, wondering how we''d ended up in this mess and when this bloody nightmare would end. How had I managed to put up with someone like Oliver for 20 years? And how had I not seen how crazy he was? A part of me knew something was off about him, but instead of running, I''d made excuses and hidden his true face from my family and friends.

    "I''m sorry," I whispered, feeling the lump in my throat grow.

    I felt overwhelmed by my emotional scars, my fears, and the physical harm he''d inflicted. I felt guilty for putting Erik in danger just because my ex was a nutcase. I felt like I should''ve saved myself from him back in Pierowall, and how hard I was making it for Erik, despite his efforts to make me happy.

    How could I fix this whole mess?

    Oliver needed to be punished for everything he''d done, and although there might not be much to condemn him for during our relationship since I''d never reported him, he had to pay for nearly drowning me in Pierowall and for throwing Erik onto the road.

    My head was flooded with "what ifs"... What if I''d never gone out with Oliver? What if I''d left him the first time he shouted at me? What if I hadn''t taken him back after discovering he was cheating on me? What if Erik hadn''t turned up in Pierowall at the right moment, or what if it had been a car instead of a motorbike?

    I shuddered at the last two questions in my mind and gently squeezed his hand, not wanting to think about it. The anxiety I felt every time I remembered his face, his voice, or even his name left a massive knot in my throat. Why couldn''t I have just moved on and forgotten about him?

    I slowly stroked Erik''s face, gently pushing a stray lock of hair behind his ear. His face, usually lit up with a mischievous grin and sparkling eyes, was dull.

    "We should''ve stayed in Pierowall," I whispered, knowing we''d have been safer there.

    It seemed utter madness that, just because I''d broken up with my ex, walking the streets of the city where I grew up was dangerous simply because I might run into him around any corner. What next, a knife? A gun?

    "You''re the best thing that''s happened to me in the last twenty years of my life, Erik... please, wake up," I begged, feeling the anxiety knot grow and grow. "I''ll let you call me your girlfriend if you want... we''ll travel the world or I''ll keep you company while you watch the lighthouse beam spin at night, but you can''t leave me alone." I sobbed, resting my forehead on his hand and hiding my face in the sheets.

    "Did I really need to get run over for you to give me permission to call you my girlfriend?" he asked weakly, making me lift my face up sharply.

    "You''re okay!" I exclaimed, practically jumping on him.

    "Careful, my soul hurts," he complained, still smiling, and wrapped his arms around me.

    "How long have you been faking sleep?" I asked, looking at him, and he automatically put on an innocent face.

    "I just woke up, just in time to hear you say I could call you my girlfriend. But I didn''t quite catch it. Could you repeat it, please?" he asked, still smiling, despite his tired face.

    "If you hadn''t passed out, you would''ve heard me tell the ambulance guy you were my girlfriend," I complained, happy that he really seemed to be okay.

    "Did you say that and I missed it?!" he said, looking pained, making me laugh.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "Yeah, that''s what I said," I said, hugging him more gently so as not to hurt him. "I love you."

    I could see Erik''s whole body react to my words. He pulled back slightly, looking into my eyes as if he''d just heard the two most wonderful words in the world.

    "Say it again," he asked.

    "No," I said, dying of embarrassment.

    "Please..." he begged.

    I rolled my eyes, feeling my cheeks flush again and the knot in my throat almost disappear.

    "I love you," I said, quickly and softly.

    This time, it was Erik who hugged me, holding me tightly against him without hurting me. I wrapped my arms around his back, returning the hug, and nestled my face against his neck.

    "I love you too, Andrea," he said, pulling back slightly, looking into my eyes. "I''ve been dying to tell you."

    "Why didn''t you?" I asked, confused.

    "Because I didn''t want you to run away... because I knew you needed your space and I didn''t want to pressure you. Because I didn''t need to say it, I just needed to show you, just like you didn''t need to say it, but you made me feel it," he said, stroking my cheek with his finger.

    "How long have you loved me?" I asked, a bit shyly.

    "A long time," he assured me with a confident voice.

    "I''m sorry for being so complicated," I apologized, rubbing my nose against his lightly.

    "You''re not complicated, it''s what they made you believe. I assure you, you''re very easy to get along with, you just need your space and lots of love," he said, smiling and gently rubbing my back.

    "You''re the easy one... I just need to let you love me," I smiled, kissing his lips softly.

    "I love making you happy, you love it when I make you happy... and that makes me happy, so I''m happy too. Isn''t it wonderful?" he asked, and I nodded.

    "Wonderful and easy," I affirmed.

    The doctor didn''t take long to come back and discharge him, but before that, the police wanted to take his statement about what had happened. When we left the room, my parents and Vir were waiting anxiously in the waiting room, and they were much more relieved to see that Erik was okay.

    As expected, my parents offered to take us home with them, but all I wanted was to sit on the sofa with Erik, hug him, and forget about everything. So, after assuring them that everything was fine and we just wanted to rest, we managed to get my dad to drive us to the apartment we had rented. Vir came in the car, but said goodbye to us at the door, aware that, after what had happened, we wanted to be alone, and left, asking me to call her if anything happened.

    When we arrived at the apartment, I felt a mix of relief and exhaustion. Although I knew Erik was doing his best to stay strong, I could see the fatigue on his face and in his movements. We both went to the sofa by inertia, where we sat, feeling the weight of everything that had happened.

    "It''s not your fault," he said, as if he could read my thoughts.

    "A little bit, it is," I said, unable to shake off the feeling that everything had happened because of me.

    Erik took my face in his hands and looked at me with a determination I''d never seen before in his eyes.

    "Andrea, that man is crazy. It''s not your fault, nor is it your responsibility. You''re the victim, not the responsible one."

    "But I was the one who wanted to come. If we had stayed in Pierowall..." I felt my emotions overflowing a bit, and Erik hugged me with affection.

    "Heaven, if we had stayed in Pierowall, he''d still be free and it''s clear he''s a danger. I know you''re scared, but I''m here with you. There were witnesses, I''ve reported him, he''s violated your restraining order... Andy, he can''t escape this time." He kissed my forehead and held me a little tighter.

    "I don''t know what I''d do without you," I sobbed, resting my head on his shoulder and feeling my heart beating strongly.

    "You''d probably finish your book, become a famous writer, and enjoy life," he smiled with affection.

    I couldn''t help but smile a little at his comment, feeling how his soothing hand in my hair helped me relax a bit.

    "Do you mean I can''t finish my book, become a famous writer, and enjoy life if I''m with you?" I asked with a mock-horrified expression that was too fake to be realistic.

    "If that''s what you really want, you''ll achieve it with or without me."

    "I''d rather achieve it with you. Now that I''ve accepted being your girlfriend, I don''t want to give up that status so quickly." I hugged him tightly.

    Erik looked at me with eyes overflowing with joy and covered my face with his hands, kissing me with passion and affection, as if he didn''t hurt at all, or hadn''t been run over just hours ago. He definitely had Viking blood.

    "I don''t want you to get rid of me so soon either, let me enjoy you now that I''ve finally got you to love me a little bit." He smiled, leaning slightly over me.

    "You''re hurt," I laughed without resisting.

    "Not enough to show you the advantages of being my girlfriend, my wee one." He smiled, and my heart was full of love, hoping that the nightmare with Oliver was finally over and Erik and I could finally enjoy the happiness we deserved.