Page 29 of Playing With Fire

Evelyn nodded, her expression pained. “I know. I messed up, Cass. I made decisions out of fear—fear of failing, fear of…feeling anything I couldn’t control. But I’ve realized something.” She took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly. “Being around you, seeing how much you care about your team, your work—it’s changed me. I thought I could keep everything in neat little boxes, but I can’t. Not with you.”

Cass looked away, her throat tight. She wanted to believe Evelyn, but her anger and hurt hadn’t fully healed. “This isn’t just about us, Evelyn. This is about my team. My family. If you’d gone through with those cuts…”

“But I didn’t,” Evelyn interrupted gently. “I fought for them, Cass. I fought for you. And I’ll keep fighting, if you’ll let me.”

Cass’s heart ached at the sincerity in Evelyn’s voice. She wanted to stay angry, to hold on to the betrayal. But as she looked at Evelyn—truly looked at her—she saw the woman who had stood her ground against the council, who had taken a risk to protect something she didn’t fully understand but knew was important. She saw the woman she couldn’t seem to stay away from, no matter how hard she tried.

“You really mean that?” Cass asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Evelyn stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. “Yes. I can’t promise I won’t make mistakes, Cass. But I promise I’ll always try to do what’s right. For you. For the department.”

The vulnerability in her voice shattered something inside Cass. She stood, closing the distance between them, her hands resting on her hips as she searched Evelyn’s face for any sign of insincerity. She found none.

“You drive me crazy, you know that?” Cass said, her voice breaking into a soft laugh, though tears shimmered in her eyes. “I’ve never met anyone who could make me this angry and this…”

“This what?” Evelyn asked, her voice barely audible.

Cass hesitated, then let out a shaky breath. “This alive. Damn it, Evelyn, I hate how much I care about you.”

Evelyn’s lips quirked into a faint, bittersweet smile. “I hate it too,” she admitted. “But I think that’s what makes it real.”

Cass shook her head, laughing softly despite herself. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re infuriating,” Evelyn countered, though her tone was light, almost teasing. “But maybe that’s why this works.”

They stood there for a moment, the tension between them replaced by something softer, something fragile but hopeful. Cass finally reached out, her hand brushing against Evelyn’s. Evelyn took it, her grip firm but gentle, and for the first time in weeks, Cass felt a sense of peace.

“Okay,” Cass said finally. “Let’s see where this goes. But if you pull another stunt like that, I’m kicking your ass.”

Evelyn laughed, the sound warm and genuine. “Fair enough.”

It wasn’t a perfect resolution, but it was a start. And for now, that was enough.

Cass stared at Evelyn, her pulse roaring in her ears. The warmth of Evelyn’s hand in hers was grounding, but it did little to stop the storm of emotions churning inside her. Anger, hurt, hope, and something even deeper tangled together, leaving her breathless. She hadn’t realized how much she had been holding on to, how tightly the tension between them had gripped her heart, until now. Until Evelyn was standing here, vulnerable and open in a way that felt impossible just weeks ago.

Cass didn’t know who moved first. One moment, they were standing inches apart, the air between them thick with unsaid words and raw emotions; the next, Evelyn was closer, her gaze flickering to Cass’s lips, her breath mingling with Cass’s. It was a silent question, and Cass knew her answer before she even realized she was leaning in.

Their lips met in a kiss that was nothing like the ones before. Those had been heated, frantic, and borne of frustration and pent-up desire. But this…this was slow, deliberate, and achingly tender. Cass felt the weight of everything they had been through in that moment, all the arguments, the betrayals, the undeniable pull that had brought them together despite everything working to keep them apart.

Evelyn’s hand slid up to Cass’s cheek, her touch soft and careful, as if she were afraid to break the fragile peace between them. Cass tilted her head, deepening the kiss, her own hands moving to Evelyn’s waist. She pulled her closer, feeling the warmth of her body, the steady thrum of her heartbeat against her own.

A sigh escaped Cass, unbidden, as relief flooded through her. For weeks, she had been carrying so much—resentment, confusion, guilt, longing. It had weighed her down, creeping into every corner of her life, until she felt like she might drown under it all. But here, with Evelyn in her arms, the pressure lifted, replaced by something softer, something lighter. It wasn’t perfect, and the hurt wasn’t entirely gone, but for the first time in what felt like forever, Cass could breathe.

Evelyn broke the kiss first, her forehead resting against Cass’s, her eyes closed. Her breathing was uneven, her lips slightly parted, and Cass felt her chest tighten at the sight. Evelyn looked different now, her usual cool composure stripped away, leaving her vulnerable and real in a way Cass had never seen before.

“I’m sorry,” Evelyn murmured, her voice shaky but sincere. “For everything. For hurting you.”

Cass’s thumb brushed against Evelyn’s cheek, wiping away a tear she hadn’t even noticed. “You don’t have to keep apologizing,” she said softly, her own voice rough with emotion. “You fixed it, Evelyn. You stood up for us, for what’s right. That’s what matters.”

Evelyn’s eyes opened, meeting Cass’s, and Cass saw something there she hadn’t expected—hope. It was tentative, fragile, but it was enough to make Cass’s heart ache. She leaned in again, pressing another kiss to Evelyn’s lips, this one softer, gentler, a promise rather than a demand.

The kiss deepened slowly, naturally, their movements unhurried as if they had all the time in the world. Cass let herself get lost in the moment, in the feel of Evelyn’s lips moving against hers, the warmth of her body pressed close, the faint scent of her perfume mingling with the lingering smell of coffee in the office. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was a release, a way to let go of everything that had been weighing them down and start fresh.

As they broke apart again, Cass rested her forehead against Evelyn’s, her hands still on her hips. She let out a shaky laugh, her breath fanning across Evelyn’s skin. “This feels…different,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Evelyn nodded, her fingers curling gently around the front of Cass’s shirt. “Because it is,” she said. “It’s not just heat or tension or any of that. It’s more.”

Cass swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. She had spent so long trying to fight what she felt for Evelyn, convincing herself it was just physical attraction or misplaced frustration. But standing here now, holding Evelyn, she couldn’t deny the truth any longer. It wasn’t just about the way Evelyn challenged her or the spark between them. It was about the way Evelyn had stepped up, had fought for what mattered, even when it wasn’t easy. It was about the way Evelyn had seen her, really seen her, and hadn’t looked away.