Smoldering Embers

Previously

…He had made a choice, a difficult, painful choice. He would maintain his distance. He would uphold his duty. He would bury the embers of his desire, hoping they wouldn’t ignite into a conflagration that would burn down everything he held dear. But as he closed his eyes, the image of Sarah’s face, etched with a mixture of longing and confusion, remained seared into his mind, a constant, aching reminder of the battle he was fighting, and the potential cost of his victory. The smoldering embers of his feelings for Sarah were a dangerous secret, a fire he was determined to keep contained, even if it meant burning himself from the inside out.