chapter 8

Michelle’s POV

I slipped back into my room, closed the door behind me, and collapsed onto my bed with a dreamy sigh.

Oh wow… Uncle Pedro.

The moment I closed my eyes, all I could see was him. Those strong, sculpted muscles glistening under the pool lights, the way his wet shirt had clung to his broad chest, and God… that ass. I groaned and buried my face deep into my pillow, squeezing it tightly against my burning cheeks.

This was so wrong. He was supposed to be family — or at least that’s how everyone treated him. But I couldn’t help it. He was too handsome, too sexy, too everything. I had this wild, overwhelming urge to run back downstairs, throw my arms around his neck, and kiss him like I’d been imagining for days now.

But he’d probably freak out. He still saw me as a little girl, didn’t he? For fuck’s sake, I’m turning 19 this month. I’m not a child anymore. Just because I’ve never had my first kiss doesn’t mean I don’t know what I want… or who I want.

I rolled over onto my back and stared up at the ceiling, my heart racing.

If only he could see me the way I see him. If only he’d look at me like a woman instead of Dante’s little daughter. I wanted him so badly — wanted him close, wanted his hands on me, wanted to feel what it would be like to be wanted by someone like him.

“Michelle!” Melissa’s voice called from downstairs.

I blinked out of my fantasy. “Yes, Melissa?”

“Your friend Lisa is here to see you!”

“Okay, thanks! I’ll be down in a second,” I shouted back.

I quickly changed into a fresh, light gown, smoothed down my hair, and rushed downstairs with a smile plastered on my face.

Lisa was waiting in the living room. The second she saw me, I ran straight into her arms for a tight hug.

“Michelle! How are you?” she asked warmly as we both dropped onto the couch.

“I’m fine, Lisa,” I said, still catching my breath. “So… have you invited anyone for my birthday?”

“Of course I have. You know your girl doesn’t play small,” she grinned. We both burst into laughter.

“ This is going to be the best birthday of your life. Finally, the whole school is going to know who you are before we graduate.”

I smiled, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “To be honest, Lisa… I don’t really care about all that. I just want to graduate and move on.”

“I know,” she said softly, reaching over to hold my hands in her lap. “But it’s time to forget the past. Tracy is gone, and we already stayed back a whole year mourning her. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I think it’s time we start living again… get to know people, enjoy these last months. She would want that for us.”

I only nodded, my chest tightening at the mention of Tracy.

The three of us — me, Lisa, and Tracy— had been inseparable since grade seven. We did everything together: ate, laughed, cried, played. Our families were close too. Tracy was the nerdy one, just like me, and she was always the glue between us. When she passed from leukemia, when she was fifteenth it felt like my world had shattered. I couldn’t cope. I dropped out for a while, and my parents understood.

Lisa, being the loyal friend she was, dropped out with me. After a year of grieving, we both decided to go back and finish what we started. It’s what Tracy would have wanted. But I never made new friends. It was always Lisa who got the privilege to meet new friends. She was always so social with everyone.

Even when she invited me for some parties I wouldn't go. I will just make some excuses. But with that she never left my side she had become my best friend since Tracy died.

“So what are we doing today?” Lisa asked, still lounging on the couch.

“We’re going to Madam Ella’s store,” I told her. “You know, Tracy's mom. She’s making my dress for the party.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. I totally forgot,” Lisa chuckled. “Sorry.”

Just then, Uncle Pedro walked into the living room, looking effortlessly handsome in a simple black shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and chest. My heart did a little flip.

“Hi guys, what’s going on here?” he asked casually as he approached us.

I stood up quickly and walked over to him, trying to keep my voice steady. “Uncle Pedro, this is my best friend, Lisa.”

“Hi,” Lisa said, standing up too.

“Hello, Lisa. I’m Pedro,” he replied with a polite nod. When Lisa stretched out her hand, he took it and lightly kissed the back of it. I felt a tiny spark of jealousy twist in my stomach.

He was about to leave when I reached out and gently grabbed his strong arm. The moment my fingers touched his warm skin, a rush of heat ran through me.

“We’re going to pick up my dress,” I said sweetly. “We need someone to take us.”

“I’m kind of busy right now,” he replied.

“Please, Uncle Pedro…” I tilted my head and gave him my best cute, pleading look — the one that usually worked on my dad.

He sighed, then smiled slightly. “Alright. I’ll be in the car.”

The second he walked out, Lisa practically ran over to me, eyes wide with excitement.

“Oh my God, Michelle! Is that your uncle?!”

“Yeah… Uncle Pedro,” I said, trying to sound casual even though my cheeks were burning.

“My goodness, he’s changed a lot! He is so damn handsome. How do you even live with a guy like that in your house? I would literally die,” she whispered, grabbing my arm tightly.

“Lisa, stop,” I laughed nervously, glancing toward the door. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t see what I’m seeing. That man is fine!”

“Shut up, let’s go,” I said, pulling her along with me, my heart racing.

He drove us to Madam Ella’s store in silence. When we arrived, Lisa dashed inside excitedly, but I lingered behind. I walked over to the driver’s side and rested my hands on the open window, leaning in slightly.

“Don’t you want to come in and see how the dress looks?” I asked with a shy smile.

“Hmm, not really,” he said, but his eyes softened. “I’d rather see you wearing it this weekend.”

My stomach fluttered. He smiled back at me, and for a second, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

“You will dance with me, right?” I asked softly.

“Yes, of course.”

“Please come back to pick us up later.”

“Okay. What time?”

“I’ll call you. Give me your number,” I said, quickly stretching my phone toward him.

He hesitated for a moment, looking at me with an unreadable expression, before finally taking the phone and typing in his number. I tried not to grin too widely, but inside I was screaming with joy.

Finally, Now I could reach him whenever I wanted… and I was going to make sure he stopped seeing me as a little girl. I wanted him to see me as a woman — his woman.