Chapter 13

He wondered what it would feel like… to have her lips trail along his abdomen. To feel her that close. And…

"You’re staring at me like I’m a whole damn feast. Do I look like roasted pork to you?"

Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. His eyes jerked up from her lips and locked with hers. She was wide awake now and clearly amused.

"You said earlier I wasn’t your type. Shouldn’t I be the one to decide that?" he said quietly, his voice tinged with something deeper.

She snorted. "Come on. This isn’t some romance novel. You don’t like girls like me."

"What do you mean? You’re pretty. You’ve got a great personality. I haven’t stopped laughing or smiling all night."

"I’m fat, Jefferson. I’m three times your size."

"So what? Can’t a guy like a girl without it being about size?"

She looked at him like he had just grown another head, then burst into full-on laughter.

"Are you drunk?"

He sighed. "I’m being serious."

"Oh please. Don’t lump me in with your clients or whoever else falls for those smooth-talking lines. If you can trick them, that’s on them. But I’m not so easy."

He opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off again.

"And anyway, I’ll still give you an extra tip. You don’t have to say stuff like that just to flatter me."

"I’m not looking for a tip. And I’m not saying it to be charming. I meant it. You’re one of the most fun and interesting people I’ve ever met."

For a moment, TeeCay went still. Her smile returned, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

"Don’t get my hopes up, okay? I’ve heard all that before. Guys back in school said the same thing. Turned out it was all a game to them. Some even placed bets."

"I’m not like those guys." What the hell are you doing, Phillian?

She gave him a hollow smile. "That’s what both of my aunties’ exes said too. One got left right after she got pregnant, and the other got dumped on her wedding day."

"Then maybe you should try again. With me."

Damn it, Phillian.

She laughed again. "What? You and me? Seriously?"

"Yeah. Why not? We could give it a try."

The teasing faded from her eyes. For a moment, it felt like time paused. She looked at him like she was trying to decide if he was insane, or if he truly meant it.

When she didn’t answer right away, he pressed gently.

"Let's begin as friends and see where our journey might take us.”

"To heartbreak, sorrow, and maybe even to a beautiful kind of madness," she murmured, her voice laced with an undercurrent of vulnerability. As she spoke, she turned her face away, and for a fleeting moment, he saw a shadow of deep sadness glimmer in her eyes.

"You never truly know what awaits us, TeeCay. Life is full of surprises," he whispered, his tone gentle and earnest.

She let out a long, wistful sigh before slowly turning her head back toward him. In that quiet space between them, the air felt charged with the promise of something real and transformative.

"My real name is Therese Cataley El Mundo. My aunties call me Calley," she confessed softly, as if entrusting a secret too precious to be shared lightly.

A tender smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I am Free Phillian Zodiac. My family calls me Free, though most just say Phill," he replied.

Her smile deepened into one that radiated genuine delight, and her eyes began to sparkle with an inner light.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Phillian," she said in a hushed, melodious tone that sent a shiver of anticipation down his spine.

"Likewise, Calley," he answered, feeling a connection unfold between them that was as fragile as it was promising.

They sat there in silence again, eyes locked. Neither of them moved for a while. Both were waiting for the other to make a move.

Until his gaze dropped to her lips again. Slightly parted. Inviting…

Don’t you dare, Free Phillian. Don’t you dare, he warned himself.

Then Calley bit her lower lip. Just softly.

And that was it.

"Can I kiss you?" he finally asked, his voice a whisper.

"Would you really?" she teased, one brow raised.

He shrugged, a playful grin tugging at his lips this time. "If you’ll let me."

They stared at each other for a few more seconds, and then finally, Calley smiled.

"Do you really need to ask?"

His heart surged. Without another word, he leaned closer, gently closing the space between them.

And then, their lips met…

It was soft at first, almost hesitant, like a question neither of them dared ask aloud. But it deepened, slow and aching, carrying with it the warmth of tequila and the weight of everything they hadn’t said. Her breath trembled against his mouth. His hand hovered for a second before cupping her cheek, grounding himself in the moment.

The kiss didn’t ask for anything more. It was enough… to just exist.