2 – THAT’S ENOUGH TO COVER THE HOTEL

Celina’s eyes couldn’t help but linger on the defined, muscular abs glistening with droplets of water. He was beautiful. Far too beautiful for the situation they were in. And that… that was unsettling.

She got to her feet, still dazed, and noticed the reddened skin on his shoulder. Concern pushed her forward, but she stumbled on the leg of an old side table. Before she could fall, his hands caught her firmly.

Those dark eyes studied her intently, tracing every detail of her face.

Celina held his gaze for a few seconds. There was something about this man that unsettled her—an unspoken, dangerous magnetism. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was desperation.

Then he kissed her.

A kiss that was possessive, consuming, as if he meant to devour her whole.

Heat surged between them, and Celina responded in kind. She wanted this moment as much as he did.

She broke the kiss, breathless.

“This can’t happen… it’s insane. I don’t even know who you are. Not even your name…”

“I don’t know yours either,” he replied, pulling her back into a kiss with even greater intensity.

Then Celina whispered, “I want you.”

“Are you sure about that?” His voice was hoarse against her skin.

Celina closed her eyes and gave a faint, knowing smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m an adult, I’m not drunk, and I know exactly what I’m doing.”

He studied her for a moment, then smiled in satisfaction.

“Good.”

His fingers trailed along her body until they found the zipper of her dress. Slowly, he eased it down, letting the fabric slip over her curves until it pooled at her feet in a circle of silk.

She wasn’t naked.

Beneath the dress, she wore luxurious lingerie—a black lace set that hugged her body with exquisite precision.

His eyes roamed over her exposed skin as though she were some divine vision.

“You’re beautiful.”

A shiver ran down her spine. He knew exactly what to say, as if every word had been chosen to make her feel wanted.

And it was working.

With a decisive pull, he drew her against him, their bodies pressed together. Then, without warning, his lips crashed onto hers, shaking her to her very core.

It was intense, deep, consuming.

Celina felt her knees weaken as he deepened the kiss, claiming every inch, every breath.

His fingers traced the bare line of her back before gripping her firmly and lifting her into his arms. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling the heat and strength of him against her.

He smiled against her lips.

“I can be gentle,” he murmured.

With steady steps, he carried her to the bed in the center of the room, laying her down gently on the sheets.

There, under the muted glow of the city lights, they surrendered to each other—hungry, reckless, lost in the storm of desire.

At one point, his hand cupped her face.

“Why you? Why, out of all the women who’ve been in my bed, are you different?”

The words struck her as strange, yet they sent another shiver down her spine. His hand caressed her face with unexpected tenderness before he kissed her again—a kiss that made her legs tremble, that burned against her skin and stole her breath. Then he whispered in her ear, his voice low and heavy with desire:

“You drive me crazy, you know that?”

He kissed her again, and once more, they gave in to the intensity between them.

Nothing else existed.

No pain. No betrayal.

Only the moment.

Dawn spilled through the window, washing the room in soft, golden light. The São Paulo sky was painted in shades of orange and pale blue as the city slowly stirred to life below.

Celina awoke slowly, disoriented, her head pounding. The effects of last night’s alcohol still lingered. She blinked, trying to gather her bearings, then turned her head—and her heart skipped a beat.

He was lying beside her, asleep.

His broad chest rose and fell in an easy rhythm. The sheet draped low over his hips, revealing the warm, inked skin of one arm, bent casually beneath his head, as though nothing in the world could disturb him.

Even in sleep, there was an intensity about him—something almost dangerous.

Celina swallowed hard, her emotions swirling chaotically.

She sat up quickly, clutching the sheet to her chest as though it could shield her from the truth of the night before.

“What did I do?” she whispered to herself.

Her pulse hammered. She tried to piece the night together, but the memories came only in fragments—her at the bar, the accident, the charged glances, his intoxicating words, the pull of raw desire.

Hot lips exploring her body. Breathless gasps in the shadows. The sure, possessive touch of skilled hands roaming her skin.

Then… only flashes, a haze of heat and motion.

Her breathing grew uneven. She had never done anything like this before. Ever.

Pressing a hand to her face, she felt the warmth of her skin.

“My God… what the hell was that?”

The whisper slipped out, heavy with guilt and disbelief.

Wrapping the sheet around herself, she moved to the edge of the bed, her feet meeting the cold floor, grounding her in reality.

She stood slowly, gathering her clothes from the floor in a flurry of embarrassment, and slipped into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

Bracing her hands on the sink, she stared into the mirror. Her reflection was a cruel reminder of the night’s recklessness—green eyes shadowed with exhaustion, lipstick faded, hair tousled in disarray.

“Look at you, Celina,” she murmured to herself, voice trembling. “What have you done with your life?”

The question hung heavy in the bathroom’s silence.

She dressed quickly, avoiding her own gaze, shoving down the tight ache in her chest. She didn’t want to face him again. Didn’t want to talk.

She just wanted to leave.

Cracking the bathroom door, she peeked out. He was still asleep.

Even in stillness, he radiated danger.

A mystery she would never solve.

And maybe that was for the best.

She took a slip of paper from her purse, scribbling a quick note in her hurried handwriting:

That’s enough to cover the hotel.

Placing it on the bedside table, she drew in a deep breath and slipped out of the room quietly, her shoes in hand.

Cruel or not, the real world was waiting for her beyond that door.

It was time to face her life again.

Alone.