DANTE
***
The tension that had lingered earlier seemed to dissipate, replaced by a sense of comfort and familiarity. It was as if time had reversed, and we were back in those carefree moments of our teenage years.
Diana's laughter echoed in the pizzeria, an endearing melody that resonated deep within me. Her eyes, a rich shade of brown, sparkled as she spoke. The sight alone made it difficult to look away.
There was genuine warmth in her smile, it was refreshing to see.
My eyes absentmindedly focused on little details of her features- the beauty mark near her temple, the way her lashes cast delicate shadows on her cheeks. Even the faint dimple gracing her right cheek as she smiled at me. I appreciated her beauty more and more with each feature I had rediscovered.
I couldn't help but notice the subtleties in her every gesture. Leaning back, her slender finger traced along the rim of her soda glass. I found myself captivated by the grace of her movements. A flicker of her tongue as she licked her plump bottom lip, momentarily left me breathless.
As the evening went on, and the pizza dwindled, the realization of the undeniable connection we shared lingered in the air.
Her eyes, lost in thought, fixated on the empty pizza box and her voice carried a hint of vulnerability as she reminisced. The connection we shared was unspoken yet undeniable.
When she mentioned the moments we used to share, a tinge of regret crossed her face. I could sense her hesitation.
I leaned back, studying her expressions, and deciphering the emotions in her eyes.
As our conversation ventured deeper into the aspects of our friendship she became more vulnerable.
"Friends don't kiss each other," She said, and the weight of those words settled between us.
"Diana, we had our moments, but we were kids," I admitted.
"Right." She tore her gaze away from mine, reaching for a sip of soda, visibly bothered. Her attempts to conceal her emotions were endearing yet her expression spoke volumes. Something I've always loved about her.
Sighing, I said her nickname after so long. "Ana, look at me for a moment."
She continued to ignore me.
Instinctively, my finger found its place under her chin, gently guiding her gaze back to mine. The sight of her alluring eyes provoked a longing and inexplicable desire that time hadn't erased.
As our eyes locked, I could feel the pull of something more profound than friendship. The subtle shift in her demeanor, and the anticipation in her gaze.
My gaze held hers, my own vulnerability exposed in the depths of my eyes. I had missed her, missed the simplicity of our shared moments, and her absence had left a void I never fully acknowledged until now.
Before I lost myself in her eyes, I broke the silence, "Ana, I didn't mean to make it sound like those moments we shared meant nothing. They meant everything to me, they still do. But we were young, and life took us in different directions. I didn't want to impose old feelings on the present." My casual demeanor was replaced by one of vulnerability that shocked me.
"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression," I continued, my voice carrying a weight of regret. "Those moments were real, and they mattered. Maybe I was scared to admit it, scared to acknowledge that what we had might've been more than just friendship."
Locking eyes with her seemed to compel me to speak every thought in my mind as if the truth was telling itself.
Her vulnerability mirrored my own, and I found myself compelled to close the distance between us. The silence spoke louder than words as I leaned in, my lips brushing against hers in a kiss.
With an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into my lap. As the kids deepened, she began to kiss me back with a hint of neediness and I couldn't help but wonder about the thoughts racing through her mind.
The sweetness of the soda lingered on her tongue, mixing our kiss with a heavenly taste.
As our chests brushed one another the smell of her vanilla perfume, enveloped my senses. It was subtle yet addicting. The warmth of her body radiated towards me.
A subtle roll of her hips sparked a sexual desire that was hard to suppress, whether it was selfish or not.
As we pulled away, her eyes held mine. I saw a reflection of my own feelings- A mixture of longing, regret, and unspoken desire.
We both knew the complexity of the moment, the layers of history that shaped it.
The realization dawned upon her more than it did me, and the unspoken tension continued to linger.
"Dante," She averted her gaze and licked her lips almost as if she was savoring the kiss, "You need to take me home."