Meu Amor

Chapter 5

"Hi, Taylor" I say, picking up my phone while closing my flat's door behind me.

"Details. Now. I want to know it all."

"Taylor, I just literally arrived home. Can't you at least wait until I've sat down, unpacked or something like that?"

"I'm afraid not. So tell me. Did you have sex with Mr. Dias?"

"No, I didn't."

"Did you make out?"

"Nope."

"Did you kiss? Touch in non appropriate ways?"

"Nothing happened, Taylor."

"Boring. What did you do then?"

"After the game we went for dinner and then he drove me back to my hotel."

"Nah... Something else must have happened."

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"That's my hotel over there" I say, pointing at the big doors.

"Let me find somewhere to park."

"Rúben, you don't need to walk me to the door. I can do it myself."

"I now. But I still want to do it."

After parking the car, he goes out to open my door.

"You don't need to do this all the time. Seriously. I can manage."

"I know you can. But let me be a gentleman, even if it's just for tonight" he says, offering me his hand.

"Fine" I reply, rolling my eyes and taking it. "But I'm not gonna twist another ankle if you let me walk on my own. I am not that clumsy."

"Are you sure?" he asks as we walk towards the hotel door, still holding hands. "I saw your legs the other day. They were covered on bruises."

"That's because I have sensitive skin, ok? I bruise very easily."

"Sure" he says, giving me a playful smile I had never seen before. If just his normal smile makes my stomach do a flip, this one makes it do a Simone Biles routine, one of those with ten jumps and twists and all that. Holy shit.

"See? Safe and sound" I say when we make it to the door, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"This may have had something to do with it" he says while lifting our hands, still together.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Are you also coming upstairs?"

"Is that an invitation?" he says, arching an eyebrow.

"I... " I mutter. Oh, my God. What did I just say?

"It was a joke, don't worry" he smiles. "I'll leave you here. I told you I know you can take care of yourself."

"Thank you" I say, my face burning.

"Good night, miss" he says, leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek.

"Good night, Rúben."

After that he starts walking away, but I stay where I am, frozen in place. Did he... Did Rúben Dias just kiss my cheek? Did that really happen? While I'm lost playing that moment over and over in my head, he turns to look at me. Just like happens on movies.

"Go inside" he mouths, laughing.

"Yeah, yeah" I say turning towards the door. But like on the movies, the moment I'm about to open it, I look back at him. And now he is the one standing in the middle of the sidewalk, his hands on his pockets, smiling. And I can't help but smile again, a fuzzy feeling on my chest.

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"So? Did something happen or not?"

"He gave me a goodbye kiss on the cheek. Happy?" I say.

"Very!" I don't know where she is, but I can hear her jump.

"Can I now go unpack, maybe take a nap and check my emails?"

"Yes, you can. Future Mrs. Dias."

"Goodbye, Taylor."