I can't .

~16~

POV Carlos:

In the cab on the way to the hotel, y/n curled into me like she belonged there. Her head rested gently against my shoulder, her legs draped over mine, fingers playing absentmindedly with the fabric of my jacket. I let my hand drift into her hair, combing through the soft strands slowly, and each time my fingers brushed her scalp, she let out a quiet, contented hum.

"Hmm... I really like you, Carlos," she murmured, her voice sleep-heavy but sincere, almost like a secret slipping out before she could think better of it.

My heart squeezed in my chest.

It was nearly 2 a.m. when the cab pulled up in front of the hotel. The air outside was cooler than I expected, a contrast to the warmth we'd built between us all night. I paid the driver quickly, then helped her out of the cab, holding her hand like it was second nature.

As we stepped into the elevator, she leaned against me again, eyes sleepy but soft.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked, her voice quiet, almost shy.

I didn't even have to think. "Of course," I said, reaching to press the button for my floor. "I can't lose you again."

She smiled up at me, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into my chest. Her head rested there for a moment until I gently tilted her chin upward, and without another word, I kissed her. It started slow, tender, but there was something deeper underneath—something we'd both been holding in.

The elevator doors slid open behind us, but we barely noticed at first.

"Follow me, señora," I said with a playful grin, lacing my fingers with hers.

She laughed softly, the sound a little breathless, a little drunk on the moment.

At my room door, I fumbled with the key card, suddenly impatient. The second the lock clicked open, I stepped aside and let her walk in first, watching her as she crossed the threshold.

And just like that, the night felt like it had only just begun.

POV Y/N:

Carlos closes the door behind me, and instantly, the air shifts—charged, electric. My heart flutters wildly, butterflies crashing around in my stomach like they've been waiting for this moment all evening. I blink as my eyes adjust to the soft lighting in the room, the quiet contrast to the noise and energy of the club. I barely have a moment to take in the space before I feel his arms wrap around my waist from behind, grounding me in the most intoxicating way.

I turn in his embrace, my eyes finding his—deep brown, warm, and glimmering with something unspoken.

"I've missed you," he whispers against my ear, his lips grazing my skin just enough to make me shiver. His voice is low and velvet-smooth, and it sends a thrill right through me. I can't hold it back anymore.

"I want you, Carlos."

The words leave my lips before I even realize I've said them—and in the next heartbeat, he kisses me.

His mouth is firm, urgent, and everything I've been aching for. Our bodies press together as he backs me gently against the wall, our kiss deepening with every breath. His hands move along my body like he already knows the places I've longed for him to touch. When his fingers slide beneath my jaw and rest at my throat, he applies the slightest pressure—testing, deliberate. My breath catches, and a soft moan escapes me. He hears it. Feels it. Owns it.

His tongue teases the seam of my lips, demanding entry, and I give in without hesitation. He kisses me like he's been waiting months to do this—and maybe he has. There's something bold in the way he moves—dominant, sure—and I find myself melting into it, craving more.