[In the Shadows of Love] ~ Pedri.Gonzalez

Chapter 20

After their romantic dance, Pedri and Emily returned to their table, still holding hands and basking in the afterglow of their special moment. Emily reached into her bag and pulled out her red lipstick, starting to apply it with a practiced hand.

Pedri watched her with a fond smile. "Red looks good on you," he said softly.

Emily finished applying her lipstick and leaned over to kiss his cheek, leaving a faint red mark. "Thank you, love," she replied with a sweet smile.

Pedri chuckled. "Oh, I bet it's stained, right?"

Emily laughed and then kissed him again, this time on his eyelids and above his eyebrows, leaving more red marks. Pedri grinned. "Oh, you like teasing, don't you?"

Emily giggled. "Maybe just a little. Let's take a selfie."

She pulled out her phone and positioned it to capture both of them in the frame. They smiled brightly at the camera, Emily's red lipstick marks visible on Pedri's face. She snapped the photo, capturing the joyful and playful moment.

As the date came to an end, Pedri drove Emily home, the soft hum of the car engine accompanying their contented silence. Just before they arrived at her house, Pedri glanced over at Emily, a thoughtful look on his face.

"You know, if I didn't have a match tomorrow, I would love for you to stay the night with me," Pedri said softly.

Emily smiled and kissed his cheek. "It's okay, Pedri. We have a lot of time ahead of us."

Pedri nodded, a gentle smile spreading across his face. He kissed her on the forehead. "Is Bella home or should I come stay with you?"

Emily chuckled. "Yes, Bella and Sarah are home. You know how girl gossip goes."

Pedri grinned. "Oh, you're going to tell them how l am the best boyfriend in the world, right?"

Emily laughed and kissed his cheek one more time. "Yeah, actually, I will," she said, then opened the car door and stepped out.

She waved goodbye as she walked to her front door, feeling the warmth of the night and the happiness of their evening together.

As Emily opened the door, she walked into the living room, smiling and giggling. Bella and Sarah, already seated on the couch, looked up eagerly.

"Oh my gosh, tell us everything now!" Bella exclaimed.

Emily sank into the couch, a dreamy expression on her face. "I'm having the best time ever," she sighed. "He's perfect and handsome and... ahhhh, I love him."

Bella grinned. "Ems, I don't want to ruin the moment, but you have to tell us what happened!"

Sarah laughed, shaking her head. "She's in her 'dululu' era," she teased.