Not that innocent

Chapter 13 - Midnight Confessions

The villa was quiet, the only sound the distant hum of the ocean outside and the soft rustle of leaves in the night breeze. Sarah lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind refusing to settle. Max's arm was draped over her waist, his breath warm and even against her shoulder. She could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slept peacefully beside her, but her own thoughts were restless, tangled in a web of conflicting emotions.

She glanced at Max, his face serene in sleep, and felt a pang of guilt. He had come all this way to see her, to be with her, yet here she was, unable to sleep, her mind drifting elsewhere. With a quiet sigh, she carefully slipped out from under his arm, trying not to wake him. She needed some air to clear her head.

The hallway was dimly lit, the soft glow from the moon filtering in through the windows. Sarah walked quietly, her feet bare against the cool floor, the silence of the house wrapping around her like a blanket. She made her way to the kitchen, hoping a glass of water might help settle her nerves.

But when she reached the kitchen, she wasn't alone.

Carlos was there, standing by the counter, a glass of water in his hand. He turned at the sound of her approach, his dark eyes locking onto hers in the dim light. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence thick and charged.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Carlos finally asked, his voice low, almost a whisper.

Sarah shook her head, feeling her heart rate quicken at the sight of him. "No. Just needed some air," she replied, her voice softer than she intended.

Carlos studied her for a moment, his gaze intense and unreadable. Then, with a small nod, he gestured to the seat next to him. "Join me?"

She hesitated for a second, but then, unable to resist the pull of his presence, she walked over to him. The room was filled with a quiet tension, a lingering energy that seemed to crackle in the air between them.

"Do you ever stop thinking?" Carlos asked, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he leaned back against the counter.

Sarah chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Not really. My mind's always on overdrive."

Carlos's smile faded slightly, his expression growing more serious. "You've been distant," he said after a moment, his voice laced with concern. "Ever since... ever since Max showed up."

Sarah looked down at her hands, unable to meet his gaze. She didn't know how to explain the confusion she felt, the way her heart seemed to be pulled in two different directions. "What? Me distant? No...," she finally said, her voice barely audible.

Carlos reached out, gently lifting her chin so that she had to look at him. His touch was warm, sending a jolt of electricity through her. "Yes you are," he murmured, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin.

Her breath caught in her throat, the intensity of his gaze making her feel like she was the only person in the world. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come. All she could do was stare back at him, lost in the depth of his dark eyes.

Before she knew what was happening, Carlos leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a feather-light kiss. The world seemed to stop in that moment, everything else fading into the background as she kissed him back. It was a slow, deliberate kiss, filled with a yearning that had been building up for far too long.

Carlos's hand slid to the back of her neck, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. Sarah's body responded instinctively, her hands finding their way to his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin through the fabric of his shirt. The kiss grew more urgent, more desperate, as if they were both afraid of what would happen if they stopped.

Suddenly, Carlos lifted her onto the counter, his hands gripping her waist as he moved between her legs. The heat between them was intense, a fire that threatened to consume them both. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, needing to feel every inch of him against her.

But just as the kiss reached its peak, a sound broke through the haze of their passion. Footsteps. Sarah's heart skipped a beat as she pulled away, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. Carlos's eyes were still dark with desire, but there was a flicker of something else in them—an acknowledgment that they weren't alone.

She turned her head just in time to see Max standing in the doorway, his expression a mix of shock and anger. The sight of him, standing there, caught her completely off guard, and a cold wave of guilt washed over her. She tried to speak, to explain, but no words came out.

Max's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he looked between her and Carlos. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Sarah's heart pounded in her chest as she scrambled to find the right words, but before she could say anything, the scene around her began to blur. The kitchen, Carlos, Max—they all started to fade away, dissolving into nothingness.

She gasped, sitting up in bed, her heart racing as she looked around. She was back in the bedroom, the soft light of dawn beginning to filter in through the curtains. Max was lying next to her, still fast asleep, his arm draped over her waist as if nothing had happened.

It had all been a dream—a vivid, intense dream that had felt so real she could still feel the heat of Carlos's touch on her skin, the lingering taste of his kiss on her lips. Sarah pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm the frantic beating of her heart as the reality of where she was settled back in.

She glanced at Max, his face peaceful and relaxed in sleep, and a wave of relief washed over her. It had just been a dream. Nothing more.