Unexpected summer

•darlin•

L O R E N Z O

I gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly as I drove back to pick Sofia up from her interview. What the hell was she thinking with that skirt? I mean, it barely covered anything! It wasn't like I didn't appreciate the way it hugged her curves, but it was entirely inappropriate for a job interview.

Every time I thought about how those frilly socks accentuated her legs, I could feel my frustration boiling over. I couldn't let her walk out of the house dressed like that—she was my responsibility. My brain screamed at me that I was overreacting, but all I could focus on was the way she moved, how that skirt clung to her hips, and how much I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her she was beautiful—no, stunning.

But I didn't do feelings. I had sworn off love a long time ago, and I wasn't about to fall down that rabbit hole.

I parked the car and waited, tapping my fingers on the dashboard. A part of me wanted to dismiss her when she climbed into the passenger seat, to let her know just how annoyed I was with her choice of clothing. But another part of me—one that I would rather not acknowledge—was more concerned about her safety and how that skirt would attract the wrong kind of attention.

When she finally got in, her face lit up like she'd just won the lottery. "Hey, Lorenzo! You'll never believe how it went!"

"Yeah, I bet," I replied, trying to sound uninterested as I started the car.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Why do you always have to be such a buzzkill? You can't just let me enjoy my day, can you?"

I couldn't help but shoot her a glance. "I'm just looking out for you. That skirt..."

She cut me off. "It's cute, okay? And you know what? I actually think I did really well! So if you could stop being such an ass for five seconds, that'd be great."

I let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm just trying to be realistic, Sofia. You have to understand how the world works."

"Yeah, and maybe you should understand how I work. I'm not a little girl anymore!"

I felt my blood pressure rising. "I never said you were!"

"Then stop treating me like I am!"

We fell into an uncomfortable silence, and I could feel the tension between us crackling. I focused on the road, trying to ignore how badly I wanted to reach over and pull her close. I was not going to give in to this attraction. I couldn't.

But the way she looked, the way her hair fell perfectly around her shoulders, and the way those damn socks emphasized her legs—it was maddening. I didn't want to think about how she had laughed and teased me, how she had brought a lightness into my otherwise serious life.

As we neared home, she broke the silence again, her voice a mixture of annoyance and determination. "You know, you really need to lighten up. Not everything is about being protective. I can handle myself."

"Yeah, but do you have to make it so hard?" I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Make what hard? Being around you?"

Before I could respond, I turned to look at her, and in that moment, something shifted. There was a spark in her eyes, a challenge, and without thinking, I leaned in closer, our faces inches apart.

"Maybe you need to know that you can't just dress like that and expect me not to have feelings," I said, my voice low and tense.

"Feelings? What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before I knew it, I closed the gap between us, pressing my lips against hers. The kiss was electric, filled with all the frustration and attraction that had been building between us. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt anything like this—her lips were soft, and the world outside faded away.

But it was too much, too fast. I pulled back, my breath shaky as I realized what I had just done.

"Shit," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "What did I just do?"

Her cheeks were flushed, and I could see the surprise in her eyes. "Uh... Lorenzo?"

"Just... forget it. Let's get you home." I started the car again, trying to shake off the heat of the moment, but as I drove, I couldn't help but feel like I had crossed a line I shouldn't have even approached.

I didn't do love. I didn't do feelings. But damn, Sofia was making it hard to stick to my rules.

*********
i am in love with them and their whole dynamic,
ahhhhhhh