"Maxuel : Professional Luella's Teaser and Trouble Maker

PART 5

The party was in full swing, and despite her best efforts, Luella couldn’t shake the feeling that tonight was different. It wasn’t just the music or the flashing lights — it was the way Maxuel kept showing up in her peripheral vision, his presence too noticeable, too magnetic. She could feel his eyes on her every time she moved, like he was waiting for her to make the first move.

But she wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. She was *not* going to let him get under her skin again.

Or so she thought.

The slow song that had started earlier was still playing, and the crowd around her had thinned as people swayed to the music, lost in their own little worlds. Luella stood by the punch table, nursing her drink, trying to focus on something — anything — other than the feeling that kept pulling her toward Maxuel. She could hear his voice, see his grin, but she refused to acknowledge it.

At least, that was the plan.

Suddenly, there was a presence beside her. She didn’t even have to look up to know who it was. The familiar scent of his cologne and the faint sound of his boots on the floor gave him away.

“You’re avoiding me again,” Maxuel’s voice said, smooth as ever, but there was a hint of something else in it. Curiosity. Or maybe something a little deeper.

Luella took a slow breath, trying to steady her heartbeat, which had suddenly started to race. She turned her head, meeting his eyes. “I’m not avoiding you,” she said, but her voice was quieter than she intended. “I just don’t want to deal with you tonight.”

Maxuel chuckled softly, his gaze never leaving hers. “Is that so?” He took a step closer, his proximity enough to send a ripple of tension through her. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re kind of... drawn to me.”

Luella felt her cheeks warm. She wasn’t about to admit it — not to him. “You’re just imagining things,” she muttered, hoping her voice didn’t betray her.

Maxuel smiled, his smirk turning into something more genuine. “If I’m imagining things, then why do you keep coming back? You know you can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Before she could respond, Maxuel reached forward, gently touching her arm. It was a light, teasing touch at first, but it sent a shock through her body, making her skin feel like it was burning. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him, and in that moment, something shifted. All the teasing, all the tension, all the games — it was like they didn’t matter anymore. There was just this... connection.

And without thinking, she stepped closer to him.

The music continued in the background, but it felt like the world had slowed down. The noise, the lights, the people — it all faded into the distance as Maxuel leaned in, his lips hovering just inches from hers. She could feel his breath against her face, warm and steady.

For a moment, neither of them moved. It was as if time itself had paused, waiting for her to decide.

She could pull away. She could push him back and walk away, keeping her walls up like she always did. But when his eyes locked onto hers — dark, intense, unreadable — she realized she didn’t want to pull away. Not this time.

Slowly, hesitantly, she closed the distance between them.

Maxuel’s lips brushed against hers, just a soft, fleeting touch. It was a gentle kiss, almost as if he was testing the waters, waiting to see if she would pull back.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she deepened the kiss, closing her eyes as the rush of warmth and electricity surged through her. His hands found their way to her waist, pulling her a little closer, and Luella could feel the heat of his body, the intensity of the moment.

The kiss was hungry, urgent, and full of unspoken words — all the teasing, the banter, the sparks between them now exploding into something more. She could feel her heart racing in her chest, her thoughts scattering, leaving nothing but the sensation of his lips against hers.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless. Maxuel’s hands were still on her waist, his forehead resting against hers. His eyes were darker than before, and there was a new look in them — something that told her this wasn’t just another joke.

Luella took a shaky breath, trying to find her words. “That wasn’t… what I expected,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Maxuel grinned, the familiar cocky smile returning. “I think that’s the understatement of the century.”

But there was no mistaking the way his hand lingered on her waist, or the way his thumb brushed against her skin like he didn’t want to let go. “You’ve got me intrigued, Luella,” he murmured. “You always have.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in his voice, and she realized, maybe for the first time, that things had changed between them. It wasn’t just teasing anymore. It was something else. Something deeper.

She took a step back, her mind still spinning. “I don’t know what to do with you,” she admitted, her voice quiet.

Maxuel laughed softly, his grin still there, but there was something softer in his eyes now. “Maybe you don’t have to do anything. Maybe I’m the one who has to figure it out.”

With that, he gave her a wink and a small smile before stepping back into the crowd, leaving her standing there, trying to process everything.

Luella stood still for a moment, her hand subconsciously touching her lips. It was like the kiss had short-circuited her brain. She had no idea what had just happened, but one thing was for sure: things between her and Maxuel were definitely *not* the same anymore.

And maybe, just maybe, that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.