The One She Needed

NINE

ALEX

"Just be careful, dude. I know you're smitten, but she's still taken," Sam's voice crackled through the phone.

I leaned against my car, parked just outside Raquel's building, the cool night air doing little to settle the storm inside me. His warning echoed in my ears, but deep down, I'd already plunged headfirst.

"I told you, we're just friends," I sighed, pressing my fingers against my temples.

Sam scoffed. "You and Becca might not see eye to eye, but you share one thing—you both lie."

He had a way of noticing things no one asked him to.

And yet, he wasn't wrong.

Friendship was a fragile disguise for what I really wanted.

The moment I saw her, everything else faded. Sam's words became nothing more than white noise as she walked toward me, knocking the air straight from my lungs. My grip tightened on the phone.

"I gotta go," I muttered, ending the call.

I met her halfway, my arms wrapping around her the second she was within reach. Soft. Warm. The kind of comfort that made you forget all the reasons you shouldn't hold on.

She fit against me like she belonged there.

"So, Mr. Chauffeur, where are you taking me?" she teased, stepping back.

"Follow me," I said, gesturing toward the car.

She smirked. "All this time, I thought you only had a motorcycle."

I shrugged, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I liked the excuse to ride with you."

I opened the door for her, and as she slid in, I realized something ridiculous—my car was going to smell like her.

And I liked that.

***

The bar pulsed with low music, conversations weaving through the dimly lit space. Laughter hummed from couples tucked into booths, friends lingering over half-finished drinks.

Raquel sat across from me, her posture at ease, but her presence commanded the room. The soft glow from the hanging lights danced across her skin, accentuating the sharp cut of her cheekbones, the feline grace in her eyes. Her curls, usually bound, sat atop her head like a crown.

So breathtaking.

Without thinking, I reached forward, tugging at the tie in her hair. The curls cascaded down, wild and free. She turned, her gaze questioning, but I only smiled.

"I've never seen you with your hair down. Relax more."

She held my stare for a beat before her lips curved in amusement, then turned back toward the stage.

"This place suits you."

I tilted my head. "Yeah?"

"Mhm," she mused. "It's laid back. As much as I can picture you in a suit, I get the feeling you'd rather live in a leather jacket and jeans."

I chuckled, suddenly self-conscious. "You're not wrong."

She shook her head, eyes flickering to me, something unreadable there. "You remind me of someone."

The statement settled between us, heavy with meaning I couldn't quite grasp. I searched her face, but whatever she was thinking, she kept it to herself.

"I'm probably the opposite of what you're used to, then," I offered, aiming for light-hearted.

Her answer was quiet but firm. "Hmmm... yeah it's a good thing."

Draped in designer—Dolce, Louis—she belonged to a world of luxury. Yet, none of those clothes would ever truly capture her worth.

For the rest of the time we were there, we engaged in light chatter. I listened to the smooth cadence of her voice, watching the way her lips curved when she spoke, the way her fingers played absently with the rim of her glass. Every now and then, I had to fight the urge to reach out, to let my fingertips brush against hers. Instead, I clenched my hands into fists beneath the table, forcing restraint. But then she'd throw another smile my way—one of those effortless, heart-stopping smiles that hit me straight in the gut—and before I could think, the words were already leaving my mouth.

"Come on," I blurted out, pushing back my chair. "I wanna take you somewhere."

Her eyes widened slightly, curiosity flickering across her features before she nodded.

"Alright, lead the way."

***

The city stretched beneath us, a sea of golden lights flickering against the dark canvas of the night. Perched on the edge of a cliff, the air felt different here—clean, open, like the world had made space just for us.

Raquel stepped out of the car, arms crossed against the chill. "How did you find this place?"

I grabbed the six-pack from the backseat and joined her. Pulling out a bottle, I pressed it into her hands before she could object.

"You've had beer before, right?" I teased.

She eyed the bottle, then me. "Answer my question first."

I took a sip, letting the taste linger before leaning against the hood beside her.

"I used to drive out here when things got bad at home," I admitted, staring at the skyline. "One night, my mom and dad had this huge fight. He hurt her. Bad. And I... I just left. Took the car and drove. It was the only thing I could do."

Beside me, she stilled, listening. She had told me about her mother and sister before, but I had kept my own past locked away. Until now.

"Even after he left, sometimes I wonder if I could've done more."

Silence settled between us, thick and unspoken. Then, she moved.

Warm arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me in. I exhaled, resting my chin on her shoulder, breathing her in. Peace, wrapped in the scent of vanilla and something uniquely her.

I could die like this.

"So I stopped here," I murmured against her skin. "And in this open space, I can scream, curse, let it all out. And it'll listen."

She pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, something unspoken passing between us.

"Do you want to dance?" I asked, tucking a curl behind her ear, my fingers grazing her cheek.

She hesitated. A flicker of uncertainty.

I didn't let her go.

My hands slid down, tracing the curve of her waist, the dip of her hips. I felt her sharp inhale as my grip tightened. Dying to take as much as she'd let me.

"Alex..." she whispered.

My fingers tangled in her curls, tilting her head back. I pressed my lips to the delicate skin where her neck met her shoulder, savoring the way she trembled beneath my touch.

Her hands found my chest, her gaze heavy-lidded, locked on my mouth. Inch by inch, I closed the space between us.

Then, the ringing cut through the night.

Raquel stiffened. A second later, she was stepping away, pulling out her phone taking her warmth with her.

"Hey, Terrance," she answered, her voice softer than I wanted to hear.

I clenched my jaw. The name a blade lodged between my ribs.

Her gaze flickered to mine, something unreadable there before she turned away.

"Sure, I'm on my way."

Don't go.

She didn't meet my eyes as she slid into the car.

"Can you take me home?"

She didn't wait for my answer.

She already knew I would.

Even though I wanted her to stay.