Page 27 of Shattered Echoes

"Looks like you're about to lose again, Antonio," Colette says, a hint of triumph in her voice.

I narrow my eyes, focusing on the screen. "Not so fast," I mutter, navigating Mario through a treacherous maze of pipes with surprising dexterity. With a well-timed jump and a triumphant flourish, I land on the other side, securing the princess and the win.

Colette groans, throwing her head back in mock-frustration. "Ugh, you got lucky again!"

"Pure skill, my dear," I tease, a grin spreading across my face.

The playful banter dissolves into laughter, a genuine, carefree sound that fills the room. As we continue playing, a comfortable silence settles between us, punctuated only by the rhythmic bleeps and bloops of the game.

At some point, I realize a shift in the atmosphere. The air is charged with something more than friendly competition. While playing the game, every time our arms brush together as we lean this way and that, a jolt of electricity seems to run through me.

During one challenging level, I lean closer, my focus on the screen. But then, I realize Colette's presence near me, the warmth of her body radiating a silent invitation.

My gaze flickers from the screen to her face. She is biting her lip, her eyes locked on the game but radiating a level of sexiness I can't ignore. In that moment, something snaps. All the unspoken words, the pent-up emotions, coalesce into a single, overwhelming desire.

Before I can think, I reach out, my fingers brushing against hers. The feel of her sends a shiver down my spine. She doesn't pull away. Instead, she looks up at me, her eyes wide and searching.

The world seems to shrink. Time slows, the familiar bleeps and bloops of the game fading into the background. There is a question in her gaze, a mixture of curiosity and a hint of fear.

Does she welcome this sudden shift? Am I misreading the signals?

My hand hovers over hers, a single touch separating hesitant curiosity from a leap of faith. The weight of everything feels too heavy - my recovery, her unspoken concerns, the mess I've made of things. But in that moment, all I crave is this connection, this spark that has ignited in the quiet space between us.

"Colette," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. The name tumbles out, a plea, a question, an admission, all at once.

She holds my gaze, her lips slightly parted. "Antonio," she breathes, her voice barely a whisper.

The vulnerability in her voice, the raw emotion and hunger I hear, undo me. It isn't just the fear I'd seen earlier, but a depth of feeling I hadn't expected. In that instant, the need to confess, to explain the maelstrom of emotions swirling inside me, recedes. For now, words seem unnecessary.

With a gentle breath, I close the gap between us. My touch is hesitant at first, a brush of my thumb against her cheek, toying with a stray lock of hair. The feel of her skin gives me a warmth that spreads outwards, chasing away the lingering chill of isolation.

Her eyes flutter shut as she leans into my touch, a silent surrender. The tension in her body eases, and a soft sigh escapes her lips. Following the path my fingers have paved, I lean in further. The space between our lips is a mere whisper away. Anticipation crackles in the air.

Then, with a tenderness that surprises even me, I meet her lips in a kiss. It’s soft, exploratory, a hesitant dance of shared breaths and unspoken questions.

The taste of cake lingers on her tongue, a sweet counterpoint to the raw emotions coursing through me. It’s a kiss that holds the weight of regret, the promise of an end to loneliness, and perhaps something more.

I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and she allows me, her chest pressed against mine as my hand cups the slender curve of her waist. I lose myself in the breathlessness of that kiss, soothing old and new scars alike, if only for a few moments, stretching out into what feels like eternity.

9

Colette

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!

A jolt of electricity shoots through me as Antonio’s lips meet mine. It’s a rough, desperate kiss, a tangle of tongues and powerful emotions. My brain short circuits, everything dissolving into a hazy fog. This was not in my plans when I came here.

His hand finds my waist, pulling me closer, the warmth of his body searing through the thin fabric of my shirt. I melt into him, a part of me surprised by the ease with which I surrender. Then shame washes over me. What am I doing?

I pull away, gasping for breath. My cheeks burn, and I’m sure my face is the color of a ripe tomato. Antonio stares at me, his eyes a stormy gray, mirroring the confusion swirling inside me.me

“I…I shouldn’t have done that,” he stammers, scrambling for some semblance of composure.

“This is crazy,” I reply. “I just… I came here to see how you were doing.”

The words sound lame even to my own ears. Antonio’s gaze flickers from my face to his hand, which still rests on my waist, then back to me. A wry smile tugs at the corner of his lips.

“Yeah,” he mutters, his voice rough. “Me too.”

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