souled out

“Alexandria,” he said, his voice low, deliberate, each word carved from the ache in his heart. “I don’t know how to trust this yet. I want to—God, you have no idea how much I want to—but you broke something in me.” His grip tightened, not out of anger, but as if holding her closer could stitch together the pieces of what they’d been. “I love you. I never stopped, not even when I was drowning in what you did. But this… this can’t be like before. We can’t just slap a bandage on it and pretend the wounds aren’t there.”

He leaned his forehead against hers, their breaths tangling in the small space between them, warm and uneven, a fragile thread tying them together. The storm outside howled, lightning cracking like a whip, but in that moment, the world shrank to just them—two broken people standing on the edge of something worth salvaging, if they could find the courage. “I’m willing to try,” he whispered, his voice splintering on the words. “But it’s gotta be different. Real. No more secrets, no more lies, no more running from the hard stuff. Just us—raw, messy, honest. Can you do that, Alex? Can you stay, even when it hurts?”

His thumb brushed her cheek, catching a tear that slipped free, its warmth lingering on his skin. He tilted her chin up gently, forcing her to meet his gaze, his eyes searching for the truth in hers. “I need to know you’re in this,” he said, softer now, almost a plea. “Because I can’t lose you again. I won’t survive it.” His voice cracked, and he swallowed hard, the vulnerability stripping him bare. Then, drawn by a pull he couldn’t resist, he leaned in, capturing her lips in another kiss—slow but hungry, a tentative promise laced with longing, as if he could pour every unspoken hope and fear into the press of their mouths. The storm’s rumble filled the silence, and Henry waited, heart hammering against his ribs, for her answer—knowing it could either rebuild them from the ashes or shatter what little was left of him.

"I'll stay, I promise you." Blue with blue, she held his gaze even though it was stripping her bare. "I promise." Again, it was a promise to him and herself. "I can't promise you perfection but I promise I'll stay. I'm sorry" She held his face, a smile engulfed by tears, half sad, half happy. Could they make it after this? Would he ever trust her again? Would she ever trust herself with his heart again?

The kiss was received with a tug at his shirt, heart beating fast almost in disbelief he was actually willing to forgive her. Alexandria had made her peace with losing him, she'd accepted that she had fucked things up so much that there was no going back. So this, him saying these things and kissing her lips felt like a dream too good to be true and she had to keep touching him to remind herself it was reality.

"I missed you." Was all she said after the kiss, putting some space between them to look at him. "I missed your face." Thumbs brushed his jawline, smile not so sad anymore, more nostalgic. "Do you want me to make you some tea?" The usual question, Alexandria would always offer to make him some tea before bedtime or offer to pour him some whisky, depending on the mood.

Let’s see how the rest of the night goes.

Happily taking the cold glass in one hand, his in the other, Ronnie turned to guide them through the sea of moving bodies.She was conflicted by her choices: keep dancing with him while slowly sipping her drink, move them to a side table to chat or immediately take him home - it was getting late, afterall. Before she could fully decide, one of her girlfriends found her with a smile. A side hug, assurance that everyone was okay and kiss on the cheek later and they were moving on again. Finally, they ended up at the edge of the crowd toward the tall mini tables where Ronnie could lean against - taking some weight off her heels. 

“I’m not,” she answered, stepping forward, chin raised toward his ear. “Soy aqui con mi amigas. So you answer your underlying question, I am single.” Ronnie took a step back to smirk up at the man. The tip of her tongue found the top of the straw. Using it to lead her mouth to close over the straw, she took in a small swig from the cold drink. “What are you going to do about that?”

Brown eyes focused on the woman in front of him, listening to her words but eyes following the movements her lips made, from words to dares. Eyebrow raised ever so slightly at the same time his sight did, holding her gaze confidently, without any intimidation or shyness. He narrowed them and raised his chin, a chuckle escaping him, genuine and entertained by her. Confident, she's confident. Good.

"¡Guau! You're gonna make me shy!" His words were light but his gaze wasn't, taking a sip of the drink but never breaking eye contact. "Whatever you want, you're the boss." He did step forward to cut some of the distance between them, her perfume hitting his nostrils and reminding him just how much he loved women. He did feel something different about Ronnie though, was it her shiny eyes full of mischief or the way the air between them could probably be lit on fire with a match? Maybe both. Definitely both.

"I do have a suggestion, though." Hand found the small of her back again, pulling her close to him, mouth to her ear. Fingers moved her hair out of the way behind her ear and he had a clear vision of a place his lips would like to explore, to start. "We can stay here and keep pretending like you're not dying to ride me or we can leave. Te dejaré decidir."

Ronnie stripped out of her beach dress, revealing her string bikini - heavy on the string. She then bent down to grab the towel out of her bag. That was when she felt Juli's arms wrap around her frame to be thrown over his shoulder. "Julián Acevedo! Bajame! Ahora!" Ronnie had a routine: lay towel, put on light sunscreen, then go in the water before tanning and reading. She should know there was no such thing as routine with Juli around.

Knowing there was only one outcome to happen, Ronnie weighed her options on her answer. Speak the truth…or playfully lie…"Is that the worst that'll happen? I don't know if that's a deal breaker to admit something like that." A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips at her answer.

Wow. Cabrón. The man stopped himself mid thought, pulling himself back to reality and quite literally running from it in a metaphorical way. "Dímelo tu, mami." He could barely recall her words, brown eyes lost in the way her glossy lips moved, so inviting. Tattooed hands tightened around her to secure her but also to pull her closer to his skin. Even though they were glued, it didn't feel like close enough and even when he was inside of her, it still didn't feel close enough. Maybe it was the kind of hollow that could only be filled with feelings and closure instead of skin to skin. What the hell is wrong with you today?

"I'll spare you." In a moment, he put Ronnie down, letting her body brush against his while going down and dove in to cool off his mind, his soul and everything else in between. He came up some seconds later, a couple inches away, curls dripping wet and water splashing around his shoulders. "How was work today?" An odd question out of nowhere.

Not that Julián didn't question her about her day and life but even he recognized the sudden shift in energy. He was great at faking everything except how he felt inside. Still, he'd brush it off and give some weak excuse even if he knew that Ronnie could read him. And he absolutely hated it. He hated feeling naked with clothes on.

BAD BUNNY

“Always like this?” he murmured, his voice low, a velvet edge to it that matched the intensity in her wide, doe-like eyes. He leaned in just a fraction, enough for his breath to ghost over her lips, close but not quite touching, letting the sting of that distance linger. “Only when I’m standing in front of someone who can keep up.” His gaze flicked down to her lips, then back to her eyes, holding her there, unflinching, as if he could see straight through her carefully crafted confidence to the racing heart beneath.

Her question about what else he’d like to steal hung in the air, and he let it simmer, his hand finding her waist, fingers grazing the curve of her hip with a deliberate lightness that belied the fire in his touch. “Oh, Alexandria,” he said, her name rolling off his tongue like a secret he was savoring, “I’m not here to steal anything you’re not dying to give.” His thumb brushed against her side, slow and teasing, matching the rhythm of her fingers at his neck. “But if we’re talking theft…” He tilted his head, mirroring her, his lips so close now he could feel the heat of her breath. “I’d start with that smirk of yours. It’s dangerous. Makes me want to see how much bolder you can get.”

His free hand lifted, hovering near her cheek, not quite touching, letting the anticipation build. “Does it usually work?” he echoed, his voice dropping to a near whisper, rough with intent. “You tell me. You’re the one pressing closer.” His eyes searched hers, catching the flicker of vulnerability behind her bravado, and it stirred something in him—a need to push, to see how far she’d let this game go. “But I’ll let you in on a secret,” he added, his lips curling into a softer, almost unguarded smile. “With you? I’m not playing to win. I’m playing to keep you right here.” His fingers tightened slightly on her waist, grounding them in the electric tension, daring her to make the next move.

She had to catch her mind and pull herself back to reality, his voice echoing in her brain, the feeling of his fingertips digging ever so slightly into her hips made her warm up from the inside out. "You're so good with words." A dare, almost, gaze never leaving his even though she felt like running. The way Henry stared at her made her feel naked, he undressed her with his eyes and that was a tricky game she could so easily fall into and not know how to climb back out. "I'm sure it does usually work." A whisper, speaking but too distracted by his smirk, the scent of his cologne involving her in an embrace.

Alexa had totally forgotten her hand around his neck, too lost in the feeling, their chest colliding as breathing got heavier. It bothered her that Henry hadn't closed the distance between their lips but then again, that was probably very intentional. Good thing Alexandria wasn't afraid of going after what she wanted in both business and pleasure.

Fingers pulled him down by the neck, lips catching his, a quiet type of hunger. She used the free hand to support herself against the bar, guiding him closer, wanting him closer even though it wasn't physically possible anymore. God, she just wanted him to touch her properly, soft little pokes weren't enough and she was so sure he was capable of much more. A smile between kisses, wondering what the hell she was doing kissing this man but somehow it felt right. The alcohol was also doing its job, her head and body feeling light, words flowing without care. "Why don't you touch me properly?" This one was definitely a dare.

She took in his scent as he neared - enclosing her between him and the door. Mint flowed from his breath, masking what was the smell of her not too long ago. A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips at the memory.

Ronnie's head shook - keys jingling while locking up before joining Juli. "Count your blessings for that miracle." Living next to the ocean certainly had its perks - one of them is the immediate feeling of home washing over her, clearing the slight annoyance held from Juli taking so long. The warm rays of the sun warmed her skin bringing a smile to her face … and watching Julián struggle to get his towel down - from the wind pushing it back toward him - made it grow bigger.

She dropped her things down and grabbed the other side of his towel, helping to station it on the sand. "You're such a kid, you know that?"

"Diablo, this fucking towel." Breathing out through his nostrils, he looked genuinely infuriated for a moment before returning back to his element, lips curving into a smile. The wind wasn't even that strong, he was just a dumbass who couldn't lay a towel down. But to compensate, he laid other things down pretty well.

Shirt was already unbuttoned so all he had to do was slide out, chanclas were thrown on the sand too. "You're taking too long." He didn't specify what he meant by words but it was clear when he bent down to put her over his shoulder, sprinting towards the water, one hand behind her knees, the other on her ass for extra motivation, not for her, for himself.

In a second, Julián was inside the water uip to this knees but didn't drop Ronnie in, as expected. He held her there, ignoring her protesting. He gripped her thighs, facing her while holding her over the water. A giggle, the type that would make you forget why you're mad at him. A forearm around her back then a hand on her ass, again, he couldn't help it. "So? Tell me I'm the hottest guy you've ever met and I won't drop you." Another chuckle, clearly finding his own words amusing and ridiculous.

Heat ignited her skin wherever he touched.Fingertips stayed on her hips - palm on the small of her back but respectful all the same. It didn't surprise her, though. Something about his energy from the moment her dark hues laid upon him Ronnie just knew.

A drink? Now? When she was on the verge of losing herself in the bass, movements and the feeling of him being close. But as she thought about it - just before opening her mouth to make a snarky comment - Ronnie determined she could use something cold. "Si." Ronnie leaned into his ear, getting close enough for her hot breath to tickle his neck. "Un mojito, por favor." She turned to make her way toward the bar, hand leisurely in his, pulling him along with her yet again. "I'm Veronica, by the way. Ronnie to my friends." They reached the bar. "Consider me a friend."

Still, he'd been raised right. He remember several lectures from his father telling him that women were the foundation of everything and for that, they deserved all the respect in the world. And his father practiced it, Juli had grown up with two loving parents and perhaps that's why he was so full of love himself. Often times, he had no idea where to put it. Even if the women were just turistas in his life, he showed them affection and the respect that had been so intentionally spoken into him by his parents. And that kind of treatment left a mark, the women often calling him up months, even years later. But Julián never replied. Navigating feelings wasn't something he was good at, he sure tried, but the young man was too carefree and spontaneous to settle down. At least that's what he told himself late at night when his bed was empty and phone full of unread texts.

"Julián." He gave a hand for her to shake, tattoed fingers inviting her in. "You can call me Juli, that's what friends call me. And we are now friends, so." He only broke the gaze to order for her and then the fifth... Sixth? Sixth drink, for himself. Rum with coke, as always. "Gracias." He thanked the bartender while paying, clearly also a friend, who made a snarky comment when Julián didn't accept the change. Then offered the mojito to Ronnie carefully to not spill it on her. He was not sober anymore. "Dale mami, you guide us, wherever you wanna go." He'd follow, figuring she was an expert around and on dancefloors, he could just tell.

So he did follow, one hand holding hers, hovering above her, other hand holding his drink, occasionally interacting with people they passed on the way to the center of the dancefloor. The energy was insane, everyone was having a time, bodies moving, sweaty skin shining under the lights, he could feel the beat in his chest and eardrums. "What are you doing here alone?" Voice in her ear, bending down, chewing his gum like he was on top of the world. The question was a test because he didn't want the smoke. What if she had a man and he was around? He was in no shape to fight and also, he kinda did not fuck with cheating. Surely, a girl like her had to have someone, right? But then again, a guy like him should too and he, did not, in fact, have someone. Not at the moment.

"Was she always hard to deal with?" Cassie blurted out. If not for her own curiosity, but to determine whether his girlfriend's attitude began before or after Cassie's return to the small town. From their previous Facetime conversations she couldn't remember if they were having issues before. "Or is this something that started ever since I came back and you started spending more time away from her?"

Her hand found the remote, unmuting the tv to find something … stupid. Their definitions of 'stupid' were vastly different but still she looked in the Netflix catalog. "What do you mean this isn't on me? I'm your best friend, you're supposed to vent to me."

"Not that it matters. She's... You know I don't like calling women crazy but she really is, Cass, she really is crazy." The fact Eric was part of the police department made it ironic but then again, that's how him and Rebecca had met. A journalist, always sneaking around for information until her eyes had landed on Eric. It was perfect. He was way more attractive than anyone in the police department and he was on the first line of disappearances and any weird stuff that was going on in their small town. And Eric was often oblivious to when people were taking advantage of him, cons of having a good heart.

"I know but you have so much on your plate already, I don't want to add any more weight to you." Head turned to look at her, arm stretching along the couch's headrest, reaching for her, an invitation. "You're way too far away, do I smell? I showered today."

Veronica had arrived with her best friend, Valerie, and a few other girlies. Equipped with nothing but her phone and ID, the woman scoped out for the desperate looking men ready to open their wallets for a pretty smile. No doubt her usual routine. Why waste her own money when men were so willing to buy her drinks for five minutes with her charming personality? In the process of jumping from guy to guy, dancing with her friends, getting more drinks, Ronnie's eyes landed on a dazzling face attached to a stunning body. Out of respect for a possible partner, her eyes periodically looked for him, watching as he spoke with random people. He watched the crowd, too. Once she felt comfortable that he was up for grabs, heading to the bar, Ronnie turned to her friends with a goodbye.

Hunting him down like the tigress she was, Ronnie approached with a hand on his chest to immediately grab his attention. Her toothy grin only grew at his obvious reaction to her boldness. "Hola Bombón," Ronnie greeted. Just as she spoke, the DJ began mixing - drowning her voice in the shouts and hollers from the crowd showing their appreciation for the new song. When the man leaned forward, offering his ear her smile only grew bigger. Ronnie giggled. "Quiero bailar?" He did; there was no need to wait for an answer. With a slip of her hand in his, Ronnie guided him toward the dancing crowd, back to them so she could keep an eye on his angelic face.

Hands found her waist like second nature, like they'd always belonged there. He had no problem closing the distance between them, the fabric of her white dress against his necklace framing the unbuttoned shirt perfectly. He didn't speak on purpose, holding her gaze under shifting, colorful lights, each flash revealing a different side of her and he was infatuated by it all.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Respectful. It was the least he could do after being approached so gently. Grin was still fully on but it was softer, the fourth- fifth? Fifth drink turning his cheeks a slight hue of pink under tanned skin. "What do you want? I'll get you anything." Juli didn't wait for her answer, accent thick with intention, mimicking her actions previously but he did not put any space between them, speaking in her ear, hands gripping her sides softly.