Valeria's POV

"Show me how to do it right," I whispered, the words more of a confession than a request.

Her breath hitched again. "Are you sure?" she managed, her voice so soft it felt like it was woven into the space between us.

"Yes."

She hesitated, her eyes searching mine like she was trying to read something on my face-hesitation, fear, regret. But there was none. Just the ache of needing her closer.

"Is this something you're choosing, or are you doing it because you think I-" I couldn't listen to her doubts-not when my own were screaming too loudly.

"Shut up and do it," I whispered, pressing my finger gently against her lips. She stilled, her eyes locking with mine, filled with conflict and something else-something raw and fragile.

Emilia's POV

Everything inside me was screaming to grab her and kiss her like I'd always wanted. A small part of me was terrified I wouldn't be able to stop once I started, but the bigger part was scared she'd pull away completely if she realized this wasn't what she expected. My heart raced, a wild, erratic drumbeat against my ribs, and my hands trembled slightly with anticipation.

I lifted my hand to her face, cupping her cheek softly. Leaning in, I gave her a slow, tentative peck. She didn't move, but I felt the faintest twitch of her lips beneath mine. I pulled back slightly, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it, and saw her eyes closed, her face relaxed-surrendered, like she was waiting for me.

Courage surged through me. I leaned in again, taking her lower lip between mine, and that's when her hands tightened on my legs, grounding me, sending sparks up my spine. I let go of her lower lip and moved to her upper one, savoring every second, every taste. She was sweet, sweeter than I had imagined-like honey tinged with warmth, intoxicating and addictive. When she hummed softly against my mouth, it erased any remaining doubt.

My hand slid into her hair, pulling her closer as I deepened the kiss. I bit softly on her lower lip, and that's when she jolted back, her eyes snapping open to meet mine. I couldn't tell if it was surprise, lust, or a silent promise to kill me-but God, it was a look. A look that sent heat rushing through every nerve in my body.

"Sorry," I breathed out, unsure of what exactly I was apologizing for, my pulse still racing.

Her response was immediate. "Do that again."

She leaned in, and I couldn't help but smile, nodding as heat rushed through my entire body. I couldn't believe this was happening. My body screamed for more, for all of her.

I wrapped my legs around her, pulling her closer, making sure she couldn't get away. My hands found the collar of her shirt, and I tugged her back to me, pressing my lips to hers with more urgency, more daring. Our mouths moved in sync, her rhythm hesitant but eager, like she was trying to keep up. I bit her lower lip again, and this time, she let out a soft moan that vibrated against my mouth, sending a shiver down my spine.

She tried to pull back, but I tangled my fingers in her hair, pulling her closer with my other hand. Before I knew it, I was off the counter, her arms securely wrapped around me as she carried me effortlessly. My heart raced not just from the kiss but from the feel of her strength beneath me, grounding and overwhelming all at once.

Without thinking, I licked her lower lip, seeking more. She didn't grant me access at first, and frustration mixed with desire flooded me. I broke the kiss momentarily, cupped her chin, and gently pulled it down, parting her lips slightly. I slipped my tongue into her mouth, savoring the taste of her-warm, soft, and electric-before ending the kiss with a soft bite.

Breathless, I rested my forehead against hers, trying to steady my racing heart. The kiss hadn't lasted long enough to steal my breath, but the intensity of it-of her-was overwhelming. My chest heaved, struggling to pull in enough air to match the pounding of my heart.

Then she turned, pressing me against the wall, her body fitting perfectly between my legs. The solid weight of her against me made my head spin.

"Fuck," I moaned at the sensation, unable to hold it back.

Before I could process, her lips were on mine again-demanding, dominant. My head spun, but she didn't stop. She bit my lip, not softly this time, her rawness and hunger spilling into every movement. It wasn't perfect; it was messy, unpracticed, but it was real, and I loved every second of her discovery, her boldness.

I pulled back slightly, gasping, her eyes filled with confusion.

"I need to catch my breath," I panted, my chest rising and falling rapidly.

But she didn't give me a break. Her lips moved to my jawline, trailing down to my neck, igniting fires along my skin.

"Valeria," I whispered, my mind lost in the haze of her touch.

"Your skin is so soft," she mumbled against my neck, her breath hot and sending shivers down my spine.

That's when we heard it-someone clearing their throat.

Lucia was standing with a plate of tamales, just as she had promised. Valeria looked at Lucia's stunned face, and for a moment, I expected Valeria to put me down and pull away.

But she didn't.

Instead, she looked at me.

"Are you hungry?" she asked softly, her voice gentle, a stark contrast to the intensity moments before.

"Not very much," I replied, adjusting myself. The wall was solid behind me, but it was Valeria's strong, rigid body holding me in place. In this position, it was impossible not to react.

"We won't eat now. We'll be upstairs," she told Lucia, her tone final.

She didn't put me down. Instead, she carried me away, effortlessly, as if I weighed nothing. Lucia didn't say a word, her expression frozen between surprise and amusement. I gave her a small, apologetic smile as Valeria carried me out of the room.

"Valeria, where are you going?" I giggled, though my heart was pounding. I wouldn't deny the thrill coursing through me-her boldness, her closeness, the undeniable feeling that she wanted me.

"Upstairs," she said again, her voice low and firm. Suddenly, realization dawned on me. She wasn't joking. My pulse quickened, a mix of excitement and nerves tightening in my chest. I wanted to ask her why, but I wasn't sure I was ready to hear the answer.

She moved with effortless grace, as if I weighed nothing at all. When we reached the room, she nudged the door open with her foot and kicked it closed behind us.

Without hesitation, she walked us toward the bed, sitting down with me still in her lap. She looked up at me, her gaze soft in a way I didn't often see.

I reached out, gently caressing her cheek, my fingers lingering on the warmth of her skin.

"Hey," I whispered, unsure what to do now, my heart still racing from everything that had just happened.

"Hello," she replied with a small smile, and my heart melted at the simplicity and sincerity of it.

"Hey?" I giggled softly, the tension easing just a bit.

She raised an eyebrow slightly. "Are you nervous?" she asked, her voice teasing but laced with something deeper-something genuine.

"A little," I admitted.

"Sorry, it's just..." she stopped, unsure of what to say next.

"It's new?" I asked her, trying to understand what she was thinking.

She nodded slowly, and I could tell she was a little embarrassed to admit it, like she was trying to justify her eagerness to be close.

"It's new for me as well," I said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She looked at me as if she didn't believe me, then let out a small scoff and turned her face away.

I knew exactly what she was thinking, and she wasn't wrong-I had experiences before.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, gently turning her face back to meet my gaze.

"You know what it means," she said, a flicker of anger in her eyes, immediately erasing the softness from earlier.

"Just because I was with other people before doesn't mean I felt the same with them. This is intense and different for me. I never felt this strongly before," I said, trying to reassure her.

She bit the inside of her cheek, clearly not fully believing me, but I didn't want to push further.

I leaned in, pressing my lips back on hers. She immediately started kissing me back, and I let her take control. God, the way her lips moved on mine drove me crazy. I needed more of her. I didn't know how or when, but my hips started rocking slightly against her body, and I didn't notice until her hands moved from my waist to my lower back, pulling me closer, pressing my body to hers.

I moaned, my nails digging deeper into her back.

"Valeria," I whispered against her lips.

"What?" she asked innocently, unaware of how close to the edge she was sending me.

I looked into her eyes, trying to find the words, but all I could do was let my forehead fall against hers, breathing heavily. My fingers traced the line of her jaw, memorizing every inch, every detail.

"I..," I whispered.

She pulled me tighter, her eyes darkening with something I couldn't name.

"Shh" she murmured. "Just for a while longer, princess," she murmured against my lips, her voice low and husky, sending shivers cascading down my spine. The nickname didn't feel like teasing anymore. It felt like a secret, whispered just for me, wrapped in warmth and longing.

Her lips trailed down to my neck, leaving a searing path of open-mouthed kisses. The heat of her breath, the soft scrape of her teeth against my skin-it was overwhelming, addictive. Just when I thought it couldn't get more intense, her tongue traced a slow, torturous line along the curve of my neck, and I felt my knees weaken even though I was still perched on her lap. Her fingertips slipped under the hem of my shirt, feather-light touches skimming over my skin, sending sparks shooting through me.

"Val..." I whimpered, not even sure what I was asking for-just needing something, anything. She hummed against my skin, the vibration melting into me, pulling another breathless gasp from my lips.

"What are we doing?" I managed to ask, my voice a shaky whisper. She wasn't taking things further, but she wasn't stopping either. We were suspended in this limbo-somewhere between too much and not enough. My body was screaming, my mind racing. Was this foreplay? Just making out? Whatever it was, the not knowing was both exhilarating and torturous.

"You said I can do what I want, right?" she panted softly against my collarbone, her lips brushing the words into my skin like a brand.

"I did," I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest so hard it almost drowned out my voice.

"Okay then. I like doing this. Let me do it-and stop complaining," she shot back, her lips crashing into mine again with a fierceness that stole the air from my lungs.

The minutes blurred, each second an eternity of her touch, her taste. Her hands roamed like she was memorizing me, not rushing but not hesitating either. My skin felt like it was burning, hypersensitive to every brush of her fingers, every graze of her lips. My breathing grew ragged, erratic, my heart a wild drumbeat beneath her touch. It was too much and not enough all at once.

When she finally broke the kiss, her face resting in the crook of my neck, I ran my fingers through her hair, savoring the warmth, the closeness-the intimacy I had been craving since the day I met her. It felt fragile and infinite all at once.

Then she lifted her head slightly, her breath still uneven. "What are your rules for eating in this room?" she asked, glancing around like we hadn't just been lost in each other moments ago.

I blinked, trying to catch up, then laughed softly. "We can if you want to. This is your space as much as it's mine now."

Her eyes softened at my words, and she gave me a small nod. "Okay. I'll go get us some food, then I'll come back," she said, leaning in to press a quick peck to my lips. But she paused, hovering for just a second longer, then gave me another kiss-this one lingering, like she couldn't help herself. Her hand slid to the back of my neck, and she pulled me in for one more-deeper, slower, stealing my breath all over again.

I giggled against her lips, my heart feeling light and heavy all at once.

"Fine, fine. I'm going," she mumbled, a hint of a pout tugging at the corner of her mouth that nearly made me pull her right back. God, she didn't even know how adorable she was when she did that.

"I... will take a cold shower," I confessed as I slid off her lap, my body still buzzing, feeling like a live wire.

"Okay," she replied, completely unaware of the effect she had on me-which only made it worse. Doubt crept in, whispering that maybe she wasn't as affected as I was. Maybe I was the only one spiraling, drowning in this mess of feelings and want.

She disappeared into the hallway, her absence like a sudden chill. I stood there for a beat, trying to steady my breath, my heart still racing. Then, without thinking, I opened my drawer, grabbed my vibrator, and headed toward the bathroom.

"God, Valeria," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head with a breathless laugh. "You're going to murder me one day."