Breakfast

Artémis

Joshua drove out of the parking lot and headed toward our neighborhood. Throughout the journey, he seemed completely focused on the road, which was quite calm at that late hour of the night.

"Meanwhile, I tried to think of something to say just to start a conversation, because what I really wanted to know was if he was single and what he liked to do, the places he usually frequented... as much information as possible about him and a way to see him again.

But I couldn't talk about such personal matters when we had just met, especially considering the circumstances of how we met, in a hospital.

The drive to Jardim Paulista was too fast for my liking, and now we were already arriving on my street, and we hadn't exchanged a word since we left the parking lot.

That made me sad because how would I ever see Joshua again?

"You've been delivered, miss," Joshua joked.

I tried to smile, but I was saddened by how quickly we had arrived and the fact that he didn't seem interested in me the way I was in him. After all, Joshua hadn't started a conversation either.

"Well... thank you!" There was nothing more to say, and I held onto the door handle, about to exit the car completely discontented. "It was very kind of you to bring me home."

"I wouldn't miss the opportunity to spend a few more minutes with you, Artemis."

My heart raced like crazy in my chest, and even my ears seemed to be buzzing. I thought I was imagining things because it couldn't be possible that Joshua had just said what I think I heard.

"What?" I was foolish enough to ask.

"I think you heard me correctly," Joshua teased, and I felt lighter, almost floating now.

I tried to think of something to say, but my brain seemed to be embarrassing me today because nothing came to mind.

"You're very kind," was the most intelligent response I could articulate.

"Kindness has nothing to do with it, Artemis," he said point-blank, leaving me breathless. "Can I have your phone number?"

I think I must have fallen asleep on the hospital bench, and now I was dreaming. It was the only plausible explanation.

"Of course!" I responded excitedly, and then I tried to use a calmer and less embarrassed tone of voice. "Yes, of course."

He picked up his phone from the car's dashboard, and I eagerly waited for him to ask for my number, which I promptly provided.

"I think it's best for you to go inside, after all, it's very late for us to be out here in the middle of the street," Joshua said, as always using his common sense.

But I don't have as much common sense as he does, and I couldn't resist asking something I needed to know right now.

"Do you have someone?"

"Someone? I don't understand the question," he seemed genuinely confused.

"If you're married, have a girlfriend or fiancée... or someone you're seeing, whatever it may be!" I explained, a little impatiently.

"Is this how you ask that nowadays in Brazil?"

"You're not Brazilian?"

"I've been out of the country for the past six years, but in response to your other question... I don't have anyone," he said, despite his playful tone, his expression was serious.

"When we ask a man if he's single, he says yes..." I clarify his question. "But if he has a girlfriend or even a fiancée, he still says he's single just because he's not married yet."

"That's absurd!" Joshua truly seemed indignant.

"I completely agree..." I say, pretending to be sad just to lighten the mood.

"Now I feel like having someone, you know?" Joshua joked because I refused to believe he was being serious. "What do you think about being my someone?"

"You're kidding me, right?"

"I'm not."

"We barely know each other!"

"We can fix that if you want to..."

I stared at Joshua intently, my heart still hadn't returned to its normal rhythm, and he was already proposing something like this! It was too much for me.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's get to know each other better," he suggested. "And find out if we can be each other's someone."

I wanted to accept, but at the same time, I was afraid. After all, today was the first time we had seen each other... we knew nothing about each other, and there were so many other questions!

"Do you want to come in?" I asked, deciding to go all-in on this craziness.

"Open the garage, I need to park the car," Joshua replied with a playful response.

We both smiled at each other and without waiting any longer, Joshua was pressing his lips against mine, sending me into ecstasy with just one kiss.

One thing was certain: we had incredible chemistry, I thought breathlessly as I opened the garage.

Mariana

The first thing I felt upon waking up was pain. A lot of pain in my body. The second was a warm body clinging to mine, with arms holding me possessively as if I were about to escape at any moment.

I didn't need to look at the person behind me to know it was Ethan. After all, I remembered perfectly the previous night and everything that happened.

Still, I wished to gaze upon his sleeping face, to admire masculine beauty in all its glory, but I knew that if I even moved a little, Ethan would wake up instantly and the enchantment would be broken, for I would have to put on my mask and deal with that arrogant man the way he deserved.

So I stayed still, simply enjoying the comfort of his strong arms and the warmth of his body pressed against mine, and it was only when the urge to go to the bathroom became unbearable that I decided it was time to return to reality.

"Where are you going?" Ethan immediately asked when I tried to free myself from his grip.

"Bathroom," I explained, already getting up in a hurry.

After I finished using the toilet and brushing my teeth, I decided it would be better to take advantage of the fact that I was already there and just take my shower before returning to the room. But before that, I looked at myself again in the bathroom mirror and grimaced at how the area around my eye was bruised and swollen, with a terrible bruise.