"I have waited for this, waited for you, longed for this kiss. It was worth the wait." - Unknown

Ethan

The silence of my childhood bedroom was deafening. I lay on the king-sized bed, a far cry from the twin I'd grown up with, staring up at the familiar ceiling, but all I could see was Katerina. Her smile, her laugh, the way her hand fit perfectly in mine. And that kiss… God, that kiss. It was like fireworks exploding in my chest, a jolt of pure electricity that left me breathless.

I closed my eyes, replaying the moment in my mind. The way she’d looked at me, her emerald eyes sparkling in the dim light. The way her lips had felt against mine, soft and warm and… perfect. It was just a kiss, I told myself. Just a goodnight kiss. But it felt like so much more. It felt like… a promise.

I hadn’t felt this way about a woman in a long time. Scratch that. I hadn’t *ever* felt this way about a woman. Katerina was different. She was smart funny, and beautiful. But it was more than that. There was a spark between us, an undeniable connection that I couldn’t ignore. It was a feeling I'd never experienced before.

I thought about the way she’d moved on the dance floor, so confident, so free. The way she’d laughed at my terrible jokes, her eyes crinkling at the corners. The way she’d looked at me, like she actually saw me, the real me, beneath the surface.

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I’d spent so long guarded, afraid to let anyone in. Afraid of getting hurt again. But Katerina… she made me want to open up. She made me want to take a chance. A chance I hadn't been willing to take with anyone else.

I knew it was crazy. It was just one night. One dance. One kiss. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something special was happening here. Something… real. Something I'd never felt before.

I rolled over on the king-sized bed, my heart still pounding in my chest. I couldn’t sleep. My mind was racing, filled with thoughts of Katerina. Her scent, a mix of fresh rain and lavender, lingered in my memory. I could almost feel her hand in mine, her touch sending shivers down my spine.

I wanted to see her again. I wanted to talk to her, to get to know her better. I wanted to explore this… electric connection… between us. This feeling was completely new and utterly intoxicating.

I picked up my phone and stared at the screen. I hesitated for a moment, then typed out a message.

“Hey, Katerina. I had an amazing time tonight. I can’t stop thinking about… well, about everything. Would you want to grab coffee sometime this week?”

I reread the message, then hit send. I stared at the screen, waiting for a reply. My heart was pounding in my chest. I knew I was taking a risk, putting myself out there. But I couldn’t help myself. I had to know. This feeling, this pull towards her, was too strong to ignore.

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed. I snatched it up, my fingers trembling slightly.

“Hey, Ethan. I had a great time too. I’d love to get coffee. How about Thursday?”

I smiled a wide, genuine smile that stretched across my face. Thursday. It felt like an eternity away. But it was something. It was a start. As I finally drifted off to sleep on the king-sized bed in my old room, my mind filled with dreams of emerald eyes and lavender-scented hair; I knew one thing for sure: I was Completely, utterly, and undeniably hooked.