Almost

Cara Bennett awoke to the sharp sting of sunlight piercing through half-drawn blinds. Her head throbbed as she blinked against the morning glare, trying to piece together where she was. The last thing she remembered was the bass-heavy music from Club Fuego and the taste of neon cocktails. Slowly, the fuzziness lifted, and her senses sharpened.

Her fingers brushed the unfamiliar fabric of expensive linen sheets. She was in a bed—large, plush, and decidedly not her own. Instinctively, she tensed, sitting up, scanning the room. Modern decor, minimalistic, with clean lines and muted colors. Not a hotel, not her apartment, but—

The bathroom door swung open with a soft creak, and out stepped Ethan Graves. The sight of him—bare-chested, freshly showered, with nothing but a towel wrapped loosely around his waist—was enough to knock the remaining fog from her mind.

He stood there, towel slung low on his hips, water droplets still glistening on his toned chest. His hair was damp, darker than usual, and it clung to his forehead. For a beat, Cara couldn't tear her eyes away. It wasn't the first time she'd seen a man in such a state of undress, but there was something different about Ethan—something that made her pulse quicken, made the room feel smaller, the air thicker.

"Well, good morning, sunshine," Ethan teased, running a hand through his hair. His voice was low, laced with amusement. He must've noticed her staring because the corner of his mouth quirked up in a knowing smile. "You looked pretty comfortable. Thought I'd let you sleep in."

Cara blinked, pulling the sheet closer to her chest, suddenly aware of her own disheveled state. She was still in her clothes from the night before, though her jacket and boots were nowhere to be found. "Where the hell am I?" Her voice was rough, a combination of sleep and residual alcohol.

"My place," Ethan said casually, crossing the room to grab a shirt from a nearby chair. "You were pretty out of it last night after the club. I couldn't just leave you like that, so I brought you here."

"You brought me here?" Cara repeated, her tone a mix of disbelief and something she didn't want to acknowledge as embarrassment. "Why didn't you just—"

"Call a cab? Drop you at your place?" Ethan interrupted, pulling the shirt over his head. His eyes met hers, steady and calm. "Because, Cara, you could barely walk in a straight line. I wasn't about to let you fend for yourself in that state."

Cara huffed, rubbing her temples. "I was fine. I've handled worse."

"Sure, you have," Ethan replied, his tone light but his gaze sharp. "But you're welcome, anyway."

There was an undeniable tension in the air now, an undercurrent that neither of them could ignore. Cara shifted under the sheets, trying to reassemble her fractured memory. Bits and pieces came back—dancing, laughing, and then, Ethan. He'd shown up at the club, looking so out of place in his serious demeanor, and from there... well, everything was a blur.

She glanced at Ethan again, his back now turned as he buttoned his jeans. She could still feel the remnants of last night's thrill, a wild mix of freedom and danger that had propelled her through the chaos of the club. And yet, here she was, in Ethan's bed, not entirely sure how she felt about it.

"So..." Cara began, her voice a little steadier now. "What happened after the club? I don't remember much after we left."

Ethan chuckled, tossing his towel onto a nearby chair. "Not much, really. You were tipsy, I offered to give you a ride, and then you knocked out in the car. Brought you here, laid you down, and that's about it."

Cara narrowed her eyes, studying him. "And you didn't try anything?"

Ethan turned to her with an incredulous look, as if the question itself was an insult. "Give me some credit, Bennett. You think I'm that kind of guy?"

Cara let out a breath, leaning back against the headboard. "No, I guess not. Just... checking."

Ethan smiled, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "You're not usually this cautious."

"Well, waking up in someone else's bed does that to a girl," Cara shot back, her lips quirking into a smirk.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, walking over to the edge of the bed. He sat down, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight. "If I'd known you'd be this grumpy in the morning, I might've let you sleep it off on the couch."

Cara rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but let a small smile slip through. "Oh, please. I'm delightful."

"Sure," Ethan drawled, leaning back slightly, his gaze fixed on her. "You're a real joy to be around. The life of the party."

She raised an eyebrow at his sarcasm but couldn't deny the playful glint in his eye. There was something about their banter that felt natural—like it had always been there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for moments like this to surface.

"And here I thought you liked a challenge," Cara replied smoothly, meeting his gaze.

Ethan's expression shifted, softening just a touch. "I do," he said quietly, his voice lower now, almost intimate. "But you're more than just a challenge, Cara."

The air between them thickened, the playful mood giving way to something heavier, more charged. Cara felt her pulse quicken, her heart thudding in her chest. She hadn't expected this—hadn't expected Ethan to look at her like that, like he could see through all the layers she kept carefully constructed. Had he sniffed something shady about her? And now he was messing with her in order to catch her off guard, she had heard that was his extreme way of catching his targets

"What are you doing, Graves?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan didn't move, didn't break eye contact. "I don't know. You tell me."

For a moment, neither of them said anything. The room seemed to shrink around them, the distance between them feeling more like a thread stretched tight, ready to snap. Cara's mind raced, trying to make sense of the emotions swirling inside her—desire, confusion, vulnerability.

Ethan leaned in slightly, just enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. His eyes flicked down to her lips, then back up to meet hers, and Cara felt her stomach flip. Her breath hitched, and for a split second, she considered closing the gap, considered letting herself get swept up in whatever this was between them.

But then, just as quickly as the moment had arrived, Cara pulled back. She turned her head slightly, breaking the spell, and let out a shaky breath. "We can't do this," she said, more to herself than to him.

Ethan exhaled, the tension in his body easing as he pulled away. He didn't look disappointed, just thoughtful. "Why not?"

Cara swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Because it's complicated. You're... you. And I'm... well, me. We've got too much baggage."

"Baggage doesn't scare me," Ethan said softly, his eyes still locked on hers.

"Maybe not," Cara replied, running a hand through her tangled hair. "But it scares me."

Ethan was silent for a moment, as if weighing her words. Then, with a small sigh, he stood up from the bed and grabbed his watch from the nightstand. "Alright. I get it."

Cara watched him, a strange mix of relief and regret churning inside her. She wasn't sure if she'd made the right call, but then again, when had anything in her life ever been simple?

Ethan turned to her with a crooked smile, a flicker of that teasing spark returning to his eyes. "You know, if you ever decide you're ready for a little chaos, you know where to find me."

Cara snorted, though the humor didn't quite reach her eyes. "Chaos is my middle name, Graves. You wouldn't know what to do with me."

"Oh, I have some ideas," Ethan replied with a grin, heading toward the door.

Cara shook her head, trying to suppress the laugh bubbling up inside her. He had that effect on her—always keeping her off-balance, always making her question what she thought she knew about herself.

As Ethan reached the doorway, he paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "By the way," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "you can trust me, Cara. No matter what happens."

Cara's heart clenched at his words, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she just nodded, watching as Ethan disappeared down the hallway, leaving her alone with her thoughts and the lingering warmth of the moment that had almost been.

Almost.

The room suddenly felt too quiet, too empty without him. But Cara knew that was for the best. For now, anyway.