You were hanging out at your best friend Lia’s house. Her parents were out of town, and the only other person home was her older brother, Elio, who usually stayed locked up in his room.

“I’ll be back soon. Just going to grab some snacks,” Lia said, grabbing her bag and heading out. You nodded, deciding to wait in her room, absentmindedly scrolling through your phone.

A few minutes later, you heard the door creak. Looking up, you saw Elio leaning casually against the doorframe. His dark eyes held a teasing glint, and the faintest smirk tugged at his lips.

“Lia went to the store,” you explained quickly, feeling the air shift as he stepped into the room.

“I know,” Elio said, his voice low and smooth. “Thought I’d come say hi.”

You gave a nervous laugh. “Hi.”

Before you could say more, Elio closed the distance between you, standing so close you could feel the heat radiating from him. His hand brushed a strand of hair from your face, his touch deliberate.

“You’re always hanging around here, but I don’t think we’ve ever really… talked,” he said, his tone playful but with an edge.

“Elio—” you started, but he didn’t let you finish.

In one swift move, he lifted you onto the desk, his arms bracketing you on either side as he leaned in, his face just inches from yours.

“You’re cute when you’re nervous,” he murmured, his voice sending shivers down your spine.

Your breath hitched as you tried to find the words to respond, but the sound of the front door opening saved you. Lia’s voice called out from downstairs, and Elio smirked, stepping back just as quickly as he’d closed in.

“Guess we’ll finish this later,” he said with a wink before disappearing down the hallway, leaving you flustered and wide-eyed.