The low thrum of music vibrated through the floor, up your legs, and settled somewhere deep in your chest. The bar was a chaotic symphony of clinking glasses, boisterous laughter, and the ever-present haze of cigarette smoke. Usually, the smell would bother you, but tonight, all you could detect was Carlos's familiar cologne battling with your own floral perfume.

Years. That's how long you'd known Carlos. Years of shared missions, close calls, and the unwavering camaraderie that only comes from fighting together. Everyone saw it – the easy banter, the shared glances, the way you seemed to instinctively know what the other was thinking. The jokes were relentless. "Just get married already!" Jill would tease, or "Are you two ever not together?" You always laughed it off, as did Carlos. Friendship was too precious to risk, wasn't it?

But tonight felt different.

The band surged into a salsa rhythm, and Carlos, ever the showman, pulled you onto the dance floor. You laughed, letting him lead, your hand finding purchase on his shoulder. This was normal. This was you two. But as the music intensified, something shifted. The air crackled with an unspoken energy. Your bodies moved together, a dance learned through countless drills and shared experiences. It was fluid, effortless, and suddenly, intensely intimate.

The playful banter usually peppered between steps faded. Your breaths mingled with the humid air. The music seemed to fade, replaced by the frantic beat of your own heart. Carlos's hand, normally resting lightly on your back, slid lower, settling firmly on your waist. He pulled you closer, the heat of his body radiating against yours.

Your eyes met. His were darker than usual, flecked with something you couldn't quite decipher. Anticipation? Desire? The question hung unspoken in the air between you. He leaned closer, his breath warm against your ear, and the world seemed to shrink, focusing only on the two of you.

"Mi flor," he whispered, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down your spine. "You look...stunning tonight."