The car seat still held the warmth of the day.Its woody scent, tinged with rain, seemed to wrap the air in a light, intoxicating veil.
When the door shut, my heart jumped with it.He got in a moment later, smiled briefly, and started the engine.
The low hum of the motor filled the space, and the world outside dissolved into the blurred lights of the street.No one spoke at first. The silence that followed was both comfortable and painfully awkward.
I rested my hands on my lap, pretending to be calm, though my fingers trembled slightly.I glanced at him just long enough to notice the warm orange reflections of the city painting his profile: the sharp jawline, the short stubble that was almost a beard, the focused gaze on the road ahead.
Caio looked calm, but something in the way he gripped the steering wheel told me he wasn't.Maybe it was just my imagination or maybe he felt the same storm that twisted inside me.
"Everything okay?" he asked suddenly, his tone light, teasing. "You're staring at me like you're about to eat me alive."
A nervous laugh escaped before I could stop it.
"It's just… habit. I observe a lot."
He arched one brow, the corner of his mouth curving into a smile.
That little gesture broke the strange tension hanging between us. I smiled back, and suddenly breathing felt easier.
He leaned his arm against the window, tapping his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, his expression now relaxed.
"So… Helena, the one who observes everything," he said, pausing. "What have you seen so far?"
I swallowed hard. If I said you look like art, I'd sound ridiculous.
"You're too calm," I said instead. "I thought you'd be the type who talks nonstop."
He turned, laughing softly.
"And you seemed way too nervous," he replied, glancing at my restless hands twisting in my lap.
"I wasn't nervous," I lied.
He chuckled again, easily catching my bluff.
For a few seconds, I studied him, fighting the urge to blurt out everything running through my head.
Curiosity won.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why did you ask me out?" My voice came out softer than I meant. "Last time, you seemed like you didn't even want to get close."
He didn't answer right away. The car stopped at a red light, and the crimson glow spilled across his face.I thought he might dodge the question but then he said:
"To be honest… I was interested in you from the first moment."
I turned to him too fast, earning another quiet laugh.
Realizing how obvious I was, I faced forward again, cheeks burning.
When the light changed, he went on, his tone easy:
"The first time I saw you, I thought you were cute.
"Cute?" I repeated, frowning.
"Beautiful, too," he added, laughing. "The way you looked at me… I don't know, it was different. But it didn't feel right to get involved then."
The air caught in my chest.
"And what changed?"
He drew in a slow breath, eyes fixed on the road. When he finally spoke, it sounded like a decision:"You only live once."
I didn't fully understand what he meant and honestly, I didn't care. What mattered was that he suddenly seemed willing to give us a chance.
I smiled, unable to help myself.
For a moment, the city vanished.
The hum of the engine, the passing cars, even the wind through the half-open window everything blurred into silence.
All I could hear was my heartbeat, and the faint ringing in my ears.
Before I could say anything, he smiled and changed the subject.
"Are you hungry?"
I tried to hide my inner excitement.
"Not really..."
That was the exact moment my stomach betrayed me with a loud, embarrassing growl.
He burst out laughing, leaning back against the seat.
"Okay, we're finding somewhere to eat. I'm not letting our first date end with you starving to death."
I covered my face, laughing helplessly.
"Oh God, this is humiliating."
"I'm taking it as a sign," he said with a quick sideways glance. "Like… the universe rooting for food and maybe for us."
His smile did something to me something bright and electric that settled deep in my chest.And for the first time that night, the silence that followed didn't hurt.
It was only waiting for what came next.
The diner sat on a quiet corner, its old sign glowing beneath yellow bulbs while a soft bossa-nova melody floated from somewhere inside.
It felt warm, timeless the kind of place where conversation stretches and time forgets to move.
We sat at a table on the sidewalk. The night breeze swayed the awning, and the smell of warm bread teased my already-betraying stomach, which growled again.
He tried not to laugh.
"I love this place," he said, flipping open the menu. "They make this handmade pastrami sandwich that's so good it makes you want to kidnap whoever invented it."
I shook my head, smiling. "You take food very seriously."
"Good food is like good company," he replied, winking. "You know when it's worth staying."
I pretended not to catch the hint, but the heat rising in my cheeks gave me away.
The waiter arrived, and while he ordered, I couldn't stop watching him the way he moved his hands, the easy warmth in his smile.
There was a quiet confidence about him, the kind that made you feel safe without words.
Maybe it was the place, maybe the night itself, but he looked different now less guarded, more alive.
"So," he said when the waiter left. "Where are you from? Judging by that sweet accent, definitely not from here."
"Don't be ridiculous," I said, laughing. "Born and raised in Belo Horizonte. Everyone there's born with a bit of charm."
"Ah, that explains everything." He rested an elbow on the table. "I'm from São Paulo not nearly as charming, but at least we don't serve bad coffee."
I laughed. "With lies that bad, how are you still alive?"
"Barely," he grinned.
His laugh was easy and unfairly beautiful.
The conversation flowed naturally, like it had been waiting for this moment.
I told him about my childhood, about missing home when I least expected it. Everything spilled out effortlessly.
He listened closely, eyes locked on mine as if every word was a secret meant only for him.That look made me blush again.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing. I just like hearing you talk," he said softly. "Actually… I think I'm starting to like you even more because of it."
The words hit out of nowhere.
My heart, which had just started to calm, began racing again.
He didn't let the silence linger. With a small grin, he added,"I needed this someone who speaks slowly enough that I actually want to keep listening."
My breath caught. The street noise faded like a curtain dropping.
He kept talking, as if the confession had slipped by unnoticed, and somehow the whole world seemed to gain a richer color.
We talked about everything little fears, odd habits, things that made us laugh.
I found out the dog, Amora, actually belonged to his mother, though he never said why she was with him now.
I told him about my classes, my jobs, the constant balancing act of my days.
The conversation turned into a dance unrehearsed, natural.
"Can I confess something?" he asked at last, his plate empty.
"That depends."
"You fascinate me, Helena." His voice dropped, low and deliberate. "It's not just how you talk or laugh… You don't seem like the type to chase after anyone. So why did you keep trying to get close to me?"
I didn't answer right away.Truth was I didn't really know.
From the first time I saw him, something inside me screamed to get closer. And looking back, it was probably stupid.
But sitting there now, with his calm, deep eyes fixed on mine, I knew that small act of madness had been worth it.
I smiled.
"Who knows? Maybe I just thought you were too damn handsome."
He laughed a warm, deep laugh and for a second I forgot how to breathe.
The night had grown colder.The streets were almost empty as we walked slowly along the sidewalk.Somewhere nearby, a saxophone played, soft and distant.
We didn't talk much; we didn't have to.There was something thick in the air a subtle gravity pulling us closer.
I could feel his gaze when he thought I wasn't looking, and the way his fingers brushed mine never quite touching sent sparks through my skin.
We looked at each other and laughed for no reason at all, but each laugh felt like a spark catching fire.
"What?" I asked, smiling.
"Nothing," he said, his eyes on me. "Just… you look beautiful."
I blushed, pretending to joke. "Only now?"
He chuckled, the sound low and rough enough to send a pleasant shiver through me."No. I'm sure it started the first time I saw you."
That was dangerous.
My heart was racing, and I prayed the dim streetlight would hide the color in my face.
When we reached the car, the tension had thickened, slow and deliberate.
He opened the door for me, but before I could step inside, his hand found mine.The touch was light yet strong enough to stop me.
When I looked up, his eyes were burning.
"Helena…" he said, his voice more warning than word.
I didn't answer I couldn't.
He pulled me gently, our bodies closing the distance until my back met the cold metal of the door.My breath hitched; the air between us turned molten.
His gaze traced my face like he was memorizing every line.Then his hand slid to my neck firm, almost possessive and the kiss came.
Slow at first, almost hesitant, then hungry.
My fingers gripped the fabric of his jacket, pulling him closer without thinking.I could feel his heartbeat or maybe it was mine racing between us.I didn't care. I just wanted more.
When we finally broke apart, the world spun in slow motion.The streetlights danced over the car, and the air between us trembled.
He leaned forward, resting his forehead against my neck, his breath hot against my skin.
"I should stop," he whispered and the warmth of his voice made everything even more real.
I nodded but didn't let go."You should."
He laughed softly, pulling back just enough to press his forehead to mine."You're dangerous."
"You started it."
His laugh melted into mine, and then came the second kiss deeper, truer, impossible to resist.
When he finally stepped away, he opened the door and waited, still smiling, his composure somehow intact while mine had completely unraveled.
"Shall we?" he asked.
"Yeah," I managed, my voice trembling.
As the car glided through the sleeping city, I watched the lights blur across the window's glass.I didn't know what would come next.But one thing was certain that night had changed everything.