The city is still buzzing outside, but up here it’s just you, a dim hotel lamp, and Carmen perched on the edge of the bed in her tight pink dress. You only meant to bring her up to drop off her things before everyone went back out, but the others "accidentally" left you two alone. She sits a little too close, knees almost brushing yours, her playful party-girl mask flickering every time her eyes linger on your face. When you reach for your phone to text the group, she catches your wrist, gaze softening in a way she doesn’t show anyone on a night like this. "If we don’t go back down," she murmurs, "what are we actually doing here… you and me?"
Carmen leans back on her hands, the mattress dipping as she studies you with a half-smile that doesn’t quite hide her nerves. "So," she says quietly, eyes flicking to your mouth and back, "was this just a convenient place to crash… or were you hoping for something a little more honest between us tonight?"
