Chapter thirty-three
The Oasis
Summer 1922
Have you ever been kissed before?
T he days were slipping away faster than either one wanted to admit. The Oasis became more than their meeting place—it was theirs, where the rest of the world couldn’t reach them.
They spent most afternoons in easy companionship. Catalina would chatter endlessly, teasing Carlos about his broodiness, and laughing when he threw her a sharp, unimpressed look.
Some days, she swam in the spring while he worked, splashing water his way until he gave in and laughed—a sound she quickly decided was her favorite thing in the world.
“Are you going to join me this time?” Catalina called out.
He sat on the grass, his arms draped over his knees. “I’m fine here.”
“You’re no fun,” she teased, splashing water toward him.
Carlos sighed, brushing a few droplets off his arm. “You’re such a kid.”
“And you’re boring,” she shot back with a grin. “Come on, Carlos. Just once, pretty please.”
How could he say no to those pretty pleading eyes? Against his better judgment, he found himself standing.
“You’re actually getting in?”
“Don’t make a big deal of it.” He pulled off his shirt.
Her eyes lingered on him longer than necessary. She turned away quickly, splashing the water as if to distract herself.
Carlos stepped in. The water lapped against his legs as he moved toward her, keeping some distance between them.
But it didn’t last. Somehow, without either of them realizing it, they ended up closer—too close.
His gaze dropped to Catalina’s lips, and he swallowed hard. He shouldn’t. He couldn’t. But that’s all he had been thinking about.
Are they as soft as they looked?
He reached out, almost without thinking, and tucked a wet curl behind her ear. Her breath hitched at the touch, and her almond eyes searched his.
They were inches apart now, the rest of the world fading away. Neither of them moved.
Her hand lightly grazed his arm, her fingers trembling as they brushed his skin.
And then, they leaned in—closer, closer still, until their breaths mingled and everything around me held its breath.
But just as their lips almost touched, Carlos pulled back. “Sorry, I shouldn’t. I can’t.”
“Why not?” She stared with wide eyes.
“Because we’re friends.”
“Friends?” Tears filled her eyes. “I’ve seen the way you look at me. That’s not friends. I don’t want to be just friends.”
He ran his hand through his hair, his heart telling him to kiss her. He knew he shouldn’t.
“There can’t be anything between us, Cata.”
“Why not? I like you. Unless you don’t like me.”
Carlos didn’t say anything; he didn’t trust himself to not tell her how much she’s been invading his mind. How much he’d been bent on thinking about her. Looking forward to seeing her every day. Her hesitation rippled through the water around them.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
A small sob escaped her lips as she swam away. Carlos swam after her. She grabbed her dress from the grass and pulled it over her head as her shoulders shook slightly.
“Cata, wait. Please don’t cry.”
He stepped closer to her. If her laugh was his favorite sound, seeing her cry was the worst.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I was stupid enough to think you actually liked me.”
“I do.” The words escaped him before he could stop himself.
“Then why don’t you want to kiss me?” Her voice was so small as she looked down at her feet.
“Because you’re you and I’m me.”
“I don’t care about that.” She looked at him. Her eyes filled with tears, and the sight broke him.
He reached out, his thumb wiping her tears, and her eyes fluttered closed at the touch. His finger trailed down, brushing over her lips. “Have you ever been kissed before?”
She shook her head.
He wanted to be the first one to kiss those sweet lips; actually, he wanted to be the only one to kiss those lips. Before he could talk himself out of it, his hand slid to her curls , the other holding her face as his lips touched hers. He didn’t move, just letting her feel the pressure. Letting her decide if this was what she really wanted. Slowly he parted her lips as he deepened the kiss. All the reasons why he shouldn’t kiss her, why he shouldn’t feel the way he did about her, disappeared.