Colton

I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking of Luna.

God, I miss her terribly.

I can still feel the heat of our last kiss. It's unforgettable. It was so hot and full of unspoken feelings, it totally messed me up.

But Luna just shrugged it off, said it was a mistake. She said we should just forget about it, that we're only friends. I tried to go along with it, to make myself believe I could move on. But honestly, I couldn't stop thinking about her, that kiss, and the crazy chemistry we've always had.

She had a rough time, trying to move on from her broken engagement and make her failing clothing business successful. I was like, just be patient and wait until she's okay. And after four long months, I figured it was finally the right time.

We needed to have a talk, you know? It's not just about the kiss, it's about everything that went down between us. We got together in college eight years ago, and I still can't get it out of my mind. We agreed to bury it, forget it, like it never happened. But those feelings never really disappeared. I was fooling myself for too damn long, pretending I didn't give a damn when, deep down, I did.

I missed Luna so much, words can't even describe it. It was time to face the truth, to spill all the beans. I couldn't keep avoiding my feelings, and I was so over pretending. We had to talk, to deal with the past and the feelings we'd been hiding.

I took a deep breath and looked at her name in my contacts. It's now or never. I was completely finished with the lies and denial. Time to lay it all out for Luna and hope she's on the same page.

I exhaled heavily and called Luna, my heart racing in my chest. The phone rang twice and then she answered.

"Hello there," she spoke softly, sounding unsure.

"Hey, Luna. It's me, Colton." I kept my voice steady, but I could hear that tremor loud and clear.

"Hi, Colton." There was a pause, and I could almost hear her thoughts. "Nice to hear from you."

"Yeah, you too," I said, raking a hand through my hair. "I...I just checking in and see how you're doing. How's everything with the business?"

"The business is doing really well, Colton. We've had some awesome launches and the new system you put in place has made everything run smoothly. I seriously can't thank you enough."

"That's awesome, Luna. You really took Glamour Fashion to the next level," I said with a hint of pride in my voice.

Then there was silence, like an angel passed by between us. That pause was filled with unspoken words and emotions. I knew I had to find courage and tell her the real reason I called.

"Luna, I..."

"Yes, Colton?"

"I've been thinking... We really need to talk. About everything."

She let out a sigh. "I know. I've been thinking the same thing."

"I'm still in LA," I continued, "but I'll be in New York next week for a few days. Maybe we could meet up and finally have that talk?"

"That sounds good," she replied, her voice warmer now. "You know where to find me. I'm just here in the office."

"Of course," I said, a smile tugged at my lips.

"I'll see you then, Colton."

"See you then, Luna."

I put down the phone, feeling a mix of anxious and eager. I've been waiting for this conversation for ages, and I can't wait to let it all out.

After the call, I just sat there for a sec, enjoying the peace and quiet of my place. My heart was still racing, but I also felt relieved. We were finally going to talk. The weight of unsaid stuff and bottled-up emotions had been suffocating me for ages, but now there's a tiny ray of hope that things might finally turn around.

I couldn't stop thinking about Luna and how she sounded over the phone. Her tone had this thing, like soft and vulnerable, that made my chest squeeze. She was also thinking about it, so she was just as affected as me.

I got up and started walking back and forth, my mind going crazy with memories and all the "what ifs." The kiss, the night eight years ago in college, all the moments we had shared since then. I couldn't help but think about what could've happened if we didn't hide our feelings and were honest from the beginning.

But no need to keep thinking about what happened before. The important thing now is the future and the talk we're gonna have. I knew it wouldn't be a piece of cake, but I was prepared to give it my all. I had to let Luna know how much I missed her, how she was everything to me, and how she was always on my mind.

Right now, I got to focus on my trip to New York. I had to get ready, not just for work, but to see Luna again. Just imagining being in the same city as her, sitting across from her, looking into her eyes, makes me so excited and nervous at the same time. This could be the beginning of something new, or maybe it's the end of what we've been holding onto.

Either way, I was done keeping my feelings to myself. I was ready to face the truth, no matter what it brought.

***

The next week dragged on forever, but I finally found myself on my private plane to NYC. My emotions were all over the place, but I stayed grounded because I couldn't wait to see Luna again. I got to the city and went straight to her office, my heart racing as I got closer.

I walked into the fancy building and took the elevator up to the 10th floor. As I entered the reception area, I was hit with the familiar smell of coffee, paper, and a hint of lavender. Her assistant gave me a nice smile and showed me where her office was.

I stood in front of her door, took a deep breath, and gave a little knock.

Her voice called out, "Come in," and I pushed the door open.

Luna glanced up from her desk and her eyes widened a bit when she saw me.

"Colton." she stood up and walked around her desk to greet me. "It's so good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Luna," I answered and my voice totally gave away how nervous and excited I was.

We just stood there, staring at each other. Then she pointed to the seats by the window.

"Shall we sit?"

I gave a nod, and we took a seat in the chairs, sitting across from one another. The city was in the background as we were about to talk.

"Thanks for coming. How's your flight?" she began, her voice soft.

"Very good. I arrived this morning."

She nodded, then said with a nervous smile. "I know we have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah, we do."

I collected my thoughts, looking unusually serious.

"Luna, I've admired you for a long time. Even when we were at each other's throats in college, I respected your drive, your passion. Working with you these past months only reinforced those feelings. I distanced myself after your breakup with Cox because I wanted to give you space to heal and focus on your business. But the truth is, I can't stop thinking about you."

"Oh, Colton, that is so sweet."

I nodded, my eyes never leaving hers.

"I'm not pressuring you right now. I just wanted you to know how I feel. I know, it's too early... you're still healing and you're at the peak of your career. I can wait, you know. I'll give you all the time you need. We can take it one step at a time."

She smiled, with a hint of relief in her eyes. "Yeah, that's a good idea. We've been holding onto this for ages. No need to rush."

I nodded, feeling the tension ease up. "You have no idea how much I've missed you, Luna."

She looked at me with softer eyes and reached out, placing her hand on mine. "I missed you too, Colton. Every day."

We just sat there, letting the silence do the talking. And then I took a deep breath and opened up.

"So... about the kiss and all that's gone down between us... I think it's time we stop pretending it meant nothing."

She nodded, looking directly into my eyes. "Yeah, I agree, because it means everything."

I gave her hand a little squeeze. "We'll go at our own pace, one step at a time. We don't have to figure everything out right now. But we owe it to ourselves to be honest about our feelings."

She smiled, a genuine smile that made my heart ache with affection. "Thanks, Colton. For coming and wanting to talk. It means a lot to me."

I smiled back, feeling hopeful and ready for anything. "We'll figure it out together, Luna."

I didn't remain for a long time. She was occupied with her professional responsibilities. I wanted to avoid putting pressure on her regarding the new connection we had. All that mattered was, we were finally heading in the right direction, ready to take on whatever came our way together.