No busy stylists around
No helpers whispering between shots
Only dim lights, the faint ticking of the fan, and her
Kareen was standing without shoes in front of the gray background, her hair behind one ear, her eyes unreadable as Andrew raised the camera and adjusted the lens
He could hear himself breathing
He hadn't planned this shoot because he had to
This wasn't something the company needed
No customer had asked for it
No instructions had suggested it
He set it up for only one reason, he wanted to be alone with her
No Damon
No noise
No chosen distractions
Just Kareen
And he wanted to see her in a way no one else could
She was wearing only a black bikini, the bottoms hugging her hips tightly, the straps of the top thin and tied behind her back
She seemed like a perfect temptation, unaware of how much she affected him just by breathing
Andrew put down the camera and moved closer, the camera strap gently hitting his chest
"Turn your shoulder," he said quietly
Kareen did as he asked without saying anything
He reached out, carefully, and moved her arm
His fingers lightly touching her upper arm
His thumb touching her collarbone as he turned her chin toward the light
She didn't move
But she also didn't look at him
That made it even harder somehow
Her skin felt warm when he touched her
Tight, but not fighting against him
He breathed in slowly, trying to control his strong desire
"Are you okay?" he asked
Her voice was quiet
"As long as you act professionally"
That hurt him in a way that felt good
Because right now, he didn't feel professional at all
She turned toward the light again, and Andrew stepped back, picking up the camera
Clicking sounds filled the room, steady and slow
Each click captured her in a different pose, one hip tilted, fingers touching her thigh, lips slightly open
But it wasn't just about capturing her body
He was looking for something more
A quick change
A break
A moment of weakness in her eyes that would show him she felt it too
Because he did
Every second she was close, he was losing control
He had told himself he could handle this
He could share her
He could stand next to Damon and pretend they were okay together
But now, now she was standing in front of him, her skin glowing under the lights, and he couldn't lie to himself anymore
She didn't belong to either of them
And yet, she belonged to both
And that made him hurt
.
He walked toward her again, putting the camera on the table
"Let me fix this," he whispered
He gently pulled the bikini strap, adjusting how it fit on her back
His fingers touched her bare back
Kareen tightened up, just a little
But he felt it
Felt her holding her breath
The way she almost fell backward before stopping herself
She could be affected
Not totally
He moved to the side, moving her hair and tilting her head
"You can be honest," he said softly, "I know you feel it too"
She blinked, shocked
Then looked somewhere else
"Andrew…"
"I just want what you want too," he went on, with his voice steady, but with something deeper hidden
"You said I had to be serious," he added, "But you didn't say I had to be cold"
She looked right at him now, with her lips open
He was close enough to smell her nice smell
To feel the warmth growing between them
To see her chest go up and down as she breathed sharply
Her eyes quickly looked at his mouth, for a short moment
That's all he wanted
He got closer
His lips touched hers, gently, then stronger, more eager as she breathed in quickly and tightened up
She didn't move away
Not right away
His hands went to her middle, pulling her close until her back barely touched the cold wall
Their mouths matched each other, known, crazy, and looking
And for one quick second, there was only them
No limits
No history
Not Damon
Just closeness
Just warmth
Just him
Then she froze.
Her hands met his chest, not to pull him nearer this time, but to stop him.
She stopped kissing him, out of breath.
Something in her eyes made his chest hurt.
Guilt
Fear
Desire
"I can't," she whispered, "Not like this, not right now."
Andrew took a step back slowly, still unable to breathe, still wanting her a lot.
Her lips looked bigger.
Her hair was a bit messy.
And she looked pretty in a way that made his heart hurt badly.
He didn't ask for it.
He didn't fight back.
He just let her go.
Kareen grabbed her robe without another word and walked to the dressing room.
She didn't shut the door hard.
She didn't look back.
But the quiet she left was louder than any denial he'd ever felt.
Andrew touched his hair, still leaning against the wall.
He closed his eyes, jaw tight.
She had let it happen.
For a moment, she had wanted it.
And for now, that would have to be enough.
But the ache in his chest said something else.
Because the truth was now clear and harsh:
He didn't want to share her anymore.
The studio was too quiet after Kareen left.
The lights still made noise.
The camera was still warm on the table.
Her robe hung on a chair like a ghost had left it there.
But without her, the room felt bare.
Andrew looked at the empty wall where she'd been, lips still feeling it, chest still tight.
He hadn't meant to pressure her.
Not like that.
But her quietness had been making him crazy.
That perfect calm.
That strict work attitude.
Like what they had shared meant nothing.
Like their hands hadn't been tangled in sheets weeks ago.
Like his mouth didn't know every part of her skin.
And then today, the way she let it happen again, even if just for a second.
That kiss had started something inside him.
And now it wasn't just about wanting.
It was about needing.
He touched his hair, pulling his fingers hard against his head as he walked around the studio.
This wasn't what he was like.
He didn't get obsessed.
He didn't chase women.
They usually liked him, smiling, laughing, thankful.
But Kareen, she didn't give in to anyone.
And maybe that's why it made him angry every time she chose to be quiet instead of showing love.
Distance instead of being clear.
And still, he couldn't let her go.
He didn't want another man's name from her mouth.
Didn't want to think of her with Damon again.
He hated the thought of her making sounds with Damon's hands on her.
Hated knowing he'd kissed her first, touched her first, made her his first.
He and Damon had agreed to share her,
To keep things friendly,
Fair,
Like an experiment.
But Andrew was done pretending,
He felt anything but polite about it,
He no longer cared to make things even,
He wanted everything she had,
Each happy grin
Each loving touch
Each single beat of her heart
Later that night, Andrew was sitting on the side of his bed wearing a shirt he hadn't bothered to fasten
The apartment was silent
The city outside made a noise like TV static through glass
His phone was lit up in the dim room
Kareen's name was open at the very top of the screen
He had written many messages
Then deleted every one
He wasn't very good at using words
He was better at showing how he felt
With touches
And looks that meant more than saying things out loud
But that wasn't good enough anymore
She needed to actually hear him say it
He didn't want to pressure her
Didn't want to make her feel stuck
But he needed her to know how he really felt
That he couldn't go back to sharing her with someone else
That watching Damon touch her back made Andrew clench his fists
That he'd rather leave everything behind than pretend he was okay with only being one of two
Because what he was feeling now wasn't just jealousy
It was something much deeper
Something that scared him
Was it love?
Maybe
He wasn't certain
But it felt very close to it
He looked at the keyboard for a long time before finally typing:
"I'll wait. Even if it kills me."
His thumb was right over the screen
It felt silly
And desperate
Almost like too much
But it was how he really felt
So he sent it
No commas or periods
No little pictures
Just six quiet words dropped into the night
He didn't think she would answer him
And she didn't
But for the first time in weeks, he felt like he was being honest
He tossed the phone on the pillow next to him and lay back, looking at the ceiling fan going around slowly
She hadn't picked him
Not yet
But at least she knew how he felt
And sometimes, just being understood was enough to keep holding onto hope
Even if it destroyed him in the end
The next morning, Andrew got to the studio before anyone else did
He needed some space
Needed to be where she had kissed him
Where she had leaned into him
Where she had gasped just for him
He walked over to the corner where her robe was still hanging, no one had touched it
It smelled a little like vanilla and something warmer underneath
He held the fabric tightly for a moment, then let it go
Across the room, there was a calendar on the wall
Their next big work event was in four days
And he'd have to stand next to Damon like everything was normal, like nothing had happened
But everything had changed
Because now, Andrew knew one thing for sure,
He didn't want to only have part of Kareen anymore
And whether she said it or not, she had already given him more than she gave Damon
Even if it was just in the way she looked at him
Even if it was just in quick, secret moments
It was enough to make him keep waiting
And if waiting meant hurting a little every day, then that was just how it would be