AFTER HOURS ━━━ carmy berzatto.

↳ THEN - 𝐓𝐎 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

MAY, 2016.

"It's just dinner with your parents, Milo." Quintana spoke in a low, sweet voice to ease his nerves. He gave her a pointed look and rolled his eyes dramatically before taking a long drag.

The couple were standing near the entrance of some fancy restaurant. Milo was smoking a cigarette, trying to calm himself, and she was standing next to him, trying to calm him. His energy bristled off of him in waves, tense and still as an Olympic racer before the starting pistol.

"Exactly." he replied without exhaling, his voice choked.

He pronounced the word as if she'd said the most obvious thing in all the world and she gave a brief chuckle. He was always like this with his parents and she'd gotten used to playing the devil's advocate out of habit and necessity.

"I know, I know," she said, holding her hands up in mock surrender. He ran his fingers through his hair, tousling it. "Fine."

Milo blew a thick cloud of smoke as he did a double take on her appearance .

"You look stunning tonight, by the way," he said. His blue-green eyes lingered on her slip dress, a shade of amusement in them as they traveled the cowl neckline, which showed a hint of her tanned cleavage. "That dress is fantastic."

Following his line of sight, the brunette looked down at the copper-colored silk, the material soft, yielding as it snaked down over her hips. It was simple and unfussy, and the bias cut was extremely flattering. I do look good, she thought with a grin, in a moment of pride.

Her long, wavy hair was pulled into a low bun. In the front, a single, slightly curved lock of hair fell across her face. It constantly escaped, so she'd soon stopped tucking it behind her right ear.

Cigarette dangling from between his lips, Milo captured her hand and turned her in a slow twirl, like they were dancing, letting her show off her dress. His gaze scoured her, rousing heat in whatever part it touched. She blushed. Although not readily visible under close inspection, the effect of the chill on her body was very much present.

Then, he pulled her close in an embrace, his lips brushing against her ear as he said, "I can't wait to take it off."

A shiver teased down her back at the sudden huskiness of his voice, and she couldn't help but replaying the night before in her mind. How different things would have turned out for them if she'd only been paying more attention.

« Life hadn't been this good in a long time. Watching him cook often filled Quintana's mind with visions; his biceps, flexing as he moved pans from cabinets to the stove, and the firm movements of his hands, which fueled a growing need in her chest to have those arms wrapped around her.

Between sautéing and setting the table, Milo continued to give her little sideway looks. He knew. Of course. At some point, after the meal and cleaning up the dishes, he found the right moment to wrap his arms around her waist and lean against her back, resting his chin on her shoulder. 

Quintana turned around to pull his face down and kissed him. Lost in his hunger, he bent his knees as he deepened the kiss, sliding his arms down her back, over the rounded curve of her rear. As if she were weightless, he lifted her up and sat her on the counter. Quintana responded, parting her thighs. Heat bloomed along her spine when he moved even closer. She wrapped her legs around his waist, hooking her ankles behind him, and ran her fingers through his hair.

A low growl sounded in the back of his throat as he slid his hand under the hem of her skirt and up her thigh. Oh boy, she thought, silently thanking herself for her current outfit choice. She arched into him, anticipating his touch.»