Chapter 25
Chapter 25: Finally, My Kate
“Because I love you, Kate... I always have, and I always will. I never stopped loving you,” Carlos said, his grey eyes looking
straight into her blue ones. Everything around Kate stilled. She could not believe her ears. Silence engulfed her, and all she
could hear was her heart beating. ‘He loves me. All this time, he still loves me?’ Kate lazily stood up. She gasped, all while
following Carlos’ gaze. “Kate,” softly Carlos said. “Say something.”
Seeing the worried look on his expression, Kate leaned closer, her hands crawling up to his chest. She said, “Carlos, I.” A heavy
sigh left her lips before she clutched her hands against his shirt.
Then, abruptly, she tipped her toes and pulled Carlos down, her eyes closed unwittingly, and her lips crashed into his. She felt
the tenderness of his lips, but just as she kissed him, she noticed how Carlos froze in his stance. She looked at him for half a
second, studying his reaction. Before she knew it, however, Carlos captured her lips, his arms wrapped around her waist.
Kate felt chills down her spine, tasting Carlos’ lips for the very first time. It started with small and gentle pecks, with Carlos biting
on her upper lip. She welcomed the warmth of his breath and the way his lips moistened her own.
With Carlos’ arms tightening around Kate’s waist, he lifted her from the floor and settled her to sit on the table. He did so,
breaking off the kiss for only a second. Swiftly and with dreamy eyes, he returned to savor her lips, and Kate willingly accepted.
Kate’s hands slid to his neck, hinting how she equally wanted him. Carlos’ tongue easily slid inside her mouth, and their tongues
danced. When Carlos’ kiss became demanding, she kissed back with the same passion. She did not care about her amateur
kisses. Kate simply wanted Carlos and nothing more.
Finally, out of breath, Carlos pulled away, his forehead resting on Kate’s, his hand behind her neck. He repeatedly gathered air
into his lungs before asking, “Do you want to... go inside?”
Kate nodded. She watched as Carlos heaved, his face turned a shade darker. Carlos helped her to the floor, and in the next,
they walked briskly in silence, going past the living room and the mansion staircase until ultimately entering Carlos’ bedroom.
When Carlos slammed the door shut, Kate walked up to him first, kissing him with the same fever as they did on the patio.
This time around, being within the four corners of Carlos’ bedroom, their kisses became louder. They took small steps while their
lips remained locked and landed their bodies on the enormous bed, their frames bouncing as they fell. On the bed, Carlos took
the lead, kissing Kate while on top of her. Kate merely kept him secured, her arms around him tightly. The couple did not know
for how long they kissed, but when it was over, their lips numbed, and they swelled from all the lip biting they had done.
Carrying his weight, Carlos pulled back. He watched Kate blush beneath him, her eyes only manifesting adoration for him.
Warmth spread through his chest, still in disbelief at how he was there, having kissed Kate. Plus, because it was Kate who
kissed him first, Carlos was over the moon. He whispered, “Kate.”
Kate’s chest was huffing. Hearing him call her name, she went for another peck. Her eyes closed while she was at it.
“Kate,” Carlos called again. “Please tell me you feel the same. I have wanted you so long and badly; I don’t know if this is all
real.”
Hearing his words, tears stung Kate’s eyes. She caressed his cheek and said, “I love you, Carlos. I realized when you left how
much I miss you. Every day, I longed for your return. You have no idea how this – ”
Carlos captured her lips again, not caring that they had just ended a very intense make-out session. From then on, moans left
their lips. Again and again, their heads carelessly turned from side to side. Their bodies rolled for Kate to take over.
***
The couple was laughing as they entered the Wright mansion, hand in hand, already past midnight. Kate was red as a tomato,
while Carlos reminded her of how they met when they were kids. “You used to hate me.”
“That was because you threw a tennis ball at me,” kate reminded.
“You walked in the middle of my practice. You just came out of nowhere!” Carlos pointed out.
“And then you made it up to me by gifting your father’s David’s Cup trophy!” Kate laughed, recalling how shocked Manuel
Ronaldo was, seeing Carlos walking out of their home, carrying his supposed peace offering. “Well, you wanted something
shiny,” Carlos shrugged as he pointed out. “Your dad’s face turned white ghost back then,” kate described. “But you still got to
keep the trophy,” Carlos reminded. Kate smiled at that. She admitted, “I did. Didn’t I? Uncle Manuel was just so kind.” “Well, you
two are getting comfortable.” Their giggles died down when they saw Samantha standing in front of them, her arms crossed
against her chest.
Samantha’s eyes easily wandered to their hands, and she beamed seeing Carlos’ and Kate’s fingers intertwined. With her hand
over her mouth, she acted to be emotional, faking a cry.” Oh, my god.”
She turned to the staircase and called for her husband, “Ethan! Ethan! I have great news!” “Kate and Carlos are together!”
Samantha revealed.
The truth was, the couple had not covered their status just yet, but Carlos meant to put a name to their relationship, especially
after making out from afternoon till night. Carlos tried to explain, “Ah, aunt -”
“They are getting married soon!” Samantha suggested. Kate wound up turning bloody red at her mother’s assumptions. “She’s
probably pregnant too!” Kate’s mother added. 3 Carlos gulped.
“Mom!” Kate’s flushing face easily paled.
***
At Kate’s bedroom door, the couple was still laughing at Samantha’s assumptions. Naturally, Kate clarified that there wasn’t any
baby, which greatly disappointed Samantha. Kate said to Carlos, “It’s just that... mom is set on making you a son-in-law.”
“You know how she tends to be so excited when wanting something,” Kate added.
Carlos became silent. He just studied Kate closely. Caressing her cheek with his knuckles, he asked, “What about you, Kate?
Don’t think about what aunt Sam wants. What do you want?”
Kate could not help it. Her face burned at Carlos’ probing. She averted his gaze, looking down for a moment. Eventually, she
faintly replied, “I.” Returning her attention to him, she clarified, “I want to be with you, Carlos.” “I love you,” she confessed. Carlos
gasped. He smiled, nearly teary-eyed. Embracing her tight, he said, “I have loved you for so long. I’d never imagined your
admission would come out this easy.” He pecked her cheek and said, “I love you, Kate.”
“And I love you too, Carlos,” Kate repeated.
Carlos reached for her hand and pecked on her palm. He asked, “Then... Will you, Sarah Kate Wright, be my girlfriend?” At that
point, the butterflies in Kate’s stomach had a disco. Like Carlos, Kate could not believe this was finally happening. After all the
years they had been apart and longing for his return, he was certainly back, and he was right there, in front of her, asking her to
be his girlfriend.
A tear escaped the corner of Kate’s eye as she answered, “I’d love to, Carlos.”
Carlos embraced Kate tight. He kissed her head, her face, before decisively letting go. He said, ” I better go. Otherwise, I won’t
be able to leave. We still have to go out tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at six?”
After Kate nodded, he kissed her lips again and pinched lightly on her chin. He said,” Goodnight, my Kate. Finally, you are mine.”
That night, after seeing Carlos go, Kate excitedly dug up her box of memories. When she found her “Carlos” diary, she made
another entry. (Dear Carlos, I thought I lost you forever, but now you are back, and still, you love me. I am glad beyond
1
LUI
I love you. I love you. I love you. And now that you are mine, I will forever make up for the times I made you leave my side. I still
have to marry you, though. Oops! You still don’t know that, but from now on, I promise never to let you go.
And when we say our “I Dos,” then, finally, I could say that dreams do come true.
Love,
Kate]
***
The next day, Kate and Carlos went out on an official date.
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