Sunday morning poured into Crystal's apartment through soft golden sunlight. The blinds danced lazily with the breeze from the open window, and birdsong drifted in from the street below.
Crystal stirred awake slowly, the kind of peaceful wake up that didn't come often. She blinked against the light and turned slightly to find Justin still on the couch, half asleep, his arm tucked beneath his head, mouth slightly parted in sleep.
She smiled, remembering how they'd stayed up talking until almost 4 a.m. They hadn't crossed any lines just laughter, conversation, a few kisses, and eventually the comfort of falling asleep next to someone who made everything feel easy.
She slid quietly from the couch, pulled a hoodie over her tank top, and padded into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.
A few minutes later, Justin emerged, stretching and yawning, his dress shirt wrinkled and hair tousled in a way that was unfairly attractive.
"Morning," he said, his voice rough from sleep.
Crystal handed him a mug. "You survived the wild couch."
He took a sip, nodding. "Ten out of ten. Would sleep here again."
She laughed as he leaned against the counter beside her.
"You always let first dates crash on your couch?" he asked, teasing.
"Only the ones who bring wildflowers and make me laugh until I cry."
"Damn. Tough standards."
They stood there in comfortable silence, sipping coffee as the city slowly woke up around them.
"I should probably head out soon," Justin said reluctantly. "I've got a board meeting at noon."
Crystal nodded, though she didn't want him to leave.
"I had a great time last night," he said. "Not just the food truck or the dancing. Just… being with you."
She looked up at him, her heart warming at the sincerity in his eyes. "Me too."
He set his mug down, walked to her, and cupped her face gently. "Can I kiss you properly before I go?"
Crystal's answer was a soft, "Yes."
This kiss wasn't like the ones the night before this one was slow, intentional. Like a promise. Her hands found his waist, and his thumb brushed her cheek with tender affection.
When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers.
"I'll text you," he said.
"I'll be waiting."
Over the next few weeks, the fire between them grew steadily bright, steady, undeniable.
Justin sent flowers to her office, sometimes with sweet notes, other times with ridiculous puns that made her coworkers giggle. Crystal, in turn, sent him homemade cookies during his late nights at the office, and once, an emergency survival kit with coffee and protein bars during a product launch.
They met up as often as their schedules allowed sometimes dinner at small, quiet restaurants, other times simply walking through the park with takeout in hand. They shared secrets and scars, past heartbreaks and childhood dreams.
Every moment with him made Crystal feel seen.
And Justin… he had never been more himself than when he was with her.
One night, while they lay on her couch her head on his chest, legs tangled he whispered, "You know you've become my favorite part of the day, right?"
She smiled without opening her eyes. "You say that to all the girls?"
"Only one," he said. "And I hope she sticks around."
Crystal turned to face him, her eyes searching his. "What are we doing, Justin?"
He paused. "What do you mean?"
"This. Us. It's happening fast. And I'm not complaining I just…" Her voice softened. "I've had someone pull away once things got too real."
Justin reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. "Then let's be real together."
She exhaled slowly. "That's a scary promise."
"I know," he said. "But I'm not afraid of real. I'm afraid of pretending."
Crystal looked at him for a long moment, then nodded, letting her head rest on his chest again. His heartbeat was steady beneath her ear.
"Okay," she whispered. "Let's be real."
A week later, Justin invited her to his apartment for the first time.
When she walked in, she was surprised by how warm and personal the space was. Hardwood floors, plants thriving near large windows, and shelves filled with books, not just tech journals but classic novels, photography collections, and even a few dog eared comic books.
He cooked dinner—surprisingly well—and poured them wine.
Afterward, they curled up on his balcony with blankets, watching the city glitter below them.
"I could stay like this forever," Crystal said quietly.
"Then do," Justin replied. "Just… don't go."
She turned toward him, surprised by the rawness in his tone.
"You mean that?"
He nodded. "I've never felt this way. It's not just attraction or convenience. You're the person I didn't know I was waiting for."
She stared at him, heart pounding. Part of her wanted to push the moment away fear creeping in but the other part knew:
She felt it too.
"I don't want to go anywhere," she whispered. "I'm falling for you, Justin."
He kissed her gently, arms wrapping around her like he wanted to protect her from everything.
"I'm already gone," he said. "Crystal Gomez, you've lit a fire in me I didn't know existed."
And there, under the stars, with the hum of the city beneath them, their growing flame burned brighter fueled not by passion alone, but by trust, vulnerability, and something that was slowly, unmistakably, becoming love.
Though they'd kissed before, there was something about this one that made it unforgettable.
It happened on a quiet Wednesday evening.
Justin had insisted on cooking dinner again something Crystal found oddly charming. Most men in his position might have tried to impress her with fancy dinners and private chefs. But Justin seemed determined to win her over with real moments. Tonight, it was garlic shrimp pasta with a side of his awful, sarcastic playlist of love songs, including a country version of Baby One More Time that had her in tears of laughter.
They sat on his balcony again, feet propped on the railing, sharing the last of the wine.
The conversation had faded into that comfortable silence that only happens when two people feel completely at ease in each other's presence.
Crystal watched the city lights blink in the distance, her head tilted against Justin's shoulder. His arm was draped around her, fingers lazily tracing circles on her forearm.
"I've been thinking," he said suddenly.
She turned her head slightly. "Dangerous habit."
He chuckled. "About us. About how fast this has all happened."
She shifted, unsure if she liked where this was going.
But Justin looked at her with that serious, grounding gaze of his. "I don't mean that in a bad way. I just… can't believe how natural this feels. Like I've known you forever."
Crystal exhaled, her heart easing a little. "I know. It scares me sometimes. But in a good way."
He nodded. "It's like… I don't have to pretend with you. You see right through me, and instead of turning away, you stay."
"I feel the same," she said quietly.
There was a long pause before he asked, "Crystal, when was your real first kiss?"
She blinked. "What?"
"Like… the one that wasn't awkward, or rushed, or forgettable. The one that made your chest ache afterward. The one you still think about sometimes."
She bit her bottom lip in thought. "Hmm. I think I've had decent kisses. But one that felt like that? I don't know. Maybe… never?"
Justin leaned closer, his breath soft against her cheek. "Want to have your first real first kiss right now?"
Crystal's eyes fluttered up to meet his. His hand was resting gently on her jaw, his thumb brushing her cheek in the faintest motion.
Her lips parted, and she whispered, "Yes."
And then he kissed her.
Not a peck. Not a rushed, hungry kind of kiss. It was soft, steady, like the slow inhale of breath after holding it for too long. His lips moved with hers in a rhythm that felt like they'd practiced it for lifetimes. One hand on her waist, the other tangled in her curls, he pulled her close like he never wanted to let her go.
Crystal melted into it. Into him.
The city faded. The air stood still. All she could feel was the fire beneath her skin and the quiet promise in his touch.
When they finally pulled away, neither of them spoke for a moment.
"I think that qualifies," she breathed.
Justin smiled, brushing his thumb along her jaw. "Yeah?"
She nodded slowly. "Yeah."
He leaned his forehead against hers. "You've just ruined every other kiss for me."
Crystal laughed softly, her arms sliding around his neck. "Good. That means I win."
"You've always been winning," he said, pressing a light kiss to her forehead. "You just didn't know it."
They sat like that for a long time, wrapped in each other, the city quietly humming around them.
Crystal didn't know where this would lead. But in that moment, she knew this:
She was exactly where she wanted to be.