Playing with Fire.

The early morning sun sent its warm, golden rays streaming through the room's open window. Rosalina squinted, trying to shield her eyes from the all-encompassing brightness. Her head pounded with the remnants of a headache, and she rubbed her forehead, attempting to rouse herself. As she slowly opened her eyes, the unfamiliar surroundings of an unfamiliar bed greeted her. A furrowed brow marked her confusion.

Beside her, a sound broke the stillness. Her gaze shifted, and there, on the plush couch across from the bed, lay Jose, deep in peaceful slumber. A sense of disorientation settled over Rosalina, compounded by the oversized shirt she now wore. Her eyes widened, and a horrified scream escaped her lips, jolting Jose from his sleep. He lost balance and tumbled to the ground with an undignified thud.

'What? How did this happen? Why am I in different clothes?' Rosalina's thoughts raced, her heart pounding.

"Ow... what the hell happened? Why did you scream like that?" Jose inquired as he rubbed his neck. He regained his composure and settled on the edge of the couch. Rosalina couldn't help but notice the disheveled state he was in. He was clad in a loose grey long t-shirt and loose white trousers. His hair was a tousled mess, his handsome features juxtaposed with a hint of morning grogginess.

His strong and masculine figure was evident, a testament to his well-built and athletic physique. Despite her inner turmoil, Rosalina couldn't help but feel a certain discomfort seeing him in such an intimate, relaxed state. Averted her gaze, she endeavored to suppress her blush.

"Wait! Why am I acting so shy? I need to ask him what happened last night while I was drunk," Rosalina reminded herself. With a resolute expression, she pursed her lips and turned her attention back to Jose.

"Did you bring me here?" Rosalina inquired cautiously, her eyes searching Jose's face for answers. His brows furrowed, and he locked his gaze with hers before responding, "Isn't it obvious?"

Rosalina, still wrapped in the duvet, nibbled on her lip as she tugged the covers a bit higher around her. Her uncertainty grew as questions swirled in her mind. "Why am I not in my own clothes? What happened while I was intoxicated?" Her voice held a more assertive tone this time.

"You don't remember?" Jose asked incredulously, his eyes filled with mischief. Rosalina, unable to recall the events of the previous night, simply nodded in response.

A sly smirk slowly spread across Jose's face as he stood up and sauntered over to Rosalina. Reaching her side, he gently tugged the duvet away, raising it in front of them, and teasingly asked, "Care to guess what we did?"

Rosalina arched an eyebrow, her cheeks tinged with a subtle blush as she entertained the possibilities. She imagined the worst, her mind racing. Jose's smirk deepened as he continued, "Shall I recount the events for you?"

In response, Rosalina merely shook her head, signaling her preference to remain in the dark about the previous night. Jose, leaning in even closer, whispered into her ear with a seductive tone, "You threw yourself at me, kissed me like someone starved for affection, devouring my lips with a hunger that left me breathless. And then... you know what happened next." A wicked grin played on his lips as Rosalina shivered, her imagination running wild.

"We made love," he concluded, his voice filled with a tantalizing allure, leaving Rosalina stunned by the revelation. 'I can't believe this happened,' she thought to herself, struggling to comprehend the unexpected turn of events.

'I can't believe I slept with Jose Long... It has been seven years since I last saw him... and this happened? No, that can't be! He is probably playing tricks on me like he always did back then,' Rosalina mused, her thoughts racing as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"Won't you take responsibility for everything that happened between us last night?" Jose whispered into her ear, his warm breath sending a shiver down her spine.

Rosalina's brows furrowed in confusion as she grabbed the nearest pillow and slammed it onto his face. "Take responsibility for what exactly?" Her voice was tinged with anger as she yelled at him, still processing the shocking revelation.

Jose couldn't help but laugh at her unexpected reaction, and he grabbed the pillow, removing it from his face and casually placing it back in its original position. "So, that's your way of taking responsibility," he chuckled, clearly enjoying her annoyance.

With an undeniable spark of mischief in his eyes, Jose gently grasped her chin and locked his gaze with hers. Their faces were mere inches apart, and Rosalina could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. They lingered in that intimate moment for a few heartbeats before Jose broke away, returning to the couch.

"Don't worry, nothing happened between us," he stated with a smug grin, attempting to alleviate her concerns.

Rosalina's glare intensified, and she muttered, "I knew it," clearly skeptical of Jose's reassurance.

But Jose wasn't quite done teasing her. With a playful innocence in his voice, he continued, "Before you kill me with that gaze of yours... you still have to take responsibility for stealing my first kiss."

The word "What?" slipped out of Rosalina's lips before she could stop herself. Her cheeks reddened as the memory of their kiss rushed back, and she struggled to contain her embarrassment. Jose, still grinning slyly, seemed to take great pleasure in her flustered reaction.

Shocked and embarrassed, Rosalina quickly covered her mouth as she realized what she had blurted out. She couldn't believe she had spoken so candidly about the kiss. Jose, however, found her reaction amusing and let out a short laugh.

"What?" he repeated, mimicking her voice with a grin, teasing Rosalina further. Her cheeks burned with a deep blush as she relived the memory of their passionate kiss.

"You haven't changed one bit," Jose said with a smile, noting her fiery temperament.

Rosalina shot back, "I'm going to strangle you," her face still flushed with embarrassment and irritation.

Jose chuckled and confidently replied, "You wouldn't dare. After all, you still have to take responsibility for it."

Rolling her eyes, Rosalina crossed her arms defiantly. "I will not take responsibility for anything! I was intoxicated; I wasn't in my right senses. Why would I take responsibility when I didn't have any control over what I did? I would never have kissed you if I was sober at that time." Her voice carried a tone of frustration as she huffed and stood up from the bed, marching towards the door.

Jose, still grinning, offered a sarcastic reply, "If you say so." He promptly got up, hastily making his way towards her and blocking her path.

His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close, and Rosalina found herself caught in his firm embrace. "You still kissed me, and that's a fact," Jose stated, his voice filled with a mix of playfulness and seduction.

Determined not to concede, Rosalina retorted, "You don't have proof."

With an enigmatic smile, Jose leaned closer, his voice a soft, teasing whisper. "The proof is in our memories, Rosalina."

Defiantly, she maintained her stance. "I'm not taking responsibility for anything."

Tension hung in the air as Rosalina and Jose engaged in this playful yet flirtatious banter, neither one willing to give in.

Jose's voice took on a more serious tone as he warned, "Don't test me, Rosalina. I'll make sure you take responsibility." With his free hand, he reached up and gently traced a finger along her jawline, sending shivers down her spine. His other hand slid up behind her neck and pulled her closer, their faces now just inches apart, with only a thin, charged atmosphere separating their lips.

The intense proximity between them quickened Rosalina's heartbeat as she found herself captivated by his magnetic presence. Jose brushed away a few stray strands of hair from her face, his touch sending a tantalizing sensation down her spine.

In a husky, seductive whisper, he confessed, "I want you, Rosalina."

Her breath caught in her throat, and her voice wavered as she stammered, "I... you can't be serious."