Prologue

Dustin Clive Montenegro had never entertained the thought of Catarina Miguel as anything more than his best friend. She was the constant in his life, the girl who knew his secrets, shared his dreams, and kept him grounded when everything else seemed to spiral out of control. There was an unspoken rule between them-Catarina was off-limits. Friends, nothing more. It was how things were supposed to be.

But lately, something had shifted. There were glances that lingered just a little too long, touches that felt a little too warm, and moments that seemed to stretch beyond the boundaries of their friendship. Dustin had started to notice the curve of her smile in ways he hadn't before, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed, and how her presence filled the empty spaces in his life without even trying.

It was dangerous territory-territory he knew he shouldn't be wandering into. But one night, one reckless decision, changed everything. It was just supposed to be a casual evening like all the others. A few drinks, shared stories, and easy laughter. But that night, something felt different. The air was thick with an unspoken tension neither of them dared acknowledge, but neither could ignore.

And then, without thinking, without meaning to, they crossed a line they had sworn they never would.

Now, everything had changed. Dustin couldn't take back what had happened. The memory of her skin against his, the way her breath had hitched when they were just a little too close, haunted him. They'd gone too far-just a little too far. And now, he wasn't sure if they could ever go back.

The worst part? He wasn't even sure if he wanted to.