𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐢'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

the sunlight caught in skai's hair, making her look like a goddess sprawled across my bed, wearing nothing but my old shirt and her lace underwear. my shirt looked tiny on her, just barely skimming the tops of her thighs. i adjusted the camera, focusing the lens on her face, trying to capture the moment, but it was hard to concentrate with her looking at me like that.

"for someone who suggested for us to recreate the scrapbook, you're no help now are you?" she teased, a playful grin spreading across her lips.

i chuckled, feeling my heart swell. she looked so damn cute, lounging there with her hair all messy, her cheeks flushed pink from laughing at old pictures of us.

"yeah, yeah," i replied, my voice a little hoarse. "but it's hard to focus when you're lookin' like that."

she gave a mock pout, her lips forming a little "o." "like what?" she asked innocently, but her eyes were filled with mischief.

i stepped closer, holding up the camera, snapping a quick picture of her pout. "why are you so darn cute?" i muttered under my breath, feeling a grin tug at the corners of my mouth.

she laughed, her head falling back against the pillows. "i don't know ask my parents, they created this face." she said, her voice low, almost sultry. "you know i really like being your muse."

my heart skipped a beat. "oh, you think you're my muse, huh?" i teased, stepping even closer, until my knees were pressed against the edge of the bed. i snapped another picture, this time catching the playful glint in her eyes, the way her lips curved into a smile.

"definitely," she replied, her voice dropping lower, her gaze locking with mine. "you've been staring at me for, like, ten minutes now."

"can you blame me?" i shot back, lowering the camera a little. "you look so good in my shirt." my eyes wandered over her body, taking in the way the fabric clung to her curves, the hint of her bare skin peeking out every time she shifted.

she bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink. "come take a closer picture then," she murmured, a challenge in her voice.

i didn't need to be told twice. setting the camera down, i climbed onto the bed, moving slowly, crawling towards her on my hands and knees. she watched me, her eyes darkening with every inch i closed between us.

i could see her breath quicken, her chest rising and falling beneath my shirt. "what kind of pose should i do, photographer?" she whispered.

"just be yourself, baby," i murmured, leaning in, my lips just a hair's breadth away from hers. "that's all i ever want."

skai shifted, arching her back slightly, her fingers playing with the hem of the shirt, teasing it higher up her thighs. my hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her closer as my lips finally met hers, soft and warm.

the kiss started slow, but the heat between us was building fast. i felt her hands slip under my shirt, her fingers grazing my skin, sending shivers up my spine. i groaned softly against her mouth, pressing her back into the pillows, my body hovering just above hers.

"what about the scrapbook?" she breathed against my lips, a teasing smile playing on her mouth.

"forget the scrapbook," i murmured, my voice rough with desire. "i'd rather do you."

her laughter turned into a soft gasp as i deepened the kiss, my hand sliding up her thigh, feeling the smoothness of her skin beneath my palm. i could feel her heartbeat quicken, her breath coming in short, soft pants.

her hands moved up to my hair, tugging lightly, pulling me closer, and i took the opportunity to nip at her bottom lip, drawing a soft, delicious moan from her. "dani," she whispered, her voice full of longing.

i pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, my fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "i need to have a crystal clear photographic memory of you in my mind by the time we're done." i said softly, my thumb tracing her cheekbone.

"well we better get started, that may take some time to form." she says, her eyes dark with desire.

a slow smile spread across my face. my hand slid under the hem of the shirt, my fingers grazing her skin, feeling the heat radiating from her. i felt her shiver beneath my touch, her breath hitching.

"i'm obsessed with your touch mi amor," she whispered, her voice breathy, and that was all the encouragement i needed.

i captured her lips in another kiss, more urgent this time, my hands roaming over her body, feeling every curve, every soft dip of her skin. the sound of her soft, breathless moans filled the room, mixing with the rustle of sheets, the quiet creaks of the bed beneath us.

as i moved my lips down her neck, tasting her skin, i felt her arch beneath me, her fingers digging into my back, urging me on. "god, skai," i breathed against her collarbone, "you feel so good."

she let out a breathy laugh, her hands slipping lower, sliding under my shirt. "then keep going," she murmured, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "don't stop now."

***

i stepped out of the shower, the steam still clinging to the mirrors as i grabbed a towel, wrapping it loosely around my body. skai was already in the bedroom, flipping through her phone and laughing at something on instagram.

"what's so funny?" i asked, shaking water from my hair as i walked over, playfully snatching the phone from her.

"just a meme gio sent me, you wouldn't get it," she smirked, reaching for the phone. i held it above my head, laughing when she tried and failed to grab it.

"you sure about that?" i teased, leaning down to kiss her cheek before finally handing it back. she stuck her tongue out at me, then pulled me down onto the bed, where we collapsed into a pile of tangled limbs and laughter.

"release me, i want to get changed!" i protested in skai's strangely strong hold. how does a small woman like her have so much strength?

"never!" she proclaims but releases me anyways. i disappear briefly into my closet to pull on some fresh house clothes, before brushing through my curls.

after i was finished, skai and i went downstairs to chill and just as we were settling into a comfortable silence, a knock came at the door, followed by the unmistakable voice of my mom.

"Danielle! ¡abre la puerta! it's your mamaíta!" her loud voice being heard as clear as day from outside. it's something about moms and being loud.

"shit," i muttered, jumping up. "i forgot she's in town."

skai looked at me wide-eyed, her hair still damp from the shower. "your mom? right now?"

"yeah, i totally forgot our house back in jersey is being renovated," i said, rushing to find my slides. "she must've tried to call me."

as soon as i opened the door, there she was—my mom, with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"ay dios mío, danielle, what took you so long?" she asked, raising an eyebrow before peeking over my shoulder and catching sight of skai.

"ohhhh... i see now. no wonder you didn't pick up," she said, her grin turning even more mischievous. "so, you two are back together now?"

skai, trying to smooth her hair down, stood awkwardly behind me, offering a shy smile as i spoke up, doing jazz hands. "uh, yeah... surprise?"

my mom let out a dramatic gasp, clutching her chest. "finally! i can start liking your mamá's facebook posts again! she's been my amiga on there all these years, but it was hard, you know, since it would be awkward if i was still liking my daughter's ex mamá's pictures and all."

i laughed, shaking my head. "ma, please."

"no, no, en serio," she said, wagging her finger. "i'm just happy to see this happening again."

we walked further through house, my mom throwing in little comments here and there about how much cleaner the place could be. but once we made it to the kitchen, she turned to skai with a sparkle in her eye.

"so, mija, when's the last time i cooked for you? too long, right? let's make something together."

skai's face lit up. "i would love that."

we spent the next hour in the kitchen, moving in a comfortable rhythm. my mom took her position at the stove like it was her stage, giving orders in her usual dramatic fashion.

"skai, mija, slice those tomatoes thin—bien delgadito. danielle, don't even think about chopping those onions like you're in a rush; i want them perfecto, got it?" she pointed the wooden spoon at me with a mock sternness that had skai stifling another laugh.

"si, jefa," i muttered, trying not to roll my eyes too hard as i got to work. i could feel skai watching me out of the corner of her eye, amusement dancing in her expression as she delicately sliced tomatoes. [translation: yes boss]

the room smelled incredible—garlic sizzling in olive oil, onions caramelizing, tomatoes simmering in a pot of herbs my mom swore were secret family recipes.

skai kept sneaking glances at my mom as she worked, her smile growing wider every time my mom cracked a joke or bossed me around like she always did.

"danielle was always such a tomboy," my mom began again, stirring the sauce with one hand while making gestures with the other. "when she was little, i tried getting her into dresses, cute little shoes, anything. but, no. nada." she shook her head in exaggerated disappointment. "always running around in jeans, messing up her hair. but you, dios gifted you to us, skai. so it felt like i finally had a daughter to do cute things with."

skai smiled, slicing through the last tomato. "i think i got spoiled with all the shopping trips."

"spoiled? ay dios mío, you don't know the half of it," my mom continued, chuckling as she added spices to the sauce. "but look at her now, all grown up and... in love," she said, her voice dripping with teasing emphasis as she raised an eyebrow at me.

"thanks for throwing me under the bus, ma," i groaned, while skai's laughter bubbled over. it wasn't just a giggle this time, it was full, genuine laughter, the kind that warmed my chest.

"hey, it's true," my mom shrugged, as if this whole conversation was just a fact of life. "but really, i'm just happy to see you two finally getting it right. took you long enough."

skai nudged me playfully, "yeah, dani, took you long enough."

i shot her a sideways glance, grinning. "wait until we get around your mom, we'll be teaming up against you," i warned her with a playful smirk.

"oh no, not you and my mom together," skai laughed, shaking her head. "i'll have to watch my back."

my mom turned from the stove, looking between us with that knowing smile she always had. "you better believe that it'll be worse when the actual moms start to gang up on you two. confía en mí once the moms unite, there's no escaping."

the food was starting to come together—pasta bubbling in a pot, vegetables roasting in the oven, and that sauce, the one my mom had perfected over years, simmering away.

skai stirred the sauce, my mom showing her the proper way to fold the herbs into the mixture while i worked on the pasta, making sure it was al dente because, of course, my mom was going to check.

"ustedes dos se ven bien juntas aquí," my mom mused, her voice soft for once, not teasing. "like a team." [translation: you two look good together in here]

i glanced at skai, watching her focus on the pot, the way her silk pressed hair fell in soft waves around her face, the way she bit her lip in concentration, and my heart did that thing it always did when i realized how lucky i was to have her.

"nosotras somos un equipo" i said quietly, so only my mom could hear. [translation: we are a team]

she smiled, nodding approvingly as she added a pinch of salt to the dish. "good. now keep it that way."

my mom handed me a spoonful of the sauce to taste, her eyes twinkling with approval. as we finished up the cooking, the kitchen filled with more laughter and i realized how perfect this moment was.

𓏲𝄢 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝!