My Daughter's Best Friend

The Kiss

Júlia went to the kitchen. Her body was warm, her mind distant, still caught up in the intense scene she had witnessed. She went to the cupboard, grabbed a glass, and filled it with water from a pitcher she took from the fridge. She took a generous sip, hoping it would calm the burning flame that had awakened inside her.

The water quenched her thirst, but the heat remained.

Júlia returned the pitcher to the fridge and walked toward the sink to put the glass down when a firm, seductive voice suddenly broke the silence.

“Júlia…”

Startled by his presence, she dropped the glass, which shattered on the floor.

“Heitor… Oh my God.” She quickly crouched down, trying to pick up the shards, but all she managed to do was cut her finger.

“Júlia, you cut yourself.”

“Sorry… I—I just got startled,” she said, clearly embarrassed.

He approached, gently moving her away from the broken glass and immediately checking the wound.

“It’s alright, Júlia. These things happen. It doesn’t seem deep, but it’s better to clean it. Does it hurt?” he asked, softly touching her face.

She was completely distracted, staring at his lips without saying a word.

“Júlia, are you okay?” Heitor asked, finding her behavior strange, especially the way she was looking at him.

Her only reaction was to give in to her desire. She rose onto her tiptoes, held him by the nape of his neck, and kissed him intensely.

Heitor blinked a few times but didn’t pull away. Instead, he allowed himself to be kissed and reciprocated, holding her firmly by the waist and pulling her closer to his body.

Their lips moved against each other, their tongues brushing and exploring. The kiss was intoxicating, too delicious to end, so they let themselves get lost in it until they finally had to part for air.

Júlia looked into his eyes and saw his dilated pupils and reddened lips part slightly, as if he were about to say something.

That was when she came back to her senses and realized what she had done.

“Heitor… Mr. Heitor, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me,” she said nervously.

She stepped back, but he held her hand, preventing her from stepping on the glass shards. In doing so, he accidentally squeezed her injured finger, making her wince.

“Ouch.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Júlia, I need to clean this—it’s bleeding.”

“I’ll clean it. Don’t worry,” she said quickly, clearly nervous and afraid of losing control again.

“Júlia, I’ll take care of it. Come with me. I have a first aid kit in my office.”

Júlia simply nodded and followed him. As she stepped into the office, she froze for a moment, her eyes landing on the sofa and the exact spot where Heitor had been sitting minutes earlier.

“Sit,” he said.

She nodded and walked to the sofa before sitting down. Heitor went to a cabinet, grabbed the kit, and returned to sit beside her. He took out some cotton and began cleaning her finger.

“Mr. Heitor, I’m sorry for what I did… I don’t know what came over me,” she said, even though she knew very well what had happened. She simply didn’t have the courage to admit it.

“It’s okay, Júlia. These things happen,” he replied, somewhat awkwardly.

“It shouldn’t have happened, but I’m truly sorry.”

“Júlia, you’re going through a difficult time. You’re sad, vulnerable, looking for support… you just reacted in a way… in a way,” he said, trying to find the right words to justify the situation.

“In the wrong way,” she said quietly, grimacing when she felt a liquid touch the cut.

“Did it sting?” he asked with concern.

“Yes, a little.”

“I’m almost done. I just need to bandage it.”

She nodded and stayed silent until he finished.

“Done. How do you feel?”

“Do you mean the cut?” she asked.

He gently caressed her hand.

“I mean everything.”

She sighed before answering.

“Tired. Sleepy. Mentally and physically exhausted… and embarrassed,” she admitted, lowering her head.

“It’s a lot, but it will pass.”

“How will I be able to look at you after what I did?” she asked, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“With the same eyes as always. Let’s just forget what happened, alright?”

She nodded and sighed. He had no idea that the eyes she had always looked at him with were filled with desire and passion.

“What were you doing in the kitchen at this hour?” he asked.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to get some water. Sorry for wandering around your house at this hour.”

“Ju, don’t be silly. You’re family—truly, from the heart. I hope you’ll come here more often. Jade and I really want to help you get through this difficult time.”

“Thank you. You’re an incredible man—an example in every way. That’s why Jade is such an amazing friend, like a sister to me. You’re a role model,” she said sincerely.

He smiled and gently touched her face, making her sigh softly.

“You’d better go lie down. It’s quite late. Even if you can’t sleep, at least your body will get some rest before morning.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

Júlia returned to Jade’s room while Heitor remained in the office.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration and sighed, wondering why he had allowed himself to be kissed by Júlia. The kiss had been delightful—he couldn’t deny that—but that alone wasn’t justification for his reaction.

Giving in to such a moment created a deep inner conflict for him, even though he had tried to remain calm and understanding in front of her.

He was shaken by both the kiss and the situation.

“She’s just a needy girl going through a difficult time,” he murmured.

But when he stood up from the sofa, intending to go to his room, he noticed the erection pressing against his pants.

The realization made him even more uncomfortable and concerned. He didn’t want to blur the boundaries between himself and his daughter’s best friend.

Meanwhile, Júlia lay down beside Jade, who was still fast asleep. She let out a long sigh and slowly brought her fingers to her lips, touching them gently.

That kiss had been the most incredible moment of her life. If she could, she would repeat it a thousand times.

But there were obstacles she couldn’t ignore.

“He sees me as a little girl… his daughter’s best friend,” Júlia thought.

Resigned, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

Yet the only thing that filled her mind was the intoxicating image of him earlier, alone in that room.