The dessert bar was almost empty, the last few customers having left after getting their late-night sugar fix. Max was leaning over the counter, trying to scrape off some sticky residue, when Caroline walked by, muttering under her breath.
"God, you’ve got a real talent for making a mess," Caroline quipped, wiping down the other side of the counter.
Max shot her a look, rolling her eyes. "Yeah? Well, at least I'm not over here sulking like I’m auditioning for a sad girl indie movie."
Caroline paused, the rag still in her hand, and shot Max a glare. "I’m not sulking. Just tired of being the one who has to keep everything together, Max. You’ve got your head in the clouds and I’m the one stuck with the fallout."
Max raised an eyebrow. "Me? What do you mean, I have my head in the clouds? I’m the one who’s keeping this place running. You’re not exactly a saint either, you know."
Caroline threw her hands up in exasperation. "I know I’m not! But at least I try. You just coast through everything like it’s no big deal. You don’t take anything seriously. Ever."
Max’s jaw clenched, her gaze narrowing. "Oh, so now I’m the problem, huh? That’s rich coming from you. Maybe I’m just tired of your lectures. Maybe I’m tired of you acting like I’m the one who needs to fix everything around here."
Caroline let out a sharp laugh, bitter. "That’s exactly what you do. You don’t fix anything. You run from it. Always."
Max slammed the rag down on the counter, taking a step closer to Caroline. "You really think I’m running? Is that what you really think?"
Caroline’s voice dropped, her irritation mixing with something else she couldn’t quite identify. "Yeah, I do."
There was a beat of silence. Caroline could hear her own breath, feel her heart thumping in her chest. They were standing so close now that she could feel the heat radiating off of Max.
"What?" Max said, her voice barely above a whisper, but sharp enough to cut through the air between them. "*What do you want me to say, Caroline? That I’m tired too? That I’ve been fighting to keep everything together, and you’re the last person I want to disappoint? That maybe I’m not as good at this as I pretend to be?"
Caroline’s heart skipped a beat at the rawness in Max’s voice. She didn’t expect that—didn’t expect the sudden vulnerability. The words were right there on the tip of her tongue, but instead of saying them, she stepped forward, closing the gap between them. Before she could even think about it, her hands were on Max’s shoulders, and she kissed her.
It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t some sweet kiss you’d see in a rom-com. It was desperate. Messy. But it was real. Max froze for half a second, shock registering, but then her body responded before her brain could catch up. She kissed Caroline back, hungry, her fingers threading through Caroline’s hair, pulling her closer.
Caroline’s lips were soft but insistent, her hands pushing Max against the counter. Max’s breath hitched as the kiss deepened, their bodies pressing together with a force that was almost too much. Caroline’s tongue slid against Max’s, tasting her like she’d been starving for it all this time. Max responded with the same intensity, her hands sliding down Caroline’s back, pulling her closer, desperate to feel more.
Finally, they pulled away, gasping for air, their faces inches apart. The moment was thick with something neither of them could fully comprehend. Caroline stood there, breathless, a small smile tugging at her lips, despite herself.
Max’s eyes were wide, her chest still rising and falling quickly. "What the hell was that?" she muttered, almost to herself.
Caroline’s fingers were still tangled in Max’s shirt as she spoke, voice shaky but a little amused. “I don’t know. But I’m definitely not sorry.”
Max blinked, trying to process what had just happened, but instead, she found herself smirking. “I knew you were trouble.”
Caroline gave her a challenging look. “Oh, please. You were the one who kissed me.”
Max leaned back, raising an eyebrow. “You’re lucky I’m too tired to deal with your attitude right now,” she muttered.
Caroline chuckled softly, glancing at the now-empty dessert bar. “Yeah, well... consider this the first course.”
Max shook her head, but the spark in her eyes told a different story.