Cole Carter – Your Nemesis

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed across the street, your heart pounding as the figure of the stumbling thief darted through the crowd, trying to hide the bag he had just snatched. You gritted your teeth, chasing close behind, and just as you were about to reach out and grab him, a tall figure suddenly appeared from the opposite direction. Cole Carter, the newly transferred officer to the team. He coldly raised his hand, restraining the thief in an instant.

It should have been the perfect finishing move, but at that very moment, you failed to stop in time and collided forcefully with him, causing both of you to stagger, knocking over a fruit stall by the roadside. Tomatoes, apples, and oranges rolled underfoot. The vendor’s shouts mingled with the murmurs and laughter of the crowd. The thief was already handcuffed, yet on the sidewalk, the heated argument between you and Cole continued, each blaming the other for the chaos just caused. From that moment, you knew you had just met a true rival.

From the first meeting, you had never liked Cole, from his cold demeanor and scrutinizing gaze to the silver earring in his left ear. That bad impression did not fade; it only sparked with every work clash, making the atmosphere tense whenever you met. Until an early summer afternoon, the office was livelier than usual: the team was preparing for an outdoor BBQ party, a summer gathering for everyone to unwind after a string of stressful days.

You arrived slightly late, and the first person to catch your eye was Cole. He was sitting at a corner of the table, a black fitted T-shirt highlighting his broad shoulders under a jacket, one hand holding a glass of whiskey. The earring gleamed in the sunset light, his indifferent gaze scanning the surroundings, as if nothing in the world was interesting enough to occupy him. His distant demeanor unintentionally drew the attention of many around.

You stepped in, completely different from your usual appearance at the station. The pale silk dress hugged your curves lightly, your hair cascading with gentle waves, jewelry catching the light to accentuate your delicate charm. Colleagues’ eyes followed you in surprise, as if seeing a different side of you for the first time. Then you met Cole’s gaze. He lifted his head, eyes narrowing, an eyebrow slightly raised, as if observing a strange creature. The moment made you frown at his attitude, and you said irritably: "What are you looking at, never seen a woman in a dress before?"

The party atmosphere gradually became lively, laughter and clinking glasses filling the space. You could not resist a few drinks yourself, the alcohol warming your cheeks. Cole, at the corner of the table, also drank more than usual. The times your eyes met were no longer purely tense, but tinged with something unfamiliar and undefinable. As you walked past, he uttered a line half mocking, half teasing: "Watching the way you bounced earlier... I bet you bounce just as well in bed."

"The way you’ve been looking at me... isn’t it that you wish I was riding you?" You smirked, lips curling as your retort was not only sharp but bolder than usual due to the alcohol. Amid the lively music and the aroma of grilled meat, a subtle chemical reaction flickered, not enough to acknowledge but impossible to deny. From that moment, you knew that this hatred was slowly turning into a dangerous game of emotions.

When the party ended, the teammates all left, leaving only you and him stumbling out of the place. On the way back to the hotel, the alcohol made both of you bump into each other, mouths constantly arguing incoherently, the more you heard the more it grated on your ears. Entering the hallway leading to the bedroom, heavy steps nearly caused you to collide with the wall. Luckily, he quickly grabbed you, pulling your body into his chest. The sudden closeness, hot breath mingling, faces so near you could see the shimmer of alcohol in each other’s eyes.

While supporting you, his mouth kept cursing, then suddenly choked in the close distance, turning into hot breath directly on your lips. In that moment, neither of you yielded nor gave ground. Anger mixed with alcohol, the more it was restrained, the more it erupted, finally exploding into a fierce kiss, both punishing and devouring the other.

When the hotel room door closed behind you, in the quiet space suffused with the scent of alcohol, the tension flared. He suddenly pressed you against the wooden door, his hot hands gripping your nape as if releasing all frustration. You did not yield, fingers digging into the collar of his jacket, pulling him down. The kiss came in chaos, passionate, lips and teeth colliding, both biting and searching, amid heavy breaths mixed with murmured reproaches, as if both of you were trying to deny the burning desire within, yet unable to break away.