Love Found Me When I Wasn’t Looking (Episode 7)

 **Daniel’s POV**

I cleaned my apartment three times before she arrived.

Not because it was dirty but because my hands needed something to do to calm the storm inside my chest. I changed the cushion covers, rearranged the books on the small shelf, even sprayed air freshener twice, then opened the windows again because I didn’t want it to smell *too prepared*.

When my phone buzzed I’m outside my heart skipped.

I opened the door, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

Victoria stood there, sunlight resting on her skin like it belonged to her. She wore a soft cream blouse that flowed gently around her waist, tucked into a fitted skirt that hugged her just enough to make my thoughts stumble. Her hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders, not too styled, not too casual—perfectly *her*. Simple earrings caught the light when she moved, and she carried a small overnight bag like this weekend meant nothing more than rest.

But to me, it meant everything.

“Hi,” she said softly.

That voice. Always that voice.

“Hi,” I replied, stepping aside. “You look… beautiful.”

Her cheeks warmed, and she smiled the kind of smile that made my living room feel smaller, more intimate, like it was leaning in to listen.

“Thank you,” she said, stepping inside.

When the door closed behind her, something else closed too distance, restraint, the noise of the outside world.

For the first time, it was just us.

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**Victoria’s POV**

I had been nervous all morning.

Coming to Daniel’s place felt different. More personal. More honest. At school, we were careful, controlled. Here, there were no corridors, no staff rooms, no eyes watching.

Just him.

His apartment felt like him neat but not stiff, warm colors, quiet music playing softly in the background. The couch caught my attention immediately, with its deep cushions that looked like they held stories.

“Do you want something to drink?” he asked.

“Water is fine,” I said, watching him move around his space so naturally. There was something deeply comforting about seeing a man at ease in his own world.

We sat together, not too close at first, talking about everything and nothing school stress, childhood memories, silly moments we hadn’t shared yet. Laughter came easily. Silence too.

That was when I knew.

This wasn’t just attraction.

This was safety.

By evening, we cooked together, bumping elbows, laughing when the stew almost burned. When night came, we sat on the couch, legs folded beneath us, the lights dimmed, a quiet movie playing that neither of us was really watching.

The space between us felt charged.

**Daniel’s POV**

I noticed the moment her laughter softened.

The moment she leaned slightly toward me without realizing it.

I shifted closer, careful, giving her room to pull away if she wanted to. She didn’t.

Her arm brushed mine, sending warmth straight through my chest. I turned to look at her, and she was already looking at me.

Not playful.

Not shy.

Just… open.

“Victoria,” I said quietly.

“Yes?” she whispered.

“I’ve wanted to do this all weekend,” I admitted.

She swallowed, eyes flicking briefly to my lips before returning to my eyes. “Then do it.”

Slowly, I leaned in.

The world narrowed to the space between us the couch cushion beneath us, her steady breathing, the way her fingers curled slightly against the fabric of her skirt. When our lips met, it was gentle. Soft. A kiss that asked instead of took.

She responded instantly, her lips warm and tentative, like she was learning me at the same time I was learning her. The cushion dipped as we leaned closer, grounding us, holding us in place like it understood the importance of the moment.

When we pulled back, our foreheads rested together.

“That,” I murmured, “was worth waiting for.”

Victoria’s POV**

My heart was racing.

Not from fear but from certainty.

I smiled, still close enough to feel his breath. “I was afraid,” I admitted. “That it would feel complicated.”

“And?” he asked softly.

“It feels… right.”

That night, we didn’t rush anything. We talked until sleep found us gently, sitting side by side, shoulders touching. When I eventually lay down in the spare room, I stared at the ceiling with a quiet smile, feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

The weekend passed like a slow song.

 continue reading Episode 8