89 - Safe?

MORGANA FOSTER

When dinner ended, we didn’t see Nicolas around anymore. I felt relieved by that; it didn’t seem right for him to be there. We stayed at the hotel bar, having a few drinks for a while. Ryan was so receptive and pleasant that it was surprising. My chest warmed with the initial feeling of love he was providing me there.

He kept finding ways to get closer, touch my hand, hug me, or kiss me. I didn’t know how to feel about it. I didn’t see myself as someone with that love language, and part of me didn’t like it. But there was another part that wanted it so much that it screamed in my mind. I laughed at myself, staring at the green apple martini in my glass.

“Are you enjoying the trip?” he says, interrupting my daydream. “Yes.”

“That’s it?” he says, furrowing his brows and grabbing his own glass, taking a long sip. “You used to be more detailed.”

“Stop it,” I say, drinking a bit of my drink. “I wasn’t that talkative!”

I try to sound indignant, and he laughs loudly, throwing h