AMBY AWARDS TOP PICK 2023 ❤️
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You think I can't act like I'm into you?" He asks in a whisper. He reaches out, and strokes a finger down my cheek, and I feel myself shiver at the touch.
"You think I can't convince everyone that I have f...
Oops! Questa immagine non segue le nostre linee guida sui contenuti. Per continuare la pubblicazione, provare a rimuoverlo o caricare un altro.
I've always loved the simple act of someone holding my hand. It's such a little gesture, but there's an intimacy there, too. This was why I was so delighted when I discovered Ric liked to hold hands. Declan never really did. Anytime I tried to grasp onto his palm, he'd find an excuse to pull away within moments. The best reason given was probably in Ibiza, when he simply pushed my hand back towards me and said, "No thanks, you're way too sweaty."
How very romantic, eh?
Anyway, Ric takes my hand again, unbidden, as we enter the hotel and follow the signs for the wedding. It reassures me, and I swallow a gasp of delight, my heart going like the clappers.
"Listen, Abby," he says quietly as we walk. He speaks quickly, like he wants to get it out in a hurry. "I want to apologise for the other night, at the quiz. I know my behaviour wasn't the best."
I'm surprised at that. I didn't really expect him to say sorry. After all, in the grand scheme of things, he didn't actually do anything wrong. Apart from attempt to rip my heart out of my chest, but that's neither here nor there.
"Don't worry about it," I reply, as breezily as I can. "Let's just focus on today, okay?" I force myself to meet his eyes. Uncertainty flickers in those dark irises, but he nods reluctantly.
"Bride or groom?" We're asked as we enter the room where the ceremony is taking place. I can already see my colleagues in a row near the back, though, on the bride's side, so I lead us over.
"This is Ric," I say after we've settled down. Sara stretches around me to shake his hand.
"Ah, I wondered who the hotty outside belonged to," she laughed. Sara has no filter, in case that wasn't obvious.
"Er . . . I'm right here!" Sara's other half, Jeff reminds her. I think he's joking.
"There's no harm in admiring the view," she teases, and I see colour flooding its way along Ric's cheekbones. The blushing, I reflect, is almost as cute as the hand-holding. Which, by the way, is still happening, despite the round of introductions still going on. He seems reluctant to let go.
"So you've kept us in the dark about this guy," Sara continues, nodding in his direction. "How did you two meet?"
"We're actually flatmates," I blurt awkwardly. Damn, we probably should have come up with a whole back story. I've recently been more preoccupied with our real-life issues, though!
"But I fell for her as soon as she walked through the door to view the flat," Ric adds, surprising me. Okay, so we're going for the more truthful angle here? I can work with that. He chuckles. "She took a little longer to be persuaded."
I suddenly realise what he's doing. It's the same thing he did that night outside the lodge. He's not acting; he's flipped the switch back on, at least for today, and is leaning into his actual feelings. Well, two can play at that game.
