The Don's Saving Grace (GxG)✔️

14

When I woke up, she was already ready and on her laptop. I got ready and wore a crop top with a heavy jacket.

"I'm done." She nods, closes her laptop and puts her phone in her bag.

After breakfast, we head to the pier.

"Fuck, I forgot that there are swimming stops on this cruise, do you want to go buy swimwear real quick?" I nod and we rush to the nearest store that sells swimwear. I picked a pink bikini and she picked a black one. We got towels and a bag to fit it all.

When we got on, we were offered soft drinks, and we both opted for coke.

We got seated and the tour began, Ri was on her phone the entire time. We got to the first swimming stop and I did not want to get into the water with the weather the way it was.

"Not going to swim?" Take a moment from her phone.

"Nope, not with the weather this way." Her eyebrows raised she nods. "What?"

"I forget you are not Russian."

"What does that mean?"

"This is warm to everyone on this trip besides you." I agree with that.

"You know, I was seven the first time I saw someone die."

"Context?"

"My mom was at the hospital due to kidney failure and the woman in the bed right next to her, took her last breath patting my head."

"I am sorry you had to experience that." She puts her hand on mine and caresses my hand slowly. We lock eyes and all I want to do is...

"Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, up next the hot springs!" Focusing on my fingers, I turn to face the guide. I should have kissed her, perfect opportunity and I wasted it.

We pass cliffs and hills before we make it to the volcano, where the guide announces the swimming stop.

"Come on." Ri stands in front of me with her hand out.

"Where are we going?"

"To enjoy nature's jacuzzi." I take her hand and we go down to the water, she goes in first and I follow, swimming close to her.

"This water is cold."

"We are not in the spring yet." Ohhhh. We swim a bit further and now I feel the warmth of the water.

"Ohh, I like this, it is nice, I could stay here forever."

"I know you would." We spend time enjoying the water, she gives me space to enjoy the moment. "Is there something behind you?" For whatever reason, my first response was to run into her arms.

When I realise how tightly I am holding on to her, she is laughing into tomorrow.

"That was not funny." I slap her shoulder, she holds onto me tighter

"I thought it was hilarious plus it got you here so double bonus." In her arms, I can feel her hands on my ass.

"You manipulator." She nods before telling me we should get back to the boat.

We enjoyed the rest of the cruise with now fighting but on my side, all I wanted was to kiss her again but I did not want to ruin what seemed to be our friendship being mended.

"We are having dinner with everyone else, so we have about thirty minutes to get there, anything you want to do?"

"Shower and get ready." We headed to the hotel and because we both had limited time to get ready, she was in the bath while I took a shower. It was awkward, to say the least, but we made it through. It was chilly so I put on a hosiery with my sundress and a cardigan to go with.

"Hey, guys!" We greet the group, there were two seats next to each other, that had been saved for us. Ri opens the chair for me.

We joined the conversation, it is hard to get a word in but I prefer it that way, it just takes less attention from me.

"But I think we should go to Mykonos the day after tomorrow."

"Anyone opposed to that?" I shake my head and seems everyone wanted to go to Mykonos.

"So are we taking a helicopter or are we going by boat cause last time, you all said you hated the ferry." Katinka points out

"If we are leaving the day after tomorrow then I could ask my parents for the yacht and the yacht should be here by tomorrow night." Masi states

"If you could convince your mom, then sure."

"I'm not gonna ask her, I'm asking Mia to ask her." He clarifies for Arawelo

"Well if Mia is asking then I guess we are going on the Rumming Yacht." Ivan celebrates.

"Everyone on board with that?" They nod. Soon we start drinking, heavily. Alcohol always had a way to do me over, I always happened to mess up when I was drunk.

"You know, I wanted to kiss you today." She had to know, even when I am drunk, my mind fixates on her.

"Mmh." With a slight nod, she is not drunk at all.

"But I couldn't because you started talking to me again."

"Mmh." Entertained is all I can read from her face.

"You know, I love our friendship so so so so so so so so so much, we are friends right?"

"No, we are not, Bibi." She called me Bibi.

"Why not, I tried so hard today to be on my best behaviour." A tear falls from my eye, she lifts her hand and wipes the tear away.

"I told you when you were sober, I can not be friends with someone I am in love with."

"So what can we be?"

"That a conversation for when you are sober."

"If I act sober, will you tell me?"

"Nope, not even if you begged." She leans into me and whispers into my ear "Do you want to go to bed?" I would love nothing more than my bed.

"I want to kiss you."

"Maybe if you can stay sober tomorrow, I just might let you kiss me." Yes, please. "Now let's get you in bed." She calls the waiter, orders me iced water and pays the bill, it was €2500, a lot of money.

She helped me drink the water and chew on some ice, I felt better but still sleepy. She says goodbye to everyone and puts me in the taxi she called.

She changed me into my pyjamas and even tucked me in. Why can't she allow me to fall for her?

We spent the next day shopping, she paid and we went to her favourite stores. I loved shopping with her because she has impeccable taste, she showed me things, I never would have been exposed to so thank you to her but there is tension between us and we may act like it does not exist but it does and it is strong and I just want her to keep her promise and kiss me, my body is yearning and pinning for her touch.

We walked into the restaurant and sat opposite each other, I thought I could sit next to her, and get to talk her into kissing me. Why did we have to be late?

"So how have you been enjoying Santorini?" Kash is sitting on my left and George on my right, sandwiched between two people who know that Ri and I kissed.

"Amari has been an amazing guide."

"Good to hear, so where did you go?"

"Today we went shopping, yesterday we went on a cruise and the day before that we explored the island. What have you guys been up to?"

"Food, food and food." Laughter erupts from both of them, I join in and soon we find our common ground and stop laughing.

"But to be honest we did eat a lot and hit on random girls, spent time in the hot tub and relaxed instead of working ourselves with exploring."

"Don't hate on exploring just because it's not your way of relaxing." I retort.

We spent the night talking and sharing opinions and it felt great getting to laugh repeatedly and make others laugh, I missed that.