business.”
Kyle stood facing off with a bleary-eyed, inebriated and wobbly James. James pushed past him colliding into his shoulder and cursed as he walked away.
Kyle took in a deep breath, calming the adrenaline rush that had begun to build. He looked down at Liana, still seated but shaken.
He sat next to her in the seat that James had vacated. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. You didn’t have to do that. I could have handled him myself.”
Kyle smiled. Stubborn to the end. “I know you could have.”
“You know, I think I’m gonna head on back.” Liana rose from her chair and walked toward Alyssa on the dance floor.
Alyssa, who had somehow ended up once again with Lloyd, was locked in a tight embrace as they slow danced to the music. Liana tapped her on the shoulder, interrupting their moment, and told Alyssa that she was going back to the room, and walked toward the exit.
Kyle was waiting for her beside the exit door, and walked out with her. “I know you can handle yourself, but I just wanted to make sure you made it safely back to your room. I’d hate for that dude to follow you back.”
Liana may have talked a good game, but she had to admit that even she had thought of that scenario and was a bit rattled by the thought that James may have followed her back. She was grateful for Kyle’s concern. And instead of protesting, she gave him a quiet, “Thank you.”
Their walk back to her room was nearly silent, as she seemed preoccupied with her thoughts. And Kyle wanted desperately to ask her what she had seen in that clown back there, in the first place.
Kyle could spot the guy’s instability a mile away, and he’d wondered why she would have let her guard down for the likes of him. She was becoming more and more confusing by the minute.
At her door, Liana turned to him, “Thanks again, Kyle. I know I come off as hard, but...I appreciate your help tonight.”
His heart softened at her confession. “You’re very welcome,” he told her. “And next time when the security guard needs a bodyguard, you can call on me again.”
She giggled at his reference to his earlier statement about her being Alyssa’s security guard. “Goodnight, Kyle.” She entered the room, flashed him a genuine smile and closed the door behind her.
Liana collapsed onto her bed, and lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She replayed the scene at the dance, and felt a shiver run through her. What if Kyle hadn’t been there? But she pushed the thoughts away. Of course, nothing would have happened, she told herself. She was in a room full of people. Surely, James wouldn’t have been bold enough to do anything too stupid.
But she couldn’t help being grateful that he had been there. And she couldn’t stop wondering why he didn’t do what many would have done in that situation and tried to come onto her, outside her cabin door.
He’d been a complete gentleman and had truly just wanted to see that she made it safely back. She was starting to wonder if he was really being truthful earlier that day at lunch, and if he really was just a nice guy who’d been dragged on this trip by his friends.
She turned on her side, and closed her eyes, hoping to clear all of the thoughts of the day’s events away and get some much needed rest.
***
Kyle lingered outside the door for a few minutes after Liana had closed it, but it felt like hours. He considered knocking on her door. He wanted to see her, to talk to her, but he knew she was too upset to think about much else at that moment.
He finally turned away to return to his own room. He hated himself for not doing what he really wanted to do--which was steal a kiss from Liana’s full lips as they stood outside of her cabin door. It was times like this when he wished he was a little more like Lloyd and Duane and not so much of
Kyle stood facing off with a bleary-eyed, inebriated and wobbly James. James pushed past him colliding into his shoulder and cursed as he walked away.
Kyle took in a deep breath, calming the adrenaline rush that had begun to build. He looked down at Liana, still seated but shaken.
He sat next to her in the seat that James had vacated. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. You didn’t have to do that. I could have handled him myself.”
Kyle smiled. Stubborn to the end. “I know you could have.”
“You know, I think I’m gonna head on back.” Liana rose from her chair and walked toward Alyssa on the dance floor.
Alyssa, who had somehow ended up once again with Lloyd, was locked in a tight embrace as they slow danced to the music. Liana tapped her on the shoulder, interrupting their moment, and told Alyssa that she was going back to the room, and walked toward the exit.
Kyle was waiting for her beside the exit door, and walked out with her. “I know you can handle yourself, but I just wanted to make sure you made it safely back to your room. I’d hate for that dude to follow you back.”
Liana may have talked a good game, but she had to admit that even she had thought of that scenario and was a bit rattled by the thought that James may have followed her back. She was grateful for Kyle’s concern. And instead of protesting, she gave him a quiet, “Thank you.”
Their walk back to her room was nearly silent, as she seemed preoccupied with her thoughts. And Kyle wanted desperately to ask her what she had seen in that clown back there, in the first place.
Kyle could spot the guy’s instability a mile away, and he’d wondered why she would have let her guard down for the likes of him. She was becoming more and more confusing by the minute.
At her door, Liana turned to him, “Thanks again, Kyle. I know I come off as hard, but...I appreciate your help tonight.”
His heart softened at her confession. “You’re very welcome,” he told her. “And next time when the security guard needs a bodyguard, you can call on me again.”
She giggled at his reference to his earlier statement about her being Alyssa’s security guard. “Goodnight, Kyle.” She entered the room, flashed him a genuine smile and closed the door behind her.
Liana collapsed onto her bed, and lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She replayed the scene at the dance, and felt a shiver run through her. What if Kyle hadn’t been there? But she pushed the thoughts away. Of course, nothing would have happened, she told herself. She was in a room full of people. Surely, James wouldn’t have been bold enough to do anything too stupid.
But she couldn’t help being grateful that he had been there. And she couldn’t stop wondering why he didn’t do what many would have done in that situation and tried to come onto her, outside her cabin door.
He’d been a complete gentleman and had truly just wanted to see that she made it safely back. She was starting to wonder if he was really being truthful earlier that day at lunch, and if he really was just a nice guy who’d been dragged on this trip by his friends.
She turned on her side, and closed her eyes, hoping to clear all of the thoughts of the day’s events away and get some much needed rest.
***
Kyle lingered outside the door for a few minutes after Liana had closed it, but it felt like hours. He considered knocking on her door. He wanted to see her, to talk to her, but he knew she was too upset to think about much else at that moment.
He finally turned away to return to his own room. He hated himself for not doing what he really wanted to do--which was steal a kiss from Liana’s full lips as they stood outside of her cabin door. It was times like this when he wished he was a little more like Lloyd and Duane and not so much of
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