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He's too far away for me to run after him. But still, I am so tempted to follow him.
Tension hangs in the air around me, as I ponder him, puzzled and intrigued by his enigmatic behavior.
The tension stays with me until I finish riding my mare and sweat pours down my back and the sides of my face.
I search for Adrian the whole time, but he’s nowhere to be found. I slink back to my cabin and spend the whole shower turning the matter over and over in my head.
Chapter Eighteen: Danielle
I gesture to the bartender, and he pours me another shot. Slowly, I lift the glass and study it in the light.
Then I toss it back, and the liquid burns a path down my throat. When I signal for another shot, I realize the bartender is frowning.
And I know why.
Because I’m sitting here by myself muttering and shooting the other guests annoyed looks.
I’m jealous over how happy and simple their lives look.
Meanwhile, I can’t even get Adrian to admit he’s with me, much less that he has real problems that need to be dealt with before we can be together.
After the incidents at the riding arena and the pool, I try to steer clear of Adrian for the rest of the day, even opting to eat my dinner in my cabin.
There was a note outside my door this morning, but I didn’t read it. I just left it inside and went to breakfast, where Adrian was socializing with the other guests.
By the time he circled back to me, I had pushed my chair back and was carrying my empty tray back to where it needed to be.
And he didn’t even try to stop me.
The worst part about all of this?
Not knowing where I stand with him.
At least if I knew that, I wouldn’t be sitting here, searching for answers at the bottom of an empty glass.
In the background, jazz music continues to play, punctuated by the occasional sound of laughter.
Now and again a few other guests wander over to the makeshift dance floor in the middle of the bar and sway to the music.
Seeing their happiness is like rubbing salt into my gaping wounds.
Why can’t Adrian be the one chasing me?
Why can’t I pluck up the courage to be honest with him?
You already know the answer to that, D. Do you really want to go down that path?
The longer I sit there, indulging in my drinks and turning the matter over and over in my head, the worse I feel about the whole thing.
I’m chewing on my bowl of peanuts when Adrian comes in, looking handsome in his shorts and tight shirt. With a frown, I push my drink away and stand up.
He doesn’t notice me as I brush past him and head to the middle of the dance floor, where a small group of people are swaying to the music. I sidle up to them and smile.
My blood is pumping in my ears as I sway.
I lift my arms up on either side of me and slide them down my body, slowly, sensually, imagining Adrian’s hands on me the entire time.
He sits at the bar and leans over to gesture to the dark-haired bartender. After pouring him a drink, the bartender glances over at me with a worried look.
