“I had a ton of fun,” Sabrina said, her voice high and jolly. “But I didn't mean to get myself into this state. Apparently, I'm kind of a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.”
Just then they reached rooms 1505 and 1506 and Marco stopped, pulling her into a hug.
“You don’t have to apologize,” he said. “I’m just delighted that you had fun.”
“This is why I didn’t want to drink,” Sabrina said, feeling her cheek against the firm wall of his chest.
“Stop,” he said. “Don’t worry about it. We had a proper good time tonight and that's all that matters. Thank you.”
“So you had fun too?” Sabrina asked. Her world now was composed of a single blur that revolved around Marco’s body. The way he was wrapped around her made for a cocoon and Sabrina wanted to concede to her intoxication and dissolve into his chest right then and there.
“Of course. I had a great time,” Marco squeezed her as he spoke.
That was all she needed. He’d popped her balloon of exhilaration and pent up temptation.
She hardly had any control of her movements left, but in one motion Sabrina tilted her head and went in for a kiss. Her push was sudden and steady and was met with a single finger. When she realized that the kiss wasn't happening, Sabrina opened her eyes.
Marco had stopped her lips with his index finger and was staring gently back at her.
She started to speak, started to voice her most heartfelt apology yet, but Marco hushed her and pressed his finger more firmly to her lips.
“Shh,” he said, smiling and shaking his head. “I'd love nothing more than a kiss from you, but not tonight.”
He lifted his finger and the words leaked from Sabrina mouth uncontrollably.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I thought...”
“You thought correctly,” he said. “But not tonight. Not when we’re both drunk. Do you have your room key?”
Sabrina nodded and fished the key from her purse.
Marco opened her door and laid his hand against the small of her back as they entered. He led Sabrina all the way to her bed and took both her hands as she sat down.
“Our moment deserves to be remembered more than this. More than a drunk night out.” He leaned in to kiss her forehead. “I want our kiss to make a moment. Not just be part of one.”
“Okay,” Sabrina whispered and smiled up at him.
“Besides, I'd prefer if the climax of the trip didn't occur on the first night,” Marco said, smiling from ear to ear.
Sabrina couldn’t do more than beam up at him, her smile coming out from her chest.
She remained seated as Marco bid her goodnight and kissed her cheek.
After he left Sabrina fell into the pillows of her bed, her eyes clamped shut into spinning darkness. There’d been no kiss that night, but it didn’t even matter. His gesture was almost worth more. The way he’d soothed her and assured her, with only a few words and a smile, was more potent than any physical action could’ve ever been.
Sabrina thought of him in the next room over, recreating the sensation of his soft lips on her forehead. She’d felt it above her drunken haze more than she’d been able to feel anything else that evening.
She was fading quickly, the room spiraling around her. Everything was fuzzy and nothing was clear, nothing except Marco’s image looming and lulling her to sleep.
Chapter 7
Marco
When Marco woke up the following morning, he was surprised by the mess in his hotel room. It looked like a clothes bomb had gone off. In his drunken state the night before, he had carelessly kicked off his shirt, pants and socks. His pants were hanging off of the TV stand, with one of the legs dropping over the edge. A black sock had landed over the lamp shade on the corner desk. His favorite white dress shirt was crumpled up and stuffed into the top drawer of the dresser.
Clearly, Sabrina hadn't been the only one to enjoy a few too many drinks the previous night.
Wow, he thought, as he sat up in his bed. What in the hell happened?