It was surreal, beautiful, and I didn’t know what to do with this feeling. My chest was tight with it, ready to burst.
Someone knocked on the door. “Just a minute,” I called.
“Maeve, you okay?”
Santiago?
I opened the door a crack. “Hey?”
He stood there on the other side, eyes searching my face. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I opened the door wider, and he pushed inside the small bathroom, shutting it behind him. “What’s goin’ on?”
“I’m checking on you. You shouldn’t be wandering these halls on your own.”
I leaned my back against the door, my hand resting on the knob. “I’m fine, as you can see. Did you really have to close us in the bathroom?”
Ignoring my question, he stepped into my space. “Are you and Murray…?”
“Friends?” I supplied.
Huffing, he dropped his eyes to the floor. His chest rose and fell in a great heave, then he braced his hands on either side of my head. This move surprised me so much, I didn’t react for a moment.
“Are you together?” he asked.
He shocked me again, so I laughed. The idea was preposterous. Murray was handsy, but he was just as handsy with Mo. He was a tactile person, but there was no attraction between us, no matter how many times he ogled or snuggled with me.
“I’ve lived with you for the last week. Have you seen me sneakin’ off with Murray?”
He sighed. “He touches you like he has the right to.”
“He does. Friends hug and touch each other.” I tilted my chin up in defiance. “What’s happenin’ right now, Santiago?”
“Don’t know.” He shook his head, and his hair brushed my forehead, that’s how close he’d gotten. “You were incredible tonight.” He brought his hand to my cheek, brushing over it with his knuckles.
“You too.”
Before I could say anything else, his head dipped down, and his lips swiped across mine. His teeth grazed my lower lip, gently nibbling the edges. I didn’t move, didn’t respond, only blinked and tried to remember to breathe.
“Why did you do that?” I whispered against his lips.
“I seemed to need to. Couldn’t help it.” Our breath mingled. My chest rose and fell as I practically panted. He brushed his lips over mine again, and my knees turned to liquid.
As good as it felt to be so near him, I couldn’t fall into this trap. “Don’t do it again.” There was no conviction in my words, but I had to say them. Fully sober, there was nothing to excuse this. I couldn’t blame bad decisions on alcohol, so it was better not to make them.
Santiago’s chest rumbled, and he pushed away from me, running his hand through his unruly hair. I took the opportunity to open the bathroom door and make a hasty exit.
He followed me, his chest brushing my back. “I’m sorry,” he murmured beside my ear. “Thank you for what you said about Diego to the reporter.”
I turned my head, and his face wasright there. “I only said the truth. Personally, I thought my hot air balloon story was a lot better, but oh well.” I shrugged, giving him a little grin.
He returned a smile, small as it was. “Glad you’re here, rock star.”
Santiago sauntered off toward the buses, his hands tucked in the pockets of his fitted jeans. I watched him go, deciding not to analyze or obsess over what just happened. Instead, I’d let getting kissed by Santiago Garza in a bathroom be the perfect end to the best night of my life.