Foreign Affair ›› n.h. mature

Seventy-Nine

Olivia Allen

A couple days later when my friends and I were on the beach, Niall called again.

We had just finished breakfast and hit the beach early to snag a spot close to the water. I think it's about midnight where Niall is.

"Looks like you're having fun," he said.

"What do you mean it looks like it?"

"There are some pictures going around Twitter," he informed me. "Are you being safe? Are the clubs there dangerous? You're not staying in some sketchy hotel, are you?"

"Are you checking up on me?" I immediately got defensive.

"Oh somebody is in trouble," Sarah joked from behind her People magazine.

"No. I just came across some pictures so I was wondering," Niall said.

"You didn't just come across them, you would've had to seek them out." Unless I'm actually with Niall, nothing I do is big news. It only matters to a small set of Niall's most intense fans. So he definitely went looking for the latest on me.

"I happened to see something," he said lamely.

"You're so full of shit."

"You tell him, girly." My friends were having fun at my expense.

"Olivia, I just want to make sure you're safe!"

"I'm a responsible adult," I countered. "This is sweet of you but I feel like I have a third parent right now."

"You just looked kind of drunk in this one picture I saw."

"Oh my god! Are you serious right now?" I got up and walked away from my beach towel by my friends.

"I was trying to be nice," he said. He's playing the victim. But I feel like he doesn't trust me.

"Have I ever scolded you for drinking too much? Because I've seen plenty of pictures of you out with your drunk droopy eyes and your little milkman hat. And I've never said a word other than to just call me back when you're sober."

"Hey, don't bring the hat into this!"

I ignored the hat comment even though under different circumstances I would be cracking up. "I can take care of myself. I love you but checking up on someone is a lot nicer than your judgmental tone right now."

"There are a lot of creeps there! I assume. I'm just making sure you're being careful."

"Careful I don't accidentally get so drunk I cheat on you? What are you even worried about?"

"No! I mean maybe. Well not that you'd cheat, just that some guy might try something. You're hot and when everyone is drunk someone might think..."

"Unbelievable."

"I just want to be there." His voice had softened. It wasn't an apology but it sounded like he was admitting he was wrong.

"Oh." That was all I managed. I can't stay mad at him. Neither of us said anything for a moment.

"I saw the pictures and I got jealous. And I want to be there with you. You looking all hot in your dress. And I want my arm around you so any guy who even looks your way knows you're mine and he better not fucking try anything. And I want to drink and dance with you all night, making everyone else in the room jealous. And then I want to take you home and fuck you, no, make love to you all night."

"Oh," I repeated stupidly. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't entirely turned on right now.

"It's been so long since I've heard you moan my name." His voice had lowered.