“Celibacy Group of America? I mean, come on, that’s funny right. Considering what we had just done.” Hannah dips her face into her palms and Ethan shifts a bit. I’m still unsure about mentioning our sexual adventures so easily but his reaction is still leaps and bounds better than the first night.
Everything between the three of us has been so natural since the first day, it’s only after something happens sexually between Ethan and I that he tends to retract into himself. I’ve been very mindful of this and tread lightly but after almost getting busted by an entire group of celibate Christians, we all seem to be taking things a little less seriously. It’s been light-hearted, fun and absolutely fucking perfect.
Even now, his knee is grazing mine under the table and he’s not jerking away. Hannah always seems to be touching me or Ethan and I love that because it’s my primary love language.
Hers too, I think.
I haven’t figured out his yet.
Either way, I don’t want this to end and I hate that after breakfast they’re going to go see some sights together and I’m going to hang out with Kobi for a few hours before he flies back to Japan. I mean, I want to hang out with Kobi but I don’t want to miss out on time with these two either. Plus, it’s the last night and the room is now occupied, so there isn’t anything we can do in our room later.
I know I’m living a life of sin according to some and I don’t need the Celibacy Group of America reminding me of that. Especially when I want to do all sorts of unspeakable sinful things to my two new friends in the privacy of my own room.
Actually…I could capitalize on this.
“So, hey. Kobi is flying back a day early. He prepaid for the hotel and is offering me the room. He’s pretty bougie, so it’s probably really nice.” I run my hand through my hair nervously—a foreign feeling that I’m not used to. “Do you guys want to stay there…” I swallow thickly, “with me?”
Kobi doesn’t have an extra night, but I will damn sure get the best fucking suite in this city if they say yes.
My eyes bounce between the two of them, trying to read their expressions. The silence is excruciating and I find myself trying to think of all the perks to sell them on the idea.
I go to open my mouth but Ethan spits out a quick, “Yes, god yes. I can’t wait to have a room with our own bathroom and a tad bit of privacy.”
Oh, thank god.
I huff out a sigh of relief that mixed with a chuckle. “Yeah, the last few nights have been rare in a hostel, but a private room all to ourselves—” I wiggle my eyebrows at Hannah because that’s far too flirtatious for Ethan, “who knows what kind of trouble we’ll get into.”
“You’ve been uncharacteristically quiet about your trip,” Kobi says as he steps up a steep ledge. He pulls himself up on a flat rock with ease then turns, holding out his hand and helps me up.
We’re both shirtless, a sheen of sweat glistens over our skin as we trek through a dense forest park just outside of Paris.
Traditionally we make this hike whenever we’re in Paris together and trek until we reach the edge of the waterfall. It’s been over an hour and we’re almost there, yet we’ve only had surface level conversations because I refuse to talk about how invested I am in whatever is happening between Ethan, Hannah and me.
“Just training myself to get ready to teach. I’m trying to be a better listener,” I say, telling Kobi a half truth.
“Ha! If I’ve ever heard of a line of bullshit in my life, it was that line right there. Spill it with the couple you're coiting with,” he quips, knowing me too well.
“Coiting? Is that even a word?
“Stop deflecting. You aren’t good at it.”
I pause, taking in the sights as we peer over the lush trees and listen to the sound of rushing river water. It’s the most peaceful place I know, a favorite to visit out of all the places I go, and this time I feel unexplainably different. I feel…happy. And not the fake, goofy happiness that I always show everyone. It’s an ease and contentness I haven’t felt in a long time. A very long time.
“Do they know how you feel?” Kobi asks without me saying anything further, because he’s a fucking know-it-all. We’ve traveled and spent far too much time together over the years for him not to see a shift.
I chipmunk my cheeks and force out a breath as I place my hands on my hips.
Do they know how I feel?
No, I mean how could they? Why would they? It’s beenthree fucking days and I’m head over heels for the both of them. I hardly know anything about them.
What I do know is how I feel when I’m with them and that’s more than I’ve felt in a long time.
And for some reason, that’s all that matters to me right now.
I shake my head and he hums.
“What do you plan to do about that?”
