Chapter 23: Knives

She had kissed him?!!!!

Nilana was mortified.

With her eyes widened, cheeks flushed red and mouth agape she kept her eyes on Ian. She looked at him with the last bit of hope glimmering in her eyes that all of that he said wasn't true.

"I-"

"You kissed me..." He deadpanned, "On my cheek." Ian pointed his index to his cheeks.

She stammered, desperately searching for the right words to explain herself. "I... I didn't mean to... I must have been really drunk, and I thought it was a dream... I mean, you know how things get blurry after a few drinks, and I never—"

Ian interrupted her, a subtle ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"It's fine, Nilana. It was just a kiss on the cheek, and you were intoxicated."

Relief washed over Nilana, "Right, just a friendly kiss on the cheek." She let out a nervous laugh. "Not big of a deal at all."