#insatiabl

          “Are you tryin’ to sneak out of my birthday party?” It was hard not to notice her, though it seemed as if the younger woman was working to seem not noticed. “Rude. Oh, maybe you find bein’ surrounded by old men like me just a bit too borin’ for your taste?” A tease signified by the warm smile on his lips, blue eyes twinkling with amusement — until he heard a crash from the ballroom just a few steps from them, causing him to look to the door and hearing loud laughter soon follow. He cringed a bit, narrowing his eyes at his former colleagues that clearly couldn’t handle their liquor. Crying shame, that was. “On second thought, can’t really blame you.” There was definite liquor in him, if not in the glass that still remained in his hand, raising it to his lips and emptying the brown liquid into him, groaning in appreciation as it traveled down his throat, that good burn telling him that good whisky was had. Letting out a soft hiss as he looked back over to her, the warm smile returning as his gaze went over her. Perhaps he was affected by the liquor as well, but instead of being a blubbering, stumbling fool, it only allowed him to not hold back when looking at her. The angelic like beauty of her face, her lips that when they turned into a smile, oh, he was a goner. His own smile grew, placing the glass down at the nearest table. “Mmm, someone tells me I got you to thank for the majority of this. Which I believe, I love ‘em, but when it comes to surprises and party plannin’,” he shook his head, “Absolute worst, and their go to would be to put it on the intern, so, t h a n k  y o u for doin’ all this, it’s...” He chuckled, giving a nod, “It’s made the sting of nearly bein’ forty less...painful? Annoyin’? I dunno, but, somethin’ like that?” He wasn’t even sure what he was saying, licking his lips. “It was just...nice, you bein’ here. I’d hate to see you go. Did you even get cake? It’s really good cake — Ah, I know, I know, you chose it so of course you know, but... I mean... There’s more in the kitchen, if you want.” Pausing for a moment, he gave a shrug, “Unless you got a...hot date waitin’ for you. Which, I’d understand. Though... Have some cake anyway, yeah?” He let out a sigh, leaning over, “Gimme an excuse not to walk back into...whatever the hell that is, please? Don’t make me go back in there, I’m beggin’.”

Debby Ryan in Insatiable

          “I think we should go on a trip.” The words coming out casually as he picked up the doughnut from the box of dozen that had just been delivered by his own hands. A little treat he thought to give her, both of them working hard and, in his opinion, deserved a little something sweet. It was a start, anyway. “Somewhere warm, hm? I’m thinking sandy beaches, sparkling — glistening water...” His voice trailed, as did his eyes to take her in with a sly smile. “Warm sun bathing your skin that will surely need these hands to lather just the right amount of sunscreen within every inch of you...” Taking out his phone, he waved it in front of her. “What do you say? We can go as soon as tonight if you’re willing. Don’t even have to pack anything except the necessities. Everything else we could just buy as we go. What do you say? Wanna have an adventure with me?”

THIS   ISN'T   THE   FIRST   TIME   something   like   this   has   happened   to   him      —      girls   flake   all   the   time   ,      a   little   too   often.   predictable   outcome   ,      given   his   reputation   ,      his   family   background.   either   they   found   someone   more   promising   or   their   parents   intervened   ,      not   wanting   their   daughter   to   end   up   with   some   dead   end   loser   from   the   part   of   town   they   try   not   to   mention.      it's   a   wonder   rio   even   got   invited   to   this   thing   at   all      —      only   through   sadie   ,      someone   he's   known   since   before   either   of   them   knew   what   their   parents   did   ,      the   kind   of   money   they   made   ,      or   how   much   either   of   those   things   meant.      but   what   he'd   never   expected   was   for   her   to   end   up   in   the   same   situation   ,      alone.      "      who      ditched   you   ?      "      it's   more   of   a   casual   question   ,      emphasis   on   the   you   ,      as   if   whoever   did   had   just   made   a   colossal   mistake.   for   him   it   was   just   an   inevitability.      "      —      .   .   .      come   on   ,      fuck   that   guy.      "      his   tone   turns   joking   ,      nudging      her   shoulder.      "      at   least   you   still   have   me.      "