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“What is it?”
"I can't..." I turned toward the window. "Can you pull over?"
I didn't get a chance to wait for him to decide. Everything started to go black, and the last words I heard were, "Jesus Christ, Hayley!"
––––––––
THE NEXT TIME I OPENEDmy eyes, I realized I was being carried. At least it felt like I was being carried. I opened my eyes and realized I was slung over Corey’s shoulder and he was stepping onto an elevator.
I sighed as the cart rose to the top, as he stepped off and tipped the bellman—carrying me into a suite.
Hitting the lights, he carried me around the room, muttering, “Where the hell is the bedroom?”
When he found it, he set me on a chair. Then he went to the restroom, returning with a robe.
Bending down, he unbuckled my stilettos. He unbuttoned the suit jacket I was wearing, tossing it onto a chair with my purple dress.
“I need you to hold up your arms so I can help you into this robe.”
I didn’t move.
He sighed and positioned my hands above my head. He tried to avoid looking directly at my body as he helped me into the robe, but I could tell he was struggling.
When he was finished, he slid his hands under my thighs and carried me to the bed. Shaking his head, he placed a blanket over me and walked into the living room.
I heard him talking to someone on the phone, but I could only make out a few of the things he was saying.
Strawberries. Breakfast. Dry clean her dress by morning. Don’t bring any fucking Starbucks up here—regular coffee is fine.
He returned seconds later and stared at me from the doorway.
“Am I really that drunk?” I asked.
“Apparently so.”
“Are you going to stay the night?”
“Doubt it.” He walked over and adjusted my pillows. Then he dimmed the lamp light next to me. “Go to sleep, Hayley.”
“I need to ask you something.”
“Yeah?”
“Why aren’t we friends anymore?”
“Distance, time, the usual.”
“Before I went to college, you used to call.”
“You used to answer.”
I sighed. “If I had told you that I had a crush on you and wanted to date you—”
“Go to sleep, Hayley.” He cut me off, looking panicked as hell. “Now.”
“I really liked you back then—as more than a friend,” I said. “Like, I’m pretty sure I damn near loved you.”
He stared at me, looking stunned.
