Page 18 of Desire Him

“I borrowed it.” Val picks up a liquor bottle with her free hand and clutches it to her chest.

Eme laughs. “You can’t give back consumed alcohol.”

Val frowns at her friend. “I’ll buy you new rum then.”

There’s humor in Eme’s voice as she says, “Or you could just share the goods. Wayne, want some?”

“Don’t,” Val hisses at her, clutching the bottle even tighter.

Wayne comes to stand behind them, and Val closes her eyes tight. Please go away. Please go away. She can’t do this right now.

“I’m good, thanks,” he murmurs. He leans down and pecks Eme’s cheek. “Do you want me to stick around and walk her home when she’s ready?”

Val snarls. “I don’t need to be babysat.”

He tips his gaze in her direction, and his eyes zoom in on her lips. When he flicks his gaze back up to hers, he says, “It was warmer today, so the snow melted, and then it froze once the sun went down. Being drunk while trying to skate across it isn’t smart. Let me make sure you get home okay.”

Eme nods to him, so he heads to a chair and plops down into it, his coat still on.

Val gives Eme a death stare, one that Eme chooses to ignore while she pretends to get into the movie that Val was watching. She’ll make Eme pay for this later. Maybe this is payback for digging into their alcohol cabinet. Surely, Eme isn’t trying to torture her. Right?

She doesn’t want Wayne to stay because it makes her chest ache to have him so close but not be able to do anything about wanting to touch him. It kills her.

She watches as he sets his elbows on the arms of the chair, steeples his fingers, and rests his chin against them. He turns his attention to the TV, but even while she drinks, she catches him sneaking glances her way. Is she really that much of a hot mess that he can’t help but look?

Fuck it. Getting drunker will fix this mess.

“Want to play a drinking game?” Val asks Eme. Anything to take her mind off the fact that the man she loves is sitting in the same room as her.

“Were you playing one by yourself?” she asks.

“Yes.” Val gives her a short nod and then takes a sip. “And don’t make fun of me for it.”

Eme giggles and takes a drink of her own. “What were you playing then?”

Val sets the bottle of liquor back down and points at the screen. “Every time anyone kisses, we drink.”

“I’ve seen this movie for all but a few minutes,” Eme hisses. “They kiss all the time.”

Val grins wickedly. “I know.”

Eme curses under her breath. “Fine. Fuck it. Let’s get drunk.”

“I knew you were my favorite person for a reason.” She pats Eme on the shoulder.

“This is a horrible idea,” she hears Wayne whisper into his fingers. Both girls ignore him. He wasn’t asked for his opinion.

It doesn’t take long for Eme to match Val’s level of drunkenness. Soon, they’re singing along to the music in the background, and Eme is intentionally pointing out parts that are cheesy and spoilers that Val had forgotten. At some point, Logan comes down, and he now occupied the only remaining chair. The girls mostly ignore him because he spends his time flicking through his phone, content to just be there with the three of them.

Eventually, Logan sets his phone on the arm of the couch and stands up. He leans down, and with both hands braced on the back of the couch, he cages Eme in. “Ready for bed?” Val hears him whisper.

Eme touches his chin lovingly. “One more drink, and then I’ll be up,” she promises.

He kisses her forehead. “Don’t be long,” he murmurs, and then he pushes off and leaves.

The drinks are soon drained, much to Val’s disappointment, and the movie comes to an end. Eme stands up and leans over to hug Val. “Thanks for the fun night,” she says into her ear.

“It’s me who should be thanking you,” she whispers back. The words are slurred, but she knows her friend can understand them.