Page 40 of Silver Player

He’s rejecting me. I’m throwing myself at him, and he still isn’t interested. I’m mortified at my lack of seduction skills and the fact I can’t even attract Billy Harrington, manwhore galore. He really isn’t interested in someone like me. I step back, wrapping my arms around my middle. My stomach pitches, and my heart races faster than it should. Sweat trickles over my brow as I bend at the waist and heave all over his boots.

+ + +

I wake with a heaviness in my head and my heart. My tongue feels thick and swollen and dry as a hairy cat. I try to lick my teeth but feel a scratchy sensation in my throat. A sour taste fills my mouth.

Crap. I threw up.

My eyes whip open, and the room spins, so I quickly close them again. Even my lids feel heavy and then I realize there’s a weight over my waist. My palm moves down the cool sheet before touching fingers draped over my stomach. I roll my head too quickly, forcing the room to whirl, and glance over my shoulder to find Billy behind me.

What?

I lift my head and discover I’m still wearing the dress I wore last night minus my cowboy boots. My toes wiggle, and I discover bare feet underneath mine. Billy isn’t wearing his boots either.

Boots.

Oh God.

I puked all over his boots.

After that, the night goes hazy, but I obviously made it to my bed with Billy Harrington at my back.

“Billy,” I whisper, feeling his forearm under my palm. His skin is warm, and he’s deep in sleep, the arm heavy over my belly. My stomach flips, but I don’t have anything left inside to release.

Good Lord, I drank too much last night.

Then what happened before I vomited returns to me.

Billy. My landing. Almost kissing him. Almost.

“Billy,” I harshly whisper.

“Not yet, baby. I need to sleep a little longer,” he mutters, nuzzling into my neck, but I’m certain he has no idea I’m the person he’s nuzzling. He nudges forward, pressing the solid length of him against my backside.

“William,” I hiss.

“Okay, darlin’. I can sleep-fuck.” He rolls me to my back, then slips over me, forcing my legs apart and leaning down for my face without opening his eyes.

I place fingers over my closed lips. There’s no way he’s kissing me. My mouth feels like an animal died inside there, and my breath must be rank.

When Billy lowers, his lips meet my fingers, and his eyes spring open.

“Roxie,” he mutters against my clamped digits. He lifts his head, eyes sleepy and dazed. “What time is it?”

I roll my head on the pillow and note the time on the bedside clock. “Five a.m.”

Billy leaps off me and rushes to the window, tugging back the curtain. The street must be clean, but how long has he been here. My room isn’t very large, and he turns back toward the bed, reaching for his phone on the nightstand. He quickly sends a text and then sets the phone back.

“What happened?” I ask as he stares down at the phone. My question is meant to ask why he’s here, in my bed, next to me.

“You were sick.” He scrubs two hands down his face and kneels on the edge of the mattress. “Look, I’ve only had about an hour of sleep. You mind if I crash here just a little longer to get my bearings?”

“Okay.” My voice is hoarse as I watch him crawl back onto my bed and collapse on his stomach. His face is positioned away from me, and I roll on my side, facing away from him, only my head is full while my stomach is empty. My heart feels a little empty as well.

16

Boo – gotchou

[Roxanne]