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“With what money?” I point out, trying to bring Kayla back to reality. The drink prices in this place are outrageous. Between the three of us, we’d be able to afford exactly half of a mojito.
“Did I not already say? Drinks are on me.” Eva beams.
A voice clears behind us and we turn to look at Nikko. “Tonight’s tab has already been taken care of,” he says simply, not going into further detail.
“I knew I loved Ben!” Kayla says, flagging down a passing waiter. “Yes, hi. My friends and I would all like to take a shot, please, and you know what? You can just keep ’em coming.”
“Yes!” Eva echoes, high-fiving Kayla.
I lock eyes with a worried Leanna from across the table, and I shrug. “One shot won’t hurt us.”
Oh how I was wrong.
Four hours later, I lie in the back seat of Hermann’s car, threatening death.
“I really am going to puke.”
“Please don’t,” Nikko says from the front seat.
“It’s not like I can help it.”
“We’ll be home soon.”
“It feels like it’s taking forever. Where’s Kayla again?”
It doesn’t seem fair that I’m taking up the whole back seat. Surely I need to make room for the others.
“Leanna’s driver took Kayla and Julia back home.”
Oh right. I remember that now.
“And why didn’t I ride with them?” I ask, massaging my temples.
“We already went through this.”
Did we?
My head is a little fuzzy. It’s been that way for a while, ever since Eva made me down that fancy drink that looked innocent enough but might as well have been straight vodka.
“I don’t usually drink this much. Or at all really.”
“So you’ve mentioned.”
The car comes to a sudden halt, and I nearly tumble off the back seat.
“Whoa, hey. Warn a girl next ti—”
My words are cut off when the back door opens and I peer up to see Ben’s upside-down face smiling down at me.
“Ben!”
“Hi.”
“To what do I owe this pleasure?”
He smiles and nods to the guys up front. “Thanks for bringing her home safely.”
“It was no trouble,” Hermann says.
“You should be really proud of me.” I smile. “I didn’t throw up once.”
One of Ben’s eyebrows rises teasingly. “What an achievement.”
Then he leans in and gathers me up off the seat so he can lift me out of the car and carry me inside.
“Look at me, not even protesting. I like you carrying me. It turns me on.”
Nikko chuckles behind us then tries to cover it up with a cough.
“Night, guys,” he calls back to them. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you both in the morning.”
“Good night, Mr. Castillo.”
Ben carries me in through the front door of his house while I wax poetic about how handsome he is. I describe in great detail my favorite things about him.
“Your lips are so hot. They’re so full I just want to bite them. And your hair. I mean it’s just so sexy. Here, let me feel it.”
He tries to suppress his laughter, but he doesn’t succeed.
“Just how much did you have to drink?”
“I don’t know. Ask Kayla and Eva. They’re wicked. The two of them should never be left alone together. I worry for humanity.”
“I think humanity will be just fine. C’mon, let’s get you changed.” He carries me down the hall toward his room.
“Okay, but I have things I need to remember. What were they? Oh! I have to be on campus tomorrow. I have a seminar in the morning, but I can’t remember what time.”
“I’ll set your alarm for 6:30. That should be early enough.”
“Oh good. And what time is it now?”
“A little past midnight.”
I do some quick calculations in my head, and it feels like I’m trying to solve a Newtonian equation. “So that gives us roughly six hours to have sex. Right, let’s get started.”
I’m pawing at his shirt, trying to rip it off, but the task seems suddenly too difficult, especially without his cooperation.
“Birdie, we’re going to sleep.”
I jut out my bottom lip, hoping that will do the trick. “Why can’t you just take advantage of me like I’m asking you to?”
He laughs again, shaking his head at me. I think he’s really had enough of my drunkenness. I lean up to kiss his cheek.
“You’re sweet to take care of me. I thought I was going home.”
“I asked Nikko to bring you here, just in case you weren’t feeling well.”
“You’ll take care of me?”
“Of course.”
I nuzzle into his neck and close my eyes, suddenly so sleepy and warm now that I’m here and safe with him.
Once we’re in his room, he helps me change and brush my teeth before leading me to bed. He draws back the blankets and tucks me in beside him.
“If you feel sick during the night, I put a trash can beside you just in case. And I’ll stay up for a bit too.”
I snuggle in beside him, wrap my arm around his middle, and close my eyes. “Thank you, but I don’t feel sick anymore. Not now that I’m here.”
