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“Nothing I didn’t already know.” I winked at him and took another bite of my dessert. The alcohol was making me bold. Speaking of which, I needed another sip.
However, his hand clamped down on mine and brought it back down on the table, looking pointedly at the drink. “You’re gonna regret that in the morning.”
“I already regret this whole evening.”
Natalie
The next morning, I woke up and felt groggy with a dull headache. I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed my phone. It was nine in the morning. Glancing behind me, I saw the extra pillows piled up, providing a barrier in the center of the bed and a vacant spot with the sheets indented, indicating someone had slept there. Last night came back to me. Axel. The five-course dinner. The champagne, the wine, and the chocolate martini. Jeanette and her bitchy reveal.
The rest of the events were fuzzy, but I must have put myself to bed and had the wherewithal to take out my contacts because my eyes weren’t irritated. Exhaling, I sat up and saw my glasses by my phone. Slipping them on, I noticed two aspirin, a glass of water, and a sticky note on the nightstand written in a bold script that read,Take these for your hangover, Hardcore.
Consuming them, I slid out of bed, needing to pee, but I assumed Axel was in the bathroom since he clearly wasn’t in this room. Regardless, I walked over to the door, but it was ajar and dark. Where was he? Did he decide he’d served his time as my date last night and left me to rekindle his relationship with Jeanette?
I knew there weren’t any expectations, but I had at least hoped we’d finish this farce after I’d safely arrived back on campus. I didn’t want to have to rejoin the party bus back to Hillside this afternoon by myself. That could be awkward.Wouldbe awkward. Hell, I’d take an Uber before I’d ride back on that bus by myself—before I’d allow Jeanette to rub it in my face.
After peeing and brushing my teeth, I took a shower. I wrapped a towel around my body and stepped out of the bathroom to pick out my clothes. I was contemplating when to request a ride on my app and leaned over my suitcase to grab some underwear.
“Natalie.” His deep voice shook me to my core. I jumped up, and the towel slipped through my grip. I caught it awkwardly as it draped over my lower abdomen. Oh, my god. I tried to wrangle the towel up my body but caught a glimpse of Axel, shirtless and in athletic shorts, sitting in one of the chairs at the table by the window.
He had earbuds in and was watching me with his legs manspread and his phone in hand. I’d never seen a shirtless man in person. Especially not one who was built like a Greek god.Wait. Did he have his nipple pierced?
Then it hit me as water dripped from the ends of my hair, down my bare skin, over my boobs—my exposed boobs. I dumbly glanced down at the sagging towel hanging around my waist.
Time stopped as I stood frozen. Axel’s eyes were blank as he flashed his eyes over me. “Are you going to put on some clothes, Hardcore, or are you going to just stand there and stare at me?” he said with disinterest and settled his attention back on his phone.
I rapidly drew the towel around my breasts and found a shirt and a pair of shorts. Practically sprinting to the bathroom, I slammed the door and leaned against it, blinking away the tears that were threatening to fall. Could I experience any more embarrassment? I didn’t want him to see me naked, but did he really find me so repulsive?
After dressing and giving myself time to calm down, I opened the door and saw him still seated across the room.
“You’re still here,” I said, acting as if nothing had happened.
“Were you expecting me not to be?” His eyes still carried that blankness as they roved over my now-covered breasts.
I wanted to crawl into a sinkhole. “I thought maybe you left already.”
“Left the hotel? No.”
“Oh.”
“I wouldn’t leave you here. Do you think I’m that much of an asshole?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Well, the formal’s over…”
“You in a hurry to get rid of me?” His mouth twisted wryly.
I paused too long, which caused him to shake his head. “Don’t worry. We only have a few more hours together. I need to shower, and we’ll meet Nick and Kenzie for breakfast.” He stood up and whisked by me to the bathroom.
Axel and I barely spoke on the trip back to campus. I felt like I was someone who’d overstayed my welcome, and he, too, was ready for this farce of a date to end. I was still battling a dull headache from a hangover, so I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep. He nudged me awake when the bus pulled up in front of the Pike house.
As I opened my eyes, I straightened my glasses to see Jeanette walking past us to the exit. However, she paused, glancing between Axel and me, and said, “Looks like the newness of the date already wore off. Such a pity.” She leaned over close to Axel. “Whenever you’re tired of pouting, you know where to find me.” She patted his shoulder and stomped off.
I caught him out of the corner of my eye, and he seemed to be staring off at her with a tight line drawn at his lips. “Let’s go,” he said quietly.
When he parked his car in front of my dorm, he glanced at me briefly, staring down at my hands twisting in my lap before he opened his door and stalked around to the trunk of the car. I drew the door open and tracked around to the trunk as he closed it. “I can take in my things.” I reached out for the carry-on and bag, but he lifted them up and shook his head.
“I don’t want you trudging up three flights of stairs with this. I can do it.”
Was it guilt he felt for what happened, or did he think it was something perfunctory he should do? I kept silent as we trekked up the three flights of stairs. Standing by the door, I was ready to take my stuff inside and forget this weekend, but I was polite. “Thank you.”
