‘Maybe a little.’ His words slurred into each other and Erin stepped back into the room.
‘It’s nine o’clock in the morning.’
He gave a lopsided grin. ‘Yeah I know. Can I come in then?’ Adam lurched forward and swiped for her, but she ducked out of the way so he fell against the wall. ‘Hey, come here sexy.’
‘Adam, stop it.’ Erin grabbed for his hand and led him inside. ‘Come in.’ He bounced off the door frame and almost tripped. Then he looked up and saw Greg.
‘Woss he doin’ here?’ He pointed accusingly and Greg felt his whole body tense. He held his hands up in surrender. ‘Nothing, nothing. I was just helping Erin with something.’ He gestured towards Erin’s empty desk but Adam didn’t even notice the lack of papers on it. He was pawing Erin instead, trying to kiss her neck. She shoved him away.
‘Sorry Greg; I think he’s a bit drunk,’ she said over her shoulder.
‘It’s fine.’ Greg stood and edged around Adam, towards the door. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yeah, she’s fine mate. I’m herboyfriendin case you’d forgotten. Now bugger off.’ Adam fell onto Erin’s bed and stretched out.
‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ Greg whispered.
Erin glanced over her shoulder and back at him. ‘I’ll be fine. Sorry.’ She pushed him gently out of the door and blew him a kiss. ‘See you later?’
Greg nodded, and trudged slowly along the corridor towards his own room. He would give anything to be the sort of person to storm back in there and insist Adam leave right now. But he knew it would do no good. It would only end badly for him. But hewouldcheck up on her later, no matter what she said.
The door closed firmly and Erin turned back to face Adam, swallowing down the shame she felt about her boyfriend being in such a state. The trouble was, it wasn’t the first time Adam had turned up at her door like this, and it seemed to be getting worse each time. There was only so long she could keep making excuses for him.
‘What are you doing here Adam?’ she said, crossing her arms. ‘I thought you were touring this week?’
He struggled to sit up. He looked terrible, worse than she’d first thought. It had been almost a month since she’d last seen him; he’d been off touring somewhere up north, and he’d lost weight. His clothes hung off him and his T-shirt was stained.
‘I thought you’d be pleased to see me.’ He held his arms up. ‘Come here.’
Reluctantly, she sat down next to him. He pressed himself against her and pulled her shirt open so hard the buttons popped off. Despite his appearance, Erin felt a stirring of desire and for a moment she let herself get lost in him. They fell back onto the bed and moments later they were both naked, his lithe body pressing into her.
But then she noticed a mark on his neck and she stiffened.
‘What’s wrong?’ His face was so close she couldn’t make out his features, only smell his stale-smoke breath.
‘What’s that?’ She ran her finger along his neck and across the livid red mark.
‘What’s what?’
‘This bite mark?’
‘It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.’ He pressed his lips against her again but she turned away and wriggled out from underneath him. She was cold now, and wrapped her flimsy duvet around herself. Adam pushed himself up to sitting, the moment gone. ‘Fuck’s sake Erin.’
‘Adam, why have you got a bite mark on your neck?’ Her voice was icy.
‘I dunno.’ He leaned towards her. ‘Pleeease can we just get back into bed?’
She pulled away, suddenly disgusted by this man. She thought about all the times she’d defended him to Greg, to all of her friends, insisting that, no matter how many women Adam was surrounded by every night, he would never cheat on her. But of course she’d known, deep down, that it was inevitable. How could she have been so naïve?
‘You need to leave.’
‘What?’
‘You’re pissed.’
‘So?’
She sighed. ‘I’ve had enough.’
