"Why are you crying? What’s wrong?” I ask, my voice sounding more urgent than I meant for it to. She shakes her head.
“My parents don’t want me. You don’t want me. Nobody wants me,” she sobs, and my heart breaks. Fuck. She thinks I don’t want her? Is she serious? If only she could hear the thoughts inside my head when I’m around her, then she’d know crazy that statement is.
“Trust me, Lainey,” I begin, leaning down and touching her tear-stained cheek with my hand. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”
Looking up at me through her lashes, she sniffles.
“Then why won’t you kiss me?” she asks, and the shake in her voice makes me want to do whatever she asks of me. Fuck, why is she making this so hard?
Chuckling softly, I push a strand of her curly hair behind her ear.
“I would absolutely devour you if the timing wasn’t so shitty. You’re drunk, Barkley.”
Lainey shakes her head. “I’m not that drunk,” she insists, and even though I’m pretty wasted, I’m not as bad as she is.
“Why don’t you ask me tomorrow?” I ask, knowing she won’t remember any of this in the morning.
Lainey’s bottom lip juts out as she pouts. Huffing, she sinks into her pillow.
“Fine.”
“Go to sleep,” I order, hoping there won’t be any more tears from her tonight. I don’t think I could handle it.
“Don’t go,”she whispers, her voice thick with emotion.“Stay with me. Please.”
Hesitating, my gaze flicks to her face. She’s looking up at me, her eyes pleading, her lips slightly parted. There’s something raw and desperate in her expression, something that tugs at my fucking heartstrings.
I know I shouldn’t stay. I know this is a bad idea. But I also know I can’t walk away from her like this.
“Alright,”I nod, my voice barely above a whisper.“I’ll stay. But just for a little while.”
That’s fine. I’ll stay until she falls asleep, which should be fairly quick considering her eyes are already closed.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, my back stiff, and my hands clasped in my lap, Lainey turns to face me, her body inching closer, her movements slow and deliberate.
A jolt of surprise hits me as her hand reaches out, brushing against my cheek. Her touch is warm, her fingers trembling slightly.
She doesn’t say anything, just lays there, staring at me. It looks like she’s got something to say, but she’s not letting herself say it.
Is she feeling what I’m feeling? Does she want me as much as I want her? Does she wish she wasn’t drunk so we could fulfil our desires?
About ten minutes later, Lainey’s breathing evens out, becoming heavier. Instead of getting up and leaving, I close my eyes and replay the night in my head. Watching Lainey dance and have fun and let go, it was a sight to behold.
I wish she could be that way all the time, and all of sudden, that’s my goal. Making sure Lainey gets to live the life she deserves, instead of being a shell of who she could be.
Sunlight pours in through the curtains, and my eyelids flutter open as my arm tightens around something warm. No, not something. Someone.
Shooting upward in the bed, I realize that someone is Lainey, and she’s still snoring softly. Shit, I fell asleep. Shit, shit, shit balls.
Okay, if I can just move softly and quietly, I can sneak out before she wakes up and realizes I’m still here. She probably doesn’t recall last night’s events, especially the part where she asked me to stay. Sober Lainey doesn’t like me as much as drunk Lainey did.
Moving as slowly as I possibly can, I begin to maneuver off the bed. Instead of quietly making an exit, however, I roll off of the bed and land on my ass.
“Fuck,” I hiss, staring up at the ceiling. Well, there’s no sneaking out of here now.
Lainey shoots up in bed, looking over the edge and finding me star-fished on the floor. Her eyes widen at the sight, and she immediately covers herself with the sheet. She’s still wearing last night’s attire, but apparently it’s different in the light of day.
“Holland?” she says softly.
