“Jesse! Shut up! You’re going to be in so much trouble!” My teeth gritted, I smack him in the arm.
“No, I’m not. I’m gonna go home and go to sleep and feel better in the morning.” He shrugs.
“Do you not remember what a hangover feels like?!”
“Nope.”
“Oh, you just wait!”
“I’m waiting,” he says, opening my car door.
As I’m getting my seatbelt on, he rests his hand on my face and pushes my hair back behind my ear.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re pretty. I love you,” he mumbles.
“Yeah, you better.”
“I really do. Even more than beer.”
“Wow. How romantic,” I mutter and swat his wandering, curious hand away.
When I get him back to his house, we don’t even make it to the back door before he throws upagain. He already threw up once on the way here. Which I can handle. I want to be a nurse for crying out loud, I better be able to handle it.
I finally get him upstairs. He doesn’t know how to be quiet—his boots make his footsteps sound like there’s a stampedecoming. At this point, I’m just waiting for someone to come out into the hall. My bet is on Mason or Maureen. They have ears like a dog. Speaking of dogs, why on earth didn’t they go nuts when we snuck in?
I slowly shut his bedroom door. Jesse sits on his bed and kicks his boots off, letting them clomp onto the floor. He is clueless.
“Jesse, why aren’t the dogs barking?” I whisper.
“’Cause they know it’s just us.”
“But—”
“Lay with me.” He grabs my waist and pulls me down on top of him.
“No. Babe, no. I need to get out of here beforeIget in trouble. I’m not allowed up here.”
“You’re not gonna get in trouble. I’ll protect you.”
“No, I have to leave.” I laugh and push myself up off him.
“But will I see you tomorrow?”
“Probably, as long as your parents don’t—”
“Jesse.” His mom’s voice sounds through his door and my body goes numb. “Ella? I know you’re in there too,” she adds calmly.
My heart beats faster, feeling as if it’s going to explode. I walk over and open the door. Maureen is in her pajamas, glasses on her face, hair pulled back.
“I just drove him home,” I spit out.
“I know. I watched you pull up.” She walks past me. “Jesse, what are you thinking?”
“Right now?” he asks, and I close my eyes. This oughta be good.
“Yes, right now!”
