"Thanks." Itake a very long swig, the entirety of it tasting like straight vodka as I will it to numb the ache building in my chest.
I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to hurt myself. But that's the only thing I see in our future, and there's no way around it.
14
CORA
Imanage to toe a very thin line between what I want and what's right the rest of the evening.
But the more I drink, the harder it is for me to determine which is which.
Because every time Alec touches me, my body ignites with a fierylust, and I consider howinappropriate it would be to jump his bones in front of my two best buds.
My phone buzzes, and I ignore it, the alcohol giving me a helpful crutch to blissfully not give a fuck about who might be contacting me. It could be Silver, but it could be Ricardo, and that's a man I'd like to avoid for the rest of my life.
Drunk me is just a bit bold and somehow very aware that I'm going to regret disobeying him tomorrow when I sober up.
"You good?" Alec steadies my shoulders.
"I'm great," I tell him and slap his chest playfully.
Or well, what I think is playful.
Everything sort of spins, and if it weren't for his hands keeping me sturdy, I might tumble over.
He guides me into a chair and hands me a bottle of water. "Here, drink this."
"I think I need to sit down," I mumble.
"Cor...youaresitting down." His brows pinch together, and I reach out and poke the spot between his eyes.
"I'm giving you wrinkles." I skim my hand over his cheek, the five o'clock shadow grazing my skin. "You're really pretty, you know that?"
Alec sighs. "And you're really fucked up."
I hiccup. "Oh, God."
"Are you going to get sick?"
"No." I hiccup again. "This is just really—" I hiccup. "Annoying."
"Here." He pushes the water into my hands, lifting them up.
I chug the water in an attempt to rid myself of the pesky hiccups and nearly choke on it as one fights its way through anyway.
June strolls over and plants her ass in the seat next to me, her body sort of doubling in my vision. "My little lightweight," she purrs. "You doing okay?"
"Mmhm." I nod a hair too aggressively, massively overselling the lie. I'm not okay. Not now, not before I got drunk, and not ever. "I'm tired." I rest my hand on Alec's shoulder. "Are you tired? Is it late? Why am I so tired?" I yawn and lean back into the seat.
Simon claps and cheers out, his back toward us, and then turns around and comes over. "Hey, buddy." He kneels next to Alec and puts his hand on my knee. "How about Alec takes you home, little lady?"
"But." I point out at the game. "It's not over."
Simon chuckles. "You haven't watched a single minute of the game, Cora."
"But like, I could. I was just waiting for it to get good."
"It's been good, and it's almost over. Alec can take you in the car, and we'll catch an Uber home." Simon shifts his focus to June. "That good, love?"
