“Don’t be. I want to text you all day too,” I say, reaching for his hand. “Thank you for the phone. I promise to blow yours up with texts.”
He chuckles and leans down to kiss me, but I pull away, saying, “Ew… no, I just threw up.”
“True,” he says, giving me a gentle kiss on my temple. “You can take a shower if you feel like it. I got you a new toothbrush and toothpaste, and there are some of my clothes in the bathroom. Chiara called earlier, so I answered your phone to let her know you are here.”
I sit up straight. “Fuck, what time is it?”
“It’s eleven. Sophia knows you’re not coming in today, and I guess your bar shift only starts in the evening. You should feel better by then,” he reassures me.
“But Chiara?—”
“When I asked her if she needed anything, she told me she is ‘not a fucking baby.’ ” He chuckles.
Well, that sounds like her.
“So, just rest, sleep some more. Xander, Sophia, and I have to work. I need to go in early today because of a meeting. But Clay is just as out of it as you are, so someone is here when you need it. But text or call me anytime,” he says, leaning in again to kiss my forehead. “I wish I could stay here too, but one of us needs to get in for that meeting. I’m happy we’re good again. I couldn’t stand you being mad at me.” He smiles, and a flutter builds in my belly.
“I’m happy too.” I smile back before he closes the door, an unfamiliar emotion rolling over me.
Happiness.
When I glance at the nightstand, my phone sits right next to the package with the new one.
My head feelslike it’s splitting apart as I make my way downstairs to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I wasn’t even drunk last night, just a bit tipsy, unlike Carolina, who I practically had to carry out of the bar and into the car. I couldn’t let her go home in that state. Who knows what trouble she could have gotten into. So, Josh and I decided to take her to our guest room for the night. But this headache is killing me. It’s as though the vodka we had was cheap or something.
I thought Carolina would have left by now, so I’m surprised to find her standing in front of the open refrigerator when I enter the kitchen. She’s wearing some of Josh’s sleep pants, which are rolled up, looking cute as hell. But as my eyes travel up her short legs, I notice how her round, fine ass stretches the fabric to its limit. She reaches on her toes to grab something from the top shelf, and when she comes back down on her heels, her delicious butt bounces.Fuck.
I walk up quietly behind her and reach out to grab the package of eggs she was trying to reach. “You wanted this?” I ask, making her jump in surprise.
She turns, looking up at me with wide eyes. “I’m sorry. I feel like I need to eat something, or I’ll get sick again, and I wanted to make us breakfast. Was that too much?”
I huff a laugh and place the eggs on the counter, walking around to sit on a barstool at the kitchen island. “Please, I need something to eat too. I think there’s some bacon of Xander’s in there.”
I don’t usually eat bacon, but I need something greasy.
I watch as she makes eggs and bacon, appreciating how she seems comfortable in our kitchen, like she belongs here.
She places a plate in front of me, saying, “Buon appetito,” before turning and eating hers while facing away from me.
“Move your cute ass over here and sit,” I tell her.
She turns, hesitating for a moment, but comes over, struggling to sit next to me on the high stool. Slowly, she starts eating while I inhale my plate of food. “God, that’s good, thank you.” She just nods, and I ask, “How are you feeling?”
She chews before answering. “Better, but I still feel like laying around doing nothing.”
“Oh, that can be arranged,” I say, taking our plates to the sink before reaching out to hold her hand and leading her to our big couch.
I lay down on my back, opening my arms for her. “Come here.”
She comes easily, resting her head against my shoulder and snuggling into my side. Her arm drapes over my chest, and her thigh rests over my hips, hugging me like a little koala bear.
I place my hand on her thigh, stroking her gently over Josh’s sleep pants.
“Mmm… that’s nice,” she whispers, her voice and her thigh against me making me hard.
Who would have thought a few vodka shots could turn her into a cuddly kitty?
I pull her even closer, kissing her head, taking in the scent of Josh’s cinnamon shampoo. “I could do this for hours. Youknow what, let’s do just that,” I say, my lips lingering against her forehead.
