‘You’re so pretty,’ he said.
‘Thank you.’
‘No, I mean it. You’re the prettiest girl in the entire town.’
Daisy bit down on a smile. Sure, he was drunk, but it was still nice to hear.
‘Thank you, Elliot.’
‘Probably in the entire world.’
‘I think you’re getting carried away.’
She could feel him shrug.
‘I don’t think so. I think you’re the prettiest girl in the entire world.’ He started humming ‘Bicycle Built For Two’ again, and she realized there was no way he was driving home. Or walking for that matter. He was barely putting one foot in front of the other as it was.
‘Hey, Elliot, where do you live?’
‘Here.’
‘I know, but like what’s your address?’
This seemed to stump him. He told her several addresses, none of which were in Dream Harbor. He was very insistent on a particular one in New York that she was sure must have been his house with his ex, and she wasn’tabout to point that out. Not right now. Not when Elliot’s version of being sloppy drunk involved serenades and compliments.
‘I think you need to spend the night.’
His brows rose comically high above his glasses. ‘A sleepover?’
‘Yep.’
He groaned a little bit. ‘I’m sorry I drank too much fairy wine,’ he said, leaning into her as she unlocked the door and she tried not to laugh at his new name for the wine he’d been drinking all night.
‘That’s okay. That stuff packs a punch.’ They walked through the darkened shop, Elliot’s arm still draped over her shoulder. He wasn’t putting his weight on her, but he was definitely letting her guide him past the flowers and the mess she’d left behind in her hurry to get to the festival.
‘I was nervous about tonight. Abouthooking up,’ he whispered, his breath tickling her ear, confessing.
‘I was, too.’
‘You were?’ He sounded shocked, which almost made Daisy laugh.
‘Of course. I didn’t know… I mean, I wasn’t sure what you would… want. After you said you didn’t want to be fuck buddies.’
‘Me, neither,’ he said with a groan as he plopped onto the end of her bed which, luckily, she had pulled down from the wall before she left. Elliot looked suddenly lost as he took the crown from his head. Daisy moved closer to brush the petals from his hair. He opened his legs, and she stepped between them. His hands found her hips.
‘We’re not going to hook up tonight,’ she said.
‘I know.’
‘And maybe we should stop calling it that. It sounds ridiculous.’
‘Definitely,’ he said with a laugh. ‘Iamsorry, Daisy.’
‘Don’t be. This is for the best. It’s… safer this way.’
Elliot let out a sad little moan and rested his head against her clavicle. His fingers gripped her hips tighter, like maybe he didn’t think this was for the best at all. Like, maybe he wished they were having an entirely different type of sleepover.
‘You’re probably right,’ he said as she ran her fingers through his hair. It was thick and dark, and she resisted the urge to tug on it. He smelled like wine and fruit and bonfire smoke. She probably did, too. Like summer and desire.
