so much because, rather than let me hobble along, he picked me up, carried me to the car, and plunked me down on the heated leather seat.
“You know, I think maybe that glass of wine somehow made the twisted ankle worse,” I say, stretching my foot and wincing.
He smirks. “You can drop the act. I’ll never believe you only had one glass of wine. Damn glad I showed up when I did, or else that worm you were with might’ve—”
“Do you call everyone you meet a liar?” I cut in with a laugh.
Apparently, everything is still funny when I’m this keyed up and the mood is set to awkward.
“Only when I’m questioning the truth from girls I don’t trust with an Uber,” he says matter-of-factly.
“Whatever. This is a nice ride,” I say, realizing how cushy the seat feels.
He grins.
“Watch this.” He takes his hand off the wheel and we stay in a straight line.
“It’s self-driving?”
He places his hands on the wheel again. “Close enough. Give it a few more years before you can take a nap at the wheel.”
“Ohhh, sounds like a dream.” I close my eyes, my brain flicking to a terrible vision of me napping in his arms.
When I open them again, I’m actually clutched in his embrace. We’re standing outside my front door and he’s carried me up a full flight of stairs.
I hold my arms out to my sides, my head reeling.
What is wrong with me?
There’s no way it’s the wine. I think I’m just overwhelmed, slightly beat up, and trying to process how the night went from hell to heaven faster than the 2.4 seconds it takes his car to go from zero to sixty.
“See how balanced I am? Not drunk!” I insist, pushing playfully at his shoulders.
“Calm down, woman.” He turns my key in the door and pushes it open. “Where’s your room?”
Uh-oh.
Straight and to the point. I think I like this guy.
Ever since Brina moved out and got married, I don’t even have a roommate to work around anymore. Win.
“Down the hall, first door on the right,” I tell him.
And then my excitement catches up with me and I let out a loud hiccup.
Blushing, I cover my mouth. “Just air. Not drunk. I swear.”
“Right,” he snorts. “You don’t have to impress me. I’m not in charge of policing chicks who like to party too hard.”
We cross the threshold to my room and he lays me down gently on my bed. It’s like I’m floating on a cloud as another hiccup lurches out of me before I can clap a hand over my mouth.
“Yikes. I’m not normally like this,” I whisper, hiding my face.
“Be right back.”
By the time I register he’s gone, he’s standing beside my bed again. Why isn’t he kissing me yet? Is he one of those “take it slow” guys? Is it the hiccups?
Or is it the fact that we’re total flipping strangers?
Ice prickles my face, and I jerk up.
“Drink this.” He hands me the water bottle he’s just held to my cheek.
“Water? I’m not that thirsty.”
“Do it,” he barks.
“Jeez. Fine, Bossypants.” I open the water bottle, a brand I recognize from my fridge, and take a swig.
His knuckles brush against my free hand. I draw in a breath at the sensation. My palm opens and he places something in it. “Take these.”
I glance down at my hand to see two Tylenol, then flash him a befuddled look.
“You’re going to have the hangover headache from hell in the morning to go with that twisted ankle. The pills will help with both.”
“Ugh, I told you, I only had one glass of—”
“Whine? You’re very good at it. Less talking, more drinking,” he growls. His eyes are like hot teal-blue heat rays.
Sighing, I gulp down the pills.
He taps on my nightstand, drawing my attention to it.
I glance over. There’s a sandwich cut into two neat triangles there. Wow, he’s thought of everything.
“Eat.”
“Why?” But all questions aside, I’m actually hungry.
My stomach gurgles at the sight. The original plan was the art museum and then dinner or happy hour snacks somewhere nice, but Nameless kept us at the bar way too long.
“Because your questions are annoying as hell. And you just might feel better having something solid in your gut,” he grinds out.
Well...good answer.
He pulls out his phone and starts tapping at the screen.
Giving in to Mr. Congeniality, I pick up a triangle and devour half of it in one bite. Salami, cheese, lettuce, and mayo. Simple, but tasty.