My Rebound (On My Own #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,84
I hadn’t thought about doing before.
I might not know exactly what the future held, but I knew who would be in it.
My plans would fall where they may later, and I would help them along, but I had Pacey by my side now. My favorite and only rebound.
My everything.
MILES
I scowled at another couple making out upstairs in the hallway, but I moved past them. They weren’t in any of the bedrooms, and frankly, we’d probably have to bleach the whole area anyway. People were having a little too much fun tonight, and I was glad that we were kicking everybody out soon. I didn’t mind house parties. I enjoyed hanging out with people, but this had been a long fucking semester, one with things I hadn’t expected, and I just wanted people to go away. I needed to make sure the people I cared about were okay.
I turned the corner, headed towards my room, needing some space, and saw Nessa sitting on the floor, a bottle of wine in her hands as she leaned against the wall, her eyes closed.
I cursed under my breath, pissed off all over again. It might not have been Pacey’s fault that he hadn’t seen what his friend thought of him, but maybe it should be on him. Perhaps Pacey should have gotten his head out of his ass and realized what he was doing to Nessa.
Because, Jesus, what the hell was I supposed to do for her now?
She was drunk, at a party, and in a short skirt. None of those things separately should matter, but I didn’t trust anybody, and there were definitely some asshole predators out there. I sighed and knew I was about to make a really big fucking mistake, especially if she got mad at me for it. But I didn’t care.
I moved forward and took the bottle from her hands. Her eyes widened, and she pouted up at me. “What was that for?”
“Come on, let’s get you tucked in.”
“I don’t live here. And I’m not getting into anyone’s bed.” I pulled her to her feet, and she leaned into me, her legs wobbly. “I think I had too much to drink.”
“Probably. But come on, I’ll take care of you.”
“Why? We’re not friends, are we?”
I ignored the barb and unlocked my door. I walked her in and closed and locked the door behind us.
“We are. We just don’t talk as much as I do with the others because you’re friends with them more than you are with me.”
“Maybe. Or maybe I’m such a bitch that I make people think they should feel sorry for me, but they shouldn’t.”
I shook my head and led her to the bed. “Let me get you some water.”
She sat. “I’m fine. I just make stupid decisions and make people feel sorry for me, and I shouldn’t. I need to be an adult. I have to be someone I like and respect. And I don’t think I like myself right now.”
I went to get her a bottle of water from my mini-fridge and handed it over to her after I unscrewed the top. “Drink.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered.
I cringed. “Please don’t call me that.”
She chugged half of it and handed me the bottle back. “Thank you. I swear I’m not a bitch, but I feel like one lately. He was never mine, you know? He never was and won’t be. But I got it into my head that maybe we could be something, and I acted all stupid about it.”
I knelt in front of her and closed my eyes, then counted to ten. “We’re allowed to be stupid about people we have crushes on.”
“I thought I was in love with him.”
“Maybe you were.”
“No, if I were in love with him, he would’ve loved me back.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s how that works.” She began to list a bit to the side, so I put my hands on her shoulders to keep her steady.
“You’re going to be okay.”
“What if I’m not?” she asked, looking at me. “What am I supposed to do?”
I pushed her hair away from her face and sighed. “Whatever you want to do.”
She looked at me then and licked her lips. My gaze caught the movement, and I swallowed hard.
“Nessa.”
She grabbed my shirt and pulled me towards her. Her lips pressed against mine, and she tasted of sweetness and too much wine.
I pulled away and shook my head. “You’re drunk. You don’t know what you’re doing.”