I Just Need You - J. Nathan Page 0,40

asked.

I cringed. “I think I asked him to kiss me.”

They screamed.

I held the phone away from my ear.

“Did he?” Alice calmed down long enough to ask.

“I don’t think so.” I wracked my hungover brain trying to remember. “No, I definitely would’ve remembered him kissing me.”

“You sure?” Elodie asked.

“I saw him staring at you in the rearview mirror the whole way home,” Alice said.

“He was not,” I said, though I had no idea if it was true or not; things were definitely a little foggy.

“I saw him too,” Elodie added.

I didn’t say anything, partially because I felt sick and partially because I didn’t know what to do with that information.

“You wanna grab breakfast?” Elodie asked.

“I think I may vomit if I put anything in my stomach.”

“Want us to bring you back a bagel and ginger ale?” Alice asked.

“Yeah. That would be good. Thanks.”

We hung up and I reached over to place my phone back on my desk. My hand bumped something. I cracked my eyes open enough to spot a tall glass of water with two aspirin next to it.

Tristan.

I popped the aspirin into my mouth and took small sips of the water. Then, I yanked the comforter over my head and prayed that when I woke up again, I’d be rid of my headache and less embarrassed that I’d actually asked Tristan to kiss me.

***

Unsure if it was minutes later or hours later, knocking on my door woke me up. I thought about ignoring it, hoping if it was the girls, they would just leave my food in the hallway and let me sleep. But they kept knocking. “Leave it in the hall,” I called.

The knocking continued.

Praying the room didn’t spin, I sat up in my bed. When everything remained still, I pushed myself to my feet and went to the door.

“Kresley?” It was Chris.

I closed my eyes, scared to see what I looked like after the drunken night I’d had. “Hold on.” I moved to the mirror and pulled my messy bed head into a knot on the top of my head. I licked my fingers and wiped the smeared mascara from beneath my eyes. Only then did I go open the door. “Hey.”

Just like on our date, Chris looked nice and showered as his gaze travelled over my wrinkled tank top and bed shorts. “Did I wake you?”

“The girls and I went out last night.” I pinched my fingers together. “I may have had a tiny bit too much to drink.”

“I can come back.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. What’s up?”

“I was just visiting a friend upstairs and thought I’d see what you were up to, but I can see you’re in rough shape.”

“Tell me how you really feel,” I joked.

“No, I just meant—”

“I was kidding. I know how I look and more so, how I feel.”

He laughed. “There’s this movie on the quad tonight—”

Tristan’s door flew open and he stood there in just his boxers, glaring at us.

I cringed, knowing not only had he been up all night and was probably exhausted, but I’d also embarrassed myself in front of him big time. “Sorry. Did we wake you?”

“I had a long night,” he said, his eyes boring into mine.

A shudder rushed through me, both embarrassed about what I’d said to him, but also kind of turned on that he was using code words for ‘I had a long night because I was in your room all night.’

“Chris was just leaving,” I blurted, feeling rude as soon as I said it.

“I was?” Chris asked me.

“Oh, well, I was gonna go back to bed,” I explained, trying not to hurt his feelings.

“Want some company?” he joked.

Tristan growled low in his throat.

Nervously, I laughed a little too much for Chris’ not-so-funny line. “I think I can handle it.”

“Well, how ’bout I give you a call later?” Chris said. “You know, about that movie.”

“That would be great,” Tristan answered for me.

My brows pinched together, but I didn’t dare look to Tristan. I focused on Chris. “It would,” I agreed.

Chris looked from me to Tristan. “Aren’t you her driver?”

Tristan closed his eyes and he pinched the bridge of his nose, seemingly pained to be having this conversation as opposed to sleeping. “I’m a lot of things. A driver. A brother. A bowler. Take your pick.”

Chris looked back to me, thoroughly confused.

“Call me later,” I said, before closing my door in both their faces.

I stood with my back pressed to the door, my breathing labored and my thoughts haphazardly rushing through my