I know I shouldn’t have been but I couldn’t help myself. She bent low over the table and the denim of her jeans pulled tight across her butt. I couldn’t help but ogle…and I wasn’t the only one. Derek and Kane’s attention was firmly fixed on her rounded backside propped up in the air. I had to keep reminding myself that right now, Zoe needed my help. She didn’t need me to be yet another guy checking her out when she wasn’t doing anything to invite it.
I thought I was being discreet as I adjusted myself. Obviously it wasn’t discreet enough. Kane busted me and burst out in raucous laughter.
“Nice, big brother, nice.” He laughed as he swung back on his stool.
The urge to punch him filled me, somehow I managed to behave myself. He’d pay for that one. Later. Right now I had to get my traitorous body back under control and focus on the task at hand. Winning this game of pool. It would be just my luck to have a raging hard on and lose the unlosable.
Two more shots and I was down to the black ball. It was tucked up against the side, wedged beside another on an impossible angle. I knew I’d never make it. I had no chance. I wasn’t about to show any sign of weakness.
“Ready to lose, Pippi?”
“Seriously? You think you can make that shot?” she slurred. Zoe was officially smashed.
“Of course,” I lied easily.
“Care to make a bet on it?”
“Bring it on,” I dared stupidly.
“You miss this shot, I never hear the word ‘Pippi’ again,” Zoe declared, folding her arms across her chest.
Damn! I didn’t want to agree to that. I loved calling her Pippi. She always got so riled up and so damn defensive it was just fun to watch her explode. And she knew it. That’s why she was taking it away from me. I couldn’t concede to easily. “And when I win…”
“If you win…”
“I will.” I knew I was being a cocky bastard but I didn’t care. I winked at her and waited.
“What do you want?”
Fuck me! Talk about a loaded question. There were a million thoughts running through my head right now and not one of them was appropriate to say out loud.
“Careful there, Zoe,” Derek warned with a wicked grin.
He knew me well. Maybe too well.
I shot him a look, which I hoped would shut him up once and for all, but all it did was cause him to choke on his beer. Maybe that would teach him. I wasn’t about to hold my breath on that one.
“How ’bout I just sink the ball and then we’ll discuss your punishment?” I asked, pushing the X-rated thoughts aside.
“Do it!” Zoe squealed.
Around the bar, heads turned in our direction to see what all the kerfuffle was about. I lined up my shot before stealing a glance at Zoe. She looked happy. Deliriously so. She smiled wide, her eyes sparkling, and her hands nervously clapping silently. Not even the scrapes and blemishes could dim her sparkle in that moment. In the corner of a dark, seedy bar, my girl shone. Fuck, I was a sentimental sap sometimes.
Without wasting another moment, I drew back and took my shot. It was like the room fell silent around me. No one spoke. No one moved. We all watched as inch by inch the ball rolled across the faded green felt until it tapped the ball. It wasn’t the black ball it connected with. Instead it was a bloody yellow one. I hadn’t sunk the black.
“Woohoo!” Zoe screeched, throwing herself recklessly into my arms. Thankfully my reflexes were still working and I was able to catch her before she landed on that cute ass of hers.
“Nice shot, big brother,” Kane taunted like the dickwad he was. “I need a drink after that disappointment. Anyone else want one?”
“Me!’ Zoe squawked in my ear, rendering me temporarily deaf.
“Shit, Zoe!” I growled, trying to be cranky but even I knew I wasn’t pulling it off.
“No troubles, Zoe. Rum and Coke?” Kane offered. Zoe nodded enthusiastically.
It was going to be a long night. She was already smashed and now she’d switched to the hard stuff. I knew she was going to struggle but I wasn’t about to tell her to ease up. If she wanted to drink to forget, who was I to stop her? Damn, I sounded like such a pussy. Maybe I should down a couple just to reclaim my man card.
With Kane headed to the bar, I stole his stool and sat down next to Derek. We sat in silence for a long moment just observing the world around us. We were there, we were part of a group, but we were standing close enough to the edge that I didn’t felt the suffocating fear I’d been worried about.
I didn’t want to ask. I really didn’t. For some reason, I couldn’t stop myself. “Any update?”
Derek cocked his head to the side in a you’ve-got-to-be-fucking-kidding-me pose. It took him a minute before he breathed out a defeated and resounding, “No.”
I knew it killed him as much as it did me. “She going to be okay?” I asked, my throat suddenly feeling like sand paper.
“Zoe’s tougher than she knows. She can do this. It’s not like she’s not going to have to do it alone, anyway. Is she?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I snarled. I hated when people presumed to know me. Know what I thought. Know how I’d react. Hell, right now I didn’t even know how I’d react minute to minute. I was barely holding it together.
“Spencer, don’t even try and pretend to be an ass here. You forget. I know you. And I know Zoe. I know that you’re not going to let her out of your sight until you know she’s okay and safe. Remember I was there when you married her…”
“I was four, for fuck’s sake!”
“Yeah, you were. Did it really matter? Treat our girl right, Spencer.”
“You do know we aren’t together, don’t you?”
“You sure?”
“Yep. We’re just friends. Always have been.”
“Bullshit! You might be friends right now but you’re kidding yourself it you really believe that’s all you are.”
As the thought filtered through, I felt my fists clench and the frustration bubble. I wasn’t convinced it was boiling because I was annoyed at Derek or his words. Was I pissed that he’d hit way to close to the truth or was it because he thought he knew what was best for me?
“Spencer!” Zoe giggled as she fell into my lap, a wiggling bundle of untameable drunk girl.
“Hey pretty girl.” I smiled at her, pushing the escaped curls from her forehead, careful not to connect with the cuts that marred her beautiful face. “You having a good time?”
“Fabulous,” she slurred with a smile before taking a swig from the glass Kane thrust into her hand. That’s when chaos broke out.
In her over-excited state, Zoe missed her mouth and managed to cover not only herself and my sweater in the sticky liquid but somehow my jeans also got a thorough drenching. Stealing a glance at the glass, I was shocked to see there was anything left in there, so much seemed to be on us and the floor.
“No! No! No!” Zoe protested as she leapt from my lap, waving her hands about wildly.
Derek grabbed the glass from her hand before the remaining ice cubes went flying, while I clambered to my feet. In the same time it took me to get to my feet, the waterworks arrived. And when they came, they came hard. Within what felt like the blink of an eye, Zoe had tears cascading down her face and dripping from her chin. Her nose was running, her eyes puffy, and she was sobbing. Loud, ugly sobs.
“I ruined it. I-ruined-your-jumper,” she spluttered between gut-wrenching sobs.
I knew the convulsions must have been hurting her. The way she was throwing her body back and forth with each cry that sounded like it was yanked from her soul. I could only hope the huge quantities of rum she’d already consumed would help to numb her pain. She didn’t need to suffer. She’d already suffered enough.
“It’s okay, Zoe. It’s just a jumper,” I tried to assure her as I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her. She wouldn’t settle. Instead, she just cried harder and deeper. Her whole body shook with each painful, pitiful cry and it
hurt. It bloody hurt like hell. And I wasn’t even the one with broken ribs. “Come on, Pippi, it’s just a shirt. It’ll wash out.”
“Yeah, Zoe. Don’t you think Spencer has spilt rum on his shirt more than once before? You don’t see him crying over it,” Kane tried to help.
I hated it when Kane tried to help. He had no idea. I mean, I’ll admit when it came to women I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing and even less when they were an emotional mess, but I was still better than Kane. He usually just made a bad situation worse. Tonight was proving to be no exception. With Kane’s ineloquent words, Zoe just howled longer and harder, if that was even possible.
With no other ideas in my head, I scooped her up in my arms and smiled at her, completely ignoring the tears and snot and sniffling. “All right, Cinderella. The clock struck midnight. The ball’s over. Time for bed.”
Mum winked at me from across the room and I knew I’d made the right call.
“Sounds like a plan. I’m pretty beat. Let’s get out of here,” Derek agreed, grabbing Zoe’s purse and clearing a path towards the door.
I could feel everyone in the room watching my every move. I didn’t care. Really, who gave a fuck? It wasn’t the first time someone had gone out, had one too many and made a fool of themselves, and it sure as shit wouldn’t be the last. Hell, a couple of weeks ago it had been my turn. Next week, who knew which poor sucker would be crawling out on their hands and knees? Tonight was Zoe’s turn. I knew she had an excuse. I knew if everyone else knew what she’d been through in the past twenty-four hours, they wouldn’t be judging either, but I wasn’t about to tell them. She was better off them thinking she was a messy drunk than feeling sorry for her. She didn’t need their pity.
Thankfully she was light as a feather and felt so warm in my arms I barely remembered she was there. As I made my way across the crowded dance floor, it felt like all the fight went out her. She stopped wiggling and the excruciating, ear-piercing screaming had faded to soft sobs into my shoulder. Her tears had seeped through my shirt and I could feel their warmth on my skin but I couldn’t make fun of her misery. Maybe later I would. Maybe later we would look back at this moment and laugh. Together. Right now, I wasn’t going to make her feel any worse than she already did.
By the time we reached my car, Kane already held the passenger door open for me. I slipped her inside, pausing to fasten her seatbelt.
“You okay?”
“I’m sorry,” she snorted.
She looked completely miserable and my heart shattered. If I hadn’t been completely destroyed earlier today when I’d found her, broken and bleeding, then the sight of her with her makeup smudged, her face puffy, and feeling sorry for herself was enough to do anyone in. I wasn’t immune.
“You’re fine, Pippi. Let’s go home,” I promised her, kissing her head.
“M’kay,” she mumbled, barely coherent as she slumped in the seat.
Carefully I pushed the door shut and watched as her heavy eyes drooped shut. I couldn’t be sure but I would have bet money on it that she was snoring before the door clicked shut.
“You right to get her home?” Kane asked, genuinely worried.
It was strange to see him so deeply concerned for another person. It was rare. I think even when we were just kids I’d only seen him cry once and that was over the death of his pet rabbit. Maybe he was growing up? Although that seemed a little farfetched.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“Okay then. I’m gonna crash at Derek’s. When she wakes up she doesn’t need a house full of people. You can take my room,” he offered, and the sincerity in his face surprised me.
“Okay. I’m not sleeping in your bed, dude. God knows what I’d catch!” I laughed honestly.
“Good call,” Derek laughed, slapping Kane loudly on the shoulder.
“Right, boys, I’m out.”
“Call if you need anything,” Kane offered as they walked away.
Quickly I slipped behind the wheel and pulled out of the parking lot, headed straight for home. I wanted a shower. All I could smell was the stench of rum. I know it was generally my drink of choice, but it was definitely not my favourite cologne. With both Zoe and myself wearing a healthy dose, the cabin of my truck stunk. Not ten minutes later I pulled into the driveway with Zoe snoring loudly beside me. She hadn’t moved a muscle since I’d buckled her in.
Without waking her I carried her inside and laid her on the end of my bed. “Zoe! Zoe!” I called softly, trying to wake her as she flopped over. She never woke. I pulled off her shoes. I needed to get her jeans and my shirt off her but after everything that she’d been through, I couldn’t bring myself to undress her. Not while she was unconscious.
“Come on, Pippi! It’s time for you to wake up,” I tried again.
She mumbled and murmured and rolled over. Her hair covered her face. I smoothed it away. She looked so peaceful.
“Sleeping beauty. Wake up.” I nudged her a little harder.
She sat up, a little wobbly. “Ugh!”
“Morning, sunshine.” I chuckled as I took in her dishevelled state. “Come on, stand up and let me help you out of these rum-soaked clothes. Then you can sleep.”
“’Kay,” she muttered, running her hands over her face.
Despite everything she was still beautiful. She was still my Zoe. Now was most definitely not the time to be having these thoughts. I let her go and she shook on her unstable legs. Forcing myself to step away from her, I grabbed one of my worn t-shirts and handed it to her.
“Why don’t you go into the bathroom, wash your face, and get changed. I’ll grab my stuff and get out of here.”
Zoe didn’t answer but instead accepted the shirt and shuffled off towards the bathroom. As soon as I heard the bathroom door click shut I quickly stripped off and pulled on some sleep pants and a shirt before turning down my bed. I stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water and two aspirin before making my way back to my bedroom to wait for her to re-emerge. I didn’t have to wait long.
“Hey,” Zoe mumbled sleepily.
She looked hot in my shirt and very little else. She shouldn’t, but fuck, she did. It clung to everything and fell mid-thigh. As soon as my eyes landed on her scratched and scuffed knees my libido froze and my neck snapped straight.
Swallowing the golf ball sized lump in my throat, I forced the words out, “Here, drink this.” I stiffly handed her the glass of water. “And take these.”
Zoe raised a quizzical eyebrow.
“They’re just aspirin.”
“Okay,” Zoe agreed quickly as she tossed them in her mouth, following them with a long gulp.
“All right, Pippi, bed time. Come on, in you get.” I laughed, holding up the blankets.
Compliantly, Zoe wiggled under the covers and made herself comfortable. Her hair splayed out over my pillow, her eyes closed, and her soft breathing made everything seem right in the world. I didn’t want to disturb that. I walked over and flicked off the light switch, unable to stop myself from turning back. Snow White had nothing on my girl.
“Where you going?” she grumbled sleepily.
“Sleep, Zoe, it’s late.”
“M’kay,” Zoe mumbled before she fell into a deep, snore-filled sleep.
I watched her sleep for a few minutes before I shuffled off and collapsed onto the lounge. It had been a long day. Even though I knew how damn uncomfortable the couch was, I didn’t care. Sleep wasn’t going to elude me tonight.
Chapter 17
ZOE
There was nothing I hated more than praying to the porcelain gods. I’d woken up early―too early―but the sun had snuck through the gap between the dull grey curtains. That’s when the world started to spin. Fast. Wildly. My stomach lurched and I barely made it to the bathroom before the contents launched themselves into the bowl.
For a long time I sat on the cool tiles, too afraid to stand. Every time I made an attempt to move, everything around me spun and my stomach clenched.
Sitting on the floor gave me a new perspective. Glancing around at Spencer’s bathroom, I was pleasantly surprised by how clean it was. Everything had a home.
A knock at the door shocked the shit out of me. “I’m in here!” I called out quickly.
“You okay, Zoe?” I heard the concern in Spencer’s shaky voice.
Gulping down the lump in my throat, I ran my tongue over my teeth. As soon as I did, regret flooded me. They were covered by a disgusting furry coating. Then I remembered why I didn’t usually drink. Between the vomiting and the spinning and the overall feeling of yuck, I never wanted to drink again.
“Yeah,” I groaned.
“Can I come in?”
“Spencer, I’m fine…”
“Zoe…”
“I’m okay,” I gagged. I knew I was lying. Right now I didn’t care. The last thing I needed right now was for someone to see me like this. Especially Spencer.
I should have known he wouldn’t listen. He never did. Not even a closed door between us could keep him out. It opened gently and Spencer stepped through. If I thought he looked hot in clothes, well in pyjamas he was simply mouth-watering. His pants hung low on his hips and the white singlet clung to his chest. The boy was ripped.
“Hi,” he grinned, leaning causally against the sink, his arms folded over his wide chest.
“Hi,” I replied as I felt the embarrassment creep up over my cheeks, scorching them.
I ran my hands over my face and through my hair. I didn’t need a mirror to tell me how bad I looked. If it was half as bad as I felt, I couldn’t understand how Spencer was still staring at me.
It took all my strength and energy to push my numb butt from the floor. Using the wall to keep me steady, I managed to pull myself upright. The room was still whirling around me and I was too nervous to take a step. Glancing up, I saw Spencer tracking my every movement. As I shuffled towards the sink, my unsteady legs faltered. I didn’t have time to hit the ground. Before I even had a chance, Spencer’s warm arms wrapped around me and steadied me.
Coming Home (Homeward Bound Series Book 1) Page 8
