CHAPTER 13
REESE
Lida was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
Reese made an effort to take off her shoes and get her safely snuggled into bed, but she wouldn’t dare try to get her to wake up and drink water or brush her teeth.
Reese flopped onto the other bed and reached for her water bottle.
Lida would most certainly wake up with a raging hangover tomorrow, but there was no reason for Reese to do the same.
The heady tequila buzz from earlier in the night had completely worn off by now, but she still chugged half of the cool liquid and quickly laid back down.
Her phone vibrated and Reese’s heart skipped a beat as she leaned onto an elbow and saw Jette’s name flash across her screen.
JETTE
Everything okay?
REESE
All good. Li passed out almost immediately
Thanks for your help, J
Reese debated sending another message but hesitated.
Up until the last hour, the night had been moving into new territory, and Reese couldn’t entirely swallow down the disappointment lodged in her throat.
She wanted to tell Jette how the warmth of her hand on Reese’s knee sent the butterflies in her stomach into overdrive, but she couldn’t find the words.
Despite the copious amount of water she’d hurriedly sipped, Reese’s mouth was dry as she remembered the feeling of Jette’s mouth on her neck.
And the imagination of what her mouth would feel like in other places.
JETTE
Anytime
Are you going to bed?
The words sent a thrill through her chest. She was tempted to say that she was already in bed, but she immediately deleted the words and typed out a new, more reserved, text. It didn’t take more than a second before Jette responded.
REESE
In a little bit
JETTE
Do you want to grab breakfast tomorrow?
Though tempting, Reese had an early morning schedule leading up to the game.
And it would only be more hectic and chaotic given the state of Lida passed out in the bed next to her.
But still, Reese wanted to see Jette again even if for just a few minutes.
Maybe fifteen, or thirty. Perhaps an hour.
Or two. She sighed in resignation. Perhaps the tequila buzz hadn’t worn off entirely just yet.
REESE
I can’t, I have to be up super early for my game. But I’ll see you at the show tomorrow?
JETTE
Okay, perfect
Goodnight :)
REESE
Night :)
She stood up and stretched since her body was still stiff from the flight this morning.
She knelt down and went through her nightly routine, carefully stretching her sore muscles.
The carpet left tiny imprints on her skin as the minutes ticked by.
She shot a glance at Lida—now snoring impossibly loudly—and dug through her suitcase before scooping her toiletries and carrying everything into the bathroom.
She couldn’t hear her phone vibrating over the sound of her electric toothbrush, instead she watched the screen light up out of the corner of her eye.
Her feet gently padded across the room, careful not to wake Lida.
Though she was also positive that not even a natural disaster could wake Lida at this point.
JETTE
Sorry if you’re trying to sleep already. I just realized I should probably give you the tickets for tomorrow night
If you still want to come. No pressure
She lolled her head to the side and typed out an appropriately excited, but not overly eager, reply.
REESE
Of course! Wouldn’t miss it :)
JETTE
Perfect :) I can leave them at the front desk
Reese smiled to herself before the next text came through, effectively stopping her heart.
JETTE
Unless you wanted to come up and grab them in person?
She froze with her toothbrush still in her mouth.
Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard as she anxiously typed and deleted a dozen different responses.
Reese rushed to the bathroom sink and wiped the toothpaste from the corners of her mouth.
In the mirror, she watched a rosy flush creep across her cheeks and chest like wildfire.
Her hands absentmindedly smoothed her gray tank top before splashing under the running water and running through her wavy hair.
She closely inspected her face in the vanity and felt a pit of nerves settle in her stomach.
After the way their hands had explored each other under the table at the bar, it was pointless to pretend that the night had been purely platonic; that much she knew.
But Jette’s text felt purposefully vague.
As though the invitation was an innocent formality.
A simple litmus test to see if Reese would take the lead or if they would both agree to forget the night’s events entirely.
The butterflies in Reese’s stomach came back to life with a vengeance.
Even if she stayed in the room with Lida, there was no way she’d be able to fall asleep any time soon.
Her mind raced with indecision and the daunting thrill of possibility.
She could lie to herself and say that there was no other reason for wanting to visit Jette’s hotel room late at night.
Or she could admit that there was a part of her, a part of her that was getting stronger with every passing second, that wanted to entertain the thoughts that had swirled around her mind for the past few months.
Ever since they’d locked eyes at that party ages ago.
Steeling herself, Reese picked up the phone again.
Her confidence surged as she typed out the message and pressed send before giving herself the chance to back out.
REESE
I’ll come up. What’s your room number?
Reese let out a breath that she was unknowingly holding while she slipped out of the bathroom. She flew to the mirror and gave herself a once over, running her hands through her locks once again. Her hair had a messy and tousled quality that even Reese could admit looked attractive.
Lida rustled in the bed next to her and Reese watched her in the mirror for a moment.
Not wanting Lida to wake up in an empty hotel room, Reese spotted a notepad and pen and wrote a quick note, explaining she’d be back in a few minutes.
Just in case, she thought to herself. She slipped on a hoodie and sneakers and gently closed the door behind her.
The butterflies in her stomach only grew as she waited for the elevator.
She nervously fidgeted with a loose thread on her sweatshirt and wrapped it around her fingertip tightly, reveling in the sharp and fast throbbing of her heartbeat under the dark pink flesh.
It pounded in her ears and entirely blocked out the chime of the elevator doors opening in front of her.
It was as though she was operating solely on autopilot now.
Her brain wasn’t in charge of her actions anymore.
In fact, she was certain her brain had given up total control over her body the moment Jette’s fingers brushed hers under the table.
She swallowed with difficulty and nearly jumped out of the elevator when the doors opened on the twenty fourth floor.
Reese had been eager to visit Jette’s hotel room—too eager, she could argue—but as she struggled to settle her racing heart, Reese took a deep breath and unconvincingly tried to lie to herself the same way she’d been lying to herself for the last few months.
For the next few moments, she pretended that she had no ulterior motive.
No other reason to visit Jette’s room except to pick up the tickets for tomorrow’s show.