Chapter 25
Nick
“Hey, man. You good?”
Travis’s question pulls me back to the present moment. Poppy would probably freak out if she knew just how much I like her.
I clear my throat. “Yeah. I just fucking hate that guy.”
“Hey, you!”
I turn around and see Poppy smiling at me, her cheeks bright red.
I grin at the sight of her. All the tension and anger melt away. “Hey, wild girl.”
She hiccups and wobbles on her feet. She makes a come-hither motion with her finger. I lean down to her.
“Anna gave me some tequila in the bathroom,” she whispers loudly.
I sigh and act like I’m disappointed even though seeing Poppy drunk is cute as hell.
“How much tequila?” I ask.
“Just, like, two mini bottles.” She hiccups again. “Okay, maybe three. I can’t remember.”
She giggles.
I wrap my arm around her and pull her to my side. “It’s okay. I’ll take care of you.” I turn to Travis. “I’m gonna take Poppy home. Will you let the guys know we’re leaving?”
“Yeah, sure thing.”
I walk Poppy out of the ballroom. She gazes up at me with sleepy-drunk eyes. “You’re so sexy,” she slurs.
“Why, thank you. So are you.”
I kiss her forehead and walk her out of the Student Union. A few people whistle at us. Someone yells, “Hell yeah, homecoming king and queen!”
I flash a thumbs-up as we walk in the direction of her apartment.
“Hey. You know what we should do when we get to my place, sexy man?”
“What’s that?”
“Make out.”
I chuckle. “No way. You’re too drunk.”
She sticks her bottom lip out and pouts. I almost go “aww,” it’s so damn adorable.
I brush a chunk of her sandy blonde hair out of her face. “It’s okay, wild girl. There’s gonna be plenty of time for us to make out later. But first, let’s get you home and in bed.”
Twenty-minutes later, we’re at her apartment building. I grab her key fob out of her small red purse and open the door. She tries to climb the stairs but trips.
I catch her. “Here, this’ll be easier.”
I scoop her up in my arms and carry her up the stairs.
She leans her head on my chest and closes her eyes. She lets out a soft hum. “This is nice, being carried by you. You should carry me all the time.”
I laugh. I reach the second floor and walk to her apartment door.
“I gotta put you down so I can unlock the door and take you inside.”
She frowns in her sleep, then yawns. “Okay.
I set her down on her feet, unlock the door, and open it. I flip on the light, then I scoop her up again and walk inside.
I smile at how neat and organized her apartment is. There’s a TV in the living room, along with a small white couch, a gold coffee table, and a big cream rug on the hardwood floor. A bunch of bookshelves filled with tons of books line the far wall.
Her kitchen is small and neat with a slim white table for two against the wall and a red Dutch oven on the stove.
I carry her to her bedroom, flip on the light, and set her gently on the bed. She lies back immediately, eyes still closed. I kneel on the floor and take off her heels, then she curls into the fetal position.
“So cold,” she murmurs.
I grab the fluffy white comforter and pull it over her, tucking it over her body. Then I kiss her forehead.
“Get some sleep, wild girl.”
I stand up and turn off the light, then walk out of the room. I walk back into the kitchen, fill a glass with water, then leave it on her nightstand in case she gets thirsty. I stop into her bathroom, smiling at how tidy it is, just like the rest of her apartment.
I find a bottle of Tylenol in the medicine cabinet, pop it open, and grab a couple, then set it next to the glass of water on her nightstand.
She’s breathing softly as she sleeps. A second later, she makes a cute murmuring noise before snuggling deeper into the comforter.
I head into the living room, shed my jacket, tie, and shoes, then lie down on the couch. I don’t want to leave her alone when she’s drunk, in case she wakes up and needs help.
I shift around and try to get comfortable, but her couch is too small. I don’t care, though. I want to be here in case she needs anything. There’s no place I’d rather be than right here with Poppy.
That’s the last thought I have before I fall asleep.