Chapter Twenty-Three
~Summer~
“ S top being so loud.” I demand, shoving my head under the covers. How many damn margaritas did I have last night, because it feels like a sledge hammer is pounding my skull from the inside out.
“It’s after eleven, Princess.” Alexander’s deep voice advises from above, his hands falling on each side of me, the heat from his body covering me. “And all I did was say good morning.” His chest vibrates against my back when he chuckles.
“How are you so chipper?” I grumble, wondering what I’m being punished for. No one deserves to feel this bad in the morning, no matter how many shots of tequila they may or may not have done.
“I’ve already gone for a run, and swam fifty laps.” He plants a kiss against the back of my hair. “Exercise is the best cure for any hangover.”
“I hate you.” I roll onto my side, curling myself into a tight ball, his body aligning to wrap around me.
“No you don’t.” He reminds me. “You love me.” His arms clench tighter. “At least, that’s what you kept yelling out on more than one occasion last night.” His chest vibrates again.
I toss the blanket off my head, twisting to look at him. “We had sex last night?”
“Several times.” His brow furrows. “You don’t remember?” He frowns. “On the beach, and then in the shower because we were both covered in sand.”
“Oh my God.” I slap a hand over my face, which I’m sure is red with mortification. “Please tell me I didn’t make a complete fool of myself.”
“You were amazing.” He assures me. “But now I feel like a complete ass for not realizing just how drunk you were. I wouldn’t have taken advantage of you.”
“Oh, something tells me I probably wasn’t complaining.” I mutter, sliding my fingers away to bury my head in my pillow. “I’m so sorry.” It comes out all muffled, but I’m too humiliated to lift my head and repeat myself.
“No, I’m sorry.” He insists, his tone firm. “It’s my job to protect and take care of you. I should have known you were too drunk.”
I roll over, wiggling my body until I can meet him in the eye. “You were drunk too. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I’m almost ten years older than you. I should fucking know better.” He continues to argue his point, but I press a finger to his lips.
“Stop.” I roll my eyes. “Just tell me I had a good time.”
“There is no doubt that you enjoyed every second.” His lips curve up, a single brow arching high. “I’d be happy to provide a replay, if you think it would jog your memory.”
I shake my head. “Not unless you’re into vomit, because I think that’s where I’m headed.” I jump out of the bed, slamming my hand over my mouth as I race to the toilet. I make it just in time, the contents of my stomach retching from me.
I feel my hair being bunched into a ball behind my neck, and try to slap him away, but end up needing my hands to brace myself as more of my guts spill out of me. I want to die. Mostly from embarrassment, and because I feel so utterly awful.
“I’ve got you.” His hand rubs small, gentle circles against my back as he continues to hold my hair. I rest my bottom on my knees, dropping my head against the crook of my arm, praying the worst is over. I’m never drinking again.
“Can I get you anything?” He asks softly.
“My dignity?” I choke out, moaning as a cramp seizes my stomach.
“Your dignity is firmly intact. Still the apple of my eye.” He assures me as his palm continues to soothe me.
“Still love me?” I check, lifting my head to peek over my shoulder at him.
“More than ever.” He bends, depositing a kiss against my neck. “Think you’re done?”
“I think so.” I nod, attempting to stand, his arm sliding around my waist to assist me.
“Let’s get you back in bed for a little while. I’ll get you some ginger ale and crackers.” I collapse back on the bed, the covers draping over me a second later as he tucks me in. “Do you think you can handle Advil?”
“Let’s start with the soda and go from there.” I plop my arm across my eyes to block out the light.
“You got it.”
“ B aby?” I blink awake to the warmth of fingers brushing strands of hair off my cheek. “How are you?”
I yawn, belatedly covering my mouth as I realize my breath must be horrid. “Sorry.” I grimace, recalling my puking event from earlier. I attempt to yank the covers back over my head trying to hide. I have never felt more my age than this moment.
Alexander tears the blankets out of my grasp, his deep, blue eyes soft as he stares down at me. “You don’t have to hide from me.” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Nothing you do will ever change the way I feel about you.”
“Ugh.” I groan. “Why do you have to be so perfect?”
“Trust me, I’m far from perfect.” He scoffs. “You give me way more credit than I deserve. You’ll come to see that the more time you spend with me.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it.” I mumble, noticing the sun is low in the sky. “What time is it?”
“Almost three-thirty.” He strokes his palm lovingly over my cheek. “I wanted to let you rest as long as possible, but thought you might want to shower before the helicopter arrives.”
“I wasted an entire day.” I frown. “Time we could have been spending together.” I push myself to sit up beside him. “I’m sorry, Alex.”
“You called me Alex.” He muses, tilting his head.
“Is that okay?”
“I like it.” He smiles, his eyes lighting up. “I was more concerned with how you were feeling.”
“I think I feel better.” I swing my legs off the bed and stand. “Thank you taking care of me. For letting me sleep.”
“Of course. Are you hungry? I can make you something while you shower?”
As if on cue, my stomach grumbles loudly, both of us laughing out loud. “I think that’s a yes.” I grin, rubbing my center.
“Eggs or grilled cheese?” He offers the only two options he knows he can make.
“Definitely grilled cheese.”
Twenty minutes later, freshly showered, teeth brushed, and in clean clothes, I’m sitting in the kitchen, sinking my teeth into the tastiest sandwich I’ve ever eaten. “What in the world did you put in this? It’s delicious!”
“If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.” He states, completely serious. “It’s a family recipe, and we’ve all been sworn to secrecy.”
“Well, you could serve these in a restaurant and make a killing.” I take another bite, moaning at the cheesiness melting in my mouth.
“Our ride will be here soon.” He reminds me, one corner of his mouth turning down. “We need to talk about how to handle things back in the city.”
“Can’t we just hide out here forever?” I suggest, only half kidding.
“You have no idea how tempting that idea is to me.” He places his elbows on the counter, leaning closer to me. “Because everything will be different the minute we land.”
I stop chewing, my gaze penetrating his as I try to figure out what he’s thinking. “Okay…”
“I think it would be better if I dropped you at your aunt and uncle’s apartment. Coming back to mine might be pushing our luck further than we already have, and your locks aren’t getting changed until tomorrow.” He straightens and begins pacing. “We’ll need to stay apart and minimize our contact anywhere on University property, including in my classroom. I’m going to ask Tim to grade all of your work going forward so there’s no concern of favoritism with your work.”
I straighten in my chair, crossing my arms, my pulse starting to race. “How exactly are we going to have any kind of a relationship with these rules?”
He mimics my posture, crossing his arms as his stance widens. “We don’t.”
“Wha—” I start, interrupted when he speaks over me.
“Not until the semester is over, and you aren’t in my class anymore.” He lifts his shoulders, shaking his head. “It’s the only way.”
I huff out a breath, narrowing my eyes as I peer over at him. “It’s not the only way.”
“What else would you suggest, Summer? Because seeing each other puts you at risk, and I don’t want that for you. I could care less what happens to me.”
“So, I don’t get any say in this decision at all? You’ve just decided we’re going to wait almost two months, and not see each other?” I throw my hands in the air, my cheeks heating as my voice rises.
“It’s seven weeks.” He iterates. “We can text, talk on the phone. And there are weekends. We can make plans to meet and spend time together then.”
I shake my head, breaking his gaze to stare down at the counter. “This feels wrong. And us being together shouldn’t be wrong.”
He steps closer to me, putting a finger under my chin lifting it until our eyes meet. “We are not wrong. Nothing has ever felt more right.” He sweeps a kiss over my mouth. “I’m already in agony when I think about not being able to touch you, hold you, make love to you. Especially when you’ll be twenty-five feet in front of me in my classroom.” He draws me into a hug, pulling me close, his lips murmuring against my ear. “But I can do anything for seven weeks if it leads to forever with you.”
“Alex.” I whisper, turning my face to his. “Forever?”
“I’m in love with you, Summer.”
The weight of his words sink in, the intensity of his gaze even heavier. This man loves me. I can see it in every single action, feel it in every touch, hear it in the plea of his voice. How is this real? He is undeniably perfect, and if I can’t commit to seven weeks, I don’t deserve him. He’s right, seven weeks is nothing in the big picture.
“I love you too, Alex.”