Chapter 19
nineteen
. . .
Archer
My mother had of course convinced Melody to stay at her house, luring her with pies and crafts, and she tried to convince me to go to Bridger and Emilia’s party.
I couldn’t explain to anyone the panic I was feeling.
The fact that I’d gotten off to Winnie in the shower daily for the last week.
The fact that I’d made out with my nanny, my too-young-for-me nanny, and couldn’t stop thinking about her.
The last thing I needed to do was be at a New Year’s party with endless alcohol and a woman I was dangerously attracted to.
Melody was thriving. We’d found someone who’d completely stepped up to the plate. My daughter depended on her.
I depended on her.
I warmed up the pizza she’d made us and watched some UFC fights, glancing down at my phone to check the time repeatedly.
Maybe she wouldn’t even come home tonight.
She was young and single, after all.
Maybe she’d go home with Brenner.
It wasn’t my business.
“Fuck,” I groaned, because the thought made me physically ill.
My phone vibrated, and I picked it up to see a text from Winnie.
Winnie
Happy New Year, Archie!
Happy New Year. Are you having a good time?
Winnie
Yes, it’s a great party. You should have come. I’m probably going to suffer tomorrow because I’ve had more lemon drops than I can count.
I’m glad you’re having fun. You’ve earned it.
Winnie
What are you doing?
I’m enjoying your pizza and a little UFC, so I’m doing just fine.
Winnie
Is Melody asleep?
My mom convinced her to stay the night with them when we stopped by.
Winnie
So why didn’t you come?
Just needed a night in.
She didn’t respond. She’d looked wounded earlier when I’d changed the plan to go. And fuck, when she’d walked out in that tiny black dress, I knew I’d made the right decision.
A little space would do us both some good.
Do you have a ride home?
Winnie
Are you worried about me, Archie?
Of course.
My phone rang, and I saw her name flash across the screen.
“Stop worrying. I’m a grown-ass wooooo…” Her words were slurring, and I immediately sat forward. “Womaaannn? Woman? Is that a word, or did I just make that up.”
She laughed hysterically, and I heard Eloise’s voice next.
“Yes. You’re a woman!” Eloise shouted.
“Put Eloise on the phone, please,” I commanded.
“Archie wants to talk to you,” Winnie said, and now she’d stopped laughing and sounded hurt.
“Hey, Archer, happy New Year,” Eloise said, and her words also sounded slightly slurred.
It was New Year’s Eve. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
“Hi, happy New Year. Winnie sounds like she’s had a lot to drink, and I want to make sure that she has a ride home?” I rubbed the back of my neck.
“Well, there’s a few guys from the team here that would love to give her a ride home. She’s a real hit with these guys,” Eloise said over hysterical laughter.
I was not laughing.
“Tell him to stop worrying. I’m walking home,” Winnie called out in the background.
“A beautiful woman shouldn’t be walking home alone. I’ll give you a ride.” I heard a voice that sounded a lot like Wizz, a professional hockey player for the Lions, the team my cousin Clark played for.
“Tell her to stay put. I’m coming to pick her up,” I snipped before ending the call and slipping on my shoes and coat.
I wasn’t going to let her walk home, nor was I going to let some dude who was used to women falling at his feet give her a ride home when she was intoxicated.
It was the right thing to do.
I drove the short distance to my cousin’s house and jogged inside.
“Look who decided to show up,” Bridger said, a goofy smile on his face as he took a pull from his beer bottle.
“Winnie shouldn’t be walking home by herself,” I grumped.
“I don’t think anyone was going to let that happen. She has plenty of offers for rides home.”
I looked over to see several hockey players standing around Winnie as she told them all an animated story. I then watched as Winnie, Wren, Henley, Emilia, and Eloise lifted shot glasses off the bar and chanted something about boozy book clubs and tipped their heads back.
“I wasn’t going to let some drunk asshole take advantage of her. She’s my goddamn nanny. I’m not allowing that on my watch.”
“‘Drunk asshole’? Brenner is like a family member to me, and those hockey players are tight with Clark. No one was going to take advantage of her, Archie. Why not just admit why you’re here?” he said with a smirk.
“I just told you why I’m here.” My gaze locked with Winnie’s across the room, and she smiled.
“Archie! You came,” she shouted across the room.
“That’s what she said,” Rafe said as he walked over, and we all laughed.
Winnie came running toward me, lost her footing, and nearly fell before I caught her and pulled her against me.
“Are you all right?” I asked as she tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled up at me.
“I’m great.” She sighed, and her cheeks were flushed. “Maybe a little queasy.”
“Yeah? You want me to take you home?” I asked.
“That would be great. I just need to say good night to everyone.” She moved around the room, swaying a bit as she did, and it took all I had not to step in and carry her out of here. But she was busy hugging everyone goodbye, and I didn’t miss the way every single dude in the room was watching her.
“We missed you.” Rafe clapped me on the shoulder.
“Yeah, I just chilled tonight.”
“And where the hell have you been?” Bridger asked Rafe, a suspicious look on his face.
“I was in your bathroom, you know, the one off your bedroom, having a moment with your toilet. Those chicken wings had a kick to them.”
“You fucker. There are three guest bathrooms. Why the fuck did you use our private bathroom?”
“The fancy toilet, you shitburger.”
I chuckled, but my eyes never left Winnie, who made her way back to me with her coat in hand. “I’m ready if you are.”
“Sounds good.” I said goodbye to the few people I passed on my way out of the house, as the party was still going strong, and I paused to help her into her coat. “It’s cold as hell out there.”
“You do know I’m from Chicago, right? I could have easily walked home.” Her words were slurring more than ever now. I buttoned the top button on her coat, and she reached in her pocket for her pink beanie and pulled it over her head. Damn, she was cute.
“I think the walk to my truck is going to be challenging enough,” I said with a laugh as I offered her my elbow.
“I’m fine. You’re being ridiculous,” she said as she walked right out the door in her high heels, then spun to look at me, all while completely losing her balance.
For fuck’s sake.
I lunged forward, trying to break her fall as she took us both down into the pile of snow beside the walkway.
She was on her back, and my hands sank into the snow as I tried to keep my weight from falling on top of her.
“Hey, Archie,” she said, a goofy smile on her face.
“Hey. Are you all right?”
“Never better.” She sighed as I stood, and I reached for her hand. Once I’d pulled her upright, she started to slide again, and I’d had enough. I scooped one hand beneath her knees and lifted her off the ground, cradling her like a baby.
“How about you let me get you to the truck in one piece.”
“Wow. I’m getting the royal treatment. You’re such a gentleman,” she said as her cheek rested against my chest.
I opened the passenger door and set her on the seat before pulling the seat belt across her body and snapping it in.
I jogged around the truck and moved inside before turning on the engine and cranking the heat.
“You doing okay?” I asked.
“Yeah. I had a lot of fun,” she said. “Thanks for picking me up. You really didn’t need to come out in the cold to get me, though. I could have gotten a ride.”
“I didn’t mind at all.” It was the truth.
“You’re a confusing man, Archer Chadwick.”
“Am I?”
“Yes. You really are,” she said, and it was clear she was drunk.
I pulled into the garage and came around to the passenger door, where I unbuckled her before pulling her into my arms again.
“I can walk. I’m fine.”
She wasn’t fine.
“Just let me help you, okay?” I said with a laugh. I moved inside, headed straight for her room. I carried her to her bed and set her down.
She pushed her coat off her shoulders and tried to kick off her shoes but made no progress whatsoever.
Drunk Winnie was fucking adorable.
I bent down, pulled her ice-cold foot into my hands, and unbuckled the strap.
“Ahh…” she moaned. “Your hands are so warm.”
“This is why you don’t walk in weather like this. You would have gotten frostbite.” I set the first shoe beside me and reached for her other foot.
“Why were you ignoring me earlier?”
I unbuckled the strap and glanced up at her. I thought about denying it. But I decided not to bullshit her. We could be straight with one another. Besides, she’d probably forget by the morning. “Because I think it’s best that I keep my distance.”
She sighed. “Because you’re embarrassed that I kissed you and then shamelessly chased my pleasure against all your… hardness.”
I laughed. She was ridiculously cute.
“First of all, you didn’t kiss me, I kissed you. Second, I offered up my ‘hardness,’ also known as my very excited dick that was reacting to you. You weren’t in that alone.”
“Well, I’m the one who made a fool of myself. And at first you seemed fine, but then you literally avoided me after, so I know you’re mortified by what happened.” She fell back on the bed.
I moved to sit beside her and pulled her upright in a sitting position. “Don’t do that.”
“Don’t do what?”
“Don’t decide things for me, Winnie. ‘Mortified’ would be the last word I would use to describe how I felt after what happened, unless you’re referring to being mortified by my own behavior.”
“You offered yourself up to me. You were a perfect gentleman. And you let me grind up all over you like a filthy animal.” She tossed her hands in the air dramatically. “That’s how you see me now. Like a filthy, horny animal.”
I couldn’t stop the laughter from coming. “Umm… that’s some crazy tequila you had tonight if you think that.”
“So, you avoided me because you think I’m amazing?” she asked, oozing sarcasm. “It’s probably all the dumb bows I wear. Jaden hated them. He thought they were stupid.”
“Winnie.” I reached for her chin and turned her face so her gaze locked with mine.
“What?”
“You are so far off base, you aren’t even in the ball field.”
“‘Ball field’? Are you talking dirty to me, Archie?” she chuckled.
If she only knew the filthy thoughts running through my mind every time she was in the room.
There was only one filthy animal here, and it was definitely not Winnie.