Chapter 19
Jazmine Allen
M y brain is about to explode.
Hangovers are the fucking worst. Every time I open my eyes, I am either blinded by the stupid sun, which causes my head to throb even more, or get hit with a wave of nausea. I squeeze my eyes tighter, trying to recall the events from last night. All I know is there were multiple shots of vodka and someone rescuing me from the top of a bar.
Slowly, life seems to come back to me as my gaze darts around the room. I suppose the benefit of getting drunk is, it keeps my insomnia in check. I don’t remember coming back home or falling asleep.
Grabbing my phone from my bedside table, I check my unread messages. Surely, they can piece my memory back together.
Argh. I am never drinking with Willow Rogers ever again. Scrolling through my phone, I stop on a message from Theodore.
Fuck.
Theodore Knight:
Hope you have recovered after last night.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Memories from last night flood into my brain—Theodore and my brother coming to pick Willow and I up from the bar. Only for Willow and Jayden to start a fight over me.
How drunk Jazmine finds solace in Theodore's arms, where I fell asleep. My cheeks heat as the memories of Theodore's muscles engulfing me flash across my mind.
I am never going to be able to face him. Okay, maybe that is slightly dramatic but as my fingers hover over the keyboard, I can't think of a response to Theodore's message.
Can we forget everything that happened last night?
Please forget I exist.
“Okay,” I force myself to breathe deeper, “In and out,” I repeat. Swiping an affirmation from the top of my deck, I read it aloud. “Embrace the glorious mess that you are, ”
Now I feel insulted. I am a fucking mess. My desire to drown in self-sabotage and negative self-talk surges over me like I was caught in a thunderstorm. Deciding to leave Theodore on read, I go to the kitchen in hopes to find caffeine. Willow is spread across our pull-out couch, clutching at her head and groaning.
“Regretting those shots now?”
“Stop shouting at me,” she groans. “And why the fuck are the blinds open?”
I lower the blinds to give Willow some reprieve. Part of me wants to bring up her and Jayden’s fight last night. Usually, their fights aren’t harmful but this one was different.
Jayden was extremely out of line. He knows about Willow's history with bad relationships. She practically bolts from commitment these days. Every guy she has dated had major red flags. They always try to change Willow, wanting her to be a submissive and quiet woman.
That is not Willow Rogers.
I plan to lecture Jay some time in the next couple days, but I have always told Willow she is playing with fire when it comes to my brother.
I finish making my coffee and find Willow answering the door.
“Your hot boy toy is here. I’m going to hijack your bed now,” Willow stalks away with a hunched back and dejected face.
Boy toy? Who the fuck is she talking about? Jesus, it’s way too early for this. I look up, finding myself standing in front of Theodore Knight .
Shit.
“Can I come in?”
“Sorry. Yes,” I scrunch my eyebrows together. Why is Theodore here? “Are we working on our project? Because my brain isn’t functioning right now, so I won’t be much help.”
Wait, what day is it again? Honestly, the past month has been so busy every day is blurring into one.
Theodore tilts his head. “No. You didn’t reply to my message, I thought I’d check on you.”
I suck in a breath. He still wants to put up with me after my embarrassing moments last night. Heat boils in my blood even thinking about my close vicinity to him.
Although yesterday is hazy, glimpses of Theodore helping me while I was close to blind drunk flash in my mind. Every unhinged part of me wants to seek his touch again.
I can only assume this is my hormones begging me to release the tension simmering in my muscles, preferably from the hands of Theodore. Or his tongue, I’m not fussy. It’s been so long since I’ve had an orgasm with someone who isn’t my vibrator.
Forced proximity will be the death of me.
My distracted thoughts stop me from realising Theodore is inches away from me. His spicy scent travels into my nostrils, causing a shiver to crawl up my spine.
“What are you thinking about, Princess?” His rugged voice shakes me out of the trance I fell into.
“Nothing,” I replied quickly .
I push all the colliding thoughts of Theodore and sex out of my brain. Distance is key. I take a slight step away from him to remind myself of this.
A smirk forms on his face. “Sure.” Theodore glances towards my bedroom door, then turns his attention back to me. “Is Willow okay?”
I close my eyes and sigh. “Not right now, but she will be.”
“If it is any consolation, Jayden feels really bad. I messaged a buddy of mine who is on the ice hockey team and he said Jay hasn’t left his room since he returned home last night. Even skipped their training session this morning.”
My eyes widened. Jay never misses training. And I mean never. Once he went to a session at six in the morning when he was practically on his deathbed. “That’s interesting,”
Theodore clears his throat, however, stops before he starts talking.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, it’s…” He looks back to my room, where Willow is sleeping. For a moment I think he is going to ask if she is single. Although it wouldn’t surprise me, after last night, that would fucking hurt.
Fuck. Is this what jealousy feels like? Simmering anger beneath my skin and flooding into my bloodstream. And the desire to have Theodore all to myself.
My tongue lashes out before I can comprehend the sentence. “Say what you’re thinking, ”
“Fine. But don’t shoot the messenger, okay?” He swallows. “Have Willow and Jayden ever…”
His question trails off, leaving me puzzled. “Ever what?”
He raises his eyebrows and nods towards my bedroom. I cough continuously, hitting my chest to remind myself to breathe. Theodore thinks my brother and best friend have had sex. I can barely cover my gag.
“Don’t put that thought into my mind. I don’t even want to think about it. But as far as I know, they haven’t.”
Theodore nods but his face tells me he doesn’t believe it. My stomach rumbles loudly through the room. Theodore snaps his gaze to my stomach.
“Have you eaten today?”
“No,”
Suddenly, Theodore is dragging me into the kitchen, forcing me onto one of our stools. My eyes follow him as he paces across the room, searching every cupboard and drawer.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? I’m cooking for you,”
Is this usually what guys do for their friends? Even describing Theodore and I as friends is a long stretch. We’re more like acquaintances. At least, that’s what I tell myself every time Theodore tries to help me. It’s strange, though. I’ve never had someone put in this much effort to get me to like him. I assume that is the purpose behind his actions.
“Why do you have no food in your house?” he asks.
I don’t have a reasonable excuse in my mind. To be honest, I can’t actually remember the last time I bought groceries. Athena has been with Austin the past couple days and Sofia has been away for the past couple weeks since she is doing a work-based subject for her course, which is in another state. So, it has only been me around the house. I’ve grabbed a couple things for dinner but that is about it.
“Please tell me you have been eating,”
Theodore’s voice cracks, hitting me like an arrow to the heart. “I have been eating dinner,” I say, as if eating one meal a day makes it okay.
My mornings are always demanding, whether it is classes, work or completing assessments. And once I’m in a focused state I don’t want to move.
“Go get changed,” he says, although it sounds more like an order. “I’m taking you out for breakfast, then we are going to buy you groceries.”
I stare at Theodore, I’m not a fucking dog he can order around. “Say please,”
His eyes narrow before he stalks across to me, not worried that he is invading my space. Theodore is way too close, the gap between us is close to non-existence. His breath caresses my skin, causing my blood to hum.
My breath trembles as Theo’s lips inch closer to my ear.
“Pretty please, my Princess, will you change out of these flimsy pyjamas and let me take you out for breakfast?”
I lose the ability to breathe for a second, as Theodore’s intense stare pierces through me. Swallowing, I turn away from him and head straight for my bedroom door .
My brain combs over his statement—overthinking every word that came out of his mouth. Two words stick with me every step I take, they are all I can hear in his low voice, rugged and arrogant.
My Princess.
His.
My stomach flips at the thought of belonging to Theodore Knight. Memories of the first night I met him flash through my mind. I’ve avoided the attraction for three years but right now, I am so fucked.