Chapter 5 Storm
Storm
Gently lowering Dixie onto the center of my bed, I try to unwrap her arms from around my neck and her legs from my waist. The girl somehow has a death grip, even when she’s asleep.
Porter probably won't be thrilled if he finds out she’s sleeping in my bed with me, but there’s nowhere else we can both sleep. The couch is much too small and as much as I’d like to say I’ll sleep on a chair, I'm not doing that. I'm too old to sleep sitting up if there’s another option.
“No. No, no, no,” Dixie groans as she holds on even tighter, refusing to let go of me.
“Little Fox, I need you to let go of me,” I murmur, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.
“I'm cold. Don’t stop holding me,” she whimpers.
I'm still hovering over her. Dixie’s back is on the bed but her legs and arms are still wrapped tightly around me. I suspect her head is only on the mattress because she doesn’t have the strength to hold it up anymore.
I cup her cheeks and brush my thumbs over her smooth skin. She’s so perfect. So gorgeous and she doesn’t even realize it.
I know she’s jealous of Oakley and Roxy. She thinks they’re prettier than her. Sexier. Smarter. But she couldn’t be more wrong. She’s not only more than them, she’s more than any other woman I’ve ever met.
“Open your eyes, beautiful.” When she doesn’t listen, I try again. “C’mon, Little Fox. Let me see those gorgeous honey eyes.”
She slowly blinks them open and stares at me without focusing. A soft smile tips up the corner of her lips, but she looks like she’s seconds away from falling asleep again.
“What are you smiling for?” I grin, unable to help myself when she’s looking at me like this.
“You’re pretty,” she whispers.
“Pretty? I'm not sure anyone’s ever called me pretty before.” I chuckle. “I need you to release your hold on me.”
“But I'm cold.” She sticks her bottom lip out in a pout.
“I know. I’ll get you warm again, but I think we both need to get changed.” I glance down at my leather jacket and worn jeans. I’ve slept in worse, but I don’t want to, I’d rather be comfortable.
More than anything, I want to wear something I'm not afraid of Dixie throwing up on. There’s a very real possibility of that happening tonight.
“Where are we?” She slowly releases her hold on me and glances around my apartment.
I never really thought about it, but I don’t think she’s ever been in here. I’ve been to her place when they moved in and when Porter’s asked me to get the girls for something, but she wouldn’t have a reason to come here.
“My apartment.”
“Daddy’s going to yell at you,” she singsongs, trying to boop me on the nose, but she misses and hits my cheek.
“Your dad is the one who asked me to take care of you,” I mumble as I strip my jacket off and toss it on the chair. My shirt is pulled over my head and I grab a pair of shorts out of my dresser.
After quickly changing into my shorts in the bathroom, I spin around to face Dixie and find a single tear slipping down her cheek.
“What’s wrong, Little Fox?” I hover over her body and brush the moisture away.
“Nothing. I want to go home.” She tries to slip under my arm to get away from me. If she were sober, I have no doubt she’d be able to do it and would be halfway to her apartment already, but with how drunk she is, she can barely function.
Man, maybe I shouldn’t have allowed those extra shots they had before we left. I never should’ve let her get this drunk.
“Baby, you’re not going anywhere.”
Her eyes widen and fear creeps into her features. Definitely not the reassuring words I was going for.
“You’re drunk. I want you with me in case you get sick. That’s it. I'm not going to touch you or do anything to you. Now, why are you crying, Dix?”
“Because you’re only taking care of me because Daddy asked you to,” she whispers as she successfully ducks under my arm and stumbles into the bathroom, shutting the door behind herself.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I murmur as I scrub a hand down my face and stare at the closed door like it’s going to give me the answers I’m looking for right now.