Chapter 18
Eighteen
Bailey
T he sunlight pouring into my window carries the sharp pain of a thousand daggers.
I struggle to open my eyes as the sun’s glare hits my face. The birds chirping outside sound like screaming in my ears, and the world feels like it’s spinning and ringing. Sitting up makes me feel like I might be sick. I take a few minutes for my stomach to settle before standing. I brace myself on the bedside table, fighting to catch my balance.
“Ugh, god,” I sigh, finally wholly upright.
I head into the bathroom and splash some cold water on my face. My hair is a tangled, sweaty ball atop my head. Yesterday’s mascara forms raccoon-like rings around both my bloodshot eyes. I look like death and feel worse, but I guess I shouldn’t expect any less for how many shots Cassie conned me into taking at that after-party.
I head into the kitchen and gather some Tylenol and a glass of cold water. Then I stagger to the living room and settle down on the couch, pushing the pills past dry lips as I shakily tilt the water to my mouth and down half the glass. I set it down on the coffee table and sigh, falling back against the couch and letting my pounding head fall back. I take in some steadying breaths, willing the world to stop spinning.
Then, a soft sound has me opening my eyes.
The distant sound of scratching grabs my attention. I wait for it to happen again and realize it's coming from the other side of my patio doors. I stand on shaky legs, walk across the room, and pull back the door's curtains. I see a familiar face.
I slide the door open. "Hey, boy!" I say, bending down to pet Wolfie's head. "Were you here last night? I don't remember seeing you." He whines loudly and sits in the doorway as he usually does. Feeling awful, I think some wolf cuddles might be the cure.
"Come on," I tell him, and he excitedly follows me inside as I close the door. We head over to the couch, and I flop down. Wolfie sits on the floor, looking up at me with big, pleading eyes. "Oh, come on," I say, patting the couch beside me. "Get up here."
He jumps up and curls up beside me. He rests his head in my lap and sighs, seeming content.
I look around the room and notice my shoes by the door, my purse, and keys on the island. “That’s so funny … I don’t remember putting my stuff away when I got home. I don’t remember … Well, I don’t remember much of anything, really. Did you see me come home, Wolfie? Did I put all my stuff away? Geez, drunk me must have her shit more together than regular me. That’s sad.”
Wolfie whines but doesn’t move. I scratch the spot behind his ear that he loves as I reach for the remote. “Wanna watch some TV?” I ask him, waiting as though he might answer. But, of course, he doesn’t. He’s just a wolf.
I flick on the TV and dig through the newest titles on my streaming app before settling on a cooking show. I don’t have the brainpower for anything serious today.
“Guess what, Wolfie? Remember how I said I was hoping to meet someone at the wedding? I did! I did meet someone.”
His ears perk up, but he doesn’t move. I keep petting him as I gush about how hot Knox was and how attentive and gentlemanly he was while we danced.
“I like him,” I say, “but I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. I don’t even know why he was at that wedding. I don’t think he was on the guest list. Maybe he was staying in the hotel and saw me and just wanted to have some fun. Maybe he’s a professional party-crasher. Who knows? Although, if he was staying at that hotel, it’d be kinda weird to take me to a storage closet instead of his room, right?”
Wolfie cocks his head up and gives me a side-eyed glance.
“Sorry, boy. TMI,” I tell him. “I just really, really want to see him again. Honestly, I haven’t stopped thinking about him since last night. But that’s wild. You can’t be obsessed with someone you just met and literally spent a couple hours with. Can you?”
Wolfie whines loudly, nuzzling my cheek with his nose.
“Okay, well, I’m happy you don’t think it’s weird. The funny thing is … I swear I know him from somewhere, but I can’t place it. But those eyes … He had these light gray eyes, like yours. Except I’ve never seen eyes like that on a human before. I’ve never seen anyone that looked like him before. He looked … He was beautiful, Wolfie. Just gorgeous. I think you’d approve.”
Wolfie howls, and I laugh as I squeeze my temples. “Not so loud, boy! I still have a killer headache.”
He whimpers and nuzzles his nose into my neck before laying back down, his head in my lap.
We sit together for hours while I watch cooking shows, and Wolfie sleeps. The TV is on, and it’s a peaceful, lazy day, but my brain isn’t here. It’s back on the dance floor with Knox. It’s remembering the way his hand felt pressed against my lower back. It’s reminiscing on the way his lips felt against mine, the way his cock felt against … me.
I sigh. I can’t stop thinking about him, no matter how hard I try. I’m unsure how I’ll find him, but there must be a way. I grab my phone and search for a couple of social media sites. Knox isn’t a common name, but I still come up blank. Maybe I can return to the hotel when I’m feeling better tomorrow and ask the front desk staff if anyone knows him. Surely, I can track him down with a bit of detective work.
There has to be a way to find him because I have to see him again.