Page 23 of Alex

“Kate, you may think we’re being party poopers, but we just want to keep you safe and make sure everything is consensual.”

I should have known that tonight was more about Kate letting go and getting drunk for her birthday than it was for two best friends to catch up and have a couple of drinks together.

Kate is my best friend and I love her more than anyone, but her priority right now is drinking, having sex, and living it up like she doesn’t have any cares in the world. She doesn’t, so it’s her right to party.

But I have different priorities in my life. They are working and paying off debt.

I look at Alex, who is watching my every move, and give him Kate’s address. He types it into his map before driving to her house. It’s on the way to the office, so it’s not out of our way.

Plus, Peter thinks it will be upwards of twenty minutes until I get there, so there’s plenty of time to drop Kate off.

The drive to her house is quiet. I watch Alex out of the corner of my eye. He stares straight ahead at the road without speaking a word.

Alex parks his car along the curb and lets Kate out. She reaches through my open window and gives me an enormous hug. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can meet back up.”

“That sounds great. Get inside and go to bed. Bye.” I yell as she stumbles up the steps to her family’s house.

When she’s safely inside her house, Alex drives off in the direction of the office. He’s still silent and staring straight ahead.

Wanting to clear the awkwardness between us, I say, “Thanks for driving her home and driving me to work to check on the alarm.”

Alex doesn’t glance at me when he says, “You’rewelcome.”

Just two words.

Why is he in such a bad mood? One moment he was fine and laughing along with us, then the next moment he’s grumpy and refusing to speak to me.

He pulls up to the office, parking right in front of the doors. He rolls up the windows and closes the sunroof before turning the car off and climbing out.

I stumble out of the car and Alex catches me. His touch is electrifying and causes me to let out a soft gasp.

My heart beats faster and my pussy clenches with need as our gazes lock. His heated gaze stays locked on mine as I regain my balance and stand up.

I feel a little unstable, and I’m not sure if that’s because of Alex’s arms wrapped around me or the small amount of alcohol coursing through me.

Maybe drinking on an empty stomach wasn’t such a great idea, even if it was only two full shots.

I try to head to the front door, but I can’t take more than one step away from Alex’s tight grasp. “I can walk, you know.”

His warm breath tickles my ear. “Can you? Because I don’t think you can.”

His tone is sharp, like he’s angry, but I’m a little tipsy and don’t really care about what’s got him in such a sour mood.

I need to help Peter before he has a full-blown anxiety attack, or worse, calls Mr. Strickland.

I turn around in Alex’s grasp. Our lips almost brush against one another.

“What’s got your briefs in a bunch?”

I try to put as much annoyance into my tone, but it falls flat. Being this close to him, in his arms, makes my body relax as if he’s pulling the imaginary strings inside my heart.

At the mention of his undergarments, his erection comes to life and presses against my abdomen.

Alex’s muscles tense as I push closer to him. He doesn’t answer my question as he lets me go and heads toward the front door.

I let out a huff of breath to try to steady my rapidly beating heart before speed walking to catch up to him.

Another question pops up in my mind, and against my better judgment, I open my mouth and let the words tumble out. “Or are you a boxers type of guy?”

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