Page 51 of Breakout
Anyone could have seen.
Fuck.
I sit up abruptly, groaning as my stomach starts to roll.
A hand brushes back my hair as he encourages me to lie back down.
“Lie back down. You’ve got to be hungover.” Becket’s voice is low and soothing.
He sits up, leaning over me to grab a bottle of water and some aspirin. “Here. Take it.”
I take the aspirin and toss them back, chasing it with the water. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. Then I close my eyes, willing the nausea to go away and quickly.
Why did I do this to myself?
I have only ever drank on a handful of occasions, but never to excess like this. Now I know why people swear off drinking. I sure as hell never want to do it again.
Still, even with the throbbing in my head, there’s one thing that I can’t seem to wrap my head around.
With everything that happened last night, how the hell did I end up here?
“Beckett, why am I in your bed?” I whisper, not wanting anyone to hear.
“Because you were drunk off your ass and needed somewhere to sleep,” he informs me, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple.
“Everyone is going to see me leave,” I try to argue.
“I’d hope they do, otherwise, they are going to think I murdered you. They watched me bring you to bed,” he informs me.
“That’s breaking the rules, Beck. This is too. At this point, I’m not sure which rules you haven’t broken.”
I turn my head, my eyes fluttering open to look at him. He’s smiling softly.
“You broke them first when you married me,” he teases. “Stop worrying so much. Kellan and Cora had the couch, and you were so drunk we were all worried about dropping you at your dorm alone. I offered my bed up. They think I’m sleeping on the floor to make sure you don’t choke in your sleep. Very honorable, actually. They thanked me.”
I should feel relieved. Our secret is safe, but the truth is I’m disappointed. Having everyone know would have been a real relief. At least, I think it would have been.
“You’re in bed with me. What if someone came in and saw us?” It’s weak, but it’s the only argument I’ve got.
“Then I would have to kick someone’s ass for kicking open my door. It’s locked, Peyton. Like it always is. I know you want this kept a secret. I would never do anything against your wishes. You know that. Trust me.”
He’s right. I know he would never do anything to go against what I want. He has proven that over and over again. With the way he helps me hide this even though he has no reason to. Or the way he bickers with me in front of everyone so that they would never guess.
Or maybe that’s partly true. We bicker in private too.
When I let out a deep sigh, he pulls me closer, his hand going back to mine to brush against my naked finger.
“I hate that it’s empty,” he admits softly.
“We aren’t real. It would make sense that the ring isn’t either.”
He shrugs, looking sad. “I like pretending it’s real.”
“Why? You wanted to be married in college?”
“No, but I don’t mind being married to you.”
My heart is racing in my chest. What if he admits that he’s in love with me? I don’t know if I can handle that. So I do what I do best. I deflect.
