Page 26 of Welcome to Forever
“Are you ready?” Micah asked, turning to her and smiling.
“I can’t just leave. I’m the reason we’re all here.” Her words slurred on top of each other, as she looked across the table at Val again. “I can’t just leave you.”
“It’s fine. Really. I’ll call you tomorrow and you can complain about how awful your headache is. Because it’s going to be painful.” Val smiled as if the thought were a pleasant one.
Kat shifted in her chair, and then relented. “Fine.” Going home sounded good actually. She tried to stand before both feet were flat on the ground.Rookie-drunk mistake.The heel of her shoe got caught on the leg of the chair, and her body flung to what would’ve been the floor, if Micah hadn’t been standing there. Instead, her head hit the hard rock wall of his chest.
He pulled her up gently and steadied her on her feet. “I’ll help you to my Jeep.”
She nodded, feeling sick as her head started to spin faster. “Okay. I guess. See you at home, Julie.” Her words sounded slurred even to her own drunken ears. How much had she had to drink? She couldn’t remember, which was a bad sign. She remembered the first three drinks, and those were buried under several more.
Micah’s arm hugged her waist tightly as he helped her exit the bar and walk through the parking lot.
“You’re strong,” she said, giggling. Yep, she’d be mortified in the morning. This thought started her laughing hysterically.
Leaning her against his Jeep, he held a hand to her stomach to keep her from tipping over while he unlocked the door. His hand resting just south of her waist lit a fire low in her belly. She was hysterical and turned on, and every other contradicting emotion. Definitely in no condition to be interacting with co-workers and parents of her students.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Nothing. It’s just, I’m wasted.” She laughed even harder. “I never get wasted.”
“Good to know.” He started to guide her to the passenger seat. When she tried to step up, she wobbled out of control and his strong arms wrapped around her again. “Okay,” he said. Then with one quick motion, he lifted her off the ground and placed her into the seat of his vehicle.
“Have you thought about that kiss?” she asked, as he leaned in close to fasten her seatbelt. She couldn’t control what was coming out of her mouth. “Because I have. A little.” She started laughing again. Val had warned her that she was a horrible drunk, and evidently, it was true.
“What have you thought about it?” he asked, his voice low and bristly. Her buckle snapped into place with a loudclick.He could step back now, but he didn’t.
And she didn’t want him to. What was the point of being drunk if you couldn’t say and do what you wanted, and then apologize for it in the morning? No one blamed a drunk, they blamed the drink. “I thought that I liked it. The kiss. It was amazing.” She held her breath as he lingered in front of her, his hand still resting on the seat’s buckle.
“I thought the same thing.”
“You did?” She swallowed thickly, as her heart rode up her throat.
His brow lifted. “You sound surprised.”
“I’m out of practice.” She nibbled on her lower lip, drawing his gaze there. Then his gaze flicked back to her ring. Just the thought squashed the flutterings in her chest, leaving a deep ache that vibrated with the alcohol. “He’s been gone for two years,” she said.
Micah’s brows pinched together softly.
Explaining about John in her state wasn’t a good idea, though. She might start crying, which she didn’t do in front of others anymore, and right now all she wanted to do was forget everything but their kiss.Thatshe wanted to remember. “You could kiss me again,” she said softly.
His smile deepened and,damn,he smelled good.
Leaning in closer to her ear, his hot breath melted her as he whispered, “Kat, you’ve had too much to drink. I’m taking you home now.”
Before she could process what he’d said, he stepped back and shut the Jeep’s door, the sound as offensive as if someone had crashed cymbals in her ears. A moment later, he reappeared on the driver’s side and cranked the engine, another sound that made her wince.
She closed her eyes, unsure of what to do with her drunken emotions.
“If I kiss you again, I want to be one hundred percent sure it’s what you want. Not because my almost ex is walking up and you want to help me out. Not because you’ve had too much to drink and want to escape.”
She suddenly felt very tired, as the Jeep Cherokee headed out of the parking lot. “So, you are going to kiss me again?” she asked. Before she could hear his answer, though, her eyes closed and the sounds of the road and his voice, and the blood thundering in her head, blurred together. She remembered their kiss, the feel of his stubble roughly brushing against her cheek, and the way he had smelled like pine and fudge brownies.
No, wait.His eyes reminded her of fudge brownies. He didn’t smell like them.
Her eyes fluttered open. Yeah, she was definitely going to regret tonight in the morning. Especially the part where she’d offered to kiss him and he’d rejected her. She’dreallyregret that part.
