Page 9 of The Trouble with Players

And, this was my room.

I stripped out of my shorts, staying in my T-shirt and panties. I peeled back the comforter on my bed and slipped under the sheets. I fluffed the pillow under my head and turned onto my side toward the French doors. With the curtains open, I could see the stars filling the night sky. My heavy lids told me the stars would be the last thing I saw before exhaustion mixed with the liquor I’d consumed pulled me under.

* * *

In my dream, I was a little girl again. Splashing water as I ran, trying to avoid the waves. Laughing uncontrollably. Thrust into the air in my father’s arms. The sunlight shined on my sun-kissed cheeks. Seagulls squawked, soaring overhead. Life couldn’t get any sweeter. I loved when he had a day off from baseball because he could stay with us all day and night. He spun me around, and I spread my arms, flying like one of the seagulls.

Footsteps in the hallway pulled me from my dream.

Though I didn’t face the door, I heard the knob rattle and the door open. I lay still, waiting for Crew to notice me there. He’d be pissed, but he’d turn around and head to the guest room where he belonged.

I waited.

His feet shuffled then the door closed.

I stifled a smile. I’d won.

“So that we’re clear,” he said, his deep voice startling me still. “I’m not leaving.”

I didn’t say anything, but I could hear him shucking off his shoes and shedding his clothes. He walked toward the bed and then pulled back the comforter and sheet.

Shit.

Was he looking at me? My panties left little to the imagination.

He slipped underneath the sheets, and with both of us in the bed there was little room to move. He turned onto his side, but I wasn’t sure which way he turned until he spoke and it wasn’t directly in my ear. “I know you’re awake.”

I didn’t respond.

“This is the room I was given, and it’s the room I’m staying in. So, we can keep on playing this little who-gets-to-the-room-first game, but I’m not going anywhere.”

“I could lock the door,” I finally said.

“Are you five?” he countered.

Asshole.

“If your father finds you in here, I’m telling him you snuck in and tried to sleep with me.”

“Or, I could tell him you gave up the room only to slip in during the middle of the night to sleep with me.”

“Like that would ever happen.”

I resisted the urge to use my nails. “Yeah, I’m definitely not the slutty type you’re into.”

He scoffed.

“And consider yourself warned. If your hand crosses the middle of the bed, I will use my knee where it’ll hurt.” He didn’t bother responding, and I didn’t give him the satisfaction of another word. I was holding my own and not budging. I wondered how long I could go without moving. Could I lay this still all night? Could he? That was the last thought that crossed my mind before sleep pulled me back under.

CHAPTER FIVE

I rolled over and flopped right onto my stomach. I cracked my eyes to discover sunlight filling my room and Crew not in the bed. I lifted my head, but he wasn’t in the room or the bathroom. Had he gone to the guest room after I fell asleep? Had he woken before me and slipped out?

I climbed out from under the sheets and sat on the edge of the bed. The amount of alcohol I consumed left a dull ache in my temples and fuzziness in my brain. I pushed myself to my feet and padded my way over to the bathroom. I flinched when I caught sight of myself in the mirror. My mascara had smudged around my eyes, and my hair was matted to one side of my head. Nice.

From the sink vanity, I grabbed his tube of toothpaste, squirted some on my finger, and swished it around in my mouth with some sink water. As I spit it out, I noticed a pair of tweezers. Of course, Crew was the type of guy to manscape.

I shed my clothes and stepped into my shower. The spray of water and steam worked wonders to relieve my headache. And, after a nice long shower, I stepped out, wrapped a towel around me, and grabbed my dirty clothes as I made my way into the hallway.

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