Page 8 of Love Shots

“Always.”

Once they were safely indoors, he lay Summer on his bed. Damn, if she didn’t look good in there, which was the last thing he should be thinking about right then.

After taking off her shoes, he covered her with his warmest blanket and went to get some water. She was going to have one doozy of a hangover tomorrow.

Getting her to take a few sips was harder than he imagined. He ended up with more on his shirt than down her throat. Some water was better than none though. Realizing she wasn’t going to drink anymore, he settled the glass back on the bedside table. In case she got thirsty in the night.

“Time to sleep now.” He lightly brushed his knuckles over her flushed cheeks.

Sighing in contentment, Summer snuggled deeper into the blanket. “I love it when you touch me. Makes me feel all tingly.”

Me too, darlin’, me too.

“Go to sleep, doll.” He kissed her forehead, yet somehow found the strength to drag himself away.

“Night, Teddy.”

“Night, Summer.”

Grabbing a blanket for himself, he settled in for the night in the armchair he’d dragged beside the bed. He needed to watch over her in case she needed him. Or had to vomit. Or so he told himself.

***

Teddy stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, Summer’s drunken words from last night still fresh in his mind.

After making the swift decision to shave less and buy more flannel, he bent over the sink and splashed some more water on his face, the cold sting awakening the rest of his brain cells. He needed to pull himself together. He’d slept an hour at most. Instead of dozing off last night, he’d watched Summer sleep. Like some kind of weirdo. What the hell was happening to him?

A noise from the bedroom had him hurrying up. She was awake. And he was itching to go check on her.

Looking as good as he was going to get, he exited the bathroom. He didn’t have to go very far to get a glimpse of Summer, as it was attached to his bedroom. He wasn’t prepared for the sight before him. Although he shouldn’t be surprised. The woman certainly had a habit of keeping him on his toes.

A grin tugged on the corners of his mouth. “Is there a reason you’re lying on the floor, dollface?”

Summer’s head came up and twisted to face him, her hair was sticking up in all different directions. It was really fricking cute.

“I fell,” she weakly replied.

That must have been the crash he heard from the bathroom. Thankfully, she didn’t look hurt. Just inconvenienced. “Okay ... and it was just so comfortable you thought you’d stay down there?”

Letting out a groan, she let her head drop back onto the rug. “I’m too weak to move, Teddy,” she whined. “I’m never drinking again. Why the hell did Laney let me drink tequila? She knows it’s my kryptonite.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle as he remembered Summer wailing out the lyrics to her tequila song last night.

Her face was still buried in the carpet when she spoke again. “It’s not funny,” she grumbled.

She was wrong. It was definitely funny. Making his way over to the side of the bed, he hovered over her for a moment, trying to decide how best to help her up. She didn’t seem to mind his new proximity. And when he reached around her waist to gather her into his arms, she didn’t protest either.

“Come on. Up you go. You want back in bed, or do you wanna come in the kitchen and I’ll make you something to eat?”

He could practically see her mind working. Every single thought changing her expression. She was still in his arms, and he had no plans to let go just yet. Even hungover, she managed to take his breath away.

“Food. But I feel gross. Can I use your shower?”

The thought of Summer naked in his shower had his body reacting. He could feel himself tense up. Even his jaw seemed to clench.

Jesus. Get your mind out of the gutter!

“Uh, sure,” he grunted. “You want something to wear too? Sweats? A shirt?”

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