Page 9 of Frosted Hearts

Trying my best to ignore him, I turn to look out at the dance floor to find Morgan in the crowd. This is her scene way more than it is mine. I don't mind coming out to dance and have fun every once in a while, but she is here every weekend and always finds a new boy to go home with. I probably should have told Steel we don't need to take Morgan home with us. She'll find her own ride, but for now I'm going to keep my mouth shut and just enjoy this cold glass of water that feels better than I want to admit.

I'm not sure how much time has passed when I feel someone shaking my shoulder. Shit, I must have fallen asleep at the table. That's not good.

"Princess, you got to wake up. It's time to go," Steel's rough voice calls out softly as he shakes my shoulder once more.

"I'm awake," I grumble, lifting my head and looking up at him. Or I thought I was going to need to look up at him, but he's squatting down beside me, making him eye level with me as I lift my head. "Hi."

"Hi," he smiles, rising to his feet and holding out a hand to help me out of the booth. "You ready for food and sleep? Your roommate said she'd find her own ride home, so it's just us two."

I'm not sure if it's my sleep-addled brain, but I place my hand in his and let him help me up. "Just sleep, please?" I answer, letting my legs find their balance before I take a step toward the exit.

Steel is careful to keep his palm in the center of my back as he escorts me forward. I should tell him to stop touching me and pull away, but for right now, I don't feel like fighting with him. I'm too tired. I can't believe I fell asleep while waiting. It's not the first time, but it is embarrassing to do.

When we reach the front door, Steel hands our jacket ticket over to the woman working the coat check, and we wait patiently for her to return. Neither of us says a word, and the silence isn't weird. When we get our jackets, Steel helps me into mine before he puts his on and guides us out the front door.

The parking lot is emptier than when we arrived four hours ago, making it easy to spot Steel's full-size SUV amongst the few cars left. With his hand once again on my back, he guides me to the passenger door and, like a true gentleman, helps me inside, not shutting the door until my seatbelt is fastened. I watch as he walks around the other side, gets in, turns the engine over, and pulls out of the lot.

"Sleep, Illeana," he whispers. "I'll wake you when we get back to the dorms."

Ishould have known playing bodyguard to a college student would involve having to watch my charge at a club. There are way too many people packed into the place for my comfort. The second I had parked in the lot, I wanted to turn around and leave, deeming it too dangerous, but I knew that wouldn't earn me any brownie points with her. Which is what led me to now. Sitting here in the driver's seat, heading back to campus with Illeana asleep in the passenger seat.

I'm slightly disappointed she didn't want to stop for food because I am starving. Good thing I have the Chinese takeout waiting for me so I can eat that after I get her into her room. The streets are pretty deserted at one in the morning. I thought with Westhill being a college town, it would be a little busier at this hour, but I guess not everyone goes out to party on a Friday night. That, or they decided to head into Silver City, our biggest city in the area. It's only a forty-five-minute drive from Westhill, and where our major sports teams play. Which reminds me, I think there was a professional hockey game tonight, which probably pulled a big crowd from here.

From the second I told Illeana to go to sleep, she was out cold with her head resting against the window, curled up in her seat. I crank the heat up just a little so she doesn't get cold, especially since it's starting to snow. In less than fifteen minutes, I'm pulling up to our dorm and putting the car in park.

"Illeana, we're here," I call out softly, turning the car off. Unbuckling myself, I open my door and quickly shut it to move to her side of the car. When I open the door, she still hasn't moved and I have to catch her head quickly. "Shit. Illeana, come on, you need to wake up," I state a little more firmly.

"Mmmm," she mumbles, not even opening her eyes.

"You're going to freeze to death if you sleep in the car. If you aren't going to get out of the seat yourself, then I'm going to need to carry you in. Is that what you want?" I thought mentioning that I'd carry her would get her to wake up a little more and get out of the car, but she ignores me, even going so far as to turn in her seat away from me. "I guess the hard way it is."

Reaching around her, I unbuckle her seat belt before placing my arm under her legs and wrapping my other around her back to pull her out of the car and against my chest. I don't even have her out of the seat completely before she opens her eyes and pulls away from me.

"I can do it myself, Steel," she grumbles.

“By all means,” I say, sweeping my arm out in front of us.

Backing up, I give her space to get out of the car. She doesn't even wait before walking toward the dorm. Slamming the door shut, I quickly follow her, grabbing her arm to catch her when she starts to stumble. "Careful, Princess. We don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't need your help, Steel. Just let me go." She yanks her arm away and quickens her pace.

When we reach the dorm entrance, she tries to dig in her purse to look for her key card, but I'm quicker. "Let me," I state,swiping my card and holding the door open for her. She glares at me when she walks past, but doesn't say anything. I have no idea who pissed in her cheerios, all I was trying to do was help her.

Both of us are silent as we enter the lobby and move toward the elevator. The only sounds between us are when the elevator dings and the doors open to let us in. I watch her quickly hit the button for our floor, or more like jamming her finger into it multiple times thinking it's going to get the door to close faster. "You know that doesn't work, right? If you hit the door close button, the doors will close faster, not the floor button." I couldn't help myself from taunting her.

"I know that," she snarls, turning to look at me. The move makes her brown hair whip around her, as her green eyes stare me down. Yup. She's pissed.

"Okay, just checking," I remark, leaning back against the wall and sticking my hands into the front pocket of my jeans.

"Hmph." She spins back around and crosses her arms over her chest. "I don't need your help. You and your charm and good looks can just stay behind me and protect me from a distance. I won't fall for your shit."

"Who said anything about falling, Princess?" I taunt. I'd never go there with her, despite how beautiful she is. She's far too young and a client, but it's fun seeing her riled up.

"I'm not looking for a one-night stand either, Big Guy," she turns and winks, or at least tries to.

Before I can make a comment, the elevator comes to a stop, the doors open on our floor, and she's out of the elevator, stumbling down the hall. As long as she doesn't fall, I'm not going to bother trying to keep her straight. Her room is only five down from the elevator, and I have faith she can get there safely. She does mostly, besides one stumble into the wall right before her door, but she didn't fall. I watch as she fights to get her dorm room key out and get it into the slot. Our dorms are a little older,so you still need to use an actual key to get the door open. She huffs multiple times as she fails to get the key in the slot the proper way. When she finally sags against the door, I can hear her sniffling.

"Shit," I mutter, moving to her side. "Give me the key, Illeana," I gently state, pulling the keys from her hand. She doesn't try to fight me, instead moving to lean against the doorjamb. When I look down at her, I see silent tears streaming down her face. Oh yeah, she is drunk and emotional. The sooner I get her into bed to sleep, the better.

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