Page 22 of Aria

Weighing my options, I decided to climb out of bed from the opposite side and tiptoe to the bathroom. My full bladder was bordering on painful.When I returned, Noah was sitting up and watching me with interest.

I froze. Not giving him a chance to say anything, I balled my fists and began the interrogation. "Where the hell am I? Where are my friends? Did I have sex with you? Did I puke?"

Did I puke while having sex with you?

Horror bubbled inside me at the possible scenarios.

"Easy there, tiger," he said, holding his hands up."What do you remember?"

My mind raced.

WhatdidI remember?I recalled going to the club, having some drinks, arguing with Noah, talking with Devon.Maybe… dancing? "I – I don't remember much.Just the usual stuff.Nothing that explains why I'm alone with you in your hotel room."

Noah stood, stretching out his arms with a yawn and scratching his chest."Well, the short story is that you couldn't resist me. I had no choice but to take you back to my room and make sweet love to you."

The color drained from my face.

“Don’t worry, it was amazing. I promise,” he smiled. “I was very attentive.”

I couldn’t speak. I’d gone into shock.

Noah finally released a light laugh, shaking his head. “I’m kidding.”

I blinked. “I hate you so much.”

“Yeah, well, you got completely wasted and I was left in charge of you, so you’re not exactly my favorite person either.”

My mouth was still agape as I stared at him, his words trickling through my stupor. I finally stuttered, “Wh-what? That doesn't make any sense.”

"It makes perfect sense. You drank a lot of alcohol and you got intoxicated."

Flustered, I racked my brain for some sort of trigger.I vaguely recalled a tipsy walk to the bathroom with my girlfriends… and well, that was thelastthing I remembered. "So, it's pretty much all your fault," I concluded. My eyebrow arched with incrimination. "You bought me all those drinks."

Noah sniffed at the accusation."Whatever you say.Just keep in mind, I'm the one who took care of you when everyone else bailed."

A haunting memory seized me like an electrical current.

“Besides, who’s going to take care of you?”

My expression wilted.I had no idea why Ian’s words decided to puncture me in that moment.

Swallowing, I tried to remember something. Anything.

Why would my friends leave me alone with Noah?And what kind of guy did that make Devon for ditching me like that?

Better yet… what kind of guy did that makeNoahfor sticking around?

My stance softened as I unclenched my hands."Well, thanks, I guess.Why didn't you just take me home?"

"Trust me, I would have loved to have avoided this exact moment," he said."I didn’t know where you lived.I didn't have your friends' numbers and Devon turned his phone off.What other choice did I have?Should I have left you at the club?"

"No," I said quickly."I appreciate that you didn't leave me at the club. I'm just having a hard time processing everything." Inhaling a deep breath, I made my way over to the bed and sat down, running my fingers through tangled hair."I don't understand why everyone left me there."

Noah perched himself beside me on the bed as the mattress squeaked beneath his weight. "Honestly… it was a misunderstanding.Your friends needed to leave, but you insisted on staying.I offered to take you home with Devon, but by the time they left, Devon had taken off to the studio, thinking you were going home with your friends.That left me," he explained.

I ducked my head in embarrassment. "Wow.I must have made a fool of myself.I don't usually drink like that."

I could only imagine what Devon thought of me now.Would he ever want to see me again?

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