Page 44 of Playing with Fire

I will sleep better than I ever have if you tell me I'm infuriatingly hot. He gives me a lopsided smile.

I scoff and shake my head. Not. "Let's go home." I offer. I won't go home until you call me infuriatingly hot. he contests.

"I'll tell you in the car." I lie.

This persuaded him to start standing up. I moved quickly beside him while he used the railing to stand.

"Be careful," he warns me.

"Why should I be careful?" I ask him.

"You're terrible at walking in heels," he tells me as he takes my hands to lead me down the steps.

I scoff. Walking when drunk doesn't make you any more capable than me in heels.

I reach the steps' bottom and await an answer that never comes. Jaxon pulls me along until I stand beside him.

He mutters something to me, but I couldn't understand him like last time. We walked toward his car holding onto his arm and then get in.

We stay quiet during the initial minutes of driving from the venue until he finally loses his patience.

"Are you going to tell me now?" he asks.

"Nah," I tell him while focusing ahead on the road.

"I knew you were lying," he muttered.

"Yet I think you believed me." As the traffic light turns red, I take my chance to retaliate.

"So, you're not gonna tell me?" he asks again.

Taking a quick look, I noticed his head resting against the window.

He's not making it home awake.

"No," I tell him again.

"Your loss." His voice was increasingly lower than before.

"My win." A smile breaks across my face as I remember his earlier words. His best car sleep experience awaits tonight.

The moment the light switches to green I press the accelerator pedal. I hear the creak of his seat shifting and conclude that he's drifting off to sleep.

My journey home progressed with my exhaustion levels rising. The time was late and the heels I wore were causing my feet pain so I simply desired to rest beneath my bed sheets.

I wish I could be on the passenger side barely conscious while I had some more minutes to rest.

I parked the car outside his house before switching it of and approaching his door. I open the door and tap him to wake him before leading him outside the car.

I must support him as he staggers toward the door. My mom shouldn't see my appearance in this state. He pleads as I open the door.

"Then stop being loud," I whisper. "You're dragging your feet. Take your shoes off."

"Yes, ma'am." His eye roll at my command doesn't stop him from taking his shoes off as instructed.

I remove my heels and place them beside the doorway. I guided him upstairs while instructing him to walk slowly to reduce the noise from the wooden steps.

Our efforts proved effective throughout the main portion of the task. Despite creating a few loud creaks, we managed to succeed.

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