Page 26 of Icing the Play

Myles propped me against the wall and stepped to JJ. “Look, he’s pretty drunk. He almost fell over in there. I was just making sure he didn’t hurt himself. You don’t want him out with an injury at your next game because he fell into a bathtub, do you?”

“Oh, no.” Danica hurried to my side and brushed her fingers over my cheek. “Are you all right?” She looked me up and down.

“I’m fine. I’m going home.” When I attempted to look at her, she swayed. Okay, maybe there was something wrong with my eyes. “Alone.”

“Oh, okay.” She tensed her mouth. “Fine.” She stomped off into the main room.

“JJ, I’m calling an Uber and getting him back to his place. I’ll see you in the morning to help him move. Okay?” Myles squeezed JJ’s hand and kissed his cheek.

JJ’s gaze softened. “Yeah, okay.” He shifted his stance, his shoulders relaxing. “Let me help you both into an Uber.” He sighed a huff. “I guess I can’t blame you for being a good friend.”

Lifting his chin, Myles said, “Thank you for understanding.”

Myles grabbed one of my arms while JJ took the other and they guided me out of the party. The flashing lights churned my stomach as we went.

“I hope I don’t puke.” I hiccuped and covered my mouth with my hand. “Fuck.”

“Are you going to puke? If you are, do it in the bush here while we wait for the Uber.” JJ brought me to a bush next to the house with fucking spikes sticking out of the branches. He bent me over.

“Dude, you almost took out my eyeball on this plant.” I shifted away, my stomach tensing and saliva filling my mouth. Fuck, here it came. But this was good, because if I puked now, I might feel somewhat human in the morning.

JJ rubbed my back. “Let it go, man.”

With a heave, I spilled my guts into the side of the bush, my stomach cramping.

“Myles, can you go back inside and get him some water?” JJ said.

“Yeah, sure.” Myles’s dark silhouette ran past us.

I let loose a second time and dropped to sitting cross-legged in the landscaping rock. “Oh my God, that’s better.”

“Yeah? Good.” JJ crouched next to me and handed me a water bottle. “Here, drink this and your Uber is coming down the street.”

“Thank you.” As I twisted the cap off the water, I glanced at JJ. He was a such a good guy. He deserved someone like Myles. They deserved each other. “I love you, man.”

“Yeah, yeah.” With a soft snort, JJ patted my back. “Just remember that if I ever get this wasted.” He helped me to stand.

“The Uber is here.” Myles’s eyes glinted in the streetlamp's light as he draped an arm around my waist. “See you tomorrow, JJ.”

“Yeah.” JJ stepped in front of Myles, glanced at me, and then cupped Myles’ cheeks and planted a hard kiss on his mouth. “I had fun with you tonight.”

An ache wound through my chest, and my eyes stung. Did they have to do this right in front of me?

“Yeah, me too.” Myles walked me to a dark sedan and helped me climb into the back seat. He slid in beside me.

I settled in, resting my head on his shoulder, and closed my eyes. I could maybe pretend we were together for a little while.

The next morning,I fluttered my eyes open to sunshine streaming through my window. Fuck, what the hell had I done last night? A sharp pain lit up behind my eyes. I drank too much, that was what I did. And hadn’t something happened with Myles?

“Oh, shit.” My eyes popped open. I’d tried to kiss him in the bathroom. I groaned and rolled to my side. And I’d gotten a boner while he tried to help me piss. Not cool.

My gaze snagged a half-full water bottle on the nightstand, and I smacked my dry lips. “Water…” I propped on an elbow, snatched the bottle and drank it all down. I was moving today. I needed to get my ass in gear and pack the rest of my shit. I’d been able to get a good portion of it done yesterday before the game. But then, it wasn’t like I had very much shit.

I looked down. I was only wearing my boxer briefs. Had Myles taken me home? And if so, had he undressed me or had I done it myself? I was never drinking like that again.

My phone buzzed on my nightstand, and I picked it up, squinting to see the screen. A text message from Myles scrolled across the top.

Myles

---