Page 61 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

He hesitantly takes my hand in his, the pad of his thumb grazing over my skin repeatedly, distracting me and giving my head somewhere to be beside the toilet bowl. Listening to his heart beating is somehow comforting and I want to sit here all night and just listen to him exist.

‘I’m about to say something my sober self might regret.’ The words tumble out of my mouth without any thought at all.

‘Alright.’

‘I missed yousomuch.’ And the words barely leave my lips before tears follow.

He leans his head into mine, wrapping his arms around me. ‘I missed you too. I’m sorry figuring out my shit took longer than I planned. I didn’t want to half-ass this. You deserve so much more from me than that.’

For a moment, we’re both silent. Our faces close, our hands on each other. I could kiss him I’m so close. My head is spinning, my loins are sparking and my heart is confused as fuck.

‘When do you start filming again?’ A trick question my wit has pushed through the tequila.

‘I quit the show. I only came back for you.’ His voice is so sincere and gentle as he says it that I have to close my eyes so the tears can’t fall again.

‘You did not. You came back for the show and quit me, William.’

‘I’m serious, Berx. No moreRoyals. If we could just talk, I can expla—’

The bathroom door creaks open, both of us going silent.

‘Berkley?’ Bianca steps further into the bathroom, her footsteps suddenly stopping behind me. ‘There you are—oh.’ Her surprised voice. ‘Are you guys good?’

‘She’s got a touch of the tequila flu,’ Will says, a hint of laughter under his breath that I notice because my head is still resting on his shoulder.

I jab him in the ribs, earning a grunt as he grabs my hand.

‘Alex is looking for you,’ Bianca says. ‘Pretty sure he won’t hesitate to come in he—’

The door opens suddenly, cutting her off mid-word.

‘Berx?’ He says my name.

‘Shit,’ I groan.

‘What the fuck areyoudoing?’ His words clearly aren’t directed at me.

My back is to the bathroom, but I’m getting the vibe that Alex isn’t thrilled to see me sitting in Will’s lap. Shocker.

‘Nothing,’ Will says calmly like it’s not a big deal. ‘She got sick, and I was there. I got her in here, she fell over and here we are. I don’t want to make things worse by moving her.’

‘Well, I got it from here, pal,’ Alex bellows.

‘Pal?’ Will says with an irritated laugh.

Alex grabs my upper arm, pulling me from Will’s lap.

‘I can’t—’ I end up with my head in the toilet again, my arm in Alex’s hand above my head.

‘Will you stop?’ Will asks, his voice calm but elevated as he stands from the floor, removing Alex’s hand from my arm. ‘She’s sick; we’re fine,’ he says, once again gathering my hair as I puke things up from my childhood.

‘I said,Igot it.’ Alex tries again, nearly knocking me into the toilet head first this time.

‘Stop!’ Will commands, just before someone grunts as they’re slammed against a wall. My guess would be Alex considering I still feel Will’s hand on my back.

‘You stupid fucker,’ Alex says, clearly pissed. Which kind of surprises me. We aren’t serious enough for him to want to fight for me, sowhatis this?

‘Bryce!’ Bianca opens the bathroom door, hollering for help.

---