Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
“You all right?” I ask.
She takes a sip from a plastic stemless wineglass in her hand. “I dunno.”
“Look at me.” I brush my knuckles against her cheek and turn her face. Her skin’s warm to the touch. It’s not the excitement of prom that’s turning her eyes glassy, slurring her words, or coloring her nose a bright pink.
How could I fuck this up? Watch Molly. That was my only job tonight. It’s not hard. She’s barely been out of my sight.
“What’s in this?” I tap my knuckle against the cup.
“It’s a mystery!” Hayden giggles and hiccups.
I pry the cup of punch out of Molly’s hand and take a sip. At first, I almost gag from the sickly sweet, thick liquid. Then the bitter burn hits the back of my throat.
Fuck.
“Who gave this to you?”
She gestures vaguely toward the table of drinks. “The punch bowl.”
I reach for a bottle of water and uncap it. “Drink some of this for me.”
She takes a timid sip, then a larger one.
“After-party!” Darcy bangs her hand against the table. “Let’s go!”
After-party my ass. I glance at Molly. As far as I know, she’s never been drunk before. With her dad’s issues, she’s never been interested. “How much of this did you drink, baby?” Thank fuck I realized her condition before one of the teachers did.
“Just that.” Her eyelids drift closed.
Of course, she’s a lightweight. The cup’s still half full.
But our night’s probably over.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Griff
Molly perked up on the way to the hotel but she’s still tipsy. In the lobby, she stumbles over the hotel’s slick marble floors. I bend down and scoop her into my arms.
“Weee!” She grins at me. “The party’s that way!” She points at a window overlooking the parking lot.
“Sure, Muffin.” I kiss her cheek. “Why don’t we explore the room for a minute, then we can check out the after-party.”
“Mmm.” She drags her fingers over the back of my neck. “I want to explore some things in the hotel room.”
I jab the elevator’s up button. “Not like this, Muffin.”
She pouts and frowns at the same time. “Why?”
“Because you’re drunk.” I kiss her forehead to take the sting out of my words.
“I’m not drunk.” The outrage in her voice pulls a chuckle from me.
Outside our room, I gently set her on her feet and keep one arm around her waist while I press the key card to the door. Voices and pounding footsteps come from our right. Stupid, slow key card. Please work.
The light finally flashes green and the lock clicks. I push the door open and urge Molly inside.
I’d left a change of clothes and a few surprises for Molly here earlier in the day when I checked in. Everything looks untouched. I slide her backpack off my shoulder and set it on a chair next to the bed.
“Oooh!” Molly squeals. “Look, roses!” She hurries to the vase on the long, black dresser across from the bed and sticks her nose in the blooms.
“You like them?” I ask.
“Are they from you?”
“Who else?”
“Wow. You were busy today.”
I step closer to her. “I wanted you to have a good night.”
She straightens and pulls her long, curled hair over one shoulder. “It’s been wonderful.”
“Good.”
She tries to turn around, tips to the side, and slaps her hand against the dresser to brace herself.
“Why don’t we take your shoes off?” I suggest.
“Will you help me take off my dress?” She gathers her hair again and points to the tiny zipper down the middle of her back.
Have mercy on me. I rest my hands on her shoulders and tease the bows tying the straps together. “Can I untie these first?”
She glances at me over her shoulder. “Sure.”
“Wanted to unwrap you like a present all night long.” I tug and the left bow unravels. She shifts her hair to the other side and I untie the second bow. I lean down and brush a kiss over her shoulder to her neck.
She lets out a shivery sigh and sags against me.
“Now, how am I supposed to work this zipper loose?” I kiss her neck again. “Hmm?”
“Oh.” She leans forward, resting her hands on the dresser. “Better?”
God, yes.
Undressing her while she’s bent over sends my mind running in a hundred different filthy directions. She’s drunk. Control yourself. I slide the zipper until it gets stuck in the middle of her back.
“That’s good.” Molly straightens and shimmies the dress off the rest of the way.
Fuuuuck me. Skin-tight black satin encases her from thigh to chest. “That’s, uh, nice.”
“Those thin straps were just for decoration.” Molly cups her breasts and jiggles her body in a way that almost unhinges my mind. “I wanted to make sure my boobs didn’t fall out on the dance floor.”
“Uh, yeah.” My brain’s reduced to single syllable responses. “Good plan.”
“It hooks in the back. Can you undo them?”