The Stranger / Chris Evans x OC

Chapter 169: Go Home

AMELIA

Once we finally arrive at Chris' place I do my best to drag his drunken ass out of the car. 

It takes a bit of convincing to even get him to release me from his iron tight hold, but eventually I manage it. He stumbles out and I quickly wrap an arm around his waist to keep him steady.

He drapes one heavy arm over my shoulders as the other one hangs at his side. His steps are uncoordinated and he sways every so often, making him stumble and curse under his breath.

I get him to the door and realize I don't have any keys for this place. I glance over at Chris but he looks half asleep already, his head is hanging low as he tries to keep himself upright.

What the hell did he have to drink?

I sigh before I decide to push my hand into his right pocket to try and fish out his keys. 

I feel them immediately, but it takes a few seconds before I get a proper hold, and before I know it, Chris is drunkenly laughing, "Hey hey, easy there, tiger."

"Shut up," I grumble when I finally get a hold of his keys and bring them out to unlock the door to his Los Angeles mansion.

"Whoa whoa, be nice," Chris slurs, "I liked it, you know that."

I glance in his direction again and am immediately met with his characteristic smirk, except this one is a bit more lopsided than usual due to his current state.

"Come on, big guy," I mumble as I push the door open, "Let's get you to bed."

I open the door wider and step inside with Chris in tow, and it's not until then that I hear the quick patter of paws on the floor.

"Dodge!" Chris immediately yells excitedly once he spots the dog running in his direction, "Hi bud!"

I still have my arm around his waist which means I'm almost dragged down with him when he suddenly drops to the floor to greet Dodger, but I manage to untangle myself just in time. Chris is laughing loudly while Dodger attacks his face with kisses, and once I turn back around towards them after closing and locking the door, Chris is lying all the way on the floor with Dodger wiggling above him, licking all over his face.

Chris sputters between laughs, fingers scratching Dodger all over, and the sight makes my heart ache in both love and pain.

I take a deep breath at the butterflies that tumble around my stomach, but they don't feel the same as usual. They feel like excitement, but also like hurt, and it makes me feel uneasy.

After a few seconds however, the pup finally realizes I'm there too, and before I can even react, he jumps at me.

I chuckle as I get down on my knees to greet him, his entire body wagging in tune with his tail, leaving sloppy kisses on my cheek.

"Hey buddy," I whisper, scratching him behind those big fluffy ears of his, "Missed ya."

"He missed you too," I hear Chris mumble from a little away where he's lying on the floor, "A lot, actually."

I snort, giving Dodger scratches down the length of his body, "I'm sure he didn't even notice I wasn't around."

"Yes," Chris replies sternly, "He did. Trust me."

The thought makes me feel guilty but I also know that Chris isn't really talking about Dodger. He's talking about himself. And I've missed him too, so much, but I'm not sure if right now is the time to have this conversation. He is absolutely shitfaced and I'm not about to try and have a grown up conversation with a person who can barely stand up straight.