We returned to join the others, and Suz immediately snatched my hand. "We're here to celebrate, and you two are not a thing yet. You can't monopolize Tay all the time!" she exclaimed, shooting a suspicious look in Killian's direction.
Killian sighed but, this time, didn't argue as Suz pulled me away.
The frat house was huge. After being dragged through several hallways, I finally realized that it was the same house where I'd met Killian the first time. And just like before, the garage had been transformed into a makeshift dance floor.
We spent the next hour dancing and laughing our asses off. Nick kept providing us with a steady flow of drinks—some sort of berry juice for me. After the third one, I started to loosen up and truly enjoy myself. Nick let us do our thing, but he remained close by in case any guy dared to ignore Suz's intimidating glare and approach us.
Suz excused herself to use the restroom, leaving me alone for a moment. I took another sip of my drink and realized I'd emptied another cup. This stuff was easier to drink than water, but at least the sugar helped me maintain my energy.
Suz appeared with a disgruntled expression on her face. "Tay, there you are. Where's your phone?" she asked, her tone slightly exasperated.
For some reason her question made me grin.
"Tay?" she repeated.
"My phone?" I patted my pockets but came up empty. Where was my phone?
Suz let out a breath. "Killian is looking for you."
"He is?" I sat up straighter. "Where?"
"I don't know. Where's Nick?"
"Nick? I haven't seen him since he brought me a refill." I held up my cup proudly.
She searched around the room but suddenly turned to me. "Huh? What are you drinking?"
"Juice!" I proclaimed in a loud voice.
She grabbed my cup and sniffed it. Her eyes widened. "Were you drinking this the whole time? How many of these have you had?"
"I've had..." I stopped and raised my fingers to count. "One... Two... Five?"
"Nick is dead when I find him," Suz quipped. "Dead. You do realize there's alcohol in this, right?"
A giggle broke from my chest. "No, no. It's juice."
She gave an eye roll. "You're drunk already."
"What?" I tried to sound stern. "I'm perfectly sob."
"Sob?"
"So-b." What was it called again?
"You mean...sober?"
I clapped my hands. "Yes!"
She sighed again and reached for my arm. "Let's go."
"But—" I stared at the cup in her hand which she promptly placed out of reach.
"No."
"But, why?"
Instead of replying, Suz began to push me outside. My whole focus switched on placing one foot in front of the other. I never knew walking needed this much attention. I giggled again.
I blinked. We were outside and fresh air cooled down my skin. I hadn't realized how hot it was inside.
"Let me call Nick. After giving you this much he better find your phone..."
I stopped listening at the sight of that familiar back. Target acquired. "Hey, you! Stop right there!"
Suz's gaze followed my finger to see Killian stop short and look around.
My legs had a mind of their own. Before I knew it, I was somehow in front of him and had to crane my neck.
Why was he so tall?
Killian grinned down at me. "Maybe you're too short."
Did I say this out loud?
"Yes, you did?"
I pressed my hands over my ears. "What? Stop talking in my head."
"You're talking out loud," he remarked dryly.
I squinted at him. "Aha. Very clever."
Killian raised his brows and looked over my shoulder. "What did you do with her?"
"Apparently, Nick gave her juice," Suz spat out.
My eyes ran over his open jacket and the long-sleeved gray shirt underneath. Time for payback...
"Hug." I lifted my arms and stared at him expectedly.
His eyes widened and he froze. Then, slowly, he pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me.
My face pressed into his chest, and I took a deep breath. He smelled like usual. Sandalwood and soap. I could feel him lean down, and his breath tickled my ear as he said, "Done sniffing?"
"No," I said distractedly. Carefully, my hands moved down his back.
I could hear him talking to Suz again. "Are you sure it was just juice?"
"I'll find out very soon. As soon as I'll get my hands on Nick's sorry ass. If he gave her some of that cheap fruit liquor, then... Well." She cracked her knuckles. "I hope his affairs are settled because he won't have time to write a will."
I focused back on my mission. My fingers grabbed the edge of his shirt. Then in one swift motion, my freezing hands slipped underneath the fabric, and I tightened my hold on him.
"What the—" His muscles tensed, and he cursed under his breath. Then I was crushed against him even more tightly although small tremors ran over his body.
Behind my back, I could hear Suz roaring with laughter. "I see, she's in good hands."
"Very funny," Killian ground out.
I lifted my head and grinned up at him. "This is payback."
He met my gaze. "For?"
"For being a pain in the ass," I said.
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah."
A cold breeze hit my neck and I quickly snuggled back into his embrace. I could feel him pull his jacket close around me. He felt nice. Nice and warm. My eyes shut on their own.
Their voices drifted in and out of my consciousness.
"...have to leave?" one of them asked. "...you sure you want to take her with you?"
There was a brief pause before the other person responded, but I missed most of what they said. All I heard was, "Got her."
Killian hoisted me up, and my legs wrapped around his waist. I pressed my face into his neck. It should be illegal to feel this good.
I blinked. A jacket was lying on my chest. How did I get in a car? A large hand wrapped around my own. I turned my head. Killian was driving. I sagged back into my seat. His thumb rubbed across my palm. My eyes were heavy.
I blinked. I was in a room, lying on a large bed with dark blue covers. Somebody came in and I jerked up. Killian. I stared at him as he rummaged through his closet, fascinated by the lines of muscles that showed whenever he moved.
Wait. I was staying at Suz's place.
Goosebumps spread over my skin. I looked down to realize I was in my underwear. Wait. How did I get naked? Before I could ponder more, a dark fabric was pulled over my head. I focused back on Killian. But why did he keep moving? No. The walls were moving.
I swayed and grabbed his arm in a panic. "Kel."
"What is it?" he asked gently.
No. Wait. My heart was racing too fast. "Something is weird."
"You're drunk," he said.
His voice always made me feel at ease. It sounded nice. Nice and soft. Soft and nice. I squinted at him. Two Killians merged into one. I poked his abs. "Woah. You're real."
"Okay, you're going to sleep."
I pouted.
His hand stroked my hair, and I leaned forward, pressing my head into his palm. Everything he did felt nice.
A low chuckle made me open my eyes again. There was an odd look on his face but then he pulled me to my feet and placed a toothbrush into my hand.
The next thing I knew, I leaned against the cold bathroom tiles, tasting toothpaste. Killian's arm wound around my back and then he lifted me up.
"What product are you using?" I asked, burying my face in his neck.
He laughed. "No idea. Cody's mom sends us some fancy soap every year. We're sorta her test subjects. She's fully into this whole organic and clean product thing. Why? Do you like it?"
The room started spinning. "Why are you moving so much?"
"I'm not," he said and sat me down on the edge of the bed. "Are you feeling dizzy? Do you need to puke?"
"Just dizzy..." I plopped on my side, closing my eyes. Maybe if I kept them closed long enough the world would stop moving.
"Alright, Princess. Now, get under the covers." He turned me over and curled around me. Fingers brushed through my hair. That was the last thing I remembered.
I shut my eyes against the daylight streaming through the partly closed blinds. The throbbing ache in my head intensified as if each ray of light pierced deep into my skull. A faint, soapy scent mixed with something masculine surrounded me. I didn't need to check to see that I wasn't at Suz's place. Slowly, I rolled over as snippets of memories flashed through my mind.
With a low groan, I sat up.
At the foot of the bed, a nicely folded sweatshirt sat next to a pair of comfy yoga pants that looked suspiciously like my own. I must have left them here.
My head cleared enough that I finally noticed the uncomfortable feeling that seemed to come from everywhere. With a sinking feeling, I turned and frantically brushed off the small fragments of skin scattered across the pillow and linen.
This couldn't be happening. Not now.
The searing pain shooting up my arms and neck with every movement told me otherwise. My face felt as if somebody pulled it from one side, stretching it too thin. Like all the elasticity suddenly decided to evaporate leaving behind a cracky dry wasteland that could crumble with the slightest movement. Already another itch to crawled across my neck.
Shit.
I rushed into the bathroom, my pounding heart matching the dull throbbing beneath my temples. The sight that greeted me in the mirror made me wish I was sleeping.
Blotchy, swollen eyelids, sprinkled with dry patches of skin. A rash ran down the side of my neck. An open wound, covered in a glassy liquid, glared at me from the crook of my arm. The surrounding area was red and inflamed.
That nasty little voice inside my head perked up, laughing...mocking... "Still feeling pretty, Tay? That's why I said not to get ahead of yourself. This is what happens when you get too cocky."
With shaking fingers, I touched my face, feeling a rough surface, like sandpaper. My skin had gotten so dry, it was basically shedding. I bit my lip as tears sprang into my eyes. I knew it. I shouldn't have let my guard down. Every time I did, it just struck back at me out of nowhere. And now, it was starting again. Why couldn't I ever catch a break?
"Look at you. Who'd want a girlfriend that looks like this?"
The mere thought of how Killian would react made my knees weak. Who would want a girlfriend that was sick? The reality was harsh. Nobody. When not even I knew how to properly deal with this how could I expect him to deal with it?
A sudden burst of nausea made my stomach churn. Somehow Killian giving me that same look, the same pity—I couldn't take it.
"See?" the voice taunted. "Stupid Tay, getting your hopes up."
No. Shut up!
I clenched my teeth. Maybe I could still fix this. Maybe it was just temporary. Maybe it would heal tomorrow. It had happened before.
What was I supposed to do? I had to do something.
Wash face. Moisturize.
Yes. But none of my products were here. I had to get to Suz's apartment fast. Which meant I had to ask Killian to drive me and explain all this. And if I had learned one thing about my condition then it was that explaining it never helped.
It simply initiated the beginning of the end.