Dee looked at me like I was nuts. “What in the hell is wrong with you?”
I pointed to myself and dropped my mouth open as I stared at Dee. “Me? You’re asking what’s wrong with me?”
Narrowing her eyes at me, she nodded. “I’s tell you what’s wrong with me. I’s don’t like you, Dee. Nope.” I popped my p so loud it caused my lips to tingle. Dee’s mouth slowly dropped open as her eyes widened in horror. Something I’m sure I would do too if I was sober and realized what I had just said.
“You always thought you were so great in college. I’s knows better though.” Taking my pointer finger, I jammed her in the chest. “You are a drama-filled queen. No wait. You’re filled with drama. You’re a drama queen.”
“I beg your pardon?”
I rolled my eyes. “I know, it’s loud in here.” I placed my hands around my mouth like a cone and shouted, “You’re a bitch, Dee! A drama-loving, dick-humping … no wait … dick-sucking, bitch!”
Dee’s faced turned red and she looked like she was about to say something when someone ran right into me, knocking me over.
“What in the cookie hell kitten cracker!” I shouted as I landed right on my ass.
I was going to kill the asshole who knocked me down. I attempted to stand up, only to have the room spin on me again and my heels slide out from underneath me.
“Whoa, I got ya.”
I knew that voice. My body came to life as I tried to focus on the person helping me up.
“Ava? Shit, are you okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head while I slowly opened them again. Only to find familiar hazel eyes staring down at me.
My head began to pound and I felt sick as I placed my hand over my mouth and said, “Holy shit. It’s you.”
I COULDN’T BELIEVE I had her in my arms. Again. The first time I ran into Ava I tried to ignore how her touch lit a fire in my body. Now, looking at her dressed in a tight short-ass dress with legs to die for … yeah … I was happy as hell to see her again.
Letting a smile play across my face, I nodded and said, “It’s me all right.”
Ava opened her mouth to talk but then slammed her hands over her mouth. I knew what was going to happen next. Taking her by the arm, I shouted, “Hold on, baby, let’s get you outside.”
Pushing through the crowd, I kicked the door open and quickly led Ava over to the side of the building where she promptly threw up.
All. Over. My. Shoes.
Closing my eyes briefly, I mumbled, “That’s fucking disgusting.”
“Oh God, I think I’m dying.”
Laughing, I pushed a strand of her loose blonde hair behind her head. “Nah, you’re just a beautiful woman standing on the side of a building puking her guts out … onto my shoes.”
The look of horror that passed over her face was the cutest damn thing I’d ever seen. “I’m so sorry, mystery man.”
I pulled my head back in surprise and was about to ask her why she called me mystery man when another girl ran up. “Ava! Are you okay?” When she turned and looked at me, she quickly forgot about Ava and smiled. “Well well well, hello there, handsome.”
I looked between her and Ava with a blank expression.
“Water,” Ava whispered.
The girl spun around and quickly took Ava in her arms. “Oh, sweetie. I told you not to drink those whiskey shots. You don’t do hard liquor well.”
Looking at me, the girl mouthed, she doesn’t drink much.
Nodding my head, I said, “Let me go get a bottle of water for her.”
Ava’s friend winked and then ran her tongue along her lips. “Hurry back.”
I wasn’t sure how to read the friend, but I could for sure read that Ava had drank way too much.
After returning back outside with a bottle of water, Ava was sitting on a bench while her girlfriend was talking to some guy.
Sitting down next to Ava, I placed my hand on her leg and she jumped. “Hey, um … you know … I’s don’t even know your name. I’s think if I’m gonna dream about you I should have a name with the face.”
Smiling, I handed her the water. “Here, drink all of this.”
Doing as I said, Ava began downing the water. “Slowly, baby, you’ll get sick again.”
Ava turned to me with her mouth dropped open as she let her hand fall to her lap, sloshing the water. “My God, I’ve gots to tell you … that makes me all kinds of hot when you call me baby.”
“My name is Ryder.”
Ava closed her eyes and mumbled something incoherently before saying, “Even his name is hot.”
I looked away until I was sure the flush from my cheeks was gone. “Ava, I think you’ve had enough for one night. How are you getting home?”
Ava pointed her finger to the other side of her as I looked to see no one standing there. Her friend must have taken off back into the bar.
“There’s no one there.”
Ava jerked her head too fast and called out, “Whoa, Ryder seriously you don’t have to make the whole world spin, okay. Just put me back down.”