Reid wanted to be angry, but after the last couple of days, the only emotion he felt was envy. “Are any of you capable of checking in to your rooms?”
Drew stood from his chair and nodded. “I am. I didn’t touch that shit. Greer got me the other night. I tried to warn them.”
Greer laughed and stumbled to his feet. “I’ve never seen so much puke.”
Drew shook his head and helped steady Greer. “I didn’t puke.”
“I know,” Greer laughed. “I was talking about me.”
“Can either of you walk?” Reid asked, looking at Chloe and Inky.
Inky pulled in a deep breath and stood. She only wobbled a little before finding her balance. “Yup. I’m all set.”
“I’m good,” Tom announced, joining the others.
All eyes turned to Chloe, who sat hugging her Yoda jar. “Pfft,” she giggled, waving her hand dismissively. “I couldn’t walk if someone set this bus on fire.”
Reid laughed and handed his bag to Tom. “Come here.” Leaning down, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to her feet.
“Whoa,” she exhaled, grabbing the front of Reid’s shirt. “What’s in that stuff?”
“Alcohol. Very strong, very potent, alcohol.”
“I’ll get her to her room. It’s my fault she’s so drunk,” Greer said, taking a step forward.
Reid’s grip around Chloe’s waist tightened the same time Drew’s hand met Greer’s shoulder to pull him back. “I think maybe Reid should take care of Chloe.”
For a minute, Reid thought Greer was going to protest, but whatever expression he saw on Reid’s face stopped him from doing so. “All right.”
“You guys go ahead. I’m going to give Chloe a few minutes to get her footing.” Everyone nodded their assent and started filing off of the bus until only Chloe and Reid remained.
“I need bread,” she announced.
Reid chuckled and pulled her arm over his shoulders. “We’ll order some food once we get you settled in your room.” His brows dipped when she pulled her arm back and let it fall between them. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t walk into the hotel with you like that. One, there could be paps, and two . . . it’s pathetic.”
Reid smirked. “Would you rather face-plant in the lobby?”
With narrowed eyes, Chloe slipped her hand under his arm and grabbed a handful of the back of his shirt. “At least this looks less pathetic. Maybe I should hobble a little so it looks like I’m hurt. We could say I was in an epic Jedi battle and was cut by a vicious villain. We’ll call him Hooch.”
Reid’s face hurt from the smile stretched across his face. “At least you’re a funny drunk.”
Chloe shook her head sadly and patted her stomach. “If we don’t get some food in here soon, I’ll be like a Mogwai fed after midnight.”
Reid laughed and wrapped his free arm around Chloe, pulling her flush against his chest. He rested his forehead against the top of her head and exhaled. “I’ve missed all your old-school movie references.” Taking a couple of deep breaths, he just held her. He held her like he’d wanted to for months. “I’ve missed you.”
“Reid,” Chloe pleaded as she tried to step back. “Please don’t do this. I’ve had enough to drink that I might do something that will make me hate myself in the morning.”
Reid loosened his grasp, not wanting to make her uncomfortable but hating the distance all the same. “I’m sorry. I’m just being honest, but I get that it’s not something you’re ready to hear yet.”
Chloe shook her head. “There is no yet.”
A half smile lifted one side of Reid’s mouth as he pushed the fallen hair out of her eyes. “Yet,” he whispered in rebuttal. His eyes moved over her face, taking in every detail of her features. Like the curve of her lashes and the various shades of blue that came together to make her eyes appear purple.
“I’ve never met anyone with eyes like yours. They’re almost purple. I had no idea there were so many shades.”
Chloe blinked. “Maybe it’s because you’ve never really looked at me.”
Reid shook his head and pulled in a deep breath. “No,” he exhaled. “I look at you. It seems to be all I do lately.” He continued his perusal, moving his eyes to the slope of her nose then the pert bow of her parted lips. Lips he wanted to kiss more than anything in the world, but he wouldn’t do it. Not yet. Not until she knew everything. With a sigh, he cupped the back of his neck. “Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to have that talk.” He didn’t want to wait, but he wanted to make sure she was capable of understanding what he had to say.
Chloe shook her head immediately. “No. I can’t do this again. We have to talk tonight.”
Reid looked at her in confusion. “Do what again?”
“Drink this much,” Chloe admitted with a shrug. “Whatever you’re going to tell me is going to suck. I just know it. “
“Chloe, did you intentionally get drunk because you thought I was going to tell you something bad?”