She points at the small bottle of Fireball that she left here after movie night last week.
Instead of giving her what she wants, I pour her a glass of water, then set it down in front of her. She flashes a death glare. “Oh, come on. I even said please!”
“Blowing chunks twice in an hour wasn’t enough for you?” I arch a brow.
She rolls her eyes, then takes a sip.
“You need to hydrate because you’ve still gotta get up in the morning and feed your horses. I already know you’re gonna feel like utter shit when six o’clock rolls around. Mixing booze is the worst thing you could do.”
The frown on her face has me laughing.
“Nah, once I throw up, I’m good.”
“I’ve heard that one before. Two New Year’s Eves ago and guess what?”
Kaitlyn eyes me as she takes another gulp of water. “I felt like ass the next day.”
“Yep. I know you well enough to know when you need to be cut off.”
She chugs the rest of the water and sets the empty cup on the counter.
“Time to get some sleep. You can have my king-sized bed if you want, and I’ll take the spare room.” It’s just a twin mattress, but I’ll manage for a night.
“Perfect,” she slurs with a smile. As she stumbles her way down the hall, I grab a cleaning bucket from under the sink.
When I walk into my room, Kaitlyn’s struggling with the zipper on her dress. She moves her blond hair off her neck and looks at me with a heated gaze. Silently, I step forward and slowly unzip it. The fabric slides from her body, and when she turns to face me, she gives me the perfect view of her silky black lingerie. Her breasts are falling out of her bra, and I inhale deeply to keep myself from saying anything embarrassing.
“I wasn’t kidding about what I said at the wedding. I know you—”
“We shouldn’t talk about this when you’re shit-faced. Do you want one of my T-shirts to sleep in?”
She looks disappointed as she shakes her head and saunters over to the bed. Kaitlyn folds the quilt down and climbs under the sheets. Her head falls against the pillow as she pats the vacant space next to her. “Join me.”
I stare at her for a moment, contemplating doing that very thing. A million different scenarios flash through my mind, and the thought of having her warm body pressed against mine all night is tempting as hell. But I don’t allow myself to go there. Instead, I lock my jaw in place and move the bucket closer.
“Good night, Kate. That’s just in case ya need it.”
She flashes a mischievous smile as I turn and walk out of the room before I do something stupid like take her up on her drunken offer. As I make my way toward the living room, Kaitlyn yells, “I know you want to! I could see it in your eyes.”
She couldn’t be more right.
CHAPTER THREE
KAITLYN
I wake up to Payton’s firm palm on my shoulder. It takes a few seconds before my eyes adjust, but I immediately smell coffee.
“Mornin’,” he says in his gruff tone. I sit up and realize I’m in my bra and panties, so I quickly lift the sheet to cover myself. When he hands me the cup, I inhale the scent of freshly roasted beans.
“Mornin’. What time is it?”
“Just after six.”
My head throbs as soon as I adjust my position. “Shit. I drank too much.”
He chuckles darkly. “That’s the understatement of the century. How do ya feel?”
“Like someone punched me in the back of the skull and then threw me in front of a tractor. Please tell me I didn’t embarrass myself.” I suck in a deep breath, hoping I can look my parents in the face later.