“I’m sorry. The dim lighting, the alcohol, plus I think I have a sugar high...” I release a shaky breath. “I’m going to bed. See you in the morning, Teddy.”
The back of my eyes sting as I move through the dark house to the room Stella and I have been sleeping in. When I throw open the door and step inside, it’s freezing.Holy crap.
My phone is still out in the living room, so I rummage around in the dark to find a sweatshirt. Even after I pulled on the extra layer, I’m still so cold.
Lying on the bed, I stare up at the ceiling. This cabin is so small, I can hear Teddy moving around in the other room.
Why did I have to kiss him? I fling my arm over my eyes, which incidentally provides a little extra warmth to my cold face. If I get any sleep tonight, it will be a small miracle.
I’m never going to be able to look him in the eye again.Groan.
I wish I could text Stella. She always knows what to say or do when it comes to guys.
Teddy must have stopped moving around because when he starts again, I’m acutely aware of it. His steps get closer and thenthere’s a knock at my door. I sit up, heart racing. My voice is caught in my throat.
“Holly?” Teddy’s deep voice is gentle. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would want to have a heart-to-heart after I jumped him and made an ass out of myself. Can’t he let a girl lick her wounds in private?
“Yeah?” My voice shakes, but I’m not sure if it’s the cold or my nerves.
The door opens a crack and Teddy finds me with the flashlight, then moves it, so it’s not blinding me. This time, when he speaks, his voice has a hard edge. “It’s freezing in here.”
I pull at the sleeves of my sweatshirt. “My dad is always saying the place needs new windows.”
I can’t believe I just kissed him and we’re talking about windows.
He pushes the door wide, steps to the bed and takes the comforter. “Bring your pillow.”
Scrambling from bed, I follow in a haze of embarrassment and confusion. He sets the flashlight on the counter, tosses the comforter in the master bedroom then takes my pillow and tosses it too.
“O-kay.” I start for the room, but Teddy grabs hold of my arm.
“Wait.” He lets go and then brings his palms together, rubbing them lightly.
“Whatever you’re going to say, can you not?”
His gray eyes narrow as he studies me.
“I shouldn’t have done that. Kiss you, I mean. I didn’t mean it.” The lie burns my tongue. “It was silly. I thought it would be funny, like a joke. And then it wasn’t.”
Not funny at all.
“Are you drunk?”
“What? No,” I say quickly, and then add, “maybe a little.”
“Did you kiss me because you’re drunk?”
The more he presses me, the more frustrated I become. “No, I’ve thought about it for a long time, all right? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed and sleeping until I forget this night happened.”
He steps into my path. “Here’s the thing, Holly.”
I take a tentative step back. Something in his voice, his demeanor, makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle.
“We can pretend that didn’t happen. That it was a joke or a spontaneous, meaningless mistake. I can do that. I’ll never say a word about it to anyone.”
My heart tears down the middle at how badly I’ve screwed this up. Maybe he can forget that easily, but I cannot.
He erases the space between us. “Or, we can try again. Your call.”