Janine guides me to the correct button to unlock the building's door. I'm sure I look stunned, but Janine just smiles broadly and gives me two big thumbs up. "Here's to getting backshots twice in a day, babe."
I quickly pull the hair tie out of my ponytail and fluff my waves. I'm still wearing my work clothes, but that didn't stop him earlier. Oh! Maybe Janine has a silk robe I can borrow? I quickly turn to her to ask, but a gentle knock sounds at the door. Shit.
"Janine!" I hiss. "Can I borrow a robe? And can you get that?"
Her eyes light up. "Yes! Perfect! Check the bathroom—I'll handle the door!"
I scurry—and stumble—to Janine's bathroom and find her hot pink silk robe. I'm thicker than she is, but she's taller, so it'll probably fit. I hope. Dropping my work clothes to the floor, I kick them into her laundry pile and shimmy into the robe. It's delightfully cold against my alcohol-flushed skin. And it justbarelycovers all my bits and pieces. Giving myself a wobbly thumbs-up inthe mirror, I return to the living room where Dustin is rubbing his eyes and scowling.
"Well,hello." I lean against the hallway doorframe—kind of. I miss on my first try, but I don't think he noticed. Smooth as hell.
"Jesus, Brooke," he hisses as his eyes sweep up and down my frame. "Are you okay? I mean, you were pretty flustered when you left the office—I was too—but, god, what is going on?"
"She's the best dancer in the world, that's what," Janine announces. "And you justhaveto see."
"Oh, god," he groans. "Alright, ladies, I think you've had a very eventful evening. Let's get you both to bed, okay?"
"Both of us?" I gasp. "Wow, you've really changed. Well, if you're sure… Janine?"
"Oh! Well, I haven't shaved in a while—you know how it goes, right—but… I'm game?" She flutters her lashes at Dustin, who doesn't look as excited as I would expect for a man who's about to bone two exceptionally gorgeous women.
He heaves out a weary sigh. "No. You both need to go to bed and go tosleep."
I'd like to say we put up some great arguments against his direction, but we don't. His authoritative commands make any rebellion wither in my mouth and I just bow my head and shuffle off to Janine's delightfully soft king-sizebed and curl up with one of her pillows. She follows right behind me and flops into bed with a dramatic sigh.
"Good night, Mister Tall, Pale, and Bossy." She sticks her tongue out at him and I shake the bed with my raucous giggles.
"Good night, ladies."
Honking cars and muffled yelling floats through the air, rousing me from my sleep. Morning sunlight softly illuminates the bedroom, filtered by the delicate white curtains. It's objectively pretty, but all I want to do is burrow into the sheets and hibernate until the hangover from hell dissipates.
Unfortunately, nature calls. With a grunt, I hoist myself out of bed and shuffle toward the bathroom with bleary eyes. My foot hits something hard and warm, and the something yelps.
"Ugh," a masculine-sounding voice groans.
My heart stops, and adrenaline floods my system. Fuck! There's a man here? In Janine's apartment? Shit, did he break in? I leap back to the bed and land half-on Janine.
"Jesus!" she yelps. "What's wrong? What's happening?"
"There's a man on your floor," I stage-whisper. "Where's your bat?"
"Please, no bats," the man grumbles. "God, I never should have come here. I'm an idiot."
Recognition clicks in my exceptionally fuzzy brain. "Holy shit, Dustin?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you here?" I hiss.
"Please, take it somewhere else," Janine moans and yanks the blanket away from me. "Tryin' to sleep."
My cheeks are on fire. Dustin rolls over and pushes himself off of the floor, returning a pillow to Janine's bed with whispered thanks. Oh, my god. Why is he here? Whathappenedlast night?
Dustin cocks his head towards the bedroom door and motions for me to follow him. Mortification burns through my body as I sullenly follow him. Is it just me, or is Janine's apartment more breezy than I remember? The heat of my embarrassment battles with the chilly air, and goosebumps win. Looking down, my heart stops—again—and I quickly wrap the silk robe around myself and triple-knot the sash.
"Does your friend have a coffee machine?" Dustin asks softly and I nod. He grunts his acknowledgment and busies himself in the tiny but well-appointed kitchen.
I curl up on the sofa and tuck my feet under myself. Can the earth open and swallow me up? Is that possible?I'd really, really like that. I'm not sure what happened last night, but Dustin's here—after he fucked my brains out in the office.
