THE HOLITOPA TRESTLES

CHAPTER 11: A (NOT SO) RUDE AWAKENING

 "Georgie," Jasper moans, and I smile when his lips brush mine again. I'm positive my name will never sound so good coming out of any other man's mouth. His roaming hands leave my mind blank and my body too ready and willing. I let him bring me to the point of pleasure and delirium. I'll worry about the consequences later because oh...my...God.

The sound of a chirping bird in the distance feels out of place as does the brightness shining through my eyelids. Both are the bearers of bad news.

It was a dream.

I look down at the outline of my legs under the pinstripe sheet. A wet dream, which I didn't even realize was possible for women. A sleepy grin stretches across my face. I roll over, still fighting off the waking world to be faced with the sight of Mac's open-mouthed snoring. It has the same effect as being doused with ice cold water.

Lifting my head, I'm instantly aware of the throbbing ache, and that I slept in the same clothes I wore out last night.

Leaving Mac to hog the covers and drool on my other pillow, I grab my tattered robe off the back of my door and head to the bathroom for the Ibuprofen. Resentful that less than a minute ago, I was tangled up with Jasper Mabry in my dreams and now am left to face the reality of drinking too much. I wince at my reflection in the bathroom mirror and take notice of how dry my mouth is. Luckily, there's no one to judge me for my ashen skin and wild bed head.

I fill a glass with water and swallow the pill passing by Britt's countdown calendar on the wall. 55 days until graduation. I shake my head determined not to put any extra stress on my exploding brain. I'm almost back to my bedroom when my mind registers something or....

someone.....out of the corner of my eye.

In our living room.

I take a few steps back, sure my hangover has me seeing things. And I have to be imagining this.

Jasper. Asleep on our purposefully weathered couch. One arm above his head. The other laid across his stomach. He's still wearing his jeans and button up from last night, but his face is partially obscured by a Mabry Construction and Development cap. His shoes are off and the sight of his argyle socks makes me smile. Then I blush remembering the feeling between my legs when I woke up.

Oh, God! Please tell me I wasn't calling his name in my sleep when he was camped out in our living room.

"You gonna keep staring at me or offer me some coffee?"

I gasp and jump back. When I peek around again, he's got one eye open like he needs to adjust to the light. "Didn't mean to scare you. Reckon you weren't expecting to see me on your couch."

Or in my bed and in my dreams.

He sits up and rubs his eyes with his fingers. I shake my head like some timid bunny then I remember I'm in my own house. "Wait a minute. Why are you on my, on..I mean...on our couch?"

"No offense, Georgie, but none of y'all was fit to drive last night."

"We took a Lyft." It sounds a bit like a question because I can't actually recall the ride home, but I'm not sure if he knows that.

He nods. "I took the Lyft with y'all. Delaney took my truck to get the girls home. Livvy got sick in the parking lot."

I find it odd that he didn't see his girlfriend home and chose to make sure Britt, Mac, and I made it back to The Shutter House, but my head isn't fit for thinking right now.

"Truth is, I'm glad we were there. Y'all needed a chaperone."

I narrow my eyes at him, but am suddenly aware that I'm wearing my robe over last night's clothes and my hair could give a bird nest a run for its money.