Dead Straight (Lee Christmas Romance)

Part 14

Lee Pov

Lee wasn't even sure how many beers Ferris had to drink but lord knows she was practically stoned. She was certainly a happy drunk and Lee had never seen her smile or laugh so much. It was kind of funny to watch, he liked seeing her happy. As the night went on some of the men began to trickle out. I mean it was like 2 in the morning.

Yin was first to leave and then Toll followed after. Soon enough it was just Barney, Lee, a passed out Tool, and Ferris. Ferris was also looking rather tired and ready to just fall asleep. " Aww poor Ferris are you all tired?" Lee asked with a smirk as if he was talking to a young child. Ferris rolled her eyes as she sat on the red couch and playfully glared at him.

" It's like 2:30 in the morning who isn't tired?" She asked with lidded eyes and a soft smile but her words were laced with fixed weariness. Lee smiled" Yeah we should get you home" He suggested and Ferris groaned in compliance.

" Yeah she needs to sleep can you drive her?" Barney asked and even he sounded a little tired. Lee nodded, he knew where she lived. Lee himself was fatigued but he had enough left in him to drive Ferris home. Lord knows she couldn't drive her self home. " Don't do anything stupid Lee" Barney ordered with a broad smirk that made Lee scoff. He would never take advantage of someone like that but he knew that Barney just meant it in humor.

" Yeah come on Ferris let's get you home" Lee offered and she nodded in understanding and managed to get to Lee's car with just a few stumbles. She scoffed when she saw the car " A BMW?When did you become a German?" She asked with a grin showing off her still pearly whites.

Lee chuckled as he started up the car feeling the familiar hum of the engine. " German engineering is the best" Lee stated confidently. Ferris turned up her eyes as she made herself comfortable in the leather seat. " Whatever you say Lee" She teased with a smile.

There was silence for just a moment before Ferris grinned randomly. Lee looked at her a little confused but at the same time he wore a bemused expression. " What are you smiling about?" Lee asked curiously as they stopped at a Stop sign. Ferris just smiled even broader " I don't know I'm just happy, I don't think I have ever smiled so much in my entire life" She answered jubilantly.

"Well that's good right?" Lee asked continued down the road. She nodded in agreement " Yeah.......you wanna know something Lee" She asked slurring the last few words. Lee shrugged " Go for it" He suggested with a soft smile. " Your a really nice guy you know that?" Ferris explained randomly to him nudging him in the shoulder.

" Thanks" He replied to the strange but subtle compliment with a partial incline of his head. " Not a problem Christmas" She teased using his last name. Lee personally disliked his last name since it was cliche but he didn't mind being teased about it. Lee pulled up in front of the apartment complex just a few seconds later.

" Well here we are" Lee announced looking at Ferris. She looked out the window and then back at him as if realizing that she did in fact live there. " Can you come with me?" She asked sounding remotely like a child scared of walking up the stairs without the light on. Lee rose a brow, Barny's words jerked around in his mind.

" Uh Ferris that may not be the best idea" Lee stated but Ferris was resilient. " Come on Lee..... just walk with me please" Ferris continued with a goofy smile that Lee liked.

He sighed " Ferris I don't - Lee I don't wanna be alone tonight" She interceded. Lee weighed his options, he knew he could control himself so what was the real harm in walking her to her apartment? At least she probably wouldn't remember much of this by morning.

" Alright fine" Lee gave in causing Ferris to smile even broader if it was possible. He wondered slightly how her cheekbones weren't sore from smiling so often. " Ok my apartment isn't that far, it's just in the second building" She told him as she opened the car door stumbling out but managed to regain her footing.

Lee nodded as they walked together towards the gray apartment complex and up to her one bedroom apartment. It was a quaint little place with minimal decorations that were limited to a maroon couch, a soft red rug beside it, and a painting of the New York skyline. There was small kitchen to the left of the living space and a marble counter top for eating.

" Yeah..... haven't had much time to decorate this place" She shrugged with a soft smile as she flung of her shoes that landed dully at the base of the maroon couch. She stifled a yawn before going into her room Lee followed but stopped at the doorway. Similar to the rest of the apartment it wasn't heavily furnished. There was a wooden dresser, a mirror with an intricate frame, and on a night stand ear her bed there were three photo frames. He couldn't see what they were with the dim light. The only things that signified that a Mercenary lived here was the Walthers that sat harmlessly atop the dresser and the sheathed Bowie knife on her crimson bed spread.

" Alright Ferris, I'm gonna get goin" Lee announced and Ferris turned to him with a brush going half way through her black hair. " Can you at least stay till I fall asleep?" She asked with big innocent doe eyes. Lee shook his head "Ferris I just don't think- You don't wanna upset that Lacey lady?" Ferris interrupted again sounding slightly defensive. The smile left her features and Lee didn't quite like it.

Lee furrowed his brows, " No, no Ferris I just don't want anything wrong to happen" Lee replied taking a step closer to her as she rose a brow. " I'll go ahead and stay till you fall asleep ok?" Lee submitted allowing Ferris's contagious smile to erupt once more.

" Yay!" She exclaimed like a young child making Lee chuckle as he took a step into her room that had plush dark red carpet. Lee guessed she was a fan of red.

His eyes trained on the three frame photographs on her night stand. The first was that of a younger Ferris, maybe when she had been around 20 holding a large ball of brown hair that must have been a cat. The poor thing looked ready to run in the picture but Ferris was in a frozen gleeful smile.

The second was of Ferris maybe at the age of 15 standing with an older man who might have been her father judging by their similar appearances. They were standing in front of a gun range both holding rifles.

The third and last picture was of Ferris with three other men. They were all sitting around a table playing some sort of card game laughing and smiling. Ferris sat next to a tall man with black hair and a shapely nose. The other two men had shorter blondish hair and one of them was even taller with a country look. The third was a short man with a crazy glint in his green eyes.

Ferris walked up beside him with a small smile still on her face, her eyes were tired. " That was the last picture I took with them" She explained. Lee nodded " They were good men" Lee said placing a hand on her shoulder.

She didn't reply immediately. She looked down at the photo with an air of soberness. Her eyes reminiscing over their faces.

" I know they were" She said before turning away from them and walking into her bathroom to brush her teeth. Lee tore his eyes away from the photographs and awkwardly sat down on the bed that was a little too soft for him but he didn't really mind.

She came back out of the bath room wearing a simple black shorts and a Bob Marley T-shirt. She smirked before settling by his side laying her head on top his chest. Lee could feel his heart rate accelerate and could have sworn he saw her smirk about it. " Good night Lee" She said lazily shutting her eyes.

" Good night Ferris" Lee said back but didn't close his eyes. He took a deep breath Truly realizing that there was a pretty girl sleeping beside him with her head on his chest. He had shared similar moments with Lacey but this felt different. More natural. As if it was supposed to be happening.

He waited until her breathing slowed and for her to fall asleep which didn't take very long. A slight whistling sound pitched each time she exhaled through her nose. Lee smirked softly looking down at her. He brushed a few stray strands of black hair from her face gently getting to also feel the softness of her creamy cheek.

He let out a breath he hadn't noticed he had been holding as he looked up at the white ceiling. Lee wondered for a moment if he should leave and be respectable but decided against it. He closed his eyes and found sleep pretty easily.

With dreams revolving around a future that involved a girl named Ferris.