Hell's Rayne (Book 1)

Chapter 25

It wasn't the pale sunlight that leached in through the thin curtains that woke me from my dreamless slumber, nor was it the dull pounding in my head that threatened to launch a full on assault on my brain the instant I moved. No, it was the arm about my waist that suddenly clenched on reflex that jerked me awake in a state of surprise and confusion, and left me desperately trying to figure out why there was another person in my bed.

My somewhat pickled brain tried to rewind the nights proceedings, to recall how we'd managed to get there, but thinking too hard made my head hurt more. There had been more drinking, much more than I knew was advisable, but it seemed the more I consumed the more my willpower to refuse dwindled. But there came a point where I remembered my head dropped to the bar, a glass still half-full of rum and coke still clasped delicately in my fingers as I willed my body to give in to the all consuming sleep that the alcohol would bring.

Jesse hadn't let me fall asleep at the bar. Seeing me start to drift off I remember the spinning and waves of nausea take hold as he shook me awake again. I'd complained and covered my eyes, but somehow he'd managed to coax me off of the barstool and into walking. How we got back to the room was a blur, but he had obviously kept good on his word and carried me to bed – or near enough at least.

I shifted beneath the weight of his arm, trying to turn over so I could face him, was probably a good idea to make sure it actually was Jesse that had crawled into be with me. The movement was awkward though, and I quickly regretted it. Not only did the movement cause the throb in my head to take on a new lease of life, becoming a constant, crushing pressure beneath my skull, but the clothing I'd been dressed in the night before twisted around my body, chaffing and constricting – jeans were not at all designed for sleeping in.

Jesse shifted in his sleep, roused slightly by my fidgeting, but only enough to roll over onto his back. His hair was even more dishevelled and stuck out at odd angles, and a short crop of stubble had started to graze his chin, it suited him much more than the clean shaven look. He'd taken the time to remove his shirt before collapsing into the bed and I appreciated just a moment to take in the lean and defined muscle that years of physical labour had bestowed him with, though it was somewhat ruined when Jesse opened his mouth and let out an almighty snore. I would have laughed at the ungraceful snort that chose the perfect moment to shatter my admiring his physical form if I had not, at the same time, caught a great lungful of his morning breath. Reeking of stale alcohol it made my stomach roil and the suffering of the hangover returned to the forefront of my mind.

Covering my nose I took in a few deep breaths through my mouth, choking back the sickness that threatened to overwhelm me as I scrambled backwards off of the bed and landed with a heavy thud on the floor.

“Ooww,” I complained as the jolt from the floor pulsed up through my back to rattle my brain against the inside of my skull. “Oh, that was not a good move.”

Jesse was startled back to consciousness by the commotion I caused falling off the bed. He raised his head, reached a hand out in front of him to grasp at something unseen and started around the room, bleary eyed and confused.

“Huh, wha's goin' on?” he slurred, blinking in the dim light to focus his eyes before he finally appeared to make out the image of my form sat on the floor. “Why you on the floor. Did I push you off the bed or summin?”

I shook my head, quickly regretting the movement that made the room swirl in front of my eyes. Clamping them shut I pressed the heels of my palms into my temples and willed the spinning pain to stop.

“No. I just fell off the bed, tried to get up too quick,” I groaned back as I ventured to open my eyes.

“Shoulda just gone back to sleep,” Jesse murmured, making himself more comfortable in the bed again as he rolled over and lay sprawled on his stomach. “Must be too early to be up yet.”