Hold Me Down

chapter 9

It's quiet and tranquil. I am in a plush white bed, comfortably wrapped in a warm blanket. I open my eyes and look around my unfamiliar surroundings, trying to register where I am. I have seen this room before.

I'm at the Courtyard hotel in a suite. I have stood in a room similar to this with Clary for the photo shoot. This room looks bigger.

I'm struck with the realization that I'm in Will Herondale's suite. Questions start to pop into my head. How did I get here? What happened last night?

Pieces of my memories from last night start to come back to me. The drinking, the phone call, the vomiting.

I'm wearing my t-shirt, bra, and panties. My socks and jeans are off. I try not to panic at the thought of who undressed me.

A glass of orange juice and two tablets sit atop the nightstand. Begrudgingly admiring Will's ability to think ahead, I sit up and take the pills. I don't feel terrible.

The door opens and Will strolls in. My heart leaps into my mouth, and I can't seem to find my voice.

He's been working out. He's in gray sweat pants that hang off his hips and a gray shirt, which is dark with sweat, like his hair.

"Good morning, Tessa. How are you feeling?" He smirks at me as he throws a towel on the bed. I dodge and look up at him.

"I'm fine. How did I get here?"

He throws himself down next to me. I try not to think about how close he is to me.

"I took you here," he grins at me. "It was very amusing, how you passed out last night. You were talking in your sleep, too."

I am mortified. "What did I say?"

He sits up and looks at me. "You were dreaming about me. I heard you say 'Oh Will' about fifty times last night-"

I throw the towel he threw down earlier at his face and he waves it away. He glowers at me.

"I was definitely not dreaming of you. Do shut up."

"Don't tell me what to do," he says while looking into my eyes. I'm suddenly aware of how my knee is touching his thigh, his messy hair and the way his shirt strains against his biceps.

"Did you put me to bed?"

"Yes." He breaks out into a wild grin. "And I took those jeans off you. I hope you didn't mind. But they were dirty."

Will Herondale has seen me half naked. I don't know how to feel about that information.

"We didn't..?"

He scoffs. "I would never. You were passed out, Tessa." He gives a wry smile. "But it was a very... interesting evening. Not one that I'll forget in a while."

"You didn't have to track me down with whatever high tech stalker stuff you're developing," I snap at him.

"First of all, my company does not develop surveillance technology. Second, that technology is widely available on the Internet. And if I hadn't came to get you, you'd probably be passed out in a parking lot, along with your friend Clary. It's a good thing Jace took her home."

His jaw clenches. "You need to eat. That's why you were so ill. Honestly Tess, it's drinking rule number one." He runs this hand through his hair, and I know it's because he's exasperated.

"Are you going to continue to scold me?"

"Is that what I'm doing?" He looks up, amused.

"I think so."