Shit!
Xavier cursed beneath his breath. The girl in front of him was red now as she watched the both of them;
''What are we going to do with her?'' Zac asked Xavier;
''That I don't know.''
''Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm not drunk, I just feel a little lightheaded, that's all. '' Ari said, rubbing her head. ''I don't get high easily, so you can calm down,'' she gestured with her both hands, trying to stand up from her chair, but she stumbled and sat back down almost immediately; laughing a little;
''Oh, I guess the alcohol was a little too strong. ''
Zac turned to Xavier, ''Take her back, I'll come later with the others. They won't want to cut their night short because of her, you know.''
Xavier nodded and tried to make her stand, but she fell right back to the chair like a puddle.
Without a second thought, he leaned down and lifted her off the chair;
''Ah! Let go of me, I can walk on my own… '' Ari exclaimed as she swung her legs weakly in the air.
Xavier ignored her as he walked towards the exit.
After a few kicks in the air, she calmed down. She didn't have any strength to fight him, anyway. Her arms went around his neck as she hugged him tightly, slow breaths leaving her lips;
Xavier looked down at the woman in his arms; how was she so careless with life?
That she was sleeping so peacefully in a stranger's arms was surprising. What if someone else had seen her first?
Xavier's throat tightened at the thought that a stranger could have been the one carrying her in his arms at that moment. The urge to protect her overwhelmed him as he held her a little tight;
This woman… what has she done to him?
She slept like a baby through the ride back to the hotel. When they got to the hotel, Xavier contemplated taking her back to her room, but it would be risky leaving her alone all by herself, so he carried her to his room.
He closed the door quietly so as not to make a sound and wake her up; but the moment he placed her on the bed, her eyes opened.
Ari's arms were still around his neck and when he wanted to stand upright, she held him tight.
''Um… you were drunk. I had no choice but to bring you here. If you're awake now, you can go back to your room…''
''You smell so good. '' Ari mumbled as she pulled Xavier closer to her;
No… no, this was not the turn he was expecting this night to take…
''Ari… you're drunk, and you don't know what you're doing, so don't do what you would regret tomorrow morning… ''
Before Xavier could complete his words, she leaned into him and kissed him.
It was as though time had stopped. Xavier blinked, but as though hit by a lightning bolt, he pulled away from her, instantly.
''Maria… ''
''What? I thought this is what you've always wanted to do? Why are you refusing me? '' Ari asked with a confused frown;
''You are drunk Maria, get hold of yourself. '' Xavier said as he walked far away from her; even though he wanted her again, the last thing he would do was take advantage of a drunk woman.
He wouldn't stoop that low. ''I'll leave you now, so get some sleep. ''
Xavier turned to leave, but his steps stopped when Ari burst into tears; ''You don't want me?''
Xavier turned around in shock; ''what?''
''Am I not pretty? What did I do so wrong?'' She exclaimed as she wailed profusely.
Xavier was utterly surprised; he did not expect her to burst out crying like that.
''No, no, it's not that I don't want you, you are drunk, and you are not in your right senses. ''
''I'm not drunk. I know what I want, and I want you. '' Ari moaned as she stood up from the bed and walked towards him;
''Maria, get back to bed; ''
''I haven't been able to get that night off my head, the night we spent together. I have dreamed of you several times, but I haven't been able to tell you because I know I shouldn't, but we can have sex and forget about it when we get back to the States. no-one has to know. ''
Xavier didn't have the time to get excited by that revelation; he needed to get this drunk woman to bed. Walking to her, he pulled her back to the bed and made her lie down.
''Okay, we will have sex, but first I have to shower. Can you wait for me?''
''Let's shower together. '' Ari said almost immediately, and Xavier nearly laughed. He remembered the fierce woman who had refused to even take a picture with him earlier that day. He could not believe she was the same person begging that they shower together.
''We can't shower together, Ari. But I'll be out in a moment, so you wait for me, okay? Will you do that?''
Ari stared at him for a while as though checking if he was lying; after some time, she nodded.
Xavier smiled and patted her flushed chin; ''That's good. Now just wait here. I'll be back. ''
Standing up from the bed, Xavier walked out of the room and shut the door.
Xavier went out and requested a hangover tea, something to clear her head and make her calm, but by the time he returned, Ari was already sleeping.
Placing the tea on the side stool, he took off her boots and covered her properly with the duvet.
Xavier took one last long look at her, before turning off the light and leaving the room.
…
Ari stretched on the bed as her eyes opened to a banging head.
''Ow!'' she mumbled as she touched her head, which felt like it was splitting in two.
She tried standing up from the bed but frowned when she saw the unfamiliar surrounding.
''No… no… no, where the fuck was she?!''