Distractions (The Rebound Series) (13 page)

A half hour later, Alex already had a decent buzz that came along with four overflowing shots of whiskey.
 
Luke showed up first and the two of them made space for Adam and Caleb at the bar once they came.

Adam and Caleb wisely chose not to say much, but Luke couldn’t contain his amusement.
 
“Damn, man.
 
Did you two break things off?”
 
Alex didn’t want to talk about two things: work and Olivia.
 
He made that abundantly clear when he shot Luke a withering glare, which only made his friend laugh.
 
“I guess so.”

Which was not true, but he didn’t correct Luke.

Caleb shot Adam a questioning look.
 
And as Alex flagged down the bartender with an impatient wave, Adam whispered, “He lost a client today.”

Even though Adam had said it quietly, he should have known Alex would’ve heard.
 
“Shut the fuck up, Adam.”

Adam didn’t even flinch, just shrugged his shoulders as he pushed his glasses up his nose.
 
It was more of a comforting gesture than one of necessity.
 
“It happens, Alex.
 
Even someone like you loses clients sometimes.”

“I’m never supposed to,” Alex mumbled.
 
It’s what made him the best.
 
It’s what his $207,000 salary stood for.
 
In his already hazy mind, he could just hear what his father would say.
 
You’re worthless, Alex.
 
You’re just a dumb little shit who can’t do anything right.

Alex closed his eyes against the memories and leaned his head back as he took another shot.
 
The burn that sizzled down his throat felt comforting.
 
He was never a big drinker, but occasionally, he would do this.
 
It was just usually after an encounter with his father.

Olivia
.

He squeezed his already closed eyes even tighter, hearing the hurt in her voice as she told him to break up with her.
 
Not like he ever would, but his whole being protested strongly at her suggestion.
 
He had literally felt himself recoil at the thought.
 
Even though she had told him why she was upset, he had hurt her with his words and he couldn’t seem to stop.
 
The overpowering need to push her away from him had been strong.

He didn’t deserve her.
 
That much was clear.
 
Olivia was kind and warm, and he’d used sarcasm against her.
 
Maybe he should break things off with her.

But he was selfish.
 
He needed her.

What the hell is wrong with me?
he thought, clutching his head tightly between his hands.
 
Even now, he wanted nothing more than to go back to her apartment.
 
He wanted to apologize and kiss her soft lips.
 
He wanted to bury himself deep inside of her until he forgot the world outside.

A couple hours later, Alex was drunk beyond words.
 
Luke and Adam both tried to keep pace with him but gave up an hour earlier and had sobered up since then with the help of heaping portions of greasy food.
 
Caleb had been quietly nursing the same beer all night, knowing instinctively that he would be the one to drive Alex home.

The three men finally got Alex out of his chair and led him to the door of their favorite pub.
 
Luke called out a friendly goodbye to Frank, the owner, over his shoulder and then they slipped out into the crisp night air.
 
It was almost midnight and their warm breath lingered in the cold.

“I’ll take him home,” Caleb murmured to Luke and Adam.
 
“I walked here.”

And a few moments later, Alex found himself in the passenger seat of his own car, not recalling how he got there.
 
“What am I doing here?” he asked, although it sounded more like, “Wha am I doin’ here?”

Caleb shot him an unreadable glance as he plugged the keys into the ignition.
 
“I’m taking you home.”

Alex shook his head and then he laughed, even though he didn’t know why.
 
“I wanna go to Liv’s.
 
Take me there.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Alex.”

“I need to see her,” replied Alex, shaking his head with determination.
 
He stopped a moment later when it made him dizzy.
 
“I was an asshole to her tonight.
 
I need to talk to her.”

“You’re not in any shape to have a conversation with anyone, man.
 
Much less your girlfriend.
 
I think we should just go to your place.
 
You can talk to her in the morning,” came Caleb’s even and steady reply.

“No.
 
Just take me there now,” Alex argued.
 
“It’s the apartment complex a couple blocks down on the right.”
 
He was impressed he even remembered that in his state, but Caleb sighed and Alex knew he was triumphant.

Once they reached the complex, Alex stumbled out of his car in haste as Caleb cried out after him.
 
Cursing, his friend cut the engine and managed to steady him before he reached the apartment elevators.
 
A few minutes later, Alex was loudly banging on Olivia’s door, calling her name out through the wood, as Caleb held him up by the shoulders, trying to shut him up.

The door was abruptly pulled open and Olivia, in shorts and a tank top, squinted sleepily against the harsh hallway lighting at the two of them.
 
“Alex?
 
What in the world—,” she was cut off when he launched himself at her and kissed her squarely on the lips.

“Hi, darling.
 
My beautiful Liv,” he murmured against her lips.

“Alex,” she protested, pushing at his chest until he stepped back, stumbling.
 
She ushered the two of them inside and questioningly looked at Caleb as she tried to dodge Alex’s roaming hands.
 
“What happened?” she demanded.

Caleb raised a brow, “I think it’s pretty obvious, don’t you think?”

“Hey, man,” slurred Alex.
 
“Don’t be rude to my woman.
 
Not cool.”
 
The floor wobbled beneath him and he furrowed his brow in concentration.
 
“Damn floor, won’t stop moving,” he mumbled.

He heard Olivia sigh tiredly and Caleb remarked, “He insisted I drive him here.”
 
Then he stopped and studied Olivia.
 
He frowned.

“What?” Olivia asked, inching closer to Alex.

Caleb shrugged, “You’re not what I expected.
 
I expected another Julia.”
 
Olivia stiffened at the obvious disdain in his voice.
 
But before she could defend herself, he said, “Tell him to call me in the morning for his car.”
 
And with that, Caleb turned and walked down the hall.
 

“What a jerk,” she mumbled and Alex laughed from his place next to the wall.

“He hates all women, don’t take it personally,” he explained, stumbling a bit as he made his way towards her.
 
“Darling, I think I’m drunk,” he whispered with complete seriousness, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Olivia raised a brow and despite her obvious annoyance, faint amusement shone in her eyes.
 
“I believe you,” she said.
 
“Come on, let’s get you some water.”

She arranged him on the couch as he stared at her.
 
When she tried to get up, Alex pulled her down over him and sought her lips.
 
The kiss was sloppy, definitely not his best work, but he tried anyway.
 
“I missed you, darling.
 
I should’ve said that earlier tonight,” he said against her.

She pulled back to study him.
 
“Then why didn’t you?” she asked as she rose from the couch, tugging her tank top back into place.
 
Alex sat up, eye-level with her navel.
 
He brought his lips to the curve of her stomach, wrapping his arms around her hips.
 
She sighed and her hands ran through his hair, almost absentmindedly.
 
It felt so good that Alex wished she would never stop.

“I wanna make love to you tonight.
 
Not fuck.
 
I wanna stay inside you until the morning,” he whispered.

 
“Alex,” Olivia protested, but it came out breathless.
 
“You need to sleep.
 
You’re exhausted and now you’re drunk.”

He shook his head even as his temple began to pound in discomfort, “I need you.”
 
As if to emphasize his point, he started sliding his hands unsteadily up her sides to her breasts, dragging her tank top up in their wake.

Olivia’s head tilted back as Alex pressed frequent kisses around her belly button.
 
Her hands came to wrap around his wrists reluctantly and she pulled them away from her heavy breasts.
 
Alex pouted in outraged protest but he was content to stroke and kiss her stomach.

Until she stepped away from him.

He plopped back against the couch comically, sprawled out as he leaned his head back against the edge.
 
Olivia walked to her refrigerator and pulled out a bottled water.
 
As she padded back over to him, it was only then that Alex noticed her red and swollen eyes.
 
He suddenly felt like the biggest asshole on the entire planet.

He stood up abruptly, cradling her face gently between his hands as he kissed her eyelids.
 
“I made you cry again, goddammit,” he muttered.
 
“Darling, I’m sorry.
 
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he repeated, every apology punctuated by a kiss.
 
“Scream at me.
 
Yell at me.
 
Just please don’t cry again,” he whispered brokenly, his chest tight.

“Alex,” Olivia whispered, her eyes closed.

His lips gently teased her own.
 
The tender pressure of her lips felt divine to his hazy and sluggish mind.
 
His hands wandered down her sides, intent on easing her pain in the only way he knew how.

But first, “We’ll talk in the morning,” he mumbled out.

Olivia nodded in agreement and she quietly led him to her bed.
 
When he tried to kiss her again, she shook her head.
 
“No sex tonight, Alex.”

He groaned but figured it was for the best.
 
But she didn’t say no to caressing and cuddling.

Olivia helped him out of his clothes since his footing was still slightly unsteady.
 
He had only had about a half hour to sober up but he had practically drunk himself under the table, so he wouldn’t be right until morning.

When she gently tucked him under her covers and crawled in next to him, he wrapped his arms around her.
 
The movement felt a bit sluggish and awkward for him, but he wanted to feel her skin against his.
 
He was naked, since that was how he preferred to sleep, something Olivia knew very well by now.
 
But, with dismay, he realized she was still in her night clothes.
 
Furrowing his brow, he tugged at her shorts.
 

“Alex, I said no.”

“Not that,” he murmured.
 
“Get rid of these,” he ordered in frustration, trying to figure out why her shorts weren’t coming off.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because we always sleep naked,” he mumbled, switching from her shorts to her tank top.
 
“Even when we don’t…” he trailed off as Olivia grabbed his wrist.
 
She sighed but Alex saw a faint smile on her lips.

She reached down below the covers and shimmied her way out of her shorts and underwear and kicked them off the bed.
 
Her tank top followed.

Alex grabbed and pressed her against his body, his front to her back.
 
He was half hard, but he seemed to always be in that state around her.
 
The soothing heat emanating from her soft skin lulled him to sleep even though every time he closed his eyes, he felt his alcohol-induced world spinning violently.

Eventually it didn’t matter.

Tucking Olivia close to him, Alex passed out within minutes.

Alex woke before dawn with the feeling that he’d done something incredibly stupid.

It was a feeling he was familiar with.
 
In college, he had one too many drunken nights.
 
The freedom of alcohol had been seductive and he had been young.
 
But now, the feeling in the pit of his stomach told him he screwed up somehow.

He slowly came awake, as did his pounding headache, and memories from last night floated back to his hazy mind.

He didn’t remember most of last night, but flashes came back to him.
 
Caleb holding him up as he pounded on Olivia’s door.
 
The soft feel of her stomach against his lips.
 
Her swollen, red eyes, fresh from crying.

He squeezed his eyes shut, regret burning through him, harsh and punishing.

He glanced over to Olivia on his left and watched her sleep peacefully.
 
He remembered their fight, how he had pushed her away again.
 
He had been in a bad mood.
 
A disastrous week at work had ensured that, but he had no right to take it out on her.
 
She was wonderful and sweet.
 
Everything he wasn’t.

Alex wondered if it was only a matter of time before she realized how messed up he was when it came to relationships.
 
He wondered when she would cut him loose.
 
Because he didn’t deserve her.