It also felt really good to knee the bastard in the balls.
I laugh at the uncharacteristic thought, and Dawson’s expression shifts from anger to confusion. “What’s funny?”
“Just…I was thinking how good it felt to nail that ass**le in the balls.”
Dawson sputters and then cracks up, and so do Kaz and Greg. “Just don’t do it to me.”
I reach down and cup him between the legs. “I would never. I love them too much.” Kaz and Greg cough and turn away, and I realize I might be a little buzzed still, if I really just said and did that in front of them.
Dawson is shocked speechless for a moment. “Damn, Grey. You should drink more often if it makes you like this. You’re sexy when you’re tipsy.”
I let Dawson draw me inside, and we sit in the living room on the couch. I lose count of how many glasses of wine I drink as we talk to our friends. The room fades until there are only the seven or eight of us clustered on the couch and loveseat and leather recliners, talking the night away, and I get dizzier and dizzier until Dawson is a pillar holding me up, and he’s watching me, gauging me, and letting me do what I want. Kaz lights a cigar and hands it to Dawson, who puffs it, and then, with a quirky smile, puts it to my lips. I take a small puff and cough, choking. The men all laugh, so I take it from Dawson and try again, and maybe it’s just the wine, but I feel sexy holding it and smoking from it, like an actress from the ’40s sitting on a piano in a slinky dress.
Dawson shakes his head at me, but his eyes gleam.
I stand up unsteadily, and then have to sit back down. Dawson chuckles. “Need help, baby?”
I nod. “I’ve gotta pee.” I sound more Georgia than ever, and I realize I’ve been slowly taking the accent on all night, since the incident with Pavel, which was hours and hours ago by this point. The cable box says it’s 3:26 a.m. I can’t believe I’m still upright.
I feel something happening to my feet, and I look down to see Dawson unstrapping the heeled sandals I’m wearing, sliding one off, and then the other. I watch him, and let him do it, and then he’s half-carrying me to the bathroom. Well, not half-carrying. I’m leaning against him, my arm around his waist. I’d definitely fall over if he wasn’t here, but he is, so I’m fine. He follows me into the bathroom, but he doesn’t let go of me. He holds me by the shoulders as I clumsily focus on hiking my dress up, my underwear down, and sit to pee. There’s two of him, for some reason. More sexy to look at, so it’s okay. He has an amused grin on his face, both of them.
“What?” I ask.
“You’re hammered.”
I nod floppily. “Definitely kind of drunk. Is it funny?”
He laughs and helps me stay upright as I re-dress and wash my hands. “Yes, my love, it is. Very funny.”
A thought occurs to me, and I turn to frown at him, or whichever one of him is the real one. I close one eye, and there’s only one. I carefully enunciate my words. “I’m not embarrassing you in front of your friends, am I?” Well, that was very slurred.
Dawson’s expression is priceless, amused and tender at once. “No, babe. Not even a little bit. We’ve all been a bit sloppy before. You’re beautiful, and you’re perfect. Just have fun and relax. I’ll take care of you.”
“But…it’s your birthday. You should be having fun and getting drunk, not me.”
He brushes my hair away with his thumb. “This is the best birthday party I’ve ever had, douchebag Pavel notwithstanding. And I’m plenty drunk, baby. It’s almost four in the morning, and I’ve been drinking since seven.”
I stare at him, kind of awed. “But…you don’t seem drunk at all.”
He laughs outright at this. “I’ve had lots and lots of practice.”
I nod. This makes perfect sense. I think of something else I have to tell him. “I know…I know everyone else gave you presents today, and I didn’t. But I’ve got a present for you. I just can’t give it to you until tomorrow. Or today. Whatever. It’s a surprise.”
Dawson gives me that amused yet loving look again. “You’re the present, babe. You’re all I need from you.”
I grin. “Oh, I’m pretty sure you’ll like this. But it’s a surprise.” I think I already said that, but I can’t remember. Suddenly, I feel drunker than ever, and very tired.
Dawson sees, and scoops me up in that effortless way of his. “You’re ready for bed, aren’t you?” I nod, and he kisses me softly. “Rest, then.” I drowse, and I feel him set me in our bed, cover me up. He shakes my shoulder, and I wake up. He presses a glass of water into my hand, and a pair of pills into the other. “That’ll help you not be so hung over in the morning. Sleep, baby. I love you.”
After I wash the aspirin down, I peer at him with one eye. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Dawson Kellor.” It’s the last lucid thought I can express.
“You’ve got that backward, love.” He kisses me, and I want to kiss him back, but I’m going under. “I think we’re the best thing to happen to each other.”
That’s true, so true. But I’m totally numb, pleasantly loose. The room is spinning, the bed tipping and tilting underneath me. I open my eyes, but the room is still, and I realize it’s me, in my head. I let go, and slide under the waves of sleep. I feel a hand go around my middle, and he’s behind me. Time has passed, and birds are chirping in the gray sky, and then I’m back under with him.
Chapter 17
I have Luisa come over to do my hair and makeup and help me tighten the corset. She’s been my stylist for a while now, and she’s turning into a friend, and anyway she’s the only person who I’d feel comfortable asking to tighten a corset for me. She ties the knot and then moves around in front of me and gives me an appraising stare.
“Damn, Grey. That’s…you’re lookin’ pretty fine, girl.” She grins at me. “That must be a birthday surprise for Dawson, hmm?”
I nod, smiling nervously. “Yeah. I wasn’t sure what to get him, since he’s, you know, got everything you could think of. Does it look okay? I’ve never worn anything like this before.”
“I don’t think ‘okay’ is the right word, honey.” She lifts her eyebrows suggestively. “I think your man is gonna have a hard time deciding whether he wants you in that outfit or out of it. He’s gonna be a mess, know what I mean?”