Aug
The first thing that Zephyr became aware of the next morning was the feeling of a dozen tiny sledgehammers pounding at her brain. As she lay in bed with her head throbbing and her mouth tasting like deep-fried ass, she slowly became aware of something warm and soft against her back.
She opened her eyes slowly, whimpering a little as the sunlight beat into her eyes, and felt her face lose color as she noticed the chestnut-colored arm draped across her waist.
Oh shit.
Zephyr slid slowly into a sitting position, careful not to wake Dani. Dani mumbled in her sleep and shifted her head onto Zephyr’s lap.
I have a bad feeling that this is going to come back and bite me in the ass, Zephyr thought to herself.
As if on cue, her phone started playing Freezeframe.
“Oh hell,” Zephyr muttered as she reached for her phone.
“You going to answer that?” Dani asked groggily as she opened her eyes.
“It’s my brother,” Zephyr said.
Dani sat up, kissed Zephyr on the cheek, and crawled out of bed. “I’ll go take a shower and let you talk.” On her way out of the room, she turned and winked at Zephyr. “If you hurry, you can join me.”
Zephyr flipped her phone open as Dani shut the door behind her. “Hey.”
“Good morning, Beautiful,” Tempest said, far too cheerfully for Zephyr’s mood. “Did I wake you?”
“No, I woke up about 30 seconds before you called. I had a mild hangover and a cute naked woman in bed with me. Your phone call prevented me from completely panicking.”
There was silence on the other end, and Zephyr was afraid Tempest had either hung up or fainted. “Tem?”
“If you weren’t my sister, I’d say I needed half an hour alone with that thought.”
Zephyr burst out laughing, then winced from the headache. “You’re such a pervert.”
“Takes one to know one,” Tempest said. “By the way, shouldn’t you be at work?”
“Well, see, the thing is…” Zephyr wasn’t sure how to finish that statement, as the last thing she wanted to do was lie to Tempest.
“Well, considering how your week’s been going so far, I can’t blame you for taking a day off,” Tempest interrupted. Zephyr wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Tempest almost sounded amused. “Mo said you’re letting him fly you out to the island for his birthday?”
“Yeah,” Zephyr said, grateful for the subject change, and for Mo apparently not spilling the beans about Zephyr’s spectacular exit from the office. “He’s trying to talk me into letting him use the company jet to get me out there, but you know how uncomfortable that makes me.”
“Tell him you’ll do it if he finds another passenger or two to make up the cost difference,” Tempest suggested.
Zephyr mulled over the suggestion. “That’s actually not a bad idea. Thanks, Tem. Sometimes you can be pretty useful.”
Tempest chuckled. “Be nice. I’ll let you go back to panicking now so I can get to work.” He paused. “Look, be careful, ok? I don’t want to see you get hurt again. It’s only been two days. Besides, I remember what your last girlfriend was like.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not looking for a rebound. Love you, Tem.”
Zephyr closed her phone and stared at it. When she heard her bedroom door open, she looked up to find Dani wrapped in a towel. Dani sat on the edge of the bed and patted Zephyr’s hand. “Don’t look so terrified.”
“I’m not ready for any kind of relationship.”
Dani looked perplexed for a moment before laughing. “I’m not looking for a relationship, silly. You just got out of one of those, you need your freedom for a while.” She reached out to brush Zephyr’s hair out of her face. “That’s not to say, however, that I’d turn you down if you suggested it six months from now.”
“Then why–”
“It’s nice to get some comfort from a friend, isn’t it? Aren’t we friends? A few extra benefits won’t change that.”
Zephyr couldn’t really argue with that. However… “And if I hadn’t been newly single?”
“Oh, then I really would have gotten you drunk and molested you while you were passed out.” Dani laughed as she dodged the pillow Zephyr threw at her. “I’m kidding! I hadn’t exactly planned on things working out the way they did, but I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity. I’m a little surprised, though.”
“Oh?”
“Well, you didn’t seem the type to play for both teams,” Dani said delicately.
Zephyr gave a short laugh as she closed her eyes and leaned back against her headboard. “If someone’s attractive, they’re attractive. Gender doesn’t change that.”
“Mm. How’s your head?”
“Not as bad as when I first woke up.”
“Can I get you anything for it?”
Zephyr gestured in the general direction of the bathroom. “There’s some ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet. Do you mind getting me a bottle of water out of the fridge?”
“Will you kiss me if I say yes?”
Zephyr smiled wryly. “I’d probably do that even if you said no.”
Dani giggled. “Fine then, if I say yes, will you go shopping with me once your headache goes away?”
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I’m flying out to Costa Luna next week for my best friend’s birthday. I supposed I ought to see if I can find him a gift of some sort.” Zephyr sighed and rubbed at her temples.
Dani stood. “Alright then, painkillers and water it is. I’ll go get us some breakfast after you take your painkillers, that might help, too.”
It was not until Zephyr had taken the painkillers and gotten into the shower while Dani went to pick up breakfast that the enormity of what had transpired hit her.
I am officially an idiot.
As the water poured over her, Zephyr leaned against the wall and put a hand to her face. This situation could get really good or really ugly, really quickly, despite what Dani says about only wanting to be friends with benefits. I’ve never been quite so glad to be leaving town. I need time to clear my head.