Free Tempt Me (Tease Me Book 2) by Emily Goodwin

and waved her hand in the air.
    “You’re still drunk, remember?” She nodded, head pressed against my neck. “I’ll take you to bed, chica ,” I told her and stood with her in my arms. Water poured from our bodies. I carried her out of the tub and carefully set her on her feet. I wrapped her in a towel and picked her up again, laying her down in my bed. I kissed her forehead then went back into the bathroom to begrudgingly get ready for work.  

CHAPTER NINE
    ELLIE

    I WOKE up with a headache. My mouth was dry, my stomach queasy, and I had to pee. The sun was high in the sky, shining in full force through the windows. I opened my eyes just enough to glare at it before rolling over, groaning.
    I hadn’t been this hung over in years…like a lot of years…like the rare times I got trashed at college. I hadn’t gotten blackout drunk though; I was able to recall the details of last night.  
    I pushed my hair out of my face and sat up, realizing I was wearing only a towel. I was in Alejandro’s bed, but he was nowhere to be seen. I blinked, my vision a little fuzzy, and sat up. The sheets under me were damp from the towel. I rolled over, every movement jarring, hurting my head.
    “Fuck,” I mumbled and flopped back on the bed. My limbs felt too heavy to get up. I wanted to pass out again and wake up when I wasn’t hung over, like in six hours. Then I smelled the eggs. I wrinkled my nose, wanting to puke.  
    I buried my head in the pillow. It wasn’t just the eggs; it was the spices common in Mexican cooking. I knew I should eat something, but I didn’t think my stomach could handle it. I smiled, shaking my head. Alejandro loved his food extra spicy.
    I stayed there, naked and on top of wet sheets for several minutes before pushing myself up again. I rubbed my eyes then ran my hands through my hair, fingers getting stuck in knots.
    God, I must look like a wreck.
    The wind had whipped my hair into a tangled mess last night alone. Then I slept on it, got in the shower without brushing it, and then fell asleep with it wet. Maybe I should be glad Alejandro wasn’t here to see me.
    With a deep breath, I pushed myself up and off the bed. There was a bouquet of two dozen red roses on the dresser. A smile subconsciously pulled up my lips. Hidden in the center of the red roses was a single yellow rose. I tipped my head as I stared at it, wondering if the florist put it in on accident. No, it was there on purpose. The yellow rose was bigger than the other roses. Weird.  
    There was a note next to the vase. I picked it up and unfolded it. It was hand written in messy writing. I skimmed to the bottom, catching what I assumed was Alejandro’s signature before I went back and read the note.

    Ellie-
    I won’t let you blend into the crowd.
    -A

    Suddenly the one yellow rose made sense. I carefully touched the silky pedals then leaned in close and smelled the roses. I read the note again, going each word slowly. I set it down, all smiles and heart fluttering in a stupid school-girl way. I put my hand to my chest and closed my eyes, thinking of Alejandro.  
    I read the note one more time before hurrying to the bathroom to pee. Once I was done, I splashed cold water on my face and did my best to ignore the complete rat’s nest that was my hair. I admired the roses again then moved to the tray of Mexican breakfast food. I picked it up, carefully carrying it over to the bed. I set it down and slipped under the covers, bringing the sheet up to cover my naked breasts.  
    I forced myself to drink an entire bottle of water, knowing I would regret it if I didn’t. I held a silver fork in my hand, picking salsa off the eggs. Alejandro was of course on my mind, and I rolled over the memories from last night. I had always been honest with him. Completely, 100% honest. It was liberating, and I never wanted to go back to lying, to pretending shit was peachy when it was really steamy and stinky.
    What was the point of lying? Why did we