Aaron
"Don't do this to me, Bella. I need you!" I said and looked at her desperately.
"No," she looked at me, unwillingly to change her mind.
"If I don't have the boardwalk, I won't be able to build more hotels!" I exclaimed.
"And why should I help you? After what you've put me through? I almost went bankrupt after I landed on one of your properties. Now you have the audacity to think I will sell you my card? You must be joking!" Bella grinned and waved the boardwalk card to my face.
We were 30 minutes into the game already, and things have gotten messy. Jane and Jake were already out of the game. It was between Bella, Damien, and me now. Go figure.
"She doesn't want to sell her card, bro, so just leave her alone," Damien narrowed his eyes at me.
"Oh...you've been friends with her for two minutes, and all of a sudden, you are her savior?" I snarled.
"Don't be mean to Damien, Aaron!" Bella exclaimed.
To be honest, it wasn't just about the game. Seeing her laughing and being close to that guy was making me very, very jealous.
"Whatever, I don't need you. I can win this without it," I declared.
"Great," Bella said. "I would rather trade with Damien anyway," she added.
Oh, hell no. She is trying to mess with me now.
"Who wants tequila shots!" Jane screamed from the kitchen.
"This game is never going to end, so I am gonna go get drunk. You coming?" Damien looked at Bella and asked.
"Okay! What do you think, Aaron?" she looked at me.
I shrugged. "Fine by me," I said.
And that's how we ended up in the kitchen, taking shot after shot. I was fine after a couple of drinks since I wasn't a lightweight by any means, but Bella...
I suddenly had a Deja vu when I saw Bella taking a shot. I remembered the party when I got to hang out with Bella for the first time when she danced on the table half-naked and asked me to take her virginity. What if she acts like that again? Will Damien be taking care of her this time?
There was no way in hell I would let that happen.
I decided to keep an eye on her. To make sure she behaves. I couldn't let Damien take advantage of her.
I saw her take a couple more shots. Oh no...she better slow it down, I thought.
"I WANNA DANCE!" she cried out all of a sudden. I mentally prepared myself to grab her if I saw her try to take her clothes off, but fortunately, she didn't do anything like that.
"For god's sake, Jane, why would you let her drink AGAIN? You've seen how she acts!" I exclaimed.
"Sorry, she is an adult. I can't stop her if she really wants to," Jane shrugged.
"You shut it, green-eyed boy!" Bella yelled at me.
"I can take her home if you want," Damien offered.
I pictured Bella all alone with Damien. Drunk and defenseless. Nope, it's not happening.
"She is staying here. You guys don't mind, do you?" I looked at Jake and Jane.
"Of course not," Jake replied.
"Okay, well, it seems like she is in good hands. I am gonna head out. Bye guys, it was nice meeting you," Damien said and left.
"Well, Jake and I are gonna turn in for the night. You got this, right, Aaron?" Jane looked at me.
What, how do I always get stuck with the drunk girl?
"How can you trust me, a hormonal young guy with a sweet, innocent girl like her?" I asked.
"Ha, ha, Aaron, you are so funny. Just take care of the girl," Jane laughed, ignoring my logic. "Goodnight," she said and went inside the bedroom, taking Jake along.
Bella looked at me and grinned. "It's just you and me now, sexy," she said seductively.
Oh, great...assertive drunk Bella has entered the chat.
She walked closer to me, then pushed me toward the couch, forcing me to sit down. Before I could get up again, she sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck.
"Um...Bella...I don't think..."
She pressed her fingers on my lips so I don't speak.
"Shh...don't fight it. Just kiss me," she whispered.
"I thought you said you want nothing to do with me anymore?" I asked.
"That's what the old Bella wanted you to think. The new Bella wants to kiss you because you are soooo hot," she said and looked at me with a dazed expression.
If only she were sober when she said that.
"Let's get you to bed, silly girl," I said and tried to pull her off of me, but she grabbed me even tighter.
"No! I won't go to sleep unless you kiss me," she pouted.
I cupped her cheek and forced her to look me in the eyes. "Look here, freckles. You are not yourself when you are drunk, so I am not kissing you until you are sober, okay?"
She looked at me for a moment, then nodded. Her eyes were sleepy as she was about to crash. I pulled her into a hug.
"I am going to tuck you in, so are you gonna be a good girl and go to sleep?" I whispered into her hair.
"Yes. I am sorry I asked you to kiss me," she sounded sad.
"It's okay. Don't be sorry. Never be sorry for asking me that," I said and tightened my hug.
"I really really like you," her voice shook as she said it.
"I know," I said and kissed her forehead. She buried her face in my shoulder as I carried her to the guestroom. I put her in bed and tucked her in just as I promised. She will probably forget all of this in the morning, but at least I know how she really feels about me. Well...at least that's how the drunk Bella feels about me.
"Goodnight, Freckles," I said and turned off the light, then went to sleep on the couch.