Taking a deep breath, I quickly unbuttoned her jeans and undid her zipper. The striped panties peeked out as the material parted. Double shit. I closed my eyes as I tugged them down her hips. She wasn’t helping. Not a single bit. She was out cold. I got a hand under her back and lifted her up far enough to get the jeans past her ass. I kept my eyes shut as I pulled them down her thighs. My knuckles brushed her legs, and I really didn’t think about how soft her skin was, because that was really inappropriate and then some.

Triple shit.

It felt like freaking forever before I got those damn jeans off, and only then did I realize she was lying the wrong way again. Cursing under my breath, I went over to the chair and grabbed the blanket off the back. I spread it out over her, tucking it along her sides and then I got the pillow back under her head.

Picking up her jeans, I felt her cell phone. The whole backside of her jeans was wet. I pulled the cell out and tapped on the screen. Nothing. Hell.

I headed downstairs, trying to get her cell to turn on as I checked the front door and made sure it was locked. Turned up the heat and made my way to the kitchen. The phone still wouldn’t turn on. Recalling something Tanner had said about rice, I found a tiny screwdriver and took the back off the phone. I placed both pieces in the rice and hoped it worked out. If not, I had a few extra cells at home she could use.

Needing to check on Syd, I returned to the bedroom she was in. The moment I saw her, I was rooted to the floor. All I could do was stare at her. My heart was beating pretty fast and for no apparent reason.

Finally, I sat beside her and pulled the blanket up her bare shoulder. I didn’t want her getting cold. I started to get up, but what if she got sick or needed something in the middle of the night? Syd never drank like this. God only knows what was going to happen.

There was a good chance I was overreacting, but I stretched out beside her. Maybe a second passed, and in her sleep, she rolled onto her side, wiggled her way over toward me, so that her head was nestled against my chest, and folded her hands under her chin. Damn. I could’ve gotten up and gone into my own room. I could’ve set the alarm and checked in on her in a few hours. I could’ve put a trashcan by the bed.

But I didn’t.

I stayed.

Sydney