By the time they arrived at the hotel, Summer was even more affected by the drug. Tristan parked and quickly got out, rushing to her side to carry her. As he scooped her up into his arms, she giggled, a soft, slightly dazed sound that made him smile despite his lingering worry.
In her suite, he gently laid her on the couch, but she started fidgeting immediately, looking uncomfortable. "Trish, remove my sling. It's itchy!" she demanded, her voice laced with irritation.
Tristan obliged, carefully removing the sling from her arm. Before he could say anything, she whined again, "And my heels, take them off! They're torture!"
Tristan chuckled softly and crouched to remove her shoes. Summer, acting spoiled and completely carefree in her drugged state, watched him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Now," she continued, with a grin, "take off my clothes."
Tristan froze. His eyes darkened, his amusement momentarily forgotten as he stared at her.
Summer raised an eyebrow, her voice playful and teasing. "What? You can't comply? I won't pay you then! I hired you, remember?" She giggled, fully unaware of the weight of her words. "And close your eyes. You think I'm gonna let you peek at my beautiful body? Dream on!"
Tristan smirked at her drunken rambling, finding this side of her utterly charming. He moved closer, his lips quirking up in a mischievous smile as he spoke lowly. "Only you can take advantage of me, huh?" He was both amused and captivated by her boldness.
Summer didn't catch the shift in his tone and rambled on, "That's right! Don't think you can—" Before she could finish, Tristan cupped her face and kissed her, his lips soft but demanding, cutting off her words. It was a kiss meant to silence her rambling and spoil her in a way she wouldn't expect. She froze, her wide eyes staring into his. For a moment, she couldn't think, her heart skipping wildly in her chest.
When Tristan pulled away, he smirked at her stunned expression. "What? You want me to undress you or should I join you in the bathroom too?"
Still dazed, Summer blinked, snapping out of her stupor as his teasing words registered. She shot up from the couch and stumbled towards the bathroom. Tristan, shaking his head with a soft chuckle, started preparing the bath for her. He knew she needed to sleep off the effects of the drug.
After a while, when Summer hadn't returned, Tristan became concerned. He knocked gently on the bathroom door. "Sam? Are you okay in there? If you don't answer, I'm coming in."
There was no reply, just silence.
Without a second thought, Tristan pushed the door open, his heart racing with worry. His eyes landed on Summer, asleep in the tub, her head tilted to the side, her soft breathing barely audible. Relief flooded him, but he quickly knelt beside her, gently patting her cheeks. "Sam, wake up. You'll catch a cold."
She stirred slightly, opening her eyes groggily to see his worried face hovering above her. "Hey, what are you doing?" she mumbled, her voice slurred but playful. "Trying to peek? Close your eyes and hand me the towel."
Tristan sighed, relieved she was okay but also amused by her continued antics. He complied, helping her out of the tub and wrapping her in the towel. As he tried to dress her in her nightwear, she threw a mini tantrum, refusing to wear the sling. "It's itchy, I don't want it anymore!"
"Sam, you need it, or you'll hurt yourself," Tristan coaxed, trying to reason with her.
"No," she pouted, "I'm a doctor. I know my body." Her voice was filled with defiance, though Tristan figured it was just more drunken oops-- drugged nonsense. Still, he let it go for the moment, not wanting to fight with her in this state.
Finally, when he got her to bed, she refused to sleep unless he joined her. "Lie down with me," she demanded, her voice softer, almost vulnerable.
Tristan hesitated but relented, laying beside her, keeping a respectable distance. However, Summer had other plans. She immediately climbed on top of him, resting her head on his chest, her leg intertwining with his.
He froze, his heart racing as he felt the warmth of her body against his. "Sam," he whispered, unsure of what to do.
She looked up at him, her eyes slightly glazed but filled with a strange longing. "Tell me a story," she murmured, her voice soft. "Like a mom would to her baby."
Tristan's heart clenched at the sadness in her tone. He wondered if she missed her mother, but he didn't ask. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close as he gently patted her hair. "Once upon a time," he began in a low, soothing voice, telling her a bedtime story.
His voice, warm and comforting, was like a lullaby to her. Summer's eyes fluttered shut, her breathing evening out as she drifted off to sleep, nestled safely in his arms. As Tristan looked down at her, he felt something stir deep within him, a sense of peace and happiness he hadn't felt in a long time.
He closed his eyes, his hand still gently patting her back, and slowly, he too fell asleep, holding her close as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
The morning sunlight streamed gently through the curtains, casting a soft glow on Summer's face as she stirred awake. Her body felt unusually comfortable and warm. Blinking away the sleep, she slowly became aware of her position—lying sprawled across Tristan's chest, his steady heartbeat under her ear, and his arms loosely draped around her. She blinked again and looked up to see him peacefully asleep, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
For a moment, Summer stayed still, her gaze lingering on his face. There was something undeniably captivating about his features when he wasn't smirking or teasing her. His jawline was sharp, his lashes long, and his lips slightly parted as he slept. She caught herself admiring the soft glow of the morning light against his skin, and without realizing it, a small smile crept up on her face.
Just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, Tristan's eyes fluttered open. He immediately smirked, his voice teasing as he caught her staring. "Am I too handsome for you to look anywhere else?"
Summer's face immediately heated up in embarrassment, and she hastily looked away. "Huh! I was just figuring out how to torture you if you took advantage of me last night," she retorted, her voice sharp but her cheeks flushed.
Tristan laughed, his deep chuckle reverberating in the quiet room. "So, you're finally sober!"
Summer raised an eyebrow "What do you think?"
With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Tristan teased again, "I think I'm more comfortable than this bed. You didn't seem to mind."
Summer's jaw dropped listening his words.