Chapter 32
Chapter 32
“Oof, that kiss was hot,” Patrick teased as he followed Pierce out of the club. Pierce rolled his eyes and continued to carry Arianna’s passed out body to the waiting car. They had stayed another hour, and Jesse and Arianna decided to take shots. “Got damn, Pierce. How do you manage to get any sleep
around her?”
Pierce didn’t think it was possible, but Arianna snored even louder when she was intoxicated.
“We have an understanding that I have to fall asleep first,” Pierce sighed, sliding Arianna into the car.
“I’m surprised she doesn’t wake you up out of your sleep with all of that!” Patrick exclaimed.
“She has a couple of times, but she’s usually not this damn loud,” Pierce admitted, gathering Arianna back in his arms once he found his seat.
“Poor little thing can’t handle her liquor. You should’ve cut her off before they started taking shots.”
“I mean…she looked like she was enjoying herself, and I didn’t want to be a buzzkill. Hopefully, she stays asleep because she demanded tacos, and I told her I would make her some, but I’m beat.”
“You might as well make those tacos because she’s gonna pop up on you at three in the morning looking for them,” Patrick warned.
“Most likely,” Pierce snorted. He could picture it now; Arianna whining in his face, bouncing on top of him, begging for tacos.
“Sooooo, when are y’all going to Vegas?”
“I don’t know. I’m thinking Christmas. The weather will still be nice.”
“Don’t get any ideas while you’re down there,” Patrick warned with a playful wag of his eyebrows.
“What are you getting at?”
Patrick kissed his teeth and reclined into the plush leather. “Pierce, stop playing dumb. You guys might come back Mr. and Mrs. White, the way the two of you act. Y’all would win the cutest couple award every year.”
Before Pierce could retort, the driver ran over a pothole, causing Arianna to abruptly wake. Arianna kept squirming on Pierce’s lap, trying to find a comfortable position.
“Ari, sit still before you poke my eye out with one of those damn snakes,” Pierce fussed. “Matter fact, take it off.”
“Never!” Arianna gasped, grabbing her snake crown, ensuring it stayed secured to her head.
“Seriously, Ari? The contest is over. There’s no reason for you to be wearing it any longer.”
“I’m queen. Need crown,” she slurred.
“Wow. She turns into a cavewoman when she’s drunk,” Patrick chuckled.
“You’re right, Queen–Ari. Queens deserve their own thrones, too,” Pierce reasoned, sliding Arianna off his lap and depositing her into the middle seat.
It was silent for an entire minute until Arianna began crying. Patrick subtly pulled out his phone and started recording, knowing this moment was too good to pass up. He couldn’t wait to tease Arianna with the video later, just to remind her what a brat she was when she was drunk.
“Ari, sweetheart. What’s the matter?”
“I’m–I’m–I’m-”
Arianna kept repeating the same word due to her hiccupping. Pierce found it cute, but he really wanted to figure out what the hell was wrong with her so that he could fix the problem.
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Chapter 32
“Ari, take a deep breath, gather yourself, and try again.”
Arianna hiccupped a few more times before starting over.
“Hungry,” she lowly mumbled.
“What?” Pierce asked.
“Hungry! I want tacos right neeooow!” Arianna yelled in frustration.
“Okay? So you just turn into a little monster when you’re drunk. Good to know,” Pierce said.
“Oh, my God. This shit is hilarious!” Patrick laughed. “Arianna…Arianna…Arianna. Why is she ignoring me, Pierce? Get her to talk to me.”
“That’s Queen Ari to you, peasant,” she spat.
“Look here, Ari. I’m not Pierce. I will take this belt off and wear your a-”
“Stop antagonizing her, Patrick,” Pierce interrupted. “Arianna, sit back and put your seatbelt on,” he demanded.
Arianna raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest with the most attitude Pierce had ever seen.
“Please sit back and put your seatbelt on, Queen Ari.”
“Much better,” she purred as she attempted to put her seatbelt on for the next several moments. Pierce rolled his eyes and snapped it into place for her.
“Queen Ari, is there something you want to say to your future self?” Patrick asked, shoving his phone in her face.
“No, but if you don’t get that phone outta my face, I’mma give you a two–piece and a biscuit,” Arianna threatened, slapping the phone out of Patrick’s hand. “Ooh, Pierce! You think Popeye’s open?!”
“Arianna-”
Arianna cleared her throat, waiting for Pierce to address her correctly. Pierce rolled his eyes and wished that she would pass the fuck out.
“Queen Ari, it’s after midnight, and Popeye’s isn’t open. You’ll have to settle for Jack–In–The–Box.”
“Those tings scare me,” Arianna admitted with a shiver.
“Good to know. It’s probably going to take a minute before we get to the restaurant. How about you take a short nap?” Pierce suggested.
Arianna took off her seatbelt and attempted to crawl back into Pierce’s lap.
“No, stay in your seat.”
“But–but…I can’t sleep without you, Pierce. My favorite place in your arms,” Arianna pleaded with him.
Patrick sat back giddily watching the show, knowing exactly how things would play out.
“Please,” Arianna begged, tugging at Pierce’s heartstrings with her glassy doe
yes.
Pierce loudly huffed and opened his arms for her, Arianna quickly took advantage and eased onto his lap. She sighed in contentment once she was wrapped in his arms again.
Patrick’s mouth dropped when Arianna sent him a devious wink before snuggling closer to Pierce. Arianna made Patrick realize that he was more than okay with remaining single for the rest of his life. Women were pure evil.
14:14 Sun, 15 Jun G G
Chapter 32
Pierce’s eyes popped open from the sound of loud banging coming from downstairs. He groaned when he saw that it was only 3-30 in the morning. He had barely fallen asleep an hour ago, and he just knew that Arianna was downstairs fucking something up she had fallen asteep in Harar shif Farra somehow managed to successfully get her in the house and into bed without waking her. He got down on his knees and prayed that the dept through the night because Pierce didn’t want to deal with Queen Ari until she was sober.
Pierce rolled out of bed and stretched before making his way downstairs to see what Arianna had gotten herself into Pierce entered only lit by the light from the opened Iridge.
“Ari?” Pierce called out, flipping the light switch. “What the? Arianna, where are your clothes?”
Arianna shrugged her shoulders and continued to shovel cold, left over spaghetti into her mouth with her fingers. Pierce didn’t know why he was surprised that Arianna was sitting cross–legged on the counter butt ass naked, still wearing her snake crown.
“Hurry up and finish eating so that I can get you cleaned up, and we can go back to bed,” Pierce sighed, taking a seat at the island.
“Did you see our picture on the Elite SA website?” Arianna asked.
“I had no idea they were going to post our picture. Was it good?”
hat was
“It was great,” Arianna grinned, sliding her phone to him. Arianna loved the picture so much that it was now her background photo. “We’ll definitely be the talk of the town, especially after you tried to take me on the stage in front of everyone,” she teased.
“I did not hear you complaining,” Pierce reminded her.
Pierce stared at the photo of the two of them grinning ear from ear after they won the contest. Pierce had his arm wrapped around Arianna’s waist, and Arianna was smiling up at him like he was the sun, moon, and the stars. Pierce chastised himself.
She was probably just drunk.
Pierce sent the photo to himself and figured this was just as good a time as any to have the “talk.”
“Arianna?”
“What’s up?”
“What are we?”
Arianna dropped the meatball she was about to devour out of shock.
“Ummmm…”
“Sorry, I just thought I should ask for clarification. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“No…I’m not uncomfortable, I just figured it would be me asking that question. To be honest, I was asking myself the same question earlier. What do you
want us to be, Pierce?”
“Well…we have been seeing each other for almost a month. I like where things are going between us. I always want to be in your presence, and when I’m not, nothing seems right.”
“You’re starting to sound a little clingy there, Pierce”
“Is that what you kids are calling it these days?” Pierce asked, wetting a paper towel.
“I’m just giving you a hard time. We don’t have to put a label on what we have, Pierce. All I want to know is what to call you when I introduce you to someone and vice versa.”
“How about partner? Does that work for you?” Pierce asked, hoping that would be enough to define their relationship.
“Partner…I like that,” Arianna admitted, “It’s kinda vague, but it’s a catch–all term at the same time.”
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14:14 Sun, 15 Jun G GO
Chapter 32
15 Jun GGO
“I’m glad that you agree. It might be my age, but the term “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” sounds so juvenile to me,” Pierce explained, wiping the spaghetti
sauce off of Arianna’s face and hands.
“I’m not a baby,” Arianna whined.
“You could’ve fooled me by your behavior tonight.”
“Sorry,” Arianna mumbled as she removed her headpiece. She rested her head against Pierce’s chest and enjoyed his soothing backrubs.
Pierce jumped when he felt Arianna’s hand nimbly slip into his pajama pants.
“Ari,” he groaned.
“Shhhh, let me take care of you,” Arianna whispered, gripping Pierce’s hardened shaft.
“Not tonight. You’re still drunk,” Pierce said, forcing Arianna to loosen her grip from around him.
Arianna wordlessly hopped off the counter and reached under the kitchen sink to grab some disinfectant spray. Pierce could tell by the way that she angrily scrubbed at the kitchen counter that she was pissed.
“Ari-”
She was already storming out of the kitchen before Pierce could make things right with her. Pierce followed her up the stairs and was dismayed when he didn’t find her in his bed, opting to sleep in a guest room instead. There was not much Pierce could do at 4:00 in the morning and prayed that Arianna’s attitude improved in a couple of hours.
