Yours Royally (Billionaires and Brides 3)

Everything was clouds.

Everything was fuzzy.

Everything happened all at once, yet at a pace so slow she could watch it unfold in amusement.

The surrounding stadium faded out of Sabrina's perception and Marco was the only one left. He might as well have been the only person in attendance at the game. His every move was personified into a movie that Sabrina watched with a concentrated affection. She wanted him and didn’t even feel bad for it, thanks to the alcohol. The Malibu Dreamsicles had stirred a flurry of energy in her, a fire in her belly, a fire that wanted nothing more than to absorb Marco into a single blaze.

Sabrina could have sat there and stared at Marco forever, but there wasn't time. Because the next thing she knew, the game was over. Time had sped up and she had no idea what happened to it. One minute she was watching Marco trying to sing along to a classic American song and the next, she was stumbling behind him as he led her through a crowd of people. She was a fish in a stream, and the alcohol had made it so that the people around her were more like rushing water than actual bodies.

Marco looked back and must’ve taken notice of her crooked and clumsy steps, because he extended an arm that she gladly took. Linked together, the two ambled out of the stadium onto the street and into the blurred lights of the surrounding traffic.

Sabrina no longer felt the night air on her skin, like she was in a bubble of her own incoherent haze. Everything was moving fast and she had given up on trying to fight off the lens of fog in front of her eyes. She held onto Marco’s arm with both hands as the two waited for his driver. There was something about feeling him in her grasp that was both soothing and exciting at the same time.

After pulling up, the driver stepped out from the car, nodded at Marco and opened a back door.

Marco politely motioned for Sabrina to get in first. She fell into the car before wildly scooting to the opposite side to make room for him to follow.

Sitting down had brought on a woozy sort of feeling that was intensified by the tight space of the car.

My god, I’m drunk, Sabrina thought as she reached toward her face. She barely recognized the feel of her skin, like the alcohol had severed the connection between her hands and the rest of her body.

Every jerk and jolt of the car was exaggerated to the point that Sabrina closed her eyes and felt herself spinning with the motion of their drive.

“Would you please open a window back here, sir?” she heard Marco say, and opened her eyes in time to feel the rush of the outside air brush against her face.

“I’m okay,” Sabrina murmured, though she wished she hadn’t felt the need to defend herself. She could barely make out the contours of his face now, but she felt his grip come down on her hand and squeeze.

The gesture sent a burst of butterflies into Sabrina’s chest that was almost too much to handle in conjunction with the heavy alcohol sloshing in her stomach. The air from the window to her left was the only thing that grounded Sabrina on the drive back. It didn't make her feel a hundred percent, but at least it was enough to keep her from throwing up.

She couldn’t remember disembarking from the car and into the hotel. The familiarity of the elevator was the only thing that stood out among the jumble of soft and blurry objects around her. When the elevator door opened it gave way to a hall that spun and twisted side to side.

Crap, Sabrina thought. What have I done to myself?

She’d rarely gotten drunk before and although she recognized the feeling, this was a new level.

When Marco reached his hand back, Sabrina realized she’d been standing in the elevator without moving, trying to regain her senses. The doors began to close and Sabrina jumped out of the elevator and into Marco’s chest theatrically.

“Whoa,” he said, laughing and holding her in a hug.

“The doors were about to close on me,” Sabrina said. She was glad he was holding onto her.

“You made it,” Marco said, playing along. “You’re right though, that was a close one.”

They both laughed and Marco released her and offered his arm for her to link like they had at the stadium. In that position, he led them slowly down the hall.

“I’m sorry,” Sabrina said, trying her best to sound composed.

“Sorry for what?” he asked. “You've nothing to apologize for.”

“I’m drunk,” she said while subconsciously gripping his arm tighter.

“Not even remotely,” Marco said, and even in her intoxicated state Sabrina picked up on his sarcasm.

She looked up and smiled.

“I really am sorry, though,” she said. “I don’t like you seeing me like this. I'm supposed to be watching out for you, not the other way around. It's my second day and I'm already a terrible employee.”

“Did you have fun tonight, though?” Marco asked, ignoring her comment altogether.