I was thankful to see my extended family leave. The holidays were great and I loved seeing my cousins, aunts and uncles but my liver just can't keep up with amount of alcohol consumed in a long holiday weekend.
Despite the new tradition of heading up to Colorado and renting a couple of cabins to alleviate one family getting stuck with hosting duties I found myself cleaning up my cabin after most of the family left to go to bed early in order to get up at ungodly hour to shop for random Black Friday deals.
I was picking up cups, empty plates, board games and ads that my they had scoured to find the best deals. A knock on the door interrupted my cleaning. With a huff I dropped the bag and opened the door.
"Oh thank God. Do you know I have knocked on 3 strangers' doors to get the right cabin?" My brother stumbled into the foyer. "None of them had a case of Miller light they were willing to part with. Selfish bastards."
"I am guessing that being woken up by some 6 foot drunk begging for beer at 1 in the morning didn't exactly put them in a giving mood."
"Oh shut up Claire. Do you have any more beer or not?"
"If you are going to be a dick you can go back to begging somewhere else."
"Fine, Claire do have any more drinks or not please?"
"Oh for fucksake Joe, just get in here and help me clean up and then you can have the vodka I have stashed under my bed."
His blue eyes perked up as the mention of vodka fueled his desire to help me. It took nearly an hour to finish cleaning. The entire time he complained of his buzz wearing off. By the time we had finished cleaning he was back in the realms of sobriety.
Nearly exhausted we plopped down on the couch in front of the fire place and I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. "I love the family, but I am glad they are gone."
"Agreed. Although I was promised vodka for helping you. Or was that just a tease to get me help?"
Nodding I put my feet up. "I may or not have been lying. Either way I am not sharing with you. You will drink it all and leave me with nothing."
We sat for a second before he silently stood up and walked toward my room. "You said something about it being under your bed didn't you?"
I sprang out of the chair and ran after him, "Joe I swear I will tell mom that you were the one who dented the van if you touch my vodka."
Catching up with him in the hall, we both were running toward my room. I jumped on his back and he continued toward my room without slowly down. When did he get to be so damn strong? As I tried to wrestle him down to the ground he grabbed the hidden bottle and waved it in just out of my arms reach. Pinching him he dropped the bottle and I staggered to the ground and grabbed it. But it was too late. He had recovered and had me pinned down.
"Mmmm, I am going to love drinking all your vodka Claire," he taunted. "Oooo it is so yummy!"
"You are such a beast. Let me up."
"Not unless you promise to behave."
We argued back and forth until I pinky promised I would share the vodka and not pinch him anymore. We split the last half of the bottle and were a bit tipsy. Leaning against the bed he had a smile on his face.
"What are you grinning about?" I asked.
"Do you remember that time I caught you blowing Alex in the in the back of dad's truck?"
"Ugh, fuck. Yes. Why?"
"If you tell mom about the van I will tell her about your oral escapades."
"Touche."
He smiled triumphantly and poured the last dribbles of vodka. "I am exhausted. I am glad I am not getting up to go shopping with those crazies in the morning."
I nodded agreeing and leaned my head back. Before I knew it I was nodding off. I felt light headed and dizzy and above all...tired. As I felt myself drifting I also felt my body heave upward. I tried to open my eyes but just saw Joe lifting me into bed. He mumbled something about sleep and I drifted back off.
I felt like I had slept for hours before I looked at the clock and saw it had only been a few hours. Joe curled up next to me in bed breathing lightly. I assumed he was asleep and so I rolled to my back and opted to try and fall back asleep. I was nearly drifting again when I felt something softly running against my neck.
My eyes popped open and saw Joe looking at me. He didn't say a word, he simply stroked my neck and then trailed his fingers to my collar bone.
I looked at him quizzically but he just gave me a small smile and he continued tracing my neck, collar bone and started to move father downward.