When Rylee woke up the next day, she didn't remember coming home or climbing into bed, but here she was.

The light streaming in through the windows was not helping her pounding headache, she could barely open her eyes.

Before she dove back under the covers she saw a bottle of ibuprofen and a glass of water sitting on the bedside table along with a note.

Morning love,

I'm so sorry I couldn't be home when you woke up. They scheduled a last minute meeting this morning. I'll be back around 11.

I love you

Rylee popped a few pills into her mouth and took a long drink of water, feeling how dehydrated she really was at that moment.

She grabbed her phone and dimmed the brightness as low as possible. She pulled the covers back over her head and scrolled back through her texts from last night.

😍

Hey baby, almost done here.

They wanted to hang after but I'd rather get home to you

See you in a bit ❤️

Read 11:58 PM

❤️

missyou

Read 11:59 PM

😍

Miss you too baby, I'll be home soon.

About to finish up.

Read 12:00 AM

❤️

Imnot home

Read 12:01 AM

😍

Oh? Watcha doing?

Read 12:01 AM

❤️

Ima t Teddys in Brookln

Read 12:01 AM

😍

Who's Teddy?

Read 12:02 AM

❤️

Yah know I don know inshould ask

Read 12:02 AM

😍

Ryles what's going on?

Read 12:10 AM

❤️

Mke keeps touchhing me

No

Markk

Markkeeps touching me

Read 12:10 AM

😍

I'm gonna come pick you up, okay?

I'm only three blocks away.

Sit tight.

Read 10:18 AM

—————

🌻

I missyou come home pleaseee

Mark wontt leave

Or mike

Nomark

💞

Girl. You are drunk off your ass and I love you. I don't know who Mark is though?

Be safe, I love you. Call me in the morning so I know you aren't dead.

—————

Rylee couldn't recall sending any of the texts she was reading now, but they were making her sick to her stomach.

She remembered quick flashes of what happened last night. Sitting at the bar, completely fucked up, and that guy came up...bought her drinks...touched her.

She shut off her phone and curled up inside the covers, trying to hide from the memories. She wasn't sure how long she stayed there before she heard Sebastian's voice and a soft knock on the side table next to the bed.

"Knock knock."

Rylee scooted back and lifted up the covers, ushering Sebastian into the warmth beside her.

A small smile overtook his lips as he set down the paper bags he had brought in on the table and went under the covers with Rylee.

They laid face to face, legs tangled together quickly, easily, relaxing.

Sebastian pushed some hair that ended up in Rylee's view out of her face and left his hand on her cheek, thumb caressing it lightly.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"So...are you up for talking about last night?" The hand Sebastian had on her cheek now drifted down to her hip, though the soft caressing motion continued.

Rylee nodded, trying to think of where to start, but then it all came tumbling out.

"We had a bachelorette party come in last night, they were already getting kind of crazy but like it's a party who cares, right? Well. I guess they recognized me and one of the women started saying very...inappropriate things about you and about our sex life...So I may have gone off.

"Johnny finished the last twenty some minutes of my shift and he told me to head home...but I went to Teddys instead. I didn't really plan on getting drunk, I originally just wanted dinner ...

"Then these nice girls sat by me and invited me to do shots with them...but after that everything starts getting a bit fuzzy.

"I remember some guy sitting beside me and buying shots but he was just so...I dunno I just remember thinking he was pushy. And he kept touching me..and he wasn't you...and I was so uncomfortable..." Rylee said quietly, twisting her fingers around the hem of Sebastian's shirt.

"I don't honestly remember most of getting home...but I'm guessing you came based on the texts I went back and read this morning."

Sebastian nodded, still staying quiet, allowing her to finish her thoughts.

"Thank you." Rylee said as she scooted in closer, the temperature from Sebastian's body in the summer morning warmth was almost too much but she'd never give it up.

"Always love, I'm just glad you're okay. I'm sorry you had such a rough night..." there was a moment of silence between the two of them.

There were so many things Sebastian wanted to say. Why didn't you call me to vent? What did the girls say to make you that angry to yell at them? Was there anything else that added to your night that made you end up alone at a bar? You don't normally do that. It scares me when you drink alone. What if I hadn't found you? What would that guy have done?

Sebastian spoke, leaving all those previous thoughts behind. They wouldn't help anything now.

"That guy at Teddy's was lucky though...I came in ready to throw some punches. But when I finally found you, I don't know, my first priority was just...you. I pulled the guy off his stool onto the ground away from you and just left him there."

Rylee was surprised to hear that. Usually Sebastian isn't a physical kind of guy, but to know that he was ready to throw down for her, quite literally, just made Rylee well up with emotions.

"Thank you for always being there for me." Rylee commented, trying not to tear up.

"Girl, you're stuck with me for life," Sebastian returned, taking Rylee's left hand and fiddling with her ring, "I'll always be here."

"I just feel so stupid for having that happen and that guy t-"

"Rylee Ann. Don't you do that to yourself. That guy was fucked up and trying to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state. That is not your fault."

Rylee nodded slowly, considering his words, but her lip still began to wobble slightly. "I'm sorry."

Sebastian was surprised by her apology, "For what baby?"

"I don't know. I don't know why I went out alone...and just for all of last night a-and j-just-" a few tears slid down Rylee's cheek as she tried to finish her sentence.

"Hey hey hey..." Sebastian whispered gently, hand drifting back to Rylee's cheek to wipe away the tears that formed, "no more of that. You don't need to apologize. Im not gonna lie, I was worried when I realized you were alone..but I'm glad you were texting me. And we all have days that are just too much..."

"I should've just called you...or went home..."

"Rylee. It's okay. You're okay. You may have a nasty hangover but you're safe. That's what matters."

Rylee nodded again, curling closer to Sebastian's chest, letting him pull her into a tight embrace.

"I love you." Sebastian whispered into her hair, ending his words with a kiss.

"I love you, Seb." Rylee whispered back.

After a few moments of silence between them, Rylee spoke quietly.

"I should probably call Alexa. I apparently texted her last night. I need to make sure she knows I'm not dead."

"Alright baby, I got us breakfast from RCC, I'll go unpack it and meet you down there okay?" He kissed the tip of her nose and shuffled out from under the sheets, leaving Rylee to call Alexa.

——————————

"Hello there Miss Drink Drank Drunk. How you feelin'?"

"Like I got hit by a freight train. I honestly don't even remember texting you last night."

"Shit, that bad?"

"Yeah..."

"Why?" Alexa asked curiously.

Rylee was silent for a moment. Alexa always knew everything. She knew she wouldn't just go to a bar and get drunk for no reason.

She took a breath and explained how she started out her evening being bummed about not making her secret dinner and the way bigger moment that happened at work. And she talked about what she could remember from Teddy's.

"Wait. You had a guy groping you at Teddy's?"

"Not technically groping no. But he wouldn't keep his hands off me. I was so uncomfortable but I...I don't even know...I couldn't even move."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah...I had texted Sebastian too..and he got worried and-"

"And what?"

"He came to pick me up and he told me this morning when he saw that guy by me that he was ready to basically beat the shit out of him but when he saw me...he just dropped it all and made sure I was okay and got me out."

"Aw. Lil Sebastian. He's such a great guy."

"He really, really is."

"Side note. I know your secret dinner cancellation wasn't a mega big deal but...Chris and I could help steal Sebastian away so you can do it tonight if you want."

"Lex. You're a genius." Today would be their last full day together for a few weeks. Sebastian would be flying out to LA tomorrow evening so doing it tonight would be perfect.

"I'll have Chris text him and ask him for help with something..."

"Sounds perfect Lex, god I love you."

"Love you too babe, text me when you want him outta there. Bye!"

"Bye!"

——————————

At around 3:00 Sebastian and Rylee were laying together on the couch, tangled together watching a movie when his phone pinged.

He dug his phone out of his pocket and went to his messages reading the one he just got.

"Hey, Chris needs my help with something, says he only needs to borrow me for a few hours. Do we have anything going on?"

Rylee shook her head nonchalantly, "Nah, go for it," she smiled.

"Alrighty...shouldn't be gone terribly long." He untangled his legs from Rylee's and stood up, stretching and cracking his back. He bent down to give Rylee a kiss, "You sure you're okay?" He asked. Rylee nodded and kissed him again, "yeah, tell Chris I say hi."

"Will do," he said as he headed for the door.

"Love you!" Sebastian yelled from out of sight.

"Love you more!" Rylee yelled in return.

Sebastian poked his head around the corner, "Not possible." And then he disappeared, the door opening and closing quickly.

She gave it about two minutes, being sure that Sebastian was actually gone and then Rylee stood up and got to work.

——————————

😍

Chris is such a shit

❤️

Oh lord, why now 😂

😍

He needed help script reading. Fucking dweeb.

❤️

Aw. That's not so bad. At least you're not moving furniture.

😍

True. But Eh. We'll still be a bit.

❤️

Take your time, have fun.

Love you

😍

Love you

Rylee changed the song on her Spotify and set her phone down, River by Bishop Briggs rang through the Bluetooth speakers spread through the house.

As the beat dropped Rylee swayed her way around the kitchen. She gathered ancho chili powder, cumin, paprika, kosher salt, and sugar to make the spice rub she needed for the salmon she had bought. She planned on making Southwestern Maple Glazed Salmon, one of their favorites.

After she had that all settled, she arranged her salmon fillets on her pan, sprinkling on the spice mix and slipped them into the oven.

"Ah, yes." Rylee whispered as the song This Mountain by Faouzia began.

While she waited for the food to cook, she decided to throw in a homemade pineapple salsa to tie all the tastes together.

Once she had that all thrown together, she set the table and found a suitable wine to match their dinner.

She was a handful of songs through her Spotify playlist when her phone pinged with a text notification.

😍

Heading home, want me to grab anything on the way?

❤️

Nah, that's okay.

😍

👍🏼

Rylee ran to the bedroom to quickly change and returned to put the finishing touches on dinner and began to plate everything.

Just as she set the plates on the table, she heard keys jingle in the lock on the door.

"Hey baby, I'm home!" Sebastian yelled across the apartment.

As he walked around the corner she heard him say "Why's it so dark in here-"

He stopped in his tracks at the sight before him. Rylee stood beside the table, lights dimmed to their half setting with candles flickering on the table, eating away at the darkness. They lit up the table enough to see that there was food spread all across it, along with a bottle of wine, already poured into two glasses.

Rylee had changed into a grey dress that she knew he loved. It was technically one whole dress but the front had a triangle portion cut out of the middle, a twist knot tied into the top portion for decoration, the bottom part of the dress looking slightly layered.

"Baby. What's all this?" Sebastian said in aw as he closed the distance between him and Rylee. He ran his hand through his long hair, smile crawling across his lips. Once he reached her, his hands immediately went to her hips, squeezing lightly.

"Dinner," Rylee said as she wrapped her arms behind Sebastian's neck.

"Well, yes. That is indeed dinner. But what's the occasion?"

Rylee shrugged, "Last night together for a bit right? Figured dinner should at least be sort of okay."

Sebastian pulled her close for a tight embrace, nodding. "Thank you," he mumbled into her neck before pulling back up to give her a sweet, deep kiss.

"Of course, let's sit and eat, yeah?" Rylee said as they both separated. Sebastian pulled out Rylee's seat for her and helped her scoot in before he took his seat next to her, immediately taking her hand in his, rubbing his thumb along the back of it. These quiet moments meant everything to him, and he'd never give them up for anything.