Don't Leave Me Alone

It was getting close to 2:30 and things were starting to settle down. I wasn't completely sober and I kept close to James. He was talking to Jordan and I wasn't sure about what, I was occupied with the glass of water in front of me.

"I think it's time to get you home" Willow said grabbing my arm and picking me up.

"Where's James?" I asked.

"He's with Jordan, why?"

"I want to say goodbye"

She walked over with me, my balance beginning to steady a bit more, "Hey" he turned around to face me, "Hey" he replied.

"What's your plans for the rest of the night?" I asked as Willow went over to say her goodbyes, or whatever it was, to Jordan.

"Home. Sleep" he said, shoving his hands into his pockets nervously.

"Oh..." I replied. It got quiet, and we both looked everywhere but at each other.

"It was really great to meet you" he said, "I had fun"

"Can I call you?" I asked. Of course I was still very drunk, and I used that as my excuse at being so forward.

"You sure you're going to feel the same way in the morning?" he asked.

I laughed, "I know I will"

He scratched his forehead and sighed, "Okay, I suppose we can chat again. By the looks of it, I'm sure we'll see each other again" he referred to Jordan and Willow now making out in the booth. So much for getting me home.

"I don't think she'll be going home anymore" I sighed, "Want to share a cab?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yah, sure"

We stepped outside and both looked around until a cab pulled up onto the curb. He let me in first and then shut the door behind him before he gave his address to the driver.

"Same address miss?" the driver asked, looking in his rearview mirror.

I shook my head no, "Uh no" and gave him the address to mine. Turns out James lived closer to the bar, so he was the first stop, but there seemed to a lot of taxi traffic.

"You were quite the entertainment tonight" he said.

I chuckled, "I can be when I want to be" I replied, "You were pretty fun yourself"

He shrugged, "I felt a little awkward, I don't get out much"

"I enjoyed being with you."

I saw him smirk a little bit and look down at his hands on his knees, but he kept quiet. I didn't say anything else and just looked over at him, lost. I laid my head back and kept my eyes on him and then he finally met my gaze, but he didn't look away.

"I like you Neal" I said, quieter than I meant it to be.

"I like you Lauren"

"I just broke up with my boyfriend"

"I just broke up with my girlfriend"

There was tension for a moment and then I slowly moved to the middle seat, keeping my eyes on him. He looked nervous, but he wasn't stopping me either. My hand rested on his thigh and slid down slowly. He swallowed hard and his eyes widened a bit and looked down at mine for a moment before meeting my eyes again. His hand rested on my waist and he pulled me in closer to him and kissed me. I couldn't tell if it was the alcohol, but my body burned from head to toe. I grabbed his collar and sat on his lap, leaning more into the kiss and into him. His lips were glued to mine and it didn't seem like they were going anywhere anytime soon. The car stopped and I was jolted back to reality and I stopped and stared at him.

"That will be 17.25" I heard the driver say awkwardly, trying to keep his eyes ahead. James grabbed my waist, still keeping his eyes on me and picked up, moving me back to the seat. He handed him a twenty, "Come in" he wasn't asking, he was telling me.

"Okay" I said it quietly and he helped me out of the cab and he drove away quickly. I kept looking up at him, his hair slightly disheveled now and his skin flushed, which I could see from the street lights. I grabbed onto him, in the middle of his driveway, and pulled him down for another kiss. It became heated and he pushed me backwards, until I was up against his car.

"Are we going to do this out here?" I asked breathlessly as his lips moved down to my neck. He suddenly stopped and reached into his pocket and grabbed his key, he dragged me to the front door, unlocked it and pulled me in after him, kissing me again before he even shut the door.