Page 53 of Yours to Conquer

What? How would two gay men remind you of me? Where are you?

I want you to kiss me.

Where are you?

Thank God for autocorrect. Who knows what I’m actually texting, but I hope it makes sense. I order another drink from Roxy. She gives me a concerned look, but when I tell her to make it, she does. She knows I’m in pain.

I see the light on my phone illuminate in the dim club. I see his name and answer. “Heyyyyy, you called. I’m trying to drink you away. I’m doing my best to get you back, but you’re lost.”

“Emma, where are you?”

“I’m at trash with Tigger and Cribs,” I say, but the words seem to fall out of my mouth in a jumble.

“Put someone else on the phone, now!”

I tap the man sitting next to me. “Heyyyy, my ex-boyfriend wants to talk to you. He’s adorable and has a big you-know-what.” I hand the phone to him and lay my head on the bar. I can hear things around me, but I can’t lift my head to engage. I’ve hit the place I’ve been trying to reach all night. I’m comfortably drunk and oblivious.

I hear his sexy voice. It must be my mind playing tricks. I listen the best I can, but nothing makes sense.

“Roxanne, what are you doing here?” It’s his voice.

“I work here, stud. What about you? Batting for the other side now?”

“No, I’m coming to take this one home.”

“I’ll take her. She made me promise to get her home if she couldn’t do it herself.”

“No need for you to go out of your way. Besides, I don’t think she needs to sleep on the bar until closing.”

“She’s my roommate,” I hear her say.

“The irony of that is too much for me to process right now. How much does she owe you?”

“She already paid. She started a tab. If you’re taking her home, make sure she has a trash can next to the bed. I imagine she’s going to feel pretty awful in the morning.”

I feel someone pick me up and cradle me in strong arms. I snuggle into his chest and inhale. I raise my eyes and look into his grim face to see it’s him.

“What?” He puts my head against his chest before I can say another word. I hear him talk to a few other people, and then there is cool air and silence.

The next thing I know, my clothes are being pulled off me. First, go my shoes, and then my pants. My shirt is being lifted above my head. I hear a groan and wonder where it came from. My body is moved into the bed, and the sheet is drawn over my near nakedness. The bed dips as he sits next to me. His hand brushes my hair away from my face. I open my eyes to look into his.

“Thank you, Anthony. I’ll always love you. There’ll be no one else for me.” My eyes fill with tears. If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up. I want him here, no matter how I can have him.

“Shh, go to sleep. You probably won’t remember much of this tomorrow. I’m pretty sure you’re not going to feel well.” He pushesmy hair behind my ear. “You’re such a funny girl. I love you, Emma. I do.” I feel the soft touch of lips against my forehead and then nothing.

I wakewith the worst headache of my life. On my nightstand are a glass of water and two painkillers. Thank God for Roxy. I pop the pills into my mouth and guzzle the water. My initial response is nausea but thank goodness that settles quickly.

I reach for my phone and see Trevor and Chris’s messages, both making sure I was okay.What in the hell did I do last night?I drank entirely too much.

I grab my head to stop the pounding and climb out of bed then quickly shower and dress in something nice. I can’t lose my focus on Anthony. It’s bad enough I dreamed of him all night—him telling me he loved me was a glorious dream. If I thought I could conjure him every night, I’d drink myself into a stupor.

Not wanting to be late to work, I make a quick trip through the drive-thru for a breakfast sandwich and a coffee, then head into Ahz.

The first person I run into is Trevor. I hold up my hand as I pass him. “Not a word,” I warn. I walk into my office and close the door. My first task is to send him the song for the day, so I send “I Need Your Love”by Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris before closing my phone and dig into my work for the day.

When my day ends, I head home and straight for bed. I pass Roxy as I enter the hallway. “Thanks for getting me home, Roxy.”

“I didn’t bring you home. Anthony did. Don’t you remember?” She sits up on the couch and tilts her head. Her eyes are as big as saucers. “You don’t remember. You texted him, and he came and got you. He brought you home and tucked you in. He didn’t leave until I got home. He was worried you’d get sick and drown in your vomit.”

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