Love Drunk (Love Me Duet 1)

“And is this dress really that bad?” I look down at myself, pleading with her for the truth.

May looks me up and down. “You look banging. Fuck! I would fuck you if I batted for the other team.”

“Well, okay.”

She turns, ordering us more drinks, and speaks over her shoulder, “He’s mighty fine though, right?”

I giggle like a schoolgirl at her words. “That he is.”

“I bet he likes to strangle his women. I read about that. It’s supposedly the new thing which has some sort of euphoric effect and can give you intense orgasms. Do you like to be strangled, Ev?” When she turns to face me there are now two drinks in her hands.

“I haven’t tried it.” I shrug. “But sure, I’d give it a try.”

May’s eyes flick past my head, and she coughs. One thing you should know about May is, she isn’t subtle. She starts nodding her head behind me, and I know, just know, there’s someone there. I really hope it’s not the stranger who I just interacted with.

“It’s him,” she says loudly enough for me and him to hear.

I stop the groan that wants to escape my mouth and turn around to face him. He holds that amused look in his eyes. I find it ever so charming. Shit!

“I only like to choke on a Tuesday, so you’re out of luck.”

Words! Words have left his mouth, and I have to remind myself he’s talking to me.

May stifles her laughter behind me while I stare at him, and don’t say a word. Not one, single word.

“I’m May. And this here is my friend, Everly Thorne. Everly with a Y on the end, in case you need to find her on Insta.”

My head swings to her. Did she really just tell a complete stranger my whole name? She’s smiling, still holding our two drinks. I take one, putting it to my mouth to stop myself from talking.

“I’m free Tuesday if that suits you better, Everly.” He tests my name on his lips, and it rolls off as if it’s sweet like candy. I bet he tastes better than any damn candy you can buy. I don’t remove the drink from my mouth. I can’t remove the drink, and even when I’ve drunk the last little drop, I still hold it there against my mouth. Because he’s staring at me, waiting for me to answer. And I can’t. I really, really can’t. He has me awestruck. So much so, I can’t form words.

“Thorne? As in the family of Evergreen Thorne?”

“That’s the one. Big Papa is her daddy.”

He takes the drink from my hand—it’s empty so I let him. He places it on the bar behind me, and when he does, he leans in ever so close that I can smell him. Divine. That’s the word that comes to mind. My eyes close on instinct, and I breathe him in. He smells of sandalwood, and something else—something darker, maybe a little sinister.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you… Everly Thorne,” he says.

All I can do is nod. I’m too afraid to speak, and if I do, I’m still not sure what will come from my mouth.

“She’s pleased to meet you, too. She’s thinking about the right words to say. It happens when she’s awestruck,” May says.

My eyes go wide as I turn away from him and to her, hitting her arm, and she fakes that it hurt, before I turn back to him. When I do, those beautiful dark eyes are staring at me.

He leans in close, and I have to shut my eyes, unsure of what he might do. “I would like to take you home.” My eyes spring open to find him now level with me as I stare at his shoulder, his mouth near my ear as he whispers to me.

My head starts shaking. “I don’t go home with strangers.”

“Gunner,” he offers me his hand. “I live not far from here. How about you come back for a coffee? I’ll even text your friend my address.”

I turn to look at May, who’s nodding enthusiastically. But I’m not sure. I don’t know if I can do that. I’ve never gone home with a stranger.

“It’s just a cup of coffee. No funny business, unless you ask for it.”

“Okay,” I say, turning away from May who looks like she’s just seen Elvis.

I, on the other hand, am sweating out of every hair follicle on my body, considering I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do. Heading off to some stranger’s home who might turn out to be a serial killer.

“Gunner?” I ask, testing out his name. “I knew a Gunner once.”

He nods while putting his number into May’s phone as she holds it out for him.

“And what happened to him?”

I shrug. “I don’t really remember.”

“Such a shame,” he mutters, as his eyes assess me. “Shall we?” He offers me his hand, and, for some strange reason, I take it.