Page 53 of Through the Five-Hole

“What are you doing here?”I asked.

She looked up at me with bloodshot eyes and smiled.“Ohhh, you know, taking a play out of Fox’s playbook and drowning my sorrows,” she said, picking up her glass, lifting it toward me in a mock cheer before taking a drink.

“How many of those have you had?”I asked, slipping into the seat.

“How many of those have you had?”she mocked in a deep voice, then started giggling followed with a hiccup.“The first, and now the last, does it really matter?”

“Okay, well, I think you’ve had enough for tonight,” I said, reaching for her glass, which she grabbed and moved away.

“So serious,” she said, looking up at me.

“Okay then,” I said, sitting down across from her.

“What are you doing?”she questioned, looking at me.

“Well, I’m thirsty, so I think I’ll join you,” I said, waving over a server.

“Are you with this young lady?”the server questioned.

“I am.”

“Thank goodness, we were about to call security.”

“No need.I will take care of her.Could I please get a soda, and would you be able to get the lady another of whatever it is she’s drinking?”

The server looked over at Emma and then at me and shook her head.“I’m sorry, but the lady has had enough tonight.I have cut her off,” she said, giving me a nod.

“I see.Well, if I promise to get her out of your hair after this last drink would you be willing to get her even half a glass?”I said, winking, knowing she probably wouldn’t even drink them before she was ready to pass out.

“I’m not supposed to do that, but fine.”She made her way to the bar, returning moments later with our order, placing the glasses down on the table, and then walking away.

“You are good.All you do is pour a little of that Fox charm on the lady, and she buckles after she’d already cut me off.”

“Drink up.”I nodded toward the glass, pushing it toward her.

Emma took a sip at the same time I did, then placed the glass down on the table.She leaned against the wall of the booth and closed her eyes.

“What’s going on?”I asked.“You always seem so in control of everything.”

“I’m in control,” she said, picking up her glass again and taking a drink.

I couldn’t help but chuckle.“Yeah, right, maybe of the glass in front of you.”

“Ugh, now here comes the asshole.”She sighed, rolling her eyes.“I told you, a poor attitude isn’t a personality trait.”

“Can’t help it, I guess you just bring that out in me.”

God, I loved watching her when she got flustered.Not only was she attractive as hell, just as she had always been, but I swore she was cuter when she was irritated with me than when she wasn’t.I could only imagine what makeup sex would be like with her.

“You aren’t the only one, apparently,” she mumbled.

“What?”I questioned.

She took a drink and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

“I said, you aren’t the only one.I must attract the bad-attitude gene.”

“Why do you say that?”