“Cut it out, Charlie, geez,” I mutter to myself, plastering on a sexy smile as I approach my target.
But just as I am about to chat him up, something compels me to look at the crowd again. I don’t like beards, so why should I settle for one?
Bouncing on my heels in tune with the music, I start to make my way toward the other end of the dance floor when someone grabs my arm and tugs gently. I turn around, a snappy remark at the tip of my tongue.
“Shit. It really is you!” Ben, the theme park hottie, grins, showcasing those damn sexy dimples.
My eyes go wide. Electricity rushes through me and my pulse skyrockets. Why ishehere? “Ben? What are you doing here?”
He tilts his chin at two guys with familiar-looking zombie costumes. “Finished work and thought I could have some fun.” Snapping his eyes back to me, he pulls on his lip. “Shit. I didn’t think I’d run into you here!”
Neither did I. But here he is, the blond Adonis who spooked the shit out of me and tried to kiss me better afterwards.
I let my eyes roam his fit body. He has unbuttoned the black shirt he is wearing, showcasing defined pecs. His camo cargo pants suggest this is a soldier costume, though it looks kind of low effort. But I let it slide since he probably came here right after finishing his shift.
“Hey, you wanna dance?” he says, shooting me a flirtatious smile.
About time he asked. “Sure.”
We find a spot with slightly more space, so the other clubbers aren’t constantly bumping into us. It doesn’t last though and by the time a slower song starts playing, my back is pressed flush against his front. One of his hands is resting on my hip and the other one traces haphazard patterns along my flank as we move together. The heat of his body is all around me, as is his scent of candy and sweat. It’s so comfy. Sosafe.
I don’t know this man, not really, but his touch feels so good. It stirs fire inside me. My hips move of their own accord, rolling and swaying as I feel a telltale hardness push against the small of my back. I reach up with my arms, just barely managing to loop them around his neck. He’s just so tall.
Humming, he lets his hands trail up my body until his fingers locate my nipples. They are hard and poke through the mesh fabric of the suit.
“You are so badass and sexy,” he whispers, his rich voice so close to my ear I can feel the warm puff of his breaths. “I love the way the EVO-H armor looks on you.”
Holy shit. Did he just say EVO-H? Does he know where this is from?
I turn around so abruptly as the music pauses and the DJ starts talking about a dance off, that I almost headbutt Ben in the chin. “You know what my costume is based on?”
He smiles. It’s a slow, deliberate upturn of his lips that leaves me staring at them. They look very nice, but that’s not why. It’s the angle and the way they curl, the slight quiver on the left side. For some reason, it reminds me of one very specific mouth that I haven’t thought about in ages.
I step back and study Ben. Now that I think about it, he does resemblehima little bit. My brother’s best friend. He moved to Australia when I was sixteen, crushing my infatuated heart. His name was Benjamin. Ben. I chew on my lip. Even that matches.
But obviously he can’t be the same Ben. Stuff like this just doesn’t happen in real life. Besides, why would he work at a random theme park? I’m pretty sure his family is loaded. His dad was setting him up to take over the company’s Australian branch.
“Of course I know what it’s based on! It’s kind of obvious.”
I purse my lips. “It’s kind of not. At all. RS has been gaining traction since the video game adaptation, but it’s not even mainstream yet!”
“Okay? Then I just have amazing taste. Who cares? It still looks fucking hot on you.”
I chuckle, shuddering pleasantly as his gaze seems to devour me. The music starts again and someone bumps into me, causing me to stumble forward. Ben catches me, circling me with his big arms as I crash into his muscular chest.
Standing on tiptoes, I lean in so I can whisper-shout in his ear. “Is that why you tried to kiss me earlier?”
I feel the vibrations of his laugh. “Part of it!”
We dance until his friends find us. I shoot Trish a text as they drag us to someone’s house, where a private party is already in full swing. The techno music is loud and there is booze everywhere, but I’m not really interested in any of that, or the carved pumpkins or the rest of the tastefully decorated interior.
No. My attention is firmly on Ben and how his hand feels clasping mine as he leads me through the house to the upstairs bedrooms so we can watch the new trailer that’s just come out for the RS series.
We settle on a bed in what has to be a guestroom. It’s simple, sporting a closet, a seating area and its own bathroom. I pull out my phone and start the short video, excitement thrumming in my veins. I can’t wait for the release. They’ve been teasing it for ages.
As the action starts on the screen of my device, I chance a quick glance Ben’s way. He’s completely engrossed, his face taut in concentration. His lips are slightly parted and his eyebrows are slanted down.
“Oh, shit. This looks amazing,” he breathes out, bumping his shoulder into mine.
