“It’s part of my charm,” I snicker, nudging him with my shoulder as we drift back toward the bar. “You’re lucky to be in my orbit, Isaac Matthews.”
“Oh, is that what we’re calling it now?” he asks, eyebrows raised.
“What wouldyoucall it?”
He pretends to think for a moment, then says, “A gravitational pull toward chaos and poor decisions.”
I gasp, pressing a palm to my chest and feigning offense. “Excuse you. I’m at least sixty percent good decisions.”
“Youdiddecide to date me, so I guess I’ll give you that one,” he drawls, winking.
“Keep talking, Matthews, and I’m gonna destroy you at air hockey next.”
“Oh, bring it. But just so you know, when I win, I’m taking a victory lap around this place. Possibly shirtless.”
I sink my teeth into my lower lip, batting my lashes. “Ooh, don’t tempt me with a good time.”
He actually does manage to kick my ass in air hockey, then we move onto more games, laughing and teasing. We’re so damn comfortable with one another now, so sickeningly in sync. We’ve become one of those couples I used to make fun of, but honestly, I don’t even care. I’m just…happy.
We’re halfway through a ridiculous co-op zombie shooting game when Matty decides to abandon strategy altogether.
“Cover me,” he yells, charging straight into a horde with reckless abandon.
“Why would I do that?” I ask, calmly taking out enemies from the edge of the screen. “You're the one running around like you’ve got a death wish.”
“Because we’re partners. In loveandin zombie warfare.”
“Oh my god,” I mutter, but I’m laughing as I toss a virtual grenade just in time to clear a path for him. “I can’t believe I’m spending my Friday night saving your pixelated ass.”
He grins over at me, not even looking at the screen. “You love it.”
“What, rescuing you constantly?” I snort, picking off a zombie that’s headed straight for him.
“No, being here. With me.”
I glance over at him, the warm glow of the screen lighting up his face, softening the sharp line of his jaw. “Maybe a little,” I tease, a smirk curling my lips.
“A little?” he scoffs, pretending to be wounded. “I took you to our spot, let you beat me at Pac-Man.”
“You also just ran into a corner and got eaten by a zombie,” I point out, nodding at the screen where his character is dramatically pixelated and dead. “So I don’t know if I can trust your decision-making.”
He shrugs, grinning like an idiot. “Maybe I just wanted to watch you save the world solo. It’s kinda hot.”
I roll my eyes, heat creeping up my neck anyway. “You’re the worst. And also, you neverletme beat you.”
I throw my head back on a dramatic groan as a zombie finally gets me, throwing a middle finger at the screen when ‘Game Over’ flashes across it.
“You know,” Matty drawls, watching my reaction with amusement, “For someone who lives in a swirling vortex of laundry and empty coffee cups, you’re surprisingly competitive about order in video games.”
I shoot him a look, one eyebrow raised. “Excuse you, my mess is strategic.”
“Oh yeah?” He crosses his arms, the smug look on his face daring me to back that up.
I smile back at him sweetly, flipping my hair over a shoulder. “Absolutely. I like to keep my environment as unpredictable as my personality.”
Matty laughs, low and warm. “Mission accomplished.”
I swat him with the back of my hand, and he catches it, tugging me a little closer. There’s something sweet about the way he doesn’t let go right away, his fingers lacing with mine without really thinking about it.
