Victoria
I’ve never seen someone so skilled at playing Pac-Man.
Like, ever.
Wonder if he’s this good at Ms. Pac-Man. Guess we’ll see, she’s here too.
I can’t say I have much experience with video games at all to be honest, but this guy—this “Loki”—he’s kickin’ ass and taking names.
He’s also happy as hell about it. I can’t recall being around someone who radiates joy from every pore like this dude does.
He’s just so fucking happy, about everything. About food, about video games, about being temporarily incarcerated in a fake prison for charity, but most of all about me saying yes to one date with him.
Golden retriever energy. That’s him to a T.
It’s like I’ve just offered to throw a tennis ball for him for a whole hour.
If he started doing zoomies or chasing his tail in circles around the room I wouldn’t be surprised. His energy is boundless, his joy is contagious, and if someone’s smile could channel sunshine, I’d say that’s what happens when Lokismiles. Warmth prickles over my skin like I’ve stepped outside on a summer’s day.
We’ve been here at the Quarter Barrel Arcade for over an hour. It’s still early, but the more time I spend with Loki, the more his glow thaws the icicle dangling in my chest.
Ugh. I need to walk away.
I don’t want another relationship. I don't want to like anyone else, let alone date. Or god forbid, anything more. I don’t have time for another broken heart.
So I just shut it the fuck down instead.
Can’t hurt if you don’t feel.
But every time I’m determined to step toward the exit, Loki says or does something to draw me in even more. He’s adorably endearing. And the urge to scratch behind his ear makes my fingers tingle.
He’s beaten me at Karate Champ and Pole Position. Repeatedly. I thought for sure I had him on that last lap of our last race, or he’d take pity on my loser ass and let me win, just one time, but he only pushed harder and topped my score even worse.
The fact that he doesn’t back down, that he’s so competitive, so driven, so intent on coming first that he won’t relent even for a woman he’s trying to get into bed, appeals to me for some reason.
There’s nothing fake with him. There’s also no malice either. When it looked like I might win, he didn’t sabotage me. In fact, he even cheered like I was in the finals of the Olympics while he pushed himself harder.
I regret agreeing to this date already.
If I’m not careful, I could end up catching feels. And if I let myself listen to the constant drip of the defrosting heart in my chest, it might even be too late. Does this place have a freezer? I need to re-freeze.
Out of our prison gear, he’s in sneakers, sweats, and a shirtthat fills out across the shoulders and biceps but hangs a little around the waist. This guy’s in shape.
A shape I like a lot.
A smack on the machine and a declaration of glee draws my attention from his cute bubble butt.
“I did it, Firecracker!” He charges at me. His warm arms curl around my middle for a split second before he lifts me off the floor and spins me around and around until my breath leaves my lungs and I’m dizzy.
Can’t quite tell if it’s the spinning, or the fact I’m in his lickable arms—huh, who knew arms could even be lickable?—but either way, I’m breathless and my brain is whirring.
“Did what?” At least that’s what I was trying to say, but he’s hugging me so hard it sounds like a half-squeak, like one of those noisy dog toys is on its deathbed.
“New high score, baby!” The words are barely out of his mouth before he comes to an abrupt stop. He slides me down the front of his very hard body, and before I can ask him what the fuck he thinks he’s doing touching my curls, his fingers are tangled in my hair and his lips are closing in on me.
As his mouth presses against mine, his hands cup my face. My lips part on a sigh, my body sagging against his. My ex hated public displays of affection. Well, I guess he just hated them with me, but this…this is public, consuming. It’s so intense that my body vibrates as his tongue pushes into my mouth and finds mine.
He swallows the sigh that falls from my lips as he backs me against the side of the nearest video game console. His kiss is fire, his tongue possessing every part of my mouth like he has kissed me a million times before.
