I screened my cul-de-sac discreetly through my living-room window, channelling my inner nosy neighbour as I searched for any sign of his silver car. Jericho struck me as the type to obsess over his car – meticulous, polished, and undeniably well kept.
I saw it a few moments later.
What looked like a really fancy silver Audi TT crept slowly up the cul-de-sac, its blue headlights illuminating the empty crisp packets littered outside my flat. The car eventually stopped right outside my building, and as the engine dimmed, I heard my phone ping loudly with the good oldOuiMeetnotification sound that I had come to know so well.
I quickly grabbed my coat from my coat stand and spritzed another generous helping of my Hugo Boss fragrance for good luck before grabbing my bag and heading for the door, phone and Nintendo Switch in hand. As I made my way down the stairs, I stopped to glance at the message:
Miss Cassandra, your carriage awaits. :) J x
I reached the bottom of the stairs, took one last breath and opened the door to meet him. By the time I’d gotten downstairs, I found him outside, leaning against the front passenger door of his car, smirking at me wildly. He looked incredible. He was wearing a pair of dark indigo slim (but NOT skinny) fit jeans with some beige Adidas Samba trainers. On the top, he had on a beige sweater, covered by a black, waist-length peacoat. One thing about Jericho? The boy knew how to dress.
‘We meet once again, Jerry; you look good, by the way,’ I said, trying to look at him up and down as seductively as possible as he opened the car door for me. He chuckled as he stepped aside for me to enter the car, before slamming it shut and heading to the driver’s side. His car smelled of oud; it was a heavy, yet rich scent, and I instantly sank into the plush, heated seat, still trying to fathom how this was my life right now. Jericho got into the car and before starting the engine, turned to stare at me as he smiled that wolfish grin. I melted.
‘Wow. Cassie, you look sensational. Drop-dead gorgeous.’ His gaze swept over me before locking on my eyes, that damn smirk of his aimed straight at my soul. ‘And you smell incredible too – just the right amount of perfume this time.’
I raised an eyebrow, pretending not to melt under the compliment. ‘Careful, Jericho, you keep talking like that and I might actually believe you.’
He opened his mouth to say more, but then his eyes flicked down to what I was holding. ‘Wait … is that—?’
I wiggled the console in my hand, grinning like a cat with cream. ‘Yes, sir. Yes, it is. You didn’t seriously think I was going to let you get away with that little promise, did you?’
Jericho laughed, low and incredulous, as I flicked the Switch on and slid it across to him.
‘You said you could take Phantom Ganon down in ten minutes flat,’ I reminded him sweetly. ‘So I figured … why not now? That way, we can have the rest of the evening free to talk about other things.’
‘Other things, huh?’ His smirk deepened, eyes glinting as his fingers curled around the console. ‘This is either the flirtiest boss battle setup I’ve ever seen … or you’re just ruthlessly efficient.’
‘Why not both?’ I shot back, leaning in, enjoying the way he looked at me like I’d just played the winning move.
Jericho leaned back against the driver’s seat, Switch in hand, suddenly all business. The smirk was still there, but now it was paired with a laser-sharp focus that made me laugh out loud.
‘Wow,’ I teased, watching him navigate the opening moves. ‘I’ve never seen anyone look this intense outside of an Olympic event. Should I be quiet so you can concentrate?’
‘Shhh,’ he said dramatically, narrowing his eyes at the screen. ‘Greatness is happening.’
And, honestly? He wasn’t lying. Six minutes later, Phantom Ganon was down, my months of hair-pulling frustration evaporating under the sound of the victory jingle.
I blinked at him, equal parts impressed and slightly annoyed. ‘OK … wow. I don’t know whether to thank you or be offended that it really was that easy for you.’
Jericho flashed me a grin, basking in the glory of his digital triumph. ‘What can I say? Some heroes wear green tunics. Others drive silver Audis and clear boss fights in record time.’
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t hide my smile. ‘You’re kind of insufferable. D’you know that?’
‘Charming, though,’ he shot back, waggling his eyebrows. ‘And, listen – if this becomes a regular thing, we could always play more games together. I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve. Think of it as … bonus entertainment if you keep me around.’
I pretended to mull it over, though my grin gave me away. ‘Hmm. So what you’re saying is, you’d chuck in the gaming lessons for free, as well as some good company?’
‘Exactly.’ He handed the console back to me with a flourish. ‘A package deal.’
Ugh. I wanted him. But I forced myself to play it cool, to keep it cute and composed, at least for now. Sliding my now-conquered Nintendo Switch into my handbag, I shifted in my seat with deliberate ease. My legs crossed slowly, asubtle performance, the sheen of my oiled thigh catching the moonlight like liquid gold. You could cut the tension in the car with a knife.
I didn’t look at him directly, but I didn’t need to. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Jericho’s gaze dipping, lingering on the curve of my legs. His sly, hungry glance told me everything I needed to know.
Got him.
He started the engine and slowly reversed out of the cul-de-sac – using one hand to steer nonetheless (a HUGE sexual green flag for me; I shall not explain!) – as we made our way down Wandsworth Road towards Battersea Power Station and The Alchemist bar.
Less than ten minutes later, we arrived and slipped into a quiet booth at the bar. The Alchemist had a low, intimate hum tonight – mostly couples on dates, with a few scattered groups of friends. Jericho slid in beside me, effortlessly helping me with my coat as I took my time easing it off my shoulders. The body oil I’d so strategically applied to my décolletage shimmered brilliantly under the soft lights – exactly as planned.
