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“When’s your break?”
“Another hour.”
“I’ll be here.” I put on a smile. It’s strained and flat. Without another word, I dismiss myself to the back of the coffee shop where I occupy a small table and wait.
It doesn’t seem like I wait for very long. Either the gods of time learn how to make an hour fly by in a few minutes, or Byron got someone to take over early for him, because suddenly he’s approaching me with two cups in hand. He sits across from me and slides one of them over the table. “Pumpkin Prince, for you.”
I stare at it, surprised. “Thank you.”
“On the house.” He folds his arms on the table. I’m given the very undeserved sight of his toned arms filling the tight sleeves of his shirt. When my eyes slide up to his face, I find him smiling.
Then I just sigh. “Why are you being nice to me?”
His smile falters. “Why not?”
“I was awful to you last night. You included me in your plans. You took me to that party. And in return, I ruined your costume.”
“Ruined? No way. I told you I’ve got skills, right? That tear can be mended in minutes. And …” He shrugs after an awkward second. “Well, I dunno.”
I lift an eyebrow. “What were you about to say?”
“Nah, it’s nothing. I don’t want to …” He lets out a nervous laugh. “Anyway, really, it’s no big deal about the costume. I was more worried about you.”
I clutch my Pumpkin Prince, of which I haven’t allowed myself to enjoy yet. “Something just came over me, I guess. As we were … making out. Whatever came over me scared me. I guess also I should admit that it’s been a while since I’ve done anything with anyone.”
“Me, too.”
I lift an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Surprised?” He takes hold of his drink, too, but just to stare at it. “I guess I’m a workaholic. I’m always here. When am I gonna get the time to date? You would think living in the middle of the city that there would be endless options, but … it just seems to make the quest of finding the right guy all the more confusing.”
“Yeah … and of all the ‘options’ you had to take to that party last night, you picked crazy, ghoulish me.”
Byron drums his fingers along the outside of his cup. “My only regret last night was that it ended so fast. I could’ve spent the rest of that party with a cool ghoul like you by my side.”
I look at him, confused.
Byron fends off a moment of discomfort. “Look. I guess I should … maybe confess to you that, uh …” He rubs a spot on his forehead, then returns to drumming on the sides of his cup with mounting anxiety. “I guess I maybe … sorta … kinda … liked it …?”
“Liked it?”
“Yeah. The, um … part when you tore my vest.” He says this while staring down at his cup. His fingers increase the tempo of their improvised drum solo. “It … was kinda hot, actually.”
I hear the seams of his vest rip all over again.
Except this time, I imagine that vest peeling off of his toned, sexy body—all the way off, exposing him to me. I press him down to that bench, fingers raking down the ridges of his abdomen muscles, then sliding into his green tights with insatiable hunger.
He wanted that? I should have kept going?
“Okay, now you think I’m a freak,” says Byron as he chokes back another nervous laugh, then looks away. “Sorry. I should’ve maybe disclosed it somehow, but … I mean, when would I have had the chance? We were talking one second, then devouring each other the next. I don’t blame you,” he quickly adds, gesturing. “I was pretty much holding back the second I met you in front of this place and saw your sexy outfit.”
“I was half a ghost.”
He meets my eyes. “Half a ghost?”
“I never explained it. That was my thing. I was … half ghost, half human. Unsure if I was alive or dead. Somewhere in between.” I look at him. “Are you saying you actually liked me being aggressive like that?”
“I’m not into aggression, per se, but I liked it.”
“The shirt-ripping thing?”
“Yeah. I felt safe. It was in the moment. We were into each other.” He gives me a coy look. “Obviously.”
My face reddens. My heart drums excitedly.
“Maybe I like it rough.” Byron looks away, shrugs, then adds, “Rough-ish.”
I have never been rough with a guy my whole life. I am as vanilla as they come. Kissing. Some sexy stuff. A bit of a nibble at the ear, perhaps.
West transformed me in a way I don’t think even he realized last night.
But I saw it with my own eyes, how horny the pair of us were. Or was it all three of us who felt that raw and visceral sexual hunger?
