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“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” I rushed out the apology, my face flooding with heat as I popped upright in mortification. I hadn’t realized how forward I was being until he jumped.
Horrified by what I’d done, I tried to explain. “I was just trying to be cutesie and funny. You know, the mighty Power Ranger coming to the rescue and slipping the distressed damsel’s shoe back on for you.”
“Oh.” He cleared his throat, sounding vaguely embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t realize that was you. My first thought was snake, which… Isn’t likely, now that I think of it, since it’s too cold for snakes tonight.”
I laughed. “No. It was just me being totally inappropriate. I’m sorry.” I held one of the shoes out toward him. “Next time, I promise I’ll buy you a drink first before getting so fresh.”
He chuckled and took one of the shoes. But he didn’t retrieve the second when I extended it next. He stared at me thro
ugh the dark so long, I asked, “Everything okay?”
He shook his head and murmured, “Yeah. It’s just your mention of buying me a drink…” Then his voice faded before he said, “So you and Carmichael? You punched him in the shoulder for something he said, and all he did in return was laugh before he went off to hit on the bartender. Am I correct in guessing it’s a platonic relationship between you two? Nothing romantic?”
My mouth fell open and shock consumed me. I hadn’t meant to open this can of worms when I’d said I’d buy him a drink. But now that I had… Holy wow. My skin buzzed with excitement, thrilled to learn he seemed interested in me as well. And not just interested. He’d freaking noticed me in the ballroom, like, noticed me enough to watch me and tell me things I’d done in there. And he must’ve liked what he’d seen since he was currently fishing to discover if I was single.
Oh Lord! And what was more shocking, I wanted to know if he was single too.
How strange. My fingers curled into a fist around his shoe and my mask when my breasts tightened. I was making sparks with a guy whose face I hadn’t even seen, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it.
Licking my dry lips, I croaked, “I, um...”
Before I could think up a reply, he added, “I’m just asking, you know, to make sure you’re not cheating on me or anything.”
Wait, what? “Cheating on you?” What the heck was he talking about?
He made a humming sound in the back of his throat. “Yes, well, you did just have your hand up my skirt without buying me that drink. So, I say that makes us, what, practically engaged. Right?”
I couldn’t help myself. I threw back my head and laughed. “Oh my God! You are so… So…”
He shifted closer. “So what?”
Shaking my head, I had no answer. “I don’t know.” I wanted to tell him he was unexpected and different in the most delightful of ways, but there hadn’t been anything to expect in the first place since I hadn’t had a clue I’d run into anyone out here. I didn’t even know who he was.
“Is it too late to ask what your name is?” I hedged on a wince.
I swear I could actually hear his smile. And it was smug. So damn smug. “I will gladly tell you my name, yellow Power Ranger,” he answered, his voice going low and seductive. “If you tell me I’m right.”
“Right?” Now what was he talking about? “Right about what?”
“The relationship between you and Carmichael,” he pressed. “Tell me you two are just friends.”
Oh gosh. This conversation was definitely headed in one direction, and I was actually excited for it to go that way. I’d met this man minutes ago, literally minutes ago, and I already wanted hot, delicious, sweaty things with him. That was so unlike me.
Yet, I didn’t even care.
“Yes,” I blurted out, a bit breathlessly. “We’re just… I mean, Brick. He’s like, you know, a brother to me. There’s nothing romantic there at all.”
Maleficent nodded. “Good.” He sounded pleased and expectant. “I figured that was the case, especially when you started flirting with the older Carmichael at the snack table as soon as Broderick walked away.”
“What?” My lust-induced haze fizzled. Setting my hands on my hips, I scowled. “Excuse me? I did not flirt with Hayden.”
“You gave him a cookie,” he challenged softly.
“Um, yeah. So?” What did that have to do with anything?
“I was jealous,” Maleficent admitted. He moved closer. Seductively closer. “You seemed so sweet and kind when you insisted he take it. I wanted you to give me a cookie the way you’d given him one.”
“Uh...” I swallowed before licking my suddenly dry lips. “Oh.”
