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Torrian blinked the beauty from his gaze and focused on the one in front of him. She gave him a speculative look, but he ignored it and took the flyer. “Thanks.” Barely scanning the write-up about the center and giving to benefit its programs, he returned his attention to Jaz. He frowned. Surely, her boyfriend would have a problem with this much attention from the opposite sex. Maybe he was stupid enough not to come. He was a fool if he let her leave the house dressed as she was without protection.
Torrian left the room once more to grab a beer. Then he returned and leaned against the wall. To his surprise and pleasure, Jaz approached him. A couple hangers-on started to follow, but he pinned them with a narrowed glare, and they backed off. Jaz tilted her chin up to him when she arrived and chuckled. “Wow, that look was fierce, especially with the devil head. Maybe your costume is right on the money after all.”
He shrugged. “Your boyfriend shouldn’t have let you out dressed like that.”
She smirked. “Oh we’re going there right away, huh?”
“Didn’t you wonder about my wife letting me go like this?”
She burst out laughing. “She should have made you put on a costume and come along for the fun.”
“She neglects me. Maybe you could show me a good time.”
“My boyfriend would rip your unmentionables off.”
He froze, staring down at her. Such a coy expression, lips parted, eyes wide. “I didn’t realize…”
She touched his forearm, and a spark of something shot through his system. “I’m joking. No boyfriend right now. Too busy.”
“Hmm.” He tried hiding his relief, not for fear of being mutilated but having to turn away from her. No, I’m not getting involved with a woman down here. “I’m not married, unfortunately. No girlfriend either. That outfit though.”
She spun for him, and the tail waved. Room in his jeans lessened, and he was thankful for lower lighting.
“I know, right? Sassy. I admit I did it to butter up the guys, get them to open the wallets a little more.”
He blinked at her. So honest about her motives.
“I’d rather wear something scary,” she admitted, taking him by surprise again.
“Seriously?”
“Yes!” She held her hands up. “Picture this—a mask that’s like a dead clown, but around the mouth and chin, it’s all black extending down onto my neck. Around it, there’s a mouth with jagged teeth. So it looks like my mouth is a black cavern of death.”
Torrian raised an eyebrow at the petite beauty although she couldn’t see it behind his mask. “You like horror?”
“Love it. I watch horror movies almost every night when I get downtime. Anything scary comes on the big screen, and I’m there. What about you?”
“I like chick flicks.”
She laughed. “You do not.”
“No, I’m kidding.” He liked teasing her, and she seemed to feel the same. “You wouldn’t like the ones I watch, but I can do an occasional horror movie.”
Her expression said she was skeptical. He didn’t mind her thinking he watched girlie shows. He knew himself well enough and was used to others judging him.
“Dance with me?” he offered, watching her face and the way she swayed to the music. Her face was the safer place than those hips.
“I have duties to perform, sir, which you are keeping me from.” She started away, waving over her shoulder. Disappointed, Torrian sighed, but he found another woman willing to dance and enjoyed time with her for a little while. He replaced her with another and then another, all with names escaping him the second they were uttered. He kept up the practice of calling himself Tor, although he had never used the nickname. As a kid, most people happened to call him Donnelly. In his current crowd of friends and associations, everyone spoke his full name of Torrian.
After Torrian lost sight of Jaz, he wandered into the hall and walked down to the gym. A group of men comprised of Billy, his friend, and another familiar face argued over the basketball hoop. Torrian leaned against the wall and half listened to the raised voices and the echo of the music playing in the distance. One of the men
glanced toward him and frowned. The others looked too. Torrian sighed. He’d been recognized. The tallest of the men with hair as dark as his broke from the group and strode toward him. As he approached, Torrian noted the man had put on a few pounds since last year. His green leprechaun costume appeared to have seen many parties before this one. So his cousin had fallen victim to Jaz’s wiles as well.
“What are you doing here?” Kenny growled under his breath.
Torrian didn’t stir. “I come here every year. Do you have a problem with it?”
“Of course! You don’t belong around here anymore. Go back to back to your mansion and your uppity friends.”
