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I watch as he gets up from the table and leans down to my ear.
“There is nothing you can tell me that would make me think you’re not perfect.”
His warm words cascade across my ear and leave me speechless. I stare in awe as he walks further down a trail of video games. This man is a charmer, I know that. I saw him work that stage and the crowd of screaming women. But I’m not immune.
A moment later, I follow after him, excited to find what he has in store for me next.
I lose sight of him, and when I turn a corner still surrounded by games, I get front-row tickets to Leo in full plastic body armor.
My hand flies to my mouth as I try to stifle the giggle.
With one hand outstretched, he offers me armor and a gun, then slowly walks back out of sight.
“So serious.” I laugh but suit up. It’s a damn struggle to get them over my boobies, and it’s definitely not comfortable, but there’s a buzz of excitement coursing through me too big to be ignored.
I ready myself. There is more furniture scattered around, as well as cardboard cutouts and more arcade games, all strategically spread apart. I stalk my way around the outer perimeter until I catch his scent. Laughing, but still drawn too his strong musky cologne, I run up on him.
It’s a trap, and suddenly, I trip, but not before getting off a shot. No idea if it hits him or not.
“Ugh.” The wind knocks out of me as I land on my chest plate. It would have been a lot softer to land on just my boobies, damn it.
His hands are on me almost immediately. He’s helping me to my feet and looking me over.
“Are you all right? I’m sorry. I forgot it has boobie traps.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” In fact, I’m loving the way his hands have found my face, cupping me protectively.
“Good.”
Then, he kisses my forehead and runs off so fast it jars me. I laugh hard and load.
“Okay, something ugly is my job…or jobs. I’ve mostly been a jack of all trades, until I landed a gig writing jingles,” he shouts from behind the couch, so I crouch down and speed walk. “Your turn.”
Well, that’s fair. I stop behind the cutout poster of Pac-man to think.
“Let the record show that I think that’s a cool job, and having multiple skills could always come in handy. Especially in case of an apocalypse. Tell me, can you start a fire? Clean water? Have you ever been hunting?”
I hear him chuckle, so I make a quick dash to the nearby recliner.
Shots are fired, and I check my chest to see if I’m hit. Leo comes right up and shoots me, then runs off.
“Boom!” he shouts.
I like that he’s not taking it easy on me. He saw me earlier, coming up behind him before I tripped, and maybe now he knows I’m tougher than he thinks.
Laughing, I set out in search of the cocky charmer. I stalk close to a row of arcades and finally spot him moving toward the middle of the room. Before he has a chance to turn around, I unload. I push the button a million times but still only wrack one hit before the gun reloads, so I run off. Leo hits me in the back as I leave, but as soon as my gun is ready, I turn and get him back. It takes him by surprise, and he stops in his tracks, dramatically falling to the floor.
Walking over, I hover above his body to gloat, pretending to blow smoke from the barrel of my plastic laser gun. “That was fun. I don’t have a lot of fun, as you can imagine. but it’s so easy with you.”
He’s quiet for a moment, so I offer my hand. I don’t know why I admitted that to him, but it’s true.
“If the world was ending and you needed me, I would move Heaven and Earth for you. You are always safe with me.”
At his words, my tough-girl act melts. My hands fall to my side, and I let the gun drop to the ground.
“You win.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me to him, our uncomfortable chestplates clinking together as he wraps me in a big bear hug. His arms make me feel so small, and those dark eyes show I’ve got his full attention.
