“Wouldn’t know. I burned my thumb when I took the pan out of the oven and dropped them all on the floor…”
“I mean…” Grimacing playfully, I back out of the parking spot and ease onto the road. “Maybe try a book next time?”
She sighs. “Are you done?”
I glance as she adjusts her hair in the visor mirror, painstakingly tearing my eyes away when she bites her bottom lip.You can’t go there. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?”
“Really? I have wings and a wand… What do I look like?”
“The Tooth Fairy?” I laugh as she pushes my shoulder.
“Boy, the Tooth Fairy couldnever.” She swipes a finger under her glossy lower lip, and I struggled to focus on the road instead of my dick twitching at her costume. “I’m just a fairy. What areyousupposed to be?”
I flash a grin. My black button-down and jeans give no indication that I’m wearing a Halloween costume. “A Handsome Devil.”
She snorts and slaps the visor closed. “I’ll get out now. There’s not enough room in your car for the three of us.”
“Three of who?”
“You know… Me, you, and that big ass ego of yours…”
“Ooh, I see how it is!” I chuckle, squinting at the starbursts from the taillights ahead of me.
“You know, it’s a crazy thought, but Ibetyour glasses would help you see the road better…” she teases.
“Naw, I’m good.” Driving at night has always been like this. It’s notthatbad, just makes my eyes tired.
Her phone buzzes, and the brightness from the screen frames her face in a sensual glow that has my breath hitching.Why the fuck can’t I stop looking?
“Willa’s meeting us outside. She’s bringing a friend,” Ashlie mumbles, clearly distracted.
I tap my thumbs on the steering wheel, still fighting to win the internal battle between keeping my eyes on the road and stealing another glance at her. “Cool. Aiden from work is coming too.”
Studio 99 puts on the best holiday-themed nights, and Ashlie drags me along to every single one of them. I pay the attendant and creep through the rows of cars, managing to find a parking spot along a concrete retaining wall.
She places her house keys in the glove box before turning to face me. “Okay, club rules apply: leave the same way you came, and send out a warning for any exes.”
We made this deal a couple of years ago when we both had multiple exes come out of the woodwork on the same night to terrorize us at the club. Since then, we’ve had to utilize it a handful of times. I’m sure the full moon in the sky will make it an interesting night.
“Yep. Got it.” Climbing out of the car, I bob my head to the muted dance music drifting from the two-story warehouse across the parking lot. The neon99buzzes brightly against the black stucco. Ashlie steps next to me, head lowered as her thumbs move swiftly across her phone. In the brightly lit parking lot, my eyes peruse down her short velvet dress to the golden boots zipped up to her thighs, and back up to the matching wings around her shoulders.Fuck, she’s fine as hell. I take advantage of her distraction, using the extra seconds to let my eyes wander all over her again. “You good?” I ask, dropping my gaze.
“Yeah. Willa’s already here.” Head down, she starts the long journey through the parking lot. I swat away the thoughts flying into my head as I follow. Thoughts about leaning her against one of these unsuspecting cars to see if that dress feels as soft as it looks.She’s off-limits. Even without a boyfriend in the way, I’m not her type. She likes the pretty boy fuck nuggets who pretend they want something serious. They front-end all their empty promises and dip when they realize they can’t deliver. At least I’m honest about playing the field.
“Ooh, girl, let me borrow that dress!” Ashlie hugs her sister once we make it to the doors.
“Ash, I’ve got a good five inches on you. This dress will swallow you up.” Willa’s draped in a white flowy gown that clings to her full curves, reminiscent of a Greek muse. Her brown and black twists are swirled into an intricateSshape, and gold jewelry hugs her upper arms.
“Mmm, true. It looks good on you, though! I’m surprised you actually showed up this time.”
Willa slips a hand on her hip and rolls her eyes. “Oh, whatever. I’m notthatbad. Hades here is my friend, Isaiah.” She gestures to the tall Black man next to her, his thick locs falling around the shoulders of his mesh shirt. The ring in his nose and snake bite piercings on his lower lip give a modern spin to the Greek mythology theme Willa has going on.
Isaiah waves just as my phone buzzes in my pocket. A message from Aiden prompts me to look around the crowd. I don’t see him until he’s almost weaved his way to our group. He’s dressed in a white button-up and dark slacks, his usual tinted glasses hanging off his nose. Aiden’s another remote analyst at work, and we get along better than most coworkers do. “Hey man,” I say, bumping his fist as he joins the group. “What are you supposed to be?”
“A data analyst,” he says, like it should be obvious. Then he smiles, nudging me with his elbow. “I’m kidding. I’m a pocket door salesman…'cause I’m so short…”
Snorting, I shake my head. Aiden’s clever, if anything. “You remember Ashlie. This is her sister, Willa, and Willa’s friend, Isa?—”
“Zay?” Aiden gasps, stepping across the circle to give him a hug. “When did you get back?”
