“I’m good.” He smiled.
“You sure? You’re moving pretty slow.”
“Because I’m trying to spend more time with you. It’s a good thing you’re pretty, because you don’t seem so smart.”
She coughed to hide a laugh. “Bonehead.”
“Oh, words hurt, Mad Marlie.” He tugged her with him against a brick building, out of the way of a group of college kids, two of whom she recognized.
“Hey, Ms. Reynolds.” One of the young women waved.
The guy next to her gaped at Damon. “Holy shit! Demon Sinclair!”
“I didn’t realize hockey was so popular here,” Damon murmured to her.
“No kidding. I can’t take you anywhere.” She waited while he took some pictures with the people asking for them.
When he rejoined her, he walked a little quicker with her to his truck. After helping her inside—though she didn’t need it, she appreciated his manners—he joined her.
Before she could say anything, he pinned her in place and kissed the breath out of her.
He finally pulled back, panting. “Fuck. Been wanting to do that all night.” He shocked her anew by caressing her cheek and chin, planting a softer kiss on her lips. “You are so beautiful, Marlie.”
Flustered, because he seemed like he really meant it, she tried to tease, “Oh stop. You’re going to get lucky. You don’t need all the flattery.”
His concentration on her face had her rubbing her cheek.
“Don’t tell me. I missed more nacho cheese.”
He didn’t laugh. Instead, he shook his head. “I know I’m lucky. I got to go to dinner with the prettiest girl in town.” Then he winked and grinned, easing the tension. “Plus I beat her sexy ass at darts.”
“Wait.” Sexy ass? Yes, yes, I am a sexy ass! Er, I have a sexy ass. She looked down her nose at him. “Darts, I concede. But I crushed you at the ax throwing.”
“Because I’m not, in fact, a psycho, I’ve never thrown an ax before.”
“You say psycho, I say athlete.”
“You scare me.”
“Good.” She gave an evil laugh.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here during Halloween. You and I could have done a marathon scarefest. Leatherface, Saw, Silence of the Lambs.”
She took over for him. “Hereditary, Get Out, The Exorcist.”
“Ah, yes. Always a classic.”
“Pea soup. Gross.”
“Yeah, ew.”
They continued to compare notes on movies, and to her surprise, their tastes matched. He also seemed to like arguing as much as she did, the conversation spry and sarcastic. Damon gave as good as he got.
Arriving at Jeff’s house, where she’d left her car, much too soon, despite the fact it was past two in the morning, she sat in his truck when he parked, in no rush to get out. Should she invite him to her place? She wanted to. So badly it scared her.
“Well, come on, Methuselah.” He turned off the truck and got out, walking to her car door. Apparently, he didn’t mind ending the date. Or was he pushing for an invite, for her to drive him to her place maybe?
Jittery and feeling foolish for her nerves, Marlie brazened it out and stalked to her car door. She turned around to confront him about his intentions and found herself kissed senseless once more.
