I gripped his lapel and smirked, the turkey squeezed between our stomachs. “For starters, it means taking you home with me.”
35
Tied Up
The next few weeks proceeded to be some of the best of my life. The only exception was Black Friday. I came back to True Tech to help Ash with the overflow through Cyber Monday, but it was a total shit-show.
At one point, Sal snuck into the storage closet with me and procured some energy drinks.
“I’m not allowed to have food and drink near the electronics,” I warned him.
“What’s Ash gonna do, fire you?” he teased, then tapped my can with his.
It tasted disgusting, like organic-labeled battery acid, and we both winced through the follow-up sips. It was so bad it was almost funny, and we had to cover our mouths to muffle our giggles. But it did give me the wherewithal to face the mob scene of customers. Once in a while, Ash would give me a weary stare or tight smile as she dropped off a laptop. “Install the full suite," she said.
“Will do,” I said, squinting in lieu of a smile. We were both dead on our feet. Or ass, in my case. I texted Sal when she wasn’t looking.
It’d be nice to be social somewhere with decent lighting.
A few days later, for game night, we went to his place. It was small, but respectable, almost like a college dorm with a living room and big coffee table.
He rattled game boxes at us. “Okay, how are we feeling? Cooperative or competitive?”
“Competitive,” I answered right as Kat said, “Cooperative.”
She laughed and twisted her necklace. “Never mind, we can play whatever.”
“Competitive it is,” Sal said, wagging his brows and presenting a colorful box of cards.
Once we got the hang of the gameplay, things got deliciously intense.
He protected his cards and grinned. “Hey, take from your brother’s batch.”
“But I want yours.” I darted under him, my fingers tingling as they brushed his palm.
Later, he snatched a card before I could grab it. “You’re not the only one with quick reflexes,” he said, wagging his brows. “Hi-ya.” He mimed back-fisting an invisible drone by my head.
Ash laughed. “Oh, god. Someone get the toothpaste.”
“Why?” Victor frowned.
“Don’t ask,” I said.
“Zero’s a badass.” Sal winked and moved on to the next play, my heart beating a little faster.
Every time the cards slapped, I tingled at the possibility of touching him again. And again. Slap. Touch. Laugh. Play. He rubbed my legever-so-briefly before getting up to grab a drink, and I was half-tempted to follow him, drag him into the bedroom, and have my way with him. But he had guests. Humans. Friends.
My knee bounced, electricity building with every hand-slap.
I bided my time until everyone else had left and the games were put away. Sal put the last of the snacks in a pantry. I wiped my sweaty palms on my leggings and followed him.
