Calliope’s gaze drifted to his pouty lips, parted just so.She was acutely aware of how close he was, close enough she could have easily closed the gap between them.The scent of his earthy cologne hit her like a stone, but it wasn’t a terrible smell.In fact, she sucked in a small breath, letting the spicy notes fill her lungs as she met his verdant gaze.
Just as she considered the thought of speaking, of leaning in to respond, the startling buzzer sounded, nearly making her jump.Zorro pulled back, and the spell between them had been broken.It was time to move.
Already?
Calliope did not want Zorro to move.
But regardless of her wants, he stood carefully, sliding his hands in his pockets as he sauntered past her, capturing her gaze as he leaned into her space, whispering in her ear, “Was nice to meet you, Princess.”
“Where are you going?”she breathed, acutely aware of the man taking a seat across from her.
Zorro smirked at her once more.His green eyes lit up behind his mask, full of mischief.“To get something sweet,” he murmured.
And just as Zorro disappeared into the crowd, the buzzer sounded, pulling Calliope back to her present date as the room fell into chaos once more.
CHAPTER2
Stay cool,stay cool, don’t look back.Theo told himself as he headed toward the bar, his body shaking.
He wasn’t sure what he expected to happen by going to the DeLux Cafe, despite the fact that he’d heard a lot of great things about it.Some of the guys in Theo’s dorm were frequent flyers themselves—including his roommate, Patrick—aka Trick—and they all attended the speed date nights on account that they’d heard there were supernaturals that went there looking for human mates.
I’m not sure I believe in all that magic-fate stuff, even in my own realm.It’s probably just a marketing ploy, but whatever the case, the guys are always raving about how hot the women are and how the drinks are some of the best in the city, so why not at least see what all the buzz is about, right?Theo surmised as much when Trick shoved a plastic mask at him and told him to put his big boy pants on because he was going with them tonight to thisMystery Masqueradething at the DeLux Cafe, and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.
”You needto getlaid, Theo.”Trick said the words like Theo was going to die tomorrow if he didn’t somehow find some beautiful woman to sink his cock into.
As if being a perpetually single twenty-four year ex-fiancé slash student who doesn’t have time for a relationship between school, the gym, and now this new work study I’ll be starting Monday, is a bad thing.
Theo’s load wasn’t huge this semester, with just fifteen credits, but since he’d put off all his electives the last couple of semesters, his schedule had become less stuff hewanted todo, and more requirements to graduate.
Seriously, what does a kinesiology major need Creative Writing and Painting 101 for?Though there was one particular class, Theo found himself interested in this semester—Lifestyle Drawing.Learning how to capture the body and movement from a different angle seemed like it might actually be helpful for him, even applicable, to some measure.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit intrigued at the idea of drawing naked models for a couple hours out of the week.Theo wasn’t an artist by any means, but sometimes he’d sketch doodles on his notes when he was bored.
Theo garnered that perhaps it might not be such a bad idea for him to zone out with his headphones and paint or doodle for a few hours, maybe even take a break from everything.But he was not going to tell Trick or the guys, that.Especially not when they were more interested in pre-gaming and snapping each other’s masks like idiots.
Trick is right, though.I do need to put myself out there.I don’t want to be alone, it’s just...easier, sometimes.
Theo’s mind wandered even now to his friend’s incessant nagging that Theo “get laid”, while also worrying that perhaps his friend was too optimistic.
“The best way to get over someone, is to get underneath someone else, Theo,” Trick had said, his voice tinged with sympathy.Though Theo didn’t want to think about his failed relationships, or his lack of confidence when it came to women.Something Trick had taken upon himself to try andfix.As if enough pick up lines and parties would erase everything.Trick did not understand that Theo wantedmore.And four years ago, he thought he’d had it when Emily saidyesto his proposal at prom.But as he and his fiancé neared their prospective futures, yes turned tono.And when Theo had arrived at Emily’s dorm, after a long two-year engagement, with flowers to surprise her on her birthday nearly three weeks into the semester only to find her with some jock, his pants around his ankles and his cock buried inside her, he knew the love he thought existed between him and his fiancé was a lie.
So Theo did the only thing he could.He broke off his engagement and focused on his studies, on himself.It was easier than allowing anyone into his heart again, for fear it would be demolished.But he was not impervious to loneliness.He missed beingwith someone.He missed late night summer makeouts and cuddling on the couch.He missed the spontaneity of discovering new things, and he certainly missed sex.But Theo garnered it was better this way.Happily Ever After, fate...all of it was a lie.
But Trick was not easily dismissed by Theo’s admissions of a botched forever.
“You’ve got all the time in the world to get married, Theo.You’re only young once, dude.”Trick said after Theo had confessed his shattered engagement.Trick didn’t understand.That was what Theo wanted more than anything else in the world.
He wanted Happily Ever After, a love that was forever.A woman he could cherish and love and give his whole heart—and his body—to.
How wrong he’d been.And even after their dissolved engagement, he hadtriedto move on.He’d even had sex once or twice, mostly because he felt like it was what hisdatesexpected, and he rationalized perhaps it would help him out of his rut, but that only left him feeling empty and like shit, which was why he’d stopped and shifted his focus.Nothing felt quite right, and Theo was worried it never would.
But Trick wasn’t about to let that be an excuse.
“I will get you laid, Theo, if it is the last thing I fucking do,” Trick had said, before loading him into the Uber alongside him and his teammate, Shaun.
“I’m not like you, Trick.I don’t havegame.I’m awkward at best when it comes to flirting, and?—”
“Fuck that self-deprecating bullshit, man.You have more to offer than you think, Theodore.Just think of it as practice tonight.A chance to put all you’ve learned frommeto the test,” Trick said as the car took off.
