“I’m giving you what you asked for.”
“WHAT DID YOU DO? CALL ahead and rent this place out? It’s empty.”
“I’ve got my connections,” he jokes.
I look around the arcade on Main Street in what could literally be any small city in America. There are two teenage attendants wiping down machines and flirting with one another and an older gentleman in the front who looks like he’s going over receipts. Other than those three and the tons of blinking lights on the numerous arcade and pinball machines in here, it’s just us.
“What’s left to play?” I ask.
“Well, we said we had to play every machine in here at least once before we leave, so”—he motions his hand to all of the machines on my left that I’ve yet to try—“take your pick.”
“You said Galaga was your game, right?” He nods. “I bet I can beat you at it.”
“Is that so?” He quirks an eyebrow up at me and I can already tell he’s game.
“You’ll just have to play and find out.”
“And what does the winner get?”
“Hmm . . . whatever the winner wants.”
His grin is lightning fast and so are his hands as he spins around and has his hips trapping mine against a machine. Just as quickly, his lips close over mine in one of those kisses that are quick, violent with desire, and leave your lips parted and breath hitched when he steps back.
“I have a lot of wants,” he murmurs before stepping back, laughing, and swatting the side of my hip. “Be ready to lose.”
I give myself a second to recover from that unexpected kiss before following behind him.
“Ladies first,” he says before sliding a token in the machine’s slot.
“And you’re even paying for my game too?” I say and hold a hand to my chest.
“What can I say,” he says, blowing on his knuckles and rubbing them against his shirt. “I’m a big spender.”
And so we begin a little video game war. A two game duel becomes a best of five when he didn’t show complete dominance in score, then became a best of eleven when I pulled ahead by one, then moved onto a best of fifteen.
“Watch and learn, Nicks.”
“I’ve learned plenty.” I say with a smug smile when he looks my way. “I’m up one win on you. This is a do or die here.”
“I know, but uh, after this game, I will be the official Galaga champ of the Main Street Arcade.” He throws his arms up in victory and hisses like a crowd cheering its winner.
“Not so fast, Phillips. I have a few cards up my sleeve yet.”
“How is that?” He asks as he drops a coin in. “I’m about to win right now.”
He turns toward the game. Toward the little shooter spaceship and the flying alien bugs you have to zap. His hands beat frantically at the button and his feet shift as he anticipates what to do next.
When I know he’s clearly going to beat my score, I decide it’s time to bring out all the stops.
“How’re you doing?” I ask as I step up behind him and make sure my pelvis rubs against him. He freezes momentarily and then a laugh falls from his mouth and echoes around the empty place.
“Nice try, but it’s not going to work.”
“Looks like your score’s getting up there.” This time I pull up his shirt and scrape my fingernails over his abdomen right above the top of his button. His muscles tense beneath my fingers.
“Harlow,” he warns.
“What?” My voice is a mask of innocence while my hands make a sinner’s descent beneath his waistband. My fingernails play with the rough patch of hair there and then slowly make their way down to where his dick is already straining against the denim of his jeans.
His fingers begin to slow their pounding of the button. My hand grips around his cock as best as I can with my body flanking his from behind, and I do my best within the confines of the space to stroke him.
His body stills—hands on button, hips motionless, his head now hanging down—as my hand continues to tease and the game emits the sound of an explosion telling me he just lost. Yes. Distraction technique successful.
“Oopsie,” I say and it takes everything I have to slide my hand out of his jeans and away from his very tempting and skillful dick.
“Harlow.” It’s a low grumble of a curse.
I take a step back and then squeal when he lunges for me, pained grin on his face, and begins to chase me around the arcade. The chase only lasts a few minutes as the space is limited but when he catches me, when he wraps his arms around me and pulls my back against his still hardened cock, I feel just as tortured as he is.
His teeth scrape ever-so-softly against the skin where my shoulder meets my neck, his labored breath in my ear.
“That was dirty.”
“Yeah . . . well . . . it worked.” My smile is automatic. Closing my eyes, I sink into the wonderful warmth and feel of him behind me.
“I love that you’re unapologetic.” He chuckles, his lips still against my skin. “You won, Cinder. Name your prize.”
I turn in his arms and just stare. Take him in. The disheveled hair. The green eyes. The lopsided smirk. The sexiness that just exudes off of everything about him.