The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4)

“Fine.” We’re all quiet for a moment as we run around and shoot the enemy. Finally, Angie says, “You know what? I have to go. I forgot about something I have to do.”

“Angie, you can’t leave in the middle of a game,” Scott says, but before he can finish, she’s gone.

“Now we’re down a man,” Spade says.

“It’s okay, we’ve got this,” I mutter, and the five of us concentrate on picking up Angie’s slack. When the round is over, we lose, but only by a tiny bit. “We’ll get them on the next round.”

“I wonder what was up Angie’s ass?” Smitty says.

“You know how possessive she can be,” Trent says. “She doesn’t like new women coming into our group. She acted this way every time one of us met our wives.”

“True,” Scott says. “Maybe it’s a chick thing.”

“And being the only girl in our group for so long,” I add. “I thought she had a boyfriend?”

“Angie changes boyfriends with the seasons,” Smitty says. He’s the closest to her. “I think they broke it off a couple of weeks ago.”

“You don’t think she has a thing for Trevor, do you?” Scott says, and I immediately laugh.

“No way,” I reply.

“That would be like his sister having a thing for him,” Spade says. “Weird.”

“I don’t know,” Scott continues. “She sounded pretty jealous. And you guys know as well as I do that Angie likes the gamer dudes. The only reason she hasn’t tried to get with any of us is because we’re all happily married. But Trevor’s not married.”

“If what you say is true,” Trent says, “hearing that he’s met someone new would have made her pretty mad. She’s always been the dramatic type.”

“Trust me, guys, Angie doesn’t have a thing for me,” I say, and laugh. “She’s probably just having a shitty day.”

Suddenly there’s a knock at my door.

“Don’t start the new game yet, someone’s at my door.”

“Trevor’s so getting laid tonight,” Scott says.

“Shut it,” I mutter, and pull the door open to find a very sexy Riley waiting behind it. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“I know, it’s game night, and I’m not staying,” she says in a rush as she walks past me into the kitchen. “I just had to bring you a few things.”

“I can sign off.”

“Hey, bros before hoes, remember?” Smitty asks, making the others laugh.

“Are they in your ear now?” Riley asks with a smile.

“Oh yeah.”

“Hi, guys!” she calls out, aiming at the mouthpiece. “I’m not staying!”

She begins unloading a big plastic bag.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re well fed,” she says, making me smile. She’s in her old college sweatshirt and a pair of jeans that do awesome things for her ass.

I’m such an ass man.

“And I needed to make sure you’re warm.”

The last thing she pulls out of her bag is a black throw blanket, very much like the one I curled up with the other day at her house. She flicks it open, and reveals the Death Star.

“It’s Star Wars,” she says proudly.

“Yes, it is,” I reply, and pull my earbud out of my ear so I can kiss my girl without an audience. I grip her waist and pull her to me. “Thank you, Riley.”

“You’re welcome,” she says, and melts into me, her hands on my chest. “I really didn’t want to interrupt your evening. I know this is your night with the guys.”

“I can take a minute to kiss you,” I reply, and lower my lips to hers, brushing them lightly and then settling in to taste her, to make her go just a little weak in the knees. “Stay,” I whisper.

“I can’t,” she whispers back, and grins against my mouth. “Tonight is DVR night with Cami. I have a date with a vampire.”

“Convenient,” I reply, and brush my fingertips down her cheek, unable to keep from touching her. “Thank you, for all of this. You didn’t have to.”

“I know.” She kisses me once more and then pulls away, walking toward the door. “Enjoy it all and I’ll see you tomorrow. You hear that, guys? He’s all mine tomorrow! I’m not sharing.”

I plug the bud back in my ear in time to hear the guys laughing.

“Be safe tonight.”

“Always.” She blows me a kiss and then she’s gone.

“What did she bring you?” Scott asks.

“Looks like a salad from the restaurant, some brownies, and a Star Wars blanket because this rental doesn’t have any throws.”

“Aw, she got you a blankie,” Smitty says, making us all laugh.

She did. She pays attention. It might be the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.

Ever.

I don’t know if that’s sad, or if she’s just really great. I’m going with she’s great.

“It was nice of her,” I say, and sit on the couch, the blanket over my lap and my food spread around me. “I have supplies, so I’m ready to go back in when you guys are.”

“We were just waiting for you to be lovesick,” Trent says. “But in all seriousness, she sounds like a nice girl. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks, man.”

“Okay, let’s go kill some zombies,” Scott says, and we jump into the next game and play late into the night. Tomorrow morning will come early, but I wouldn’t give these evenings up for anyone. Well, I would for Riley if she needed me, but I hope she continues to understand that although this hobby of mine is totally geeky, it’s important to me.

Time will tell.

My ex didn’t get it. It’s one of the many reasons that our relationship just didn’t work out.

But Riley is different from anyone I’ve been with in the past. Not only is she sweet and beautiful, but she’s not completely self-absorbed. She thinks of others first.

And that just makes me want to give to and protect her fiercely.

“Earth to Trevor,” Scott says in my ear. “Are you going to shoot these fucking zombies or are you going moon over Riley all night?”

“Fuck off,” I mumble, and focus on the game at hand. “I shoot double the zombies you do.”

“Prove it.”



“She’s nervous,” Riley whispers in my ear the next morning. We’re just about to wrap a shoot of Mia cooking with our host in the kitchen. She’s smiling, but forgets to look up at the camera.

“She’s doing great,” I reply softly.

“I know that, and you know that, but Mia is self-conscious,” Riley replies, watching her friend. “She always has been.”

“I’ll talk to her,” I reply, and pat Riley on the back. We’ve been careful to keep our relationship on the down-low at the restaurant. Not that everyone doesn’t already know that we’re seeing each other when we’re not here, but there’s no reason to act like lovesick teenagers.

I’m capable of keeping my hands to myself.

Sort of.

“Thanks,” Riley says, and smiles up at me. “I have a meeting, so I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”

“Sounds good. Oh, before I forget, would you like to go to Multnomah Falls with me on Saturday? I’ve always heard that it’s beautiful there, and thought I’d check it out.”

She bites her lip. “I would love to, but I’m supposed to go hang out with my nana on Saturday. I can reschedule—”

“Definitely not,” I reply, and kiss her cheek. “I didn’t know you were close with your nana.”