Page 17 of A Game Cursed and Deadly

When he sees me, his eyes widen. It’s a reaction he reels in quickly, but not enough for it to go unnoticed. It makes my cheeks flare again. He covers the distance between us in long strides and catches my hand in his, bringing it to his lips.

Keep it the fuck together, I tell myself. At this rate, I’ll need another pair of panties before the night is over. Like he’s read my mind, the smile he gives me is wicked, and makes my insides clench harder.

“You look stunning,” he says. Then, he pulls a box of chocolates from behind his back.

My eyebrows shoot up. “For me?”

His smile is apologetic this time. “Actually, these are for Sara,” he says as he hands the box to her, before leaning closer to speak in my ear. “But I think you’ll be satisfied with my plans for you, too.”

Sara opens the lid of the chocolate box and swoons. “Assorted truffles. A boy after my own heart.”

I don’t know if a single thing about Teizel qualifies him as a boy, but he doesn’t correct her. “You ready to go?”

I nod and link my arm with his.

“Have fun!” Sara calls out as we walk away. “Be safe though! But have fun!”

I shoot her one last glance and wave with my free hand. As we get outside, Teizel pulls me closer, looping his arm around my waist as we start walking down 2nd.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my ear. “I find being away from you quite difficult.”

That makes two of us, at least. Misery loves company. “I forgot about you until you showed up, actually.”

He quirks a brow. “Really now? Is that why your panties are already wet?”

I choke on a breath. “How do you know that?”

He looks like the cat who got the cream. “I didn’t, but now that you’ve confirmed it, I’m eager to check for myself.”

How did we even get on such dangerous territory? I try the only strategy I have to change the subject. “You never told me what we’re doing tonight.”

“Where would be the surprise in that?”

I grimace like I bit into a sour lemon, and that makes him laugh.

“Not much of a surprise person, I take it?”

“I hate them.”

The kind of predatory smile that stretches on his lips should scare me, but for some reason I can’t find it in me to be frightened. He walks us down 2nd until we hit H Street, then takes a right turn.

“Do I get any hints as to our destination, at least?”

He purses his lips as if thinking about it. “Dark.”

I quirk a brow. “As in not well lit, or as in morbid?”

He tightens the arm around my waist to pull me closer and I stumble on my own feet a little, having to press a hand to his chest to keep my balance. Teizel grabs that hand and brings it to his face, presses the inside of my wrist to his nose and inhales, then lays a kiss on my palm. Tingles shoot from my hand down my arm, causing goosebumps despite the comfortable temperature.

“Maybe both,” he says.

I try to keep my tone light as I say,“a basement where you’re going to tie me up and torture me?”

He snorts. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Heat spreads from my cheeks to the tip of my ears. I raise my free hand to my face and yes, sure enough, I’m on fire.

Teizel doesn’t miss it, either. “You would like it.”