Page 23 of Bite Me

Eric sucked his lower lip between his teeth, then released it. “I’m not so sure. I think at the very least he’s one of those with a rich internal landscape.”

“Eh,” I shrugged. “You’re the maestro of observation. You want to go grab a drink? And I swear to fuck if you touch that remote again, I’ll?—”

“Cum?” Eric filled in, an unrepentant smirk twisting his lips. “How about this: I’ll give you a five-minute reprieve. After that, no promises, because remember… I haven’t gotten to see my handiwork in action yet.”

I groaned, which was pretty much an agreement.

10

ERIC

Istuck close to Nate as we made our way to the kegs and mixed drinks table, one hand spanning the small of his back. True north. My home base. He was flushed already, red at the tips of his ears and the slope of his throat—maybe from the crowd or maybe from the way I slid my pinky just beneath the waistband of his pants and whispered in his ear, threatening to turn him on and leave him begging until I decided he’d earned it.

I kept catching him stealing glances at my costume, too, which meant the leather pants were doing their job.

“Beer or something stronger?” Nate asked, reaching for a Solo cup. His ass brushed against me like a reminder, and I sensed a restless tension running through him like a current, telegraphing need.

“Whatever you’re having.” I eyed a group of stumbling zombies nearby, ready to pivot us both to safety if necessary.

Nate handed me my drink, grinning as he popped a mini umbrella in it, and I slipped my free hand into my pocket, finding the small remote I’d been carrying around like an erotic talisman all evening. At the flick of a button, his next inhale went sharp, Adam’s apple jumping as the vibration kicked in. Hisfingers tightened on his cup, pupils dilating. He was so fucking obvious, but I pretended not to notice, even when he shuddered. Fuck, he was gorgeous. My dick started chubbing just from watching him try to play it cool.

“You absolute bastard,” he hissed under his breath, shooting me a look that was a mix of murderous and desperate. His hips shifted subtly, trying to find a position that would either ease or intensify the sensation. I wasn’t sure which.

“Problem?” I asked innocently, then took a sip of my drink while watching the flush creep down his chest. The vibration was on the lowest setting, just enough to remind Nate what he was wearing under those period-appropriate breeches. The surrounding crowd remained oblivious to his predicament, but I caught every micro-expression, every tiny tremor that ran through him as the plug did its work.

Just when he opened his mouth to respond, Amanda materialized beside us as if she’d been summoned by the mere presence of two guys in vampire costumes straight out of a homoerotic period drama. She effectively hemmed us in while the vibrations continued their torment. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Her Poison Ivy costume was a riot of green leaves and glitter, and perfectly suited her. She gave us both an appreciative once-over. “Holy shit,” she said, one hand on an ivy-covered hip. “I hope you two are aware you look like the world’s sluttiest snack.”

“We were going more for ‘full meal’ than ‘snack,’ but whatever works.” I flashed her my fangs.

Amanda tipped her head, studying us as if she were contemplating a buffet. “Seriously, look at you two. It’s like you sprang fully formed from my most depraved fantasies.”

“You volunteering for something, Mand?” Nate grinned, sharp and teasing.

She rolled her eyes, but I caught the quickened pulse at her throat. “You better believe it, Sanders. If you two ever want to add a third to your vampire situation...” She waved a manicured hand between us. “You know where to find me.”

The suggestion hung in the air, and I wondered briefly if Nate ever missed being with women. We’d rarely discussed it. But when I glanced at him, ready to gauge his reaction, he was already shaking his head with an amused snort. I clicked off the vibrator, allowing him a brief reprieve.

“Noted,” he said simply, then shifted closer to me, his meaning clear.

I released an internal sigh of relief.

Amanda sighed dramatically. “God, why are all the hot ones either taken or fucking each other?”

“You don’t seem to have any trouble finding options.” I arched a brow. Amanda was better at pulling ass than anyone else I’d ever met. It was some combination of the fiery hair and free-spiritedness, I suspected. “And I can’t imagine you’d have trouble pulling a plus-two tonight if you wanted to.” I gestured around the room, and she grinned.

“I might. I spotted a crazy-tall guy in a Michael Myers costume earlier. He might be down. Maybe I could find a Jason to go along with him. Talk about perfect duos.” She tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Think I could convince them to leave their masks on?”

“Ab-so-fucking-lutely,” Nate and I said at the same time.

“Hmmm,” she considered, tapping her chin, then shrugged. “I think I’ll go work on that. See what happens.”

“Report back tomorrow. You know I live for the details.” Which I would then promptly spill to Nate.

“I will. And if you change your minds about that threesome, I’ll bring the handcuffs.” She wasn’t serious—or maybe she was—but she knew we wouldn’t take her up on it. She and I hadmutually friend-zoned each other from the start, quickly figuring out we were too alike for anything but friendship.

Amanda disappeared into the crowd, hips swinging as she went on the prowl for her own Halloween disaster.