Page 2 of Say It Again

“But that’s not all. There’s so much that makes you special, Daniel. Starting with your perfect skin.”

He rolled his eyes so hard he could swear colors looked different. “You can’t just compliment my skin every time you want me to do something—”

“Not only is it sheeny, but it’s like it’s aglow from within. Must be your smoldering lust for life.”

Not that he was falling for it—how silly—but he did risk a glance in the mirror, and okay, perhaps, yes. He did look a bit more bedewed than usual.

“Wow.” She glided her fingertips down his cheek. “An English meadow on a spring morning. What a waste for you to be holed up inside your house tonight, in the bored arms of your disinterested boyfriend—”

“He’s not that bad.”

“—when you could be out. Spreading your radiance. Your incandescence.”

He scrunched his face at the thought of being holed up in his house. Not that his boyfriend was disinterested. He just wasn’t, well, interested. He was more of a safety net than a boyfriend, anyway. Good old safety net Nate. A Safety Nate.

Awkwardly, they’d been sleeping together long enough that it sort of enfranchised into its own relationship. Nate, who didn’t really like to go out on dates. Nate, who didn’t really see Daniel’s potential, but in Safety Nate’s defense, it was difficult to hear another person’s hopes and dreams over the harrowing screams of one’s video game victims.

Was now the time to revel in the joys of dating Safety Nate? Not when he had a favor to try to avoid doing. “But I wouldn’t have time to go home and change.”

“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?”

“This? I can’t wear this. Look at me, Olivia.” He spread his arms and peered down at his outfit, which was a lot of slinky black atop slinkier black. “I am the personification of liquid eyeliner.”

She studied his clothing, tipping her head side to side. “Yeah, shoot.”

He widened his eyes. “Well, you’re clearly not supposed to agree with me! God, you think I look like the personification of liquid fucking eyeliner?”

“Oh, um.” She sputtered to recover, shoving a lock of hair behind her ear. “Well, not in a bad way! Hey, it’s better than what you wore yesterday? Nude-colored anything just doesn’t flatter your complexion.”

It’d be impossible for his eyes to get any wider. “So now you think I’m too pale for the pursuit of happiness?”

“What? I do not think—! Okay. You have to come tonight, so I’m willing to beg.” She threaded her fingers beneath her chin and squeezed them in a tight prayer. “Please, Daniel? Please, best friend of mine? This is me begging.”

He grumbled as he splatted onto his back like a pale, broke starfish.

“Pretty please?” Her voice had gotten obscenely high, just like her smile had gotten obscenely hopeful.

He huffed out a sigh. “Dammit.”

Chapter Two

DAMMIT. LATER that evening, Daniel followed Olivia up the walkway of an excessive home in the posh but downright arrogant Central West End of St. Louis.

“Well, hello.” A shirtless guy with dark statement eyebrows and lavender hair spilled his martini as he answered the door. He shrugged a beach towel over his shoulders and frowned. “Yikes. You guys know it’s a pool party, right? You’re a little formal.”

“We’re with After the Pumpkin,” Olivia proudly announced. “Eric hired us.”

“The what?” The guy cocked his head. “What pumpkin? What happens after it?”

Olivia’s eye twitched, but she continued, “Yeah, is Eric here?”

“He’s floating around somewhere….” The guy trailed off as his gaze snagged on Daniel’s lips. Then torso. Then crotch. “Ooh, he’s gonna love you.”

Daniel sucked his lower lip, darting his eyes to the side. “Okay?”

“Eric!” the guy squawked. “Your staff is here.”

After a loud whump from inside, a drunken cruise ship captain, or presumably Eric, circled the corner and tossed an arm around the other guy. “My whaaa—? Ahh!” His laughter jiggled his body. “I forgot I hired you guys.”

---