Page 23 of Eye Candy

Interestingly, he flushed a deep red.

Sonya noticed too. “What’s wrong, Chase? Are there too many people here? Greta said you wouldn’t come if she invited more than fifteen, plus the actors make thirty. I thought that number was fine?”

“It is. It’s nothing to worry about, Sonya.” He looked at me. “Teddy, I’m glad you’re not holding a grudge after I resoundingly beat you at chess.”

Sonya’s eyebrows flew up.

“Who cares about chess,” I said, tossing my hair. “Where’s Terrarium?”

His eyes locked on my pink hair, and it was a second before he replied. “Sorry?” he said, sounding especially Canadian.

“You know. The other woman you invited tonight? I hear she’s planning a second date where you’ll be putting dirt in a bowl. Lucky boy. Does she know you invited me here tonight too? She might not like that you’ve double-booked your dates.”

“You and I are not—” He turned to Sonya. “We’re not—I would never date two people at once—” Looking back at me, he said, “I just asked if you were coming. This is not a date. I’m here with Anna.”

I leaned back in my chair to emphasize my curves and swerves. “Oh, Chase. If you have toaskyour date if she’s coming, you’re not paying close enough attention.”

I thought he’d blush again. But his lips twitched, as if he didn’twant to find me amusing but he couldn’t help it. Fighting a smile made his cheeks bunch underneath the wire-rimmed glasses, pushing the frames up over his sandy brows.

A sudden, consuming thought intruded:if I were to ride his face, he’d have to take those glasses off.

“Your hair is different,” he said suddenly. “It’s pink. Like candy floss. I like it.”

I frowned.

“Sorry, cotton candy. Mom calls it candy floss, it’s one of her Canadian-isms.”

That explained why he didn’t sound or act very Canadian, other than the odd word or phrase. I was still a little fuzzy on the details of his life, but I understood his parents had married in Canada and he’d spent his early childhood there.

More importantly though, acompliment. I loved compliments, and squeezing one out of this rigid square was deeply thrilling.

“You like my hair?” I preened as he nodded.

Sonya made a disgusted noise, but I was thrilled.

“Well, I like your glasses,” I replied. “And your sweater.”

He leaned on the back of my chair, seemingly unaware that it brought those sexy forearms of his within licking range.

“This?” he said, plucking at the material. “I always wear this.”

“Yes, but paired with that hat it looks like you’re trying to summon everyone in a ninety-mile radius with a hot-professor kink.”

“Is that your thing?”

I winked. “It’s one of them.”

It was. But I’d slept with a professor once and it was awful. Stiff and rigid in a bad way. It had nearly killed the fantasy completely, hence I’d been on the eyeliner-man loop for a while now. But here Chase was, breathing new life into an old kink. Literally.

Sonya pushed to her feet. “OK. I can see where this is going. I’m going to go and find this Anna person and tell her to cut her losses.”

Chase’s date!I kept forgetting about his date. Before either of us could break the tension that had driven Sonya away, a pretty actor in a russet wig interrupted us.

“Orright there luvs!” she said. “Begging your pardon for the impertinence, me just a ’umble flower girl an’ all, but if ye could find ye seats, dinner will begin.” The actor rose on tiptoe to point at the long table set up in the middle of the room.

I was about to go where she indicated when suddenly her hips pitched forward and she stumbled into me.

“Woah!” I steadied her. “Whoa! Are you OK?”

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