Page 37 of Fake Game

“Do you need a ride to Crime Night or something?” It is Tuesday.

She heaves herself up, cheeks flushed. “Nope, we canceled tonight.”

“Really?”

“Lee has a subathon and Syd’s still in Europe with Parker, so Stevie wants to take the extra time to work on her new art piece.” She shrugs, crossing her legs.

She looks so damn relaxed on my bed.

“All right.”

I need to get out of here.

I spent the last two days grinding out hours of gameplay for prerecorded content and slotting in streams, so I haven’t seen her much. Deer’s been keeping to herself as well, popping in and out of Parker’s streaming room, where she set up her stuff in his absence.

There’s a small chance he comes back and gets pissed at how things have been moved around, but Parker’s a softie, so I doubt it. Even I can’t get mad at the way her makeup is scattered around my bathroom or how her clothes litter my floor. She’s getting comfortable here, and it makes me feel better after practically dragging her out of her apartment.

But that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable being around her. I don’t like the way she holds my attention like a moth to a flame. She sets me off, puts me on edge.

“What are you doing tonight?”

Her question makes me pause at the threshold of the door I am attempting to escape through.

Is she…bored?

“Probably playingScythe Survivalor something.”

“Oh, I haven’t played that yet.” She looks at me with wide, expectant eyes.

“Did you want to join me?”

She waves her hands frantically. “Oh, no. No, I don’t want to bother you.”

It sounds exactly like she wants to bother me.

“What else are you planning to do?”

She presses her lips together, drawing my focus to her soft pink mouth. “Mmm, I dunno.” She tilts her head. “I was thinking of watching a horror movie. You have quite the collection.”

I follow her gaze to the stack of vintage and collector edition horror movies I have displayed in the corner of my room. She slips off the bed and pads her way to the display case, gently opening the glass door. The pink spandex shorts she is wearing barely cover her ass as she leans forward and runs her fingers across the DVDs.

My mind flashes, an image of her bent over, arms tied behind her back.

She plucks a case from the stack and turns around with a bright smile. “I’ve been dying to watch this. It’s not on any of my streaming services, and it costs like thirty bucks to buy.”

Well. Shit.

“That’s one of my favorites.”

“Really? Well, didyouwant to joinme?” There’s a glint in her eyes as her smile widens.

My lips move before my brain has a chance to catch up.

“Sure.”

Guess I’m changing my plans.

“Awesome. Let’s get all the goods in order then.” She breezes past me, and I’m forced to trail behind her like some giant puppy.

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