Page 78 of Playing Flirty

She nodded and pushed my hair over my shoulder. “Okay. But know I’ll kill him if he hurts you.”

And with that, she left me and my burning tongue stewing in the mess I’d created.

Round 26

Helping everyone all the time was not conducive to getting anything done, and now it seemed I wouldn’t be able to get home and back to work before the party.

Shaun walked past me on his way out. “I’m going to get ready and pick up Neema. What’s your plan? You look knee-deep in so much mess, I don’t care to mention it all.”

I laughed and stepped away from two people I’d been helping with last-minute costume ideas. “Can you ask Neema to bring my costume along with her? I’ll get ready here.”

Walking back to my desk, I opened my task list and dove back into work, knowing I had about another hour before Neema showed up.

I was off by five minutes. Shaun and Neema arrived sixty-five minutes later. Already dressed in her Supergirl lingerie, Neema was guaranteed a prize of some kind. Shaun was in his Superman costume, which looked a lot like the Superman Underoos.

Absolutely adorable.

Neema pulled out the black turtleneck, and I eyed the three fresh slits across the chest. I lifted a brow at her.

She shrugged. “I improvised.”

“Of course you did.”

“Wait until you see the boots.”

I dug inside the bag and found the boots in question. Instead of the lower-heeled, sensible boots we’d agreed on, Neema had packed a pair of sky-high boots. I wasn’t mad about it.

Slipping into a bathroom cubicle, I changed out of my office clothes and into my costume. Sucking in my stomach as much as possible, I kicked each leg into the tight-fitting leather pants.

It only took four jumps and three squats to get the pants over my hips, but now that I had them on, they weren’t going anywhere. I tucked the turtleneck into the waistband of the pants and shifted the slits, hiding as much of my cleavage as possible. I stepped into the badass boots and zipped them all the way to the tops of my knees. Taking one last look in the mirror, and assuring myself I was properly put together, I exited the cubicle.

Neema let out a whistle followed by a howl. She was a wolf, and I was the full moon.

“Stop it.” I blushed.

“What’s going on in there?” Shaun called from outside.

“I’m creating a masterpiece,” Neema replied.

That silenced him.

Finally ready, I opened the bathroom door, and the music from the roof flooded through to the office. William, or someone I assumed was William, stood next to Shaun in the best Batman (The Dark Knight, of course) replica costume I had ever seen.

“Rose, whew!” Shaun teased.

Neema laughed and stepped into his arms.

Shaun lifted his keys and wallet toward me. “Can you keep these? Neither of our costumes have pockets.”

I sighed. No wonder people thought we were a throuple. We certainly functioned better that way. I opened my small leather backpack, and he dropped them inside.

I looked at William, relieved his costume gave me access to his eyes and mouth. My cheeks heated as memories of our kitchen encounter made my knees weak.

“William,” I said, grateful my mask hid some of my blushing face.

“I’m Batman.”

I giggled.

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