Page 28 of Cupid Loves Curves

CHAPTER 4

LUKE

Beer?” I ask, relief flooding me when she smiles and nods.

At the bar, I order a couple of beers and a roll of quarters. Even after getting past the bumpy start at the cooking class, I still feel like I’m on the wrong foot. I need something to help steady my nerves. Thankfully, Flashback Games is exactly my kind of place, so at least I feel more comfortable than I did in a kitchen.

I’m a goddamned fool for going through with this “date,” but I can’t back out now, even if I wanted to, which I don’t. Seeing Jessica again is…a balm to my soul. Ending things with her was stupid, and her brother, Jake, nearly killed me. It doesn’t even bother me that it’s Valentine’s Day, which just escalates expectations.

“Not so bad spending an evening with me, is it?” Jessica asks as we walk toward the wall of vintage pinball machines.

I hang back a step, watching the curve of her ass and trying to suppress the hard-on that’s been building since I saw her outsideCiao, Bella! Nothing about spending time with her is bad. Nothing. She’s fucking beautiful in the red dress she’s wearing. It has buttons down the front and I’m already fantasizing about slowly unbuttoning her dress and making her twist with anticipation as I take my time – or try to – getting her hot and ready.

“I’ve had worse,” I mumble, immediately cursing myself for not saying something better.

She looks at me with her clear blue eyes, but I can’t read them. Everything went well – mostly – during the cooking class, but the vibe has changed. I’m like a knock-kneed kid trying to get up the nerve to look at a pretty girl. It’s like all good sense and knowledge of how to handle myself flew out the goddamn window.

“Thanks?” she replies, laughing as she stops in front of Alien Space. “How about this one?”

I look at the machine and nod. “Good choice. I played a lot of this when I was a kid. Do you know how to play?” I set my beer into one of the holders on a table next to the machine and reach into my pocket to grab the roll of quarters.

“Is that a roll of quarters in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?” Jessica teases.

Fuuuck. She has no idea how sexy she is, especially when she looks down at my jeans. I want to show her how much I miss her, but she also needs to know I miss more than simply having her in my bed.

I have to cough and look away. While my jeans aren’t tight, if the boner that’s been teasing me all night goes whole hog, it’ll be obvious to Jessica and everyone how fucking turned on I am justfrom spending time with her again. She’s sexier than ever and I want to lose myself in her womanly curves.

“A little, I guess. I’ve played for fun a couple of times, but I certainly don’t play well.”

“After you,” I say, stepping aside.

Jessica walks past me, her thick hips swaying in a rhythm that fills me with a desire I’ve tried to tell myself I didn’t need in my life. The memory of Jake warning me off his sister fills my head, but I push it away. I’m here, and I’m going to enjoy this night with Jessica.

She chuckles, tossing her silky black hair over one shoulder. “You are so going down, Luke.”

“Promises, promises,” I retort as I slide a couple of quarters into the machine and move to give her space to play the game. I’d love nothing more than to get my head under that pretty dress and lose myself in the sweetness between her thick thighs.

“Watch and learn,” she teases, leaning over the machine and enthusiastically trying to keep the silver ball in play. But as enthusiastic as she is, she doesn’t get very far.

“You take my turn and I’ll show you how it’s done. Stay there,” I instruct, stepping behind her. My hands find her hips, thumbs rubbing the fabric of her dress as I lean down slightly. “Okay, so you wanna use these flippers here to keep the ball in play.” I cover her hands with mine and guide her to tap lightly on the buttons at the sides of the machine, aware of how close my lips are to the shell of her ear.

“Like this?” Jessica asks, breathlessly.

Having her body against mine sends bolts of lust straight to my groin. My dick’s going to be pointing the way home, that’s for damn sure.

“Yeah, like that.” My voice is heavier than I intended, but I can’t help how she turned on she makes me. I swallow hard, trying to focus on the game, on anything but the joy of her sweet curves molded against my body.

I admire her enthusiasm as she plays and instinctively bounces her hips against the machine. “You’ve got great instincts, but if you keep up that hip action, you’ll tilt the game.”

“Noted. Tone down the hip action,” she teases, tipping her head to look up at me with a smile that sends my heart racing.

Fuck me sideways. “Be careful,” I warn. I want to see her win, not lose, because of her enthusiasm. God, I’ve missed her sunshine-y nature. She doesn’t know, but her sunny disposition saved me from the edge when I was going through the darkest days of readjusting to civilian life.

“Is that fear I hear in your voice, Luke Foster?” Her playful tone is laced with something that suggests she’s as turned on as I am.

“The only fear I have is not being able to let go once I get started,” I confess, the statement more truth than jest. I put my hands back on her hips, my fingers caressing the soft fabric of her dress. “Keep your eyes on the silver ball, Jessica,” I say, my voice a low rumble in her ear as she leans into me. I’m acutely aware we’re playing a different game now, and if she keeps on like this, I won’t be able to stop until she’s moaning my name all night long.

“Like this?” Her voice is playful, but it has a breathiness I remember all too well.

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