Page 35 of Fumbled Into Love

He’s enjoying himself.

A massive palm lands on my thigh, tapping rapidly.

“Oh my God. They’re going to kiss.” His touch is erratic as his excitement grows. “He’s leaning in,” Deon begins to announce the show as if it’s a football game and I lose it, keeling over. “They’re kissing! Nathalie, they’re making out!”

I have no idea who is sitting beside me on the couch, but it is not the Deon Adams I thought I knew.

Deon snatches his bracket with a triumphant grin. He flips it around.

“My guy is going to win,” he declares with far more cockiness than he should. There are ten episodes left. It’s anybody's game. “Mark my words. Ian is going to win.”

I shake my head, and Deon moves closer, only inches away.

“Wanna bet on it?” Deon’s smile is mischievous. I forgot how much he loves betting on stupid things.

“What did you have in mind?”

“If my contestant makes it farther than yours, you have to cook dinner for us while you stay here.”

“Alright…” I cook for myself nearly every night. Doubling the recipe doesn’t seem too difficult.

“And if I win?”

“You can have the signedFellowship of the Ringposter.”

I stop breathing. It's not a fair bet, far from it. But I am not going to tell him that.

My hand hovers between us.

“Shake on it?”

Instead of taking my hand, Deon wraps his pinky around mine. His eyes never leave mine, the mesmerizing green peering into the depths of my soul as he says, “Pinky promise.”

I spend the rest of the show banishing the small fluttering in my chest from the way he looked at me.

CHAPTER 9

“You know those brown eyes in the sun make me weak”

Butterflies – ASTN

Deon

Nathalie: The Halloween party is next weekend.

Do you have a costume idea?

Do we have to go?

Most of the team will be there, and Maren is hosting.

So, yes.

Do we have to dress up?

Is that a serious question?

Yes.

---