“Yo,” I say, showing off my gansta roots. High cheekbones covered with blond-brown stubble, piercing blue eyes that remind me of Loki’s and a sinful mouth with kissable lips. The eyes are a little eerie, the kind of eyes that look through you instead of seeing you. I’m supremely hot and bothered and uncomfortable at the same time.
Hunter SexGod smirks at me, arms crossed around his chest. “Yo, yourself.”
I can’t help but ogle the muscles that pull his hoodie taught along his biceps and chest. I practically salivate over his wide shoulders, his flat abs and lean hips.
“What’s up?” I’m Rocky ghost-jabbing my fists in my head.
The hot bastard can cock an eyebrow like Katie. Maybe they should date? Owww, why does that hurt so much? My hand tightens around the doorknob, and I hope Katie doesn’t get a look at this guy. I just want him to myself for a few seconds so I can pretend.
“Didn’t we just do the whole hello thing?”
I shake my head, trying to focus. “Yeah. But I meant, ‘what’s up?’ as in, what do you need? Understand the slight difference?” Now I’m talking to him as if he doesn’t speak my language. Not many people do.
He nods stiffly, just a shallow dip of his chin. I have a feeling that he doesn’t move unless he needs to; I file it away for later. “I need to ask you for a favour.”
Oh, not good. I want to do whatever he wants. That’s not good. His words make me want to volunteer for something dumb, or curtsy. Or jump on top of his big body and maul him.
“Uh... Look, I don’t-”
“Do you have the Disney version of Peter Pan?”
My eyebrows punch low on my face in a scowl so severe, Voldemort would run. “Seriously?” I squeeze the doorknob tighter, letting the coolness seep into my palm. Reality. This is reality.
“Would I be here otherwise?” Ouch. In my dreams, you so, so would.
“I’ve got a problem with this,” I say. Here comes logic, to save the day. Keeping me sane. Keeping me smart. “You want a kid’s movie? For yourself? Look, bro, I don’t really care what you do with your free time, but if it’s to one of my movies then we got some serious problems.”
Hunter rears back his head. He looks like he’s swallowed down rotten food only because someone’s pointed a gun at his head. “What the fuck? It’s for my nephew.” The way he squints at me like I’m crazy makes me think I’m in the wrong.
But good-looking doesn’t mean good. “Prove it,” I say, notching up my chin.
“Prove it?” Two words shouldn’t sound so dangerous.
“Yeah!” I don’t know why I’m showing this guy my meagre backbone. I should be doing this to my parents, not some stranger who asked to borrow a movie. But I’m too far gone now, and back-pedalling our whole conversation would be embarrassing. “Bring the kid over. Make sure he’s real and not made out of plastic and air.”
Hunter grimaces, rubs a hand over his mouth in agitation like I caught him in a lie. Tough shit and fifty points to Gryffindor! “Are we done here?” I ask, swinging the door to close. “Definitely done.”
I may have made an enemy of my next-door neighbour, and I’m probably going to have to move, or sleep with my own machete under my pillow, but I just showed off a little bit of a backbone I didn’t know I had, and it was worth it.
“What just happened?” Katie asks, now two feet behind me. I jump and punch her in the arm for scaring me.
When she whines that I really did hurt her, I snap, “Like you don’t know what happens when I get scared. Shit. The guy next door, wants one of my Disney’s. Said it’s for his neeeephewww. Liar. I knew there’d be something wrong with him, even though he’s a sex god.”
“Sex god? You’ve been holding out on me, Delos! Let me see!” Katie scrambles for the door, using Charlie Conway’s triple-deke on me to get to the doorknob.
Just in time for another knock and for her to open the door.
This. This is how real life is. Gorgeous guy meets gorgeous girl in the most oddest of places and times. It’s been written over and over in books and screenplays. The truth had to come from somewhere. Hunter’s gonna look at Katie and he’s going to want her. She’s going to want him back. And I’m not okay with that. But I’ll have to be.
“Where’s Sera?”Hunter’s deep voice rings out in my apartment. I stand still, rooted to the spot, mouth hanging open. Did that just happen? I want to punch myself. Wake UP. Reminding myself that I have Wonder Woman boy shorts on, and therefore need to channel her badassness, I stomp to the door, moving out from behind Katie.