Conflict of Interest - By Allyson Lindt Page 0,54

could be on board for that. But masquerade? I don’t even dress up for Halloween.”

“Of course you don’t.” There was no accusation in his voice. “This is easy though. You just have to come as your favorite game character.”

“Uh…” That was going to be a problem. “So first of all, I don’t really game, you know that, so I don’t have a favorite anything. And second, most female game characters don’t wear a lot of clothing.”

He didn’t look deterred. “If you know that much, you can figure out the rest. And it’s true. About half the women there will be wearing the equivalent of a swim suit, and the other half will find an alternative or pick male characters. Then again, the same could be said about the men. Expect to see your share of hairy chests in chainmail bikinis.”

She twisted her mouth, hoping to hide her amusement behind disgust. “I don’t even want to picture that.”

“You don’t have to.” He winked. “Say you’ll be there, and you can live it for yourself. I promise it’s not a date or anything.” He added quickly. “I just…”

She studied him when he didn’t finish the thought. This type of uncertainty was so rare for him. “Yes?”

He didn’t look at her. “Come see that I’m not the asshole screwup you think I am and enjoy a fantastic night for a good cause at the same time.”

The doubt and self-effacing ate at her. “I don’t think you’re an asshole screwup.”

He looked at her, one eyebrow raised, mouth twisted in disbelief. “Yeah, okay.”

Those two words gnawed at something inside. She pushed her lunch away, suddenly not hungry. It completely devoured her that the rift between them seemed irreparable.

Chapter 16

Scott laughed along with an executive from one company, a head developer, and an enthusiastic fan. He tried to focus on the conversation, but his attention kept drifting to the door. He should have known Kenzie wouldn’t come. They weren’t exactly on the best terms, and her insistence they were still friends had been weak.

Still, he’d hoped she might buy in for such a great cause. Or for work.

He adjusted his battle dress uniform and fingered the fake scar on his face. At least his Solid Snake costume was drawing positive attention. And people were already asking him if he had another in-the-box, never-played video game system from a decade or more ago to auction off. Last year it had been an N64; this year he’d managed to dig up an Atari 2600.

A murmur ran through the room, catching Scott’s attention. He snagged snippets of “no way” and “hot”, drawing his attention to the door.

The woman near the entrance was tall. In the four-inch stilettos she was probably a hint taller than him. The back latex covering her skin and matching face paint obstructed who she was. But the way the black miniskirt hugged her waist, the wide gold belt, the gold bikini top, the blonde hair falling around her shoulders and down her back … Scott knew exactly who it was.

Unless she’d sent her twin in her place, but he doubted that.

“Drow’s not a video game character,” a man nearby complained.

“Invitation said game character,” a woman corrected him. “Besides, she’s hot. I’m not complaining.”

Scott bit back a smile, eyes meeting Kenzie’s across the room. Her expression remained flat, and she made a straight line to him, not pausing for anyone.

Scott still couldn’t take his eyes off her. Wow. She’d showed. And please let her leave alone if it wasn’t with him. She stopped next to them, nodding at his colleagues. “Males.” Her voice rang heavy with disdain. “Fellow warrior.” She nodded at the head programmer, a woman from a competing company.

And she was in character too. Scott resisted the urge to play along and drop to one knee, asking how he could please his queen.

She looked at him again, expression cold. “You will speak with me now.”

A round of snickers erupted around him. He didn’t care. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Lucky bastard,” someone else muttered as they walked away.

He followed her toward an emptier corner of the room, gaze traveling up her bare back—well, latex-covered—struggling not to close the distance between them. Half the eyes in the room were on them, and she’d definitely smack him for real. They ducked out through a side door, but the cool night air on his face didn’t push away the heat in his veins.

His voice was heavy, but he managed to keep the teasing hint present. “So, am I supposed to kiss