one in the hole” on a first date.
I blow out a deep breath and stare into Zolroth’s eyes. I study them the same way I studied Jason’s eyelashes. And I see the faintest hint of red behind the brown, which gives his eyes this crazy, almost caramel tinge to them. They’re gorgeous. “Okay, I’m your girl.” I’m surprised by how husky my voice has gotten.
I’m even more surprised by how tightly Zolroth grabs onto my calf. He squeezes for a second, saying, “That’s right. And don’t you forget it, love.” Then he starts gently untying my shoe. He slides it off but holds my foot in his hand, his thumb stroking my arch—hard enough not to tickle, and it feels amazing—while he grabs my other shoe.
“So…tell me about yourself,” I ask, because it’s a typical first date question, but I’m also honestly curious.
“What do you want to know?” Zolroth asks in response.
Oh, he has no idea what a can of worms he’s opening. I’m in academic decathlon. That basically means I want to know everything about everything.
“Why do you always wear suits?”
“Because they look good. Because I’m a materialism demon,” he responds as his hands reach up to flick the gorgeous emeralds that dangle from my ears, “and part of my job is to show people that beautiful things aren’t just wasteful, like some would have you believe. They make you feel beautiful, and that makes your soul incandescent. You’re always beautiful, but right now, you’re glowing, Kat.”
His eyes look like they’re drinking me in, and my breathing quickens. No one’s ever said something like that to me.
Zolroth’s expression changes from intense to naughty as he says, “I mean, look at you with that car earlier… I should have recorded that for my spank bank.”
I giggle, which only makes my breasts, right at his eye level, bounce. I forgive him for his momentary distraction. In fact, his little intake of breath sends a wisp of heat up my spine.
He might be faking some things with me. But not all.
When his eyes travel back up my body, there’s a smirk caught in his gaze, an extra sparkle. It’s amazing, and I’m trapped staring. I feel like a wolf caught up in the moon’s beauty, and I just want to howl.
“Brace yourself.” He brings my hands to his shoulders, which are so thick and hard underneath that suit jacket.
I hold on as he slides the bowling shoe onto my foot, tying it quickly and efficiently.
To my surprise, he smacks my ass. “Done. Next foot.”
I gasp, then laugh softly and roll my eyes, realizing that was just another part of the “show” we’re giving. Sliding my foot down, I plant the second on his chest. I don’t remove my hands.
“Is it working?” I lean down and whisper in Zolroth’s ear. Is it wrong that I’m starting to like the idea of being on display? Of distracting William from his date? Of his eyes glued to my ass? The thought makes me feel powerful in a way I’ve never felt before.
“Oh yeah, they can’t stop staring.”
They? William and Janie are staring? That weirds me out, and I whip around only to see all the other demons have gathered behind us, standing between William’s lane and mine. Kastros holds a pitcher of beer in one hand, cups limply in the other, but he’s frozen, like he’s forgotten about them. All of their eyes are tinged with red around the edges, and Raz’s forehead even has the faintest shadows where horns might protrude.
What the fuck?
“You’re blocking William’s view!” For a second, I feel like running over to the crappy kitchen and grabbing a spatula and then running back and whacking each of them on the ass. But that image quickly gets out of control, and my violent spanking vision morphs into something else. Something else that shall not be mentioned because it’s a random flash of thought during a highly emotional state, and I can’t be held responsible for my libido.
Right.
Yeah.
“Get away!” I growl at them.
They turn with a huff, and while most of them stomp over to their own bowling lane, Akor wanders off toward the arcade, probably to go shoot things and pour soda on the machines—
I don’t know.
I turn back to Zolroth. “Can you believe them?”
He doesn’t answer for a second. He’s too busy staring at his hand, which has a tiny drop of blood on the tip of one finger.
I sit down next to him and reach for it. “Shoot! Are you