guy with the golden asshole that reviewers lick for a chance to play his game.”
Ethan balled his hands into fists, and stepped closer. Rich was broader in the shoulder, but Ethan had several inches on him, and was happy to use the height advantage for intimidation. “If you can’t take constr—”
“Fuck you.” Rich pushed him aside, and stepped around him. “I don’t need this.”
****
Ethan dragged himself through the front door. He’d be happy to be home, if joy didn’t take so much energy. He swore every time he turned around at work, he’d gotten into it with someone else. Several times over what Jaycie had written. When had he started working with an office full of Neanderthals? He didn’t care that they were pissed off about the reviews; it was the things they said in retaliation that infuriated him.
He clicked the deadbolt into place, and furrowed his brow at a strange noise drifting from Jaycie’s bedroom. It sounded like footsteps padding out a strange rhythm.
He kicked off his shoes, and tossed his keys onto the stand by the door. He stopped in her open doorway, and his eyes grew wide. He wasn’t sure if the sight exhausted him more, or sent a new rush of energy through him. The latter sounded more like it.
Jaycie wore wireless ear buds, and was dancing in the center of the room. Her long hair flipped with her, as she tossed her head. A tinny sound flitted from the device in her ears. Her body swung this way and that, her over-sized T-shirt flying with the movement and frequently sliding up to reveal bare legs and cut-offs. She pulled her arms over her head, and then dropped them to her sides, always twisting and moving to the beat.
Ethan leaned against the door frame, a smile playing on his lips as he watched her lithe frame swing to the music. It was wrong to stare, but he couldn’t pull his gaze away.
She twirled, and opened her eyes. Her entire body shifted to a shade of pink, and the dancing stopped. She plucked the buds from her ears, and let the connector between them drape around her neck. “Hey.” Her greeting was loud in the sudden stillness. “I didn’t know you were home.”
“I just got here. I’m glad you’re doing better.”
Her lips twitched into a smile. “I told you this morning I was fine.”
“You didn’t mean it.”
“I’ve had time to think.” She ducked her head and traced lines in the carpet with her bare toes. “I decided I’d rather be myself around you than whatever the alternative is.”
He liked the sound of that. He didn’t mind the look of it either. He raked his gaze over her, trying not to stare and failing. “So that has you dancing around the room?”
“You’d like that. Wouldn’t you?”
“It certainly wouldn’t hurt my feelings.” This was so much better than fighting over game reviews.
“It’s part of the reason.” Her grin spread. “My editor at Console Power says they want me to review God of the Stars. The distributor is only sending out fifty total review copies.”
“Wow.” He didn’t have to ask what that meant. It was one of the most anticipated games. Everyone was hyping it, even though no one had seen it yet. “Congratulations. That’s amazing. Feel free to keep celebrating. I don’t mind.” Understatement of the evening.
“Only if you’re joining me.” She crossed the floor and grabbed his hand. Her skin was soft and warm against his palm, as she pulled him into the room.
Fuck that. He kept the thoughts to himself, digging frantically for a politer way to tell her no. “Fuck that.” That would have to do.
“I’m not dancing alone.” She bent at the waist, and Ethan felt more of his exhaustion rush away and be replaced with a throb below his waist, as his gaze followed the curve of her ass.
She clicked a couple of things on her computer, and music flooded the room. She let out a small, “Eep,” and quickly turned the volume down to something that didn’t rattle the windows.
Ethan balled his hands into fists, and stepped closer. Rich was broader in the shoulder, but Ethan had several inches on him, and was happy to use the height advantage for intimidation. “If you can’t take constr—”
“Fuck you.” Rich pushed him aside, and stepped around him. “I don’t need this.”
****
Ethan dragged himself through the front door. He’d be happy to be home, if joy didn’t take so much energy. He swore every time he turned around at work, he’d gotten into it with someone else. Several times over what Jaycie had written. When had he started working with an office full of Neanderthals? He didn’t care that they were pissed off about the reviews; it was the things they said in retaliation that infuriated him.
He clicked the deadbolt into place, and furrowed his brow at a strange noise drifting from Jaycie’s bedroom. It sounded like footsteps padding out a strange rhythm.
He kicked off his shoes, and tossed his keys onto the stand by the door. He stopped in her open doorway, and his eyes grew wide. He wasn’t sure if the sight exhausted him more, or sent a new rush of energy through him. The latter sounded more like it.
Jaycie wore wireless ear buds, and was dancing in the center of the room. Her long hair flipped with her, as she tossed her head. A tinny sound flitted from the device in her ears. Her body swung this way and that, her over-sized T-shirt flying with the movement and frequently sliding up to reveal bare legs and cut-offs. She pulled her arms over her head, and then dropped them to her sides, always twisting and moving to the beat.
Ethan leaned against the door frame, a smile playing on his lips as he watched her lithe frame swing to the music. It was wrong to stare, but he couldn’t pull his gaze away.
She twirled, and opened her eyes. Her entire body shifted to a shade of pink, and the dancing stopped. She plucked the buds from her ears, and let the connector between them drape around her neck. “Hey.” Her greeting was loud in the sudden stillness. “I didn’t know you were home.”
“I just got here. I’m glad you’re doing better.”
Her lips twitched into a smile. “I told you this morning I was fine.”
“You didn’t mean it.”
“I’ve had time to think.” She ducked her head and traced lines in the carpet with her bare toes. “I decided I’d rather be myself around you than whatever the alternative is.”
He liked the sound of that. He didn’t mind the look of it either. He raked his gaze over her, trying not to stare and failing. “So that has you dancing around the room?”
“You’d like that. Wouldn’t you?”
“It certainly wouldn’t hurt my feelings.” This was so much better than fighting over game reviews.
“It’s part of the reason.” Her grin spread. “My editor at Console Power says they want me to review God of the Stars. The distributor is only sending out fifty total review copies.”
“Wow.” He didn’t have to ask what that meant. It was one of the most anticipated games. Everyone was hyping it, even though no one had seen it yet. “Congratulations. That’s amazing. Feel free to keep celebrating. I don’t mind.” Understatement of the evening.
“Only if you’re joining me.” She crossed the floor and grabbed his hand. Her skin was soft and warm against his palm, as she pulled him into the room.
Fuck that. He kept the thoughts to himself, digging frantically for a politer way to tell her no. “Fuck that.” That would have to do.
“I’m not dancing alone.” She bent at the waist, and Ethan felt more of his exhaustion rush away and be replaced with a throb below his waist, as his gaze followed the curve of her ass.
She clicked a couple of things on her computer, and music flooded the room. She let out a small, “Eep,” and quickly turned the volume down to something that didn’t rattle the windows.
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