Page 14 of All In

“Just check.” Leo’s expression shifts, his amusement settling into something quieter, more focused. “What kind of things has he said?”

“It’s not important.”

“It clearly matters. You went from zero to ambush-kissing a stranger over it.”

I consider, for a second, brushing it off the way I usually do—the easy laugh, the it’s fine, it’s nothing, this is just what cons are like sometimes—and then I look at his face, at the genuine concern etched into his handsome features. I decide I’m tired of doing that particular bit today.

“He implied I should be flattered that he was willing to overlook the fact that I’m not built like the women in his “preferred physique” as long as I made up for it in other ways,” I say. “It was about as charming as it sounds.”

Something hardens, briefly, in Leo’s jaw. “Was he specific about how you could make up for it?”

“By being his dirty bitch.” The words are easier to say this time. As if by repeating them, telling more people, they lose their power. This is on Eric, not me. I didn’t do anything to encourage or deserve the way he treated me.

“He’s an idiot,” Leo says. Simple. Final. Like it’s not even worth debating.

“Thank you.”

“I mean it. Categorically. An idiot.” He glances toward the doors that lead back into the exhibition hall. “He’s gone, for now. But here’s what I think we should do.”

“We?”

“I’m invested now. Plus,” he taps his chest, “Captain America,” motions to me, “damsel.”

I smile. “It’s not necessary. I promise.”

“Unless you’ve decided I’m a creep, then allow me to be your fake boyfriend this weekend.”

“I don’t think you’re a creep at all. But truly, I can handle things on my own. I don’t want to prevent you from meeting your friends or interrupt your plans.”

“I want to do this,” he says, and there’s nothing performative in the way he says it, nothing that reads as a guy angling for something. Just simple and easy, like he’s offering to carry a bag. “I don’t know anyone else here so no official plans. And honestly,” his gaze drops to my mouth. “That was the best kiss I’ve had in a long time.”

chapter

four

Leo

She’s so pretty I’m having a hard time not staring at her. Everything about her. The costume itself is hard to ignore. That dress fits her so well. And I will not be the jerk who stares at her cleavage, but damn, it looks good.

Juniper.

Even her name is pretty.

I meant what I told her, that kiss was the best I’ve had in years. In fact, everything I’ve said to her today has been the complete truth. Not that I’m accustomed to lying to people, I’m not. At all. But I also know that truth has a tendency to get stretched at events like this when many of us are pretending to be someone else. If only for a little while.

Her hand fits in mine like that’s where it belongs.

I’m aware that’s an absurd thing to think about a woman I’ve known for twenty minutes, but I think it anyway. We walk out of the food area, Juniper’s fingers laced through mine and a half-eaten pretzel in my other hand. Evidently I’m still capable of multitasking even when my brain has mostly stopped working in complete sentences.

The exhibition hall swallows us back up immediately. Noise, color, the low roar of several thousand people having the best weekend of their year all at once. Somewhere ahead, a guy in full Iron Man armor is doing the repulsor pose for a line of kids that stretches halfway down the aisle. There’s a woman dressed as Princess Mononoke who is laughing so hard at something her friend said that she has to lean on a vendor table to stay upright.

“Okay, hang on.” Juniper stops walking, tugging me gently to a stop with her. “People keep looking at you and I want to know if it’s because you’re unfairly attractive or because the costume is actually that good.”

I cock a brow at her. “Bold of you to assume it’s not both.”

“It’s definitely not both. Not that you aren’t attractive and that the costume is good. Both are true, but stop and stare worthy? I’m not so certain. I need a control group.” She tilts her head, studying me with the same focused, assessing look she gave my shield twenty minutes ago. “Turn around. Slowly. For science.”

I turn around. Slowly. For science.