Free Dedicated Ink by Ranae Rose Page B

we’re not going to need the whole half hour.”
    Whenever he lost another life without progressing past Level 1, she prepared to prove her claim.
    “Well, at least I cleared another level.” Her ten year old self would’ve been horrified to see her die again at Level 3, but she was still firmly ahead of Sam.
    “They should let two people play at once, as a team – you know, have two joysticks and everything. We’d get a lot farther that way.”
    “Betting wouldn’t be as much fun.”
    He raised a brow. “Since you like betting so much, want to up the stakes?”
    “Like how?”
    He wrapped an arm around her, letting his hand settle in the vicinity of her jeans pocket, and squeezed. “Let’s just say that the loser will owe the winner a favor.” His voice deepened on the last word, infusing it with unmistakable meaning.
    Her entire body heated as he drew her closer. “You’re on.”
    “Perfect,” he said as he began his last turn, “you fell right into my trap.”
    “Trap?”
    “I’m a champion Ms. Pac-Man player – a god, practically. I only pretended to suck so you’d agree to my terms. And now, I’m about to have quite the evening, thanks to you.”
    “We’ll see,” she said as he narrowly avoided colliding with the orange ghost, only to back into the red one, earning himself a game over. “I hope your busted lip isn’t too sore – that would interfere with the favor I have in mind, and I’d hate to have to take a rain check.”
     
* * * * *
 
    “Wow. I didn’t expect you to dress up.”
    Abby blinked, her eyes glittering gold beneath long, thin stripes of kohl that extended far past the edges of her eyes. “This is my default costume. I keep it in the back of a drawer and break it out every year.” She ran a hand over her sleek black sweater. “Best part is, the only thing I needed to make it into a maternity costume was a new top. My black yoga pants still fit.”
    He stepped back, holding the door open for her and taking a look at her yoga-panted rear end. A generous helping of Spandex had the pants clinging to her ass, showcasing every curve. A plush black tail hung right down the middle, obstructing his view and nearly brushing the ground. “What’s in those bags?”
    “Candy.” She sat three shopping bags down on the counter and began to empty them. “Do you have a bowl?” Her expression was serious, her eyes questioning above the whiskers she’d painted across her cheeks. The cat ears she wore on a headband – complete with earrings – contrasted with her pale hair.
    Sam stifled a grin and adjusted his jeans as inconspicuously as he could, trying to hide the growing hard-on her skin-tight costume had inspired. “It’s on top of the fridge. There’s already candy in it, actually.”
    He retrieved the bowl and set it on the counter, where Abby peered into its depths, shook her head and hurried to empty more treats into it. “With the candy I brought, I think we’re more likely to make it through the night. Do you get many trick-or-treaters here?”
    He shrugged. “This is the first year since I moved in that I haven’t been working on trick-or-treat day.” It was actually early November, not Halloween, but that was when the city had scheduled official trick-or-treating hours.
    “I hope we have enough.” She carried the bowl to the counter nearest the front door and flipped on the porch light before turning her attention to him.
    “We still on for that movie?” His gaze was drawn automatically to her curves; she wore all black, but the dark color did little to downplay the swells of her breasts and hips.
    “Of course.”
    They settled onto the couch together but were only five minutes into the movie when the first knock came at the door.
    Sam paused it and followed Abby to the kitchen, where she scooped up the candy bowl.
    “Trick or treat!” A group of kids had queued up outside the front door. Judging by their exclamations, the candy Abby had brought was