Chapter Six
“Come see ‘Girlfriend Merchant’ with me tonight,” Danneel poked at Jared, who was trying to read a magazine.
Jared gave Danneel the side-eye. “Remind me why I let you in my apartment again.”
“Because you big idiot. Your roommate is scamming on my roommate. And no one wants to hear or see that.”
“Amen to that.” Jared turned back to his magazine.
Danneel snatched it out of his hands. “So say you’ll go with me tonight. I usually sing with them, but I need to rest my voice. Misha would kill me if I came in without a voice.”
Jared grabbed it back with a scowl. “Why are you even going if you aren’t going to sing?”
“Are you full of stupid?” Danneel grabbed it back and flung it across the room. “Because that’s a huge lot of stupid if so.”
“Quit being mean to me.”
“Oh, you like it.”
“No, actually, I don’t.”
“Anyway,” Danneel went to poke her head in the fridge. “You’re my date tonight. You weren’t going to be doing anything tonight but sitting here playing your Xbox or some shit. Come out with me - get to know our new co-worker.”
“Better idea.” Jared stood up and wiped his hands on his jeans. “How about you stay in with me and play a few games?”
“Hell no, those games are boring as hell.” She pushed aside a water bottle and grabbed a can of Coke.
Jared waved the clamshell at his houseguest. “Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland is hardly boring.”
“It’s a skating game. How interesting can it be?”
“Well, I can tell that you have never played.”
“And I never will.” Danneel fell back on the couch in the place she had been sitting before, throwing her feet up on the coffee table.
“Famous last words. Come on. Just give it ten minutes.” He was already switching over the wires for the television.
Danneel sighed. “Fine. Ten minutes. But then we go to the show. I need to get my ‘Girlfriend Merchant’ on.”
Jared offered his hand. “Shake.”
She accepted it with a giant smile, knowing she had won this one and would be getting ready to go to the show in twelve minutes.
**--**--**
“EAT ASPHALT!”
“Wow, okay then, Dan…”
“You can’t keep up with all of this.” Danneel used her free hand to run it down her body. “So you need to give it up.”
“You are incredibly competitive.” Jared frowned, pausing the game. “I think that’s about enough for now.”
Danneel slowly turned to look at him. “If you don’t un-pause that right now, I will snap your neck.”
“Wasn’t this boring just nine minutes ago?”
“Shut up. Push the button. And let me finish my game.”
“So we aren’t going to the show tonight?”
“Jared, the only thing we are doing tonight is watching me beat your ass at this game.”
“Oh…kay…” Jared reached for the controller, only to have to snatch his hand back to keep it from being bitten. “Danneel!”
The woman glared at him. “I am not even sorry. Now are you going to play or forfeit the game?”
Jared blinked, looking at the hand she had almost taken a bite of. “I don’t know. You’re scaring me.”
“Well, I am going to more than scare you if you don’t let me play this game.”
Jared didn’t take his eyes off her even as he pushed the button to un-pause the game. He was afraid to move to quickly for fear of startling her and causing her to attack.
“That’s more like it.” Danneel dove back into playing. “Now play for God’s sake so I can kick your ass.”
Jared was hesitant even as he began to skate again, but picked it up when Danneel took a free hand and punched him in the thigh. “Don’t hold back, you big wuss!”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jared jumped off of a ramp. “But you realize I am not going to hold back any more, right?”
“If you do, then I will be forced to break your fingers.”
“You are too competitive.”
“Shut mouth. Play Game.”
Jared couldn’t control the smile that he had on his face.
**--**--**
Four hours later, Danneel had thoroughly had her ass kicked by Jared but was oddly satisfied.
“I demand a rematch, tall, dark, and skater boy.” She set the controller on the table before leaning back on the couch.
Jared barked out a laugh. “I won fair and square.”
“You cheated by knowing how to play already.”
“What?!?”
“But that doesn’t matter. Because we are going to have a rematch.” Danneel stood up and got her jacket.
“A rematch, huh?”
“Oh hell yes. You think I am going to play once and call it a done deal? Best two out of three.”
Jared nodded, impressed. “All right then.”
“Don’t do that. You don’t believe me. But after training tonight, you and I are going toe-to-toe.”
“Is that right?”
“Not only is it right, but this is your only win.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Oh yeah.” She opened the door. “So be ready.”
Jared was still laughing when the door closed.
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