Glitch (Next Level #1)(15)

“I bought dinner.”

“You bought me groceries.” I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry or hide under a rock. “I can pay for my own fucking food, Glitch.”

I shove the chicken in the fridge and snag the next thing and shove that in the freezer. I think it was the peas. I can’t even tell because I’m all flustered.

“Hey.” Glitch grabs both my hands and stops me. “I bought dinner for the week. And some snacks.”

I look at all the bags. “Well…” I can’t figure out how to feel. I knew what he was doing in the store, and I let it happen. I just hadn’t expected him to pay at the end. “I guess you’ll be here a lot this week since you’ve bought enough food to make six huge dinners.”

“See?” He grins. “You were right about me, Ara. I do have a method for everything.”

I shouldn’t like this. In fact, I should pay him back and tell him it was nice to run an errand, and that I’ll see him around. But I don’t want to. Honestly, this is the sweetest thing anyone’s done for me in a long time. “You’re trying to take care of me,” I accidentally say out loud.

He tenses with the box of cereal in his hand and slowly puts it in the cupboard. “I’ve overstepped.”

“No.” Maybe a little. “I’m glad you did this.” I hand him more things to shove in the cupboards. “It’s probably one of the nicest things anyone’s ever done for me.”

We stare at each other again. “The bar must be low if buying you a baguette is considered one of the nicest things someone’s ever done for you.”

The look in his eyes, paired with the tension in his shoulders, melts me a little. I need to recover some power here. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you, the way to a girl’s heart is through carbs?” I grab the baguette and run my hand down the length. “It’s a pretty decent size too, but I’ve had bigger.”

The intensity leaves his gaze, and he smiles again. “The bakery must have been cold. It’ll be more impressive once it’s warmed up.”

I playfully whack him on the arm with it. He takes it from me and tosses it to the counter, then grabs me by the waist. We close in on each other. We’re going to kiss. I hold my breath. He leans in and his mouth almost brushes mine.

Smack!

I’m instantly reeling, my mouth wide open. “You spanked me!”

“That’s for being a brat in the grocery store.”

He’s not sorry. Neither am I.

Oh my God, this guy is fun.

Glitch snags the Skittles off the counter and rips the bag open with his teeth. Pouring some candy into his hand, he holds a green one out for me to take.

If this is my reward, he better give me something bigger than that. I open my mouth, lean in, and bite down on his fingers.





Chapter 8


Glitch



She bit me!

All the blood rushes to my dick the instant her mouth wraps around the Skittle between my fingers, and when she chomps down, the pain is hard and sharp and oh so fucking delicious.

I’d expect nothing less from a dirty mouthed firecracker of a goddess like Ara.

I think I’m in love.

No. I know I’m in love. I have been for months and spending an hour perusing the grocery store, buying her a bunch of her favorite foods only maddens my heart more. I want to provide for and protect her. Worship her morning, noon, and night. The thought of anyone else doing it makes me murderous.

That I haven’t ripped that damn dress off her by now shows how well-behaved I’m trying to be.

Biting my finger just broke the leash I’d put on myself.

I pull my finger out of her mouth and laugh. “It’s not nice to bite.” Yes, it is.

“You’re lucky I didn’t do worse.” Ara snags the bag of Skittles from my hand. “That’ll teach you to hold back on me.” She dumps a bunch into her mouth at once.

“So it’s like that, huh?”

Ara shrugs as she grinds down on her sugar. “You can’t just feed me one of these at a time. That’s torture.”

That’s not torture. What she’s wearing is fucking torture.

Her light gray dress hugs her curves and flaunts all her assets as well as showcases her neediness. I had to bite back my urges the entire time we were at the grocery store when I saw she had a fucking wet spot in the back. I secretly relished the view and coveted it, which was why I walked behind her whenever someone else came within range of seeing it at the store.

I’m not sure if Ara’s always this turned on, but I’ll lie to myself and say it’s because of me.

“You’re trying to take care of me.” Did she need someone to take care of her? I volunteer. Did she want someone to make sure all her needs were met? I. Vol. Un. Teer.

You learn a lot playing video games with people. And I’m a great listener. Ara’s been part of our group for a while and she’s always spouting off at the mouth. Sometimes things sneak through her filter. I love catching it when it happens. It’s like getting a peek behind a curtain. But now I don’t want a glimpse, I want the entire view.

There’s a bizarre chemistry between us that’s somewhere between shiny/new and old/familiar. It’s like we’ve known each other for a lifetime and yet, I really don’t know as much as I’d like about her.