Her Mane Men (Paranormal Dating Agency Kindle World)(17)

“We always come prepared.” Curtis opened the bag I’d assumed held condiments and retrieved a stack of rental movies ranging from fantasy to horror to dramas to comedy. He had them all. “What’s your poison?”

“How can anyone turn down cannibal witches?” The cover screamed college kid film project; the title screamed spoof. It was perfect.

“See? Nailed it.” Parker patted himself on the back, and I had to chuckle.

“Which one did you pick?” I asked Curtis, needing to know what he thought my choice would be. For some dumb reason, it mattered. He held up one of my all-time favorite movies, one I’d intentionally skipped because I was afraid it was too girly for their tastes.

“Ah, classic tale of romance filled with humor. Another excellent choice. Maybe it will have to be a two-movie night.”

Or we could watch one and then I could watch them making out again. My nether regions were so on board with that plan.

“You were up early today and have work early tomorrow., We’d best make it a one-movie night.” Curtis the ever practical.

“But, see, I was one step ahead and already put in for a sick day,” I countered before taking a bite of my pizza. It was funny how our first dinner date had a private dining room and a wine I couldn’t pronounce and our second had us standing around my counter eating tepid pizza and drinking cheap lite beer. Funny, yet somehow wonderful. Real, even.

“Are you unwell?” It figured. Curtis didn’t get the not-wasting-sick-days-on-being-sick philosophy. I had so much to teach him.

“Sick of work. That counts, right?”

“Absolutely,” Parker agreed, his mouth full of pizza.

“Shall we?” Curtis gestured to the couch.

“We shall,” I agreed, snagging my beer as Parker grabbed the movie.





Chapter Nine


“We should’ve skipped the witches,” Curtis announced as he got up to grab a glass of water during the closing credits.

“Why do you say that?” The movie was surprisingly well done and even had a plot. I was impressed.

“You kept covering your face.” He sat back down beside me, as I was snuggled into Parker’s side.

“They kept eating faces. It’s a perfectly normal response.” That was the one thing I didn’t get. If you’re going to eat someone, why the face? Pick something good and fleshy like a thigh. That’s where the good meat would be, not the faces.

“I have to agree with her on that one.” Parker got up as the credits finished, much to my chagrin.

“I thought the special effects were amazing.”

“Amazingly gruesome.” Curtis added, accurately at that.

“At least I have the princess romance to pull me from the depths of skeevedom.” I left my cozy spot on the couch long enough to grab the DVD and hand it to Parker before heading back into the kitchen and looking in my pantry cupboard. “Sorry, I don’t really have snacks to offer. Microwave popcorn?” I held out the box, which was probably older than it should be. Oh well, it wasn’t like the stuff went bad.

“Sounds perfect,” they both agreed, and I took out a large bowl as the corn popped.

“Here you go.” I handed the bowl to Curtis before tapping him lightly on the shoulder. “Skootch over.”

“What, do I smell?”

“Hardly, I just like this part of the couch.” Sitting snuggled between the two men had been wonderful, but I felt most comfortable in my seat, and after that movie, I needed that. Those darn witches were going to give me nightmares if this movie didn’t do a good job of scrubbing it from my mind.

“And you are just telling us now.” Parker, easygoing Parker, did not sound pleased. Oops.

“She’s telling us.” Curtis’s voice was firm.

“He’s right,” I agreed. “It took me three months of Roxanne living here for me to tell her it was my spot.” For good reason. She still teased me over it from time to time. Not that I feared the guys ever would tease me. They didn’t seem the type to do that kind of jab. Neither of them.

“So, we should feel honored.” Parker beamed.

“Something like that.” Or exactly like that. “Besides, from here I can put my legs on both of your laps.” A win I just noticed. This was going to be the best movie viewing ever.

“The woman is a genius.” Curtis handed Parker the popcorn before pulling my legs up and onto their laps and retrieving the buttery snack.

“That she is.”

With a click of the remote, the movie began, the familiar story and warmth of their bodies against my legs and side, lulling me into a place more comfortable than I could imagine for a date, especially one so early on and such an unconventional one at that. There was just something about them. Something amazing.

“Maddie?” My head snapped up, the story on the screen further advanced than the last time I remembered. Stinks. I was asleep.

“Yeah?” Even my voice sounded sleepy. Coffee. Coffee instead of beer next date, it was.

“You’re falling asleep. We should go.” Curtis’s words made logical sense, but I didn’t want logical. I wanted them.

“But I like having you here.”

“We can come back.”

I shook my head at Parker’s suggestion.