AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I give them a wide berth as they wiggle out of their clothes till they’re down to boxers. A bunch of hooting and hollering arises from the porch, the crowd more interested in bare chests than repelled by glitter debris.
Who can blame them? Both are gorgeous specimens of athletic form, although Rick is thick and stocky while Darren is long and lean.
“What’s the difference between a cyborg and a robot?” Darren asks me, drawing my attention to where it belongs. Which is to say, not on the expanse of dark, velvety, smooth skin made radiant by a few shiny flecks. I look him in the eyes.
“A cyborg is a mix of biomechatronic and organic elements. In other words, they’re partly human with enhanced metal and electronic components. Robots are complex machines, but with no organic parts. They’re pre-programmed or controlled, not autonomous.”
I see Darren’s eyes crinkle and his abdominal ridges roll. Is he making fun of my nerdiness? Of course he is.
Embarrassed, I turn around and walk toward the house, in the opposite direction of a group of women giggling and cooing at the striking men on display.
“Hey, Ana, wait up!” He catches up with me easily.
Considering we’re outside and he’s nearly naked, I didn’t expect the heat emanating from him to reach my cheeks. I sneak a quick glance at his bulky upper arms and tapered waist. Muscled thighs distract me. I stumble on an uneven patch of grass.
Darren reaches over to steady my stance, the V at the apex of his sculpted pectorals at eye level. Feeling breathless, I stay perfectly still. So does he.
“You’re too beautiful to have this close while I’m not wearing anything.” His voice is lowered and roughened.
My eyes shoot up to find him looking at my lips. “You’re wearing something,” I croak.
Awareness of his confident presence and musky aroma hits me. I might have spent time with boys in the past—even dated a guy as a minor act of rebellion since my mother didn’t “choose” him— but Darren is not a boy. He’s a man. Like Bryce.
Oh, hey, where did that come from? This has nothing to do with Bryce. I clear my throat in an attempt to clear my head.
“I’m going upstairs to put on some clothes. As much as I’d like to invite you to my room, I won’t because…” He pauses.
“Because?”
“I want to get to know you better first.”
The fluttering in my stomach intensifies. “Or maybe it’s because your room is full of glitter,” I say to lessen the tension building between us.
“Oh shit, you’re right,” he says with a good-natured chortle. “Anyway, when I come down properly dressed, will you have a beer with me?”
“I don’t drink beer.”
Instead of being discouraged, his eyes brighten. “How about a dance?”
“There’s no dance floor.”
“I guess there’s nothing to be done but remove glitter together.”
“You’re on your own there, Darren,” I state past a grin so wide my cheeks hurt.
His handsome features sharpen, like he’s calculating his next move. Darren looks downright mischievous. He shakes his hair, the motion sprinkling shine on my forearm. I jump back to avoid getting glitter on the rest of me.
“Hey!” I exclaim, surprised. I fail to look annoyed because his laughter is contagious.
“I guess I’m no longer on my own, Ana. Wait for me before you look for masking tape, OK?”
At that, he rushes up to his room two steps at a time.
The Halloween gathering at Rick and Darren’s house is one I’ve attended the last couple of years. It’s two blocks away from my place, so there’s no need to drive. And since I’m usually too busy to go out frequently, it needs to count when I do. By count, I mean distract me from worries and thoroughly clear my mind.
When I’m in this mood, the only solution is to take a break from the lab and reset my brain. In other words, I plan to get mildly intoxicated and properly laid tonight. I’m fucking horny.
“Bryce, you made it!” Sarah squeals as I approach the porch, almost as if she’s been waiting for me. I’ve known her for years, since we were both tutors for the athletic department. Like me, she’s on track for a master’s degree.
