Page 116 of Checkmate
He grinned at her. “Exactly. Do you want to gather the troops, and I’ll lock up?”
Her eyes lingered on his for a moment, a small smirk playing on her lips. “Sure, Marcus. I’ll see you in a sec.” She kissed his cheek before walking away, looking over her shoulder at him. Out of nowhere, his groin tightened as she bit her lip, his heart giving a hard thump.
Oh, God. She was going to be the death of him.
Pushing his attraction for her to the back of his mind, he focused on the task at hand — locking up their garage and securing their most precious things. He glanced over at the group, who were laughing at something Erica said, observing her from a distance and allowing himself to really see her.
As fantastic as these past six months had been, they had also been some of the hardest of his life. It wasn’t easy to want her and not have her. But it was an unspoken rule between them.
Not yet. Not now.
Until she looked at him like that.
Now, she wasn’t just Erica, his best friend, but Erica, goddess on earth, and her looks were only part of the package. Her very being was a blessing. She exuded warmth with her friendly and inviting nature. Her quick wit and jovial spirit made her a delight to be around, attracting people towards her effortlessly. She could brighten any room she walked into, drawing attention with her radiance.
Even now, as he watched her interact with the crew, she commanded their attention and they hung on her every word. She had the potential to use that to her advantage, to use people for her own gain, but she was too kind-hearted for that. Too down-to-earth.
He was crazy about her in every way that counted.
“Hey, are you coming or not?” Erica called to him, pulling him out of his head. He chuckled to himself and jogged over to the group, muttering his apologies. Erica curled her arm around his and grinned up at him. “Let’s go then.”
They must have made some scene as they walked into the tavern not long after. Some of the crew were still in their make-up, but no one seemed to mind much. They found a corner and piled into a booth.
The drinks were flowing, Erica leading the conversation.
“So that’s three non-believers, two unsure, and the rest of us in Camp Ghostie. Well, that makes it easier to decide who gets a raise!”
Their small group broke into laughter, conversations splitting off. The energy was electric. Erica sat by his side, some part of her body constantly touching his. Her fingers teased over the back of his hand, intentionally or not, as they listened to the barman recount his experiences with the real Agnes.
“You look quite like her,” he said to Erica, looking her up and down. Marcus didn’t miss the interest in his eye and moved his arm around her shoulders, staking his claim.
It surprised him how possessive he felt about her. But he couldn’t deny the jealousy he felt as he imagined her leaving with the barman.
As each hour ticked by, the group got smaller and smaller, until only Erica and Marcus remained. The barman had moved his attention to another of their actresses who was hanging on to his every word.
The night had flown by in a haze of laughter, flirtations and booze.
Marcus had got completely sloshed, and Erica didn’t fare any better. Her eyes were bright and animated, her smile a permanent fixture on her face. The mood was different now, quieter. Erica rested her head on her hand as she leaned her elbow on the table.
“Hey.”
“Hey yourself,” he said, laughing. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Ask me again? I don’t think I was listening.” Her cheeks flushed, her tone amused. God, she was fucking beautiful.
“Rude!” He poked her side playfully. “I said, ‘Is it time to call a cab yet’?”
“In a minute,” she said, nodding. “I want to ask you something first.”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
“Have things changed between us?” The rest of the bar faded away instantly, her words ringing in his head. He was vaguely aware of the barman placing yet another drink in front of them as he focused his attention on Erica. “Because I think they have.”
“Changed how?” He asked.
“We keep having these moments,” she said, sitting up and taking a drink. “And they’re always kinda… hot. And kinda… exciting.” She bit her lip. Again. Fuck, what was she doing to him?
“From that very first meeting all those months ago, there’s been a spark between us. Unspoken feelings. Unspoken longing…”
