Page 50 of Haunt the Mall
I guessed I got the movie’s message. Yawning, I curled up and went back to sleep. Hopefully, I wouldn’t miss anything life-changing.
A few dreamscape seconds later, a sunrise glow rose behind my eyelids. Careful footsteps approached in the aisle.
I jerked awake and sat up.
Oh, shit. The movie was over. Only a few stragglers shuffled towards the exit–though one sneaky little bastard crept my way, badly hiding a familiar spider behind his back.
I pointed my foot at Victor. “Were you going to throw Bitsy on me?”
“Nooo.” He kneeled on the chair in front of mine and casually made the plush crawl up my leg. “I was simply going to suggest we move this slumber party to another theater so my crew could clean.”
Did he want to rendezvous in theater thirteen?
Squirrel-boy twisted a broom handle at the bottom of the stairs. Oh. Maybe they actually needed me to move more than anything.
I arched my brow. “Why did you sneak up on me?”
“I didn’t want to startle you.” Victor’s lip twitched up as he scratched my thigh with one of Bitsy’s limbs.
“Liar.” I half-heartedly kicked him away. If I wasn’t so cozy, I’d ball up this jacket and toss it at him.
He chuckled and tugged Bitsy back to prop up his chin. “Can I interest you in another movie?”
“Now, or in general?”
“Both.” His intense gaze pinned me to my seat.
“Oh…yes, probably.” My tongue swelled with the urge to tangle with his. Maybe I needed a drink. I thrust the jacket at him. “Do you want this back?”
“Not immediately,” he said.
Okay, a guy lending his date a jacket for more than an hour was serious. Maybe this had potential to be a long-term thing. I gathered my stuff, my cheeks heating under Victor’s steady gaze. At least the squirrel-guy pretended to sweep the aisles clean.
Victor sauntered down the stairs alongside me, his fingers brushing my back and sending happy little tingles to my toes.
I dumped my garbage and headed to the drink refill station on this floor. He leaned against the machine as I mixed the beverage options.
“That was a good nap,” I said. “Now, I need caffeine.”
“And a new movie. What’ll it be?”
I glanced at the marquees. “Um, I don’t have that much time left. What movie can I finish off?”
“Mummy’s House.” He grinned.
I rolled my eyes and released the beverage button. “You’re hilarious.”
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
I raised my brows. “Ah, set to silent, finally.”
He gave me a funny look, sighed at his screen, then stuffed it into his pocket. It was probably work stuff. “Anyway, for our movie, did you have any requests?” he asked.
Our movie. My heart fluttered. “Could it be anything?”
“I can try.” He frowned, combing his bangs. “We have a wide selection for special events–especially classics.”
“Hmm, I like horror. Horror-comedies are the best.” But this wasn’t all about me. “What do you like?”