wait for me before you act. You absolutely can’t be impulsive about this, Quinn.”
She rose, putting her hand on his arm, instantly reacting to the strong muscles of his forearm beneath his down jacket. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. But kudos. You were amazing out there.”
Ingrid bobbed her head and patted Khristos on the back. “Not a lie, dude. You were like Tyrell Owens. That zigzag move you made to catch an invisible arrow none of us could see but you—ah-maze-balls.”
Nina snorted. “Too bad you didn’t use that shite at the last football game, eh, buddy?”
Khristos’s NFL moves reminded Quinn of something pretty important. “You know what’s been troubling me?”
“Your impulsive asshattery?” Nina crowed.
Yet, that was a fair assessment of her behavior and she wouldn’t deny it. “Not just that. How did you see an arrow? I didn’t see an arrow. What happens if I can’t ever see the arrow? And how did Cupid know where to shoot the arrow? It’s not like I gave him a signal. I don’t even know who he is. So how could he have known?”
The man who’d been sitting on a large rock across from them, his face buried deep inside his jacket, a paper bag with what she suspected was booze sticking out of his pocket, rose and approached them, his round body propelling him forward.
Maybe he was one of the bad guys Nina had assured her existed?
She hopped behind Khristos, but he pried her fingers off his arm and squeezed them, shooting that warm zing along her hand. “It’s okay, Quinn. He’s a friend.”
“Sorry, Boss,” the man said. “I got all caught up in her excitement and I lost my damn shit.”
Khristos chuckled and slapped the round man on the back. “No worries. It’s all handled now. So, introductions are in order. Cupid, meet Quinn, your new boss.”
He held out a doughy hand in her direction. “Nice to meet you. Usually, I’m a better team player. Next time I’ll chill before I spill. Promise to do a better job of having your back.”
This was Cupid? This gruff, unshaven man with a distinct New York accent was Cupid?
His eyes, sparkling blue and amused, set in a pleasingly round face, twinkled as he grabbed her hand and pumped it with a wide grin. “You’re wondering where my diaper is, right? Fuck if I can get rid of those damn pictures. Google Images has not been my friend. Hallmark cards either. I don’t know whose stupid-ass idea it was to cover my junk up with a diaper, but there you have it. Branded for life. Anyway, I hear we’ll be working together from now on. Nice to meet you in the flesh.”
Quinn’s mouth hung open, but she quickly snapped it shut when Nina slapped her on the back. “Say hello to the nice guy who shoots the arrow of luurve, Lite-Brite. It’s polite to fekkin’ make nice with your coworkers.”
She squared her shoulders and nodded. “I’m sorry. I was just surprised by—”
“Me without a diaper,” he finished for her on a chuckle.
Yep. Right on the money. “Ye…yes. But it’s nice to meet you, and my apologies for my premature match. It just felt so right.”
He held up his hands and grinned. “I get it. Love’s a powerful thing. Just ask your friend Nina here. She fought hard enough to make a WWE wrestler proud, but my arrow always wins out in the end. It’s like Khristos said, your aim was just off, but you’ll get better.”
Nina grinned and gave his thick neck a squeeze. “Good to see ya, C.”
Khristos gave Cupid a hard handshake. “Thanks for that save, buddy. If you hadn’t yelled at me to go left, we’d have been screwed. Couldn’t do this without you. Now you ,” he said, turning to Quinn, “come with me.” He held out his hand to her.
She took it hesitantly, letting the warmth of it seep into her skin.
He led her to almost the exact spot where the photographer had posed Rolando and La-Tee-Shay and pointed to another couple just beyond the tree where she’d all but knocked them over.
He pulled
Peter Robinson
Nenia Campbell
K. S. Haigwood
Tarah Scott
Susan Smith-Josephy
Lisa Jackson
Bathroom Readers’ Institute
Skye Knizley
Walter Tevis
Robin Mahle