Contradictions (Woodfalls Girls 3)

“That’s the costume you like?” Trent asked in a strangled voice.

I turned my attention away from the costume

in my hand to eye him, wondering what the big deal was. “Yeah. Why?” His eyes were practically bugging out.

“You know that’s from a major ‘geek movie,’ as you like to put it, right? Maybe you’d like one of the costumes over there,” he said, pointing to a nurse costume.

“I know which movie this comes from,” I said, clutching it to my chest. “What’s your deal? You wanted me to pick a costume, and now you’re going to get all judgmental? What, you don’t like Star Wars or something?”

“Are you kidding? It’s the biggest cinematic movie of its generation. It revolutionized how movies were being made.”

“Okay, so what’s your deal with Princess Leia? Let me guess, you hated that a woman got to kick some ass? That’s a pretty sexist attitude,” I said, stalking off to one of the mirrors so I could try on the wig.

“I don’t have a problem with Princess Leia,” he said as he came up behind me, looking embarrassed.

It took a minute for the pieces to click into place. “Ah, I see. You have a thing for Princess Leia. You don’t think I’ll make a good one?” I didn’t know if I should be pissed or hurt.

“That’s not it,” he said, looking uncomfortable.

“Then what is it?” I pressed, stepping closer to him. He took a step back, hitting the rack behind him. A couple wigs fell at his feet, but he didn’t notice.

“Well?” I asked, stepping even closer. This was the first time I had invaded his space and it felt oddly invigorating.

He mumbled under his breath, looking at a loss for words.

“I didn’t catch that,” I said, running my finger up his arm. There was a special place in hell for me for messing with him, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

He turned the tables on me when he placed his hands on my hips, stopping me from stepping closer. His hands resting intimately on the curves of my hips evoked a feeling of want that was so strong I wanted to crush myself against him. I wanted to feel those hands guiding me with a whole lot less clothing on.

“My only objection with that costume is being able to keep my hands off you. I’m trying to take things slow so I don’t scare you off. If you wear this costume, you’ll be fulfilling every fantasy I’ve ever had.”

“Oh,” I said, getting a taste of what he’d just felt. I stood contemplating what he’d admitted. He’d all but told me he fantasized about me. This should have jerked me to my senses, caused me to ease off, but it did neither of those things. If anything, his words made the desire I’d been holding back rise to a near boiling point that throbbed through me as completely as the bass had in my car earlier that day.

His eyes were on mine. I watched as they darkened and I could practically see my own reflected in them. Did he sense I was entertaining thoughts of jumping his bones? Did he know I was imagining what those hands would feel like elsewhere?

A voice squawked across a loudspeaker telling us that the store would be closing in fifteen minutes.

“So you have a thing for Princess Leia,” I finally said, stepping back so I could control my hormones.

“I hate to break it to you, but half the male population had a thing for Princess Leia,” he replied.

“Really?” I asked, adjusting the wig. “Why?”

“That costume, right there,” he said, pointing to my selection. “The gold bikini from Return of the Jedi. She looked, you know, sexy.”

“Oh, well, now I have to get it,” I declared, heading for the registers. I was pretty sure I heard Trent mumble something about how I’d been warned. I smiled.

There was a small line at the register and I nearly groaned when I spotted Chuck standing two customers ahead of us. I was tempted to dump the Princess Leia costume and leave before he could spot me. He had tried to call me a couple times after his asinine behavior at the frat party. I only answered once and that was to tell him to stop calling me.

Trent pulled two suckers out of his pocket. “Tootsie Pop?”

Dragging my eyes from the back of Chuck’s head, I snorted, eyeing the candy Trent was offering me. It reminded me that Chuck had never offered me anything when we were together.

“Thanks,” I said, accepting the sucker as the line moved forward. Chuck placed a hockey mask on the counter and pulled out his wallet. I tried to maneuver my body so that Trent was blocking me from view as Chuck finished his purchase and turned to leave. I knew before he even said my name he had spotted me.

“Tressa? What are you doing here? Girl, are you done breaking my balls and ready to go out with me again?” He stepped to me, not giving Trent a thought.

I rolled my eyes, unsure what I had seen in the asshole. He was nothing but a party buddy, which was an aspect of my life I was glad to leave behind. “You’re joking, right?” I asked as the line moved forward.