6. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Ricki
I perfect my makeup before pulling on my shiny black body suit with the cat’s tail already pinned to rest at the small of my back. Then, I run the ribbon around my head and tie it so the ears poke up through my wavy hair. Finally, I pull on my black riding boots and turn to look at myself in the mirror. “Damn. You look hot,” I tell my reflection. I’m almost unrecognizable with the heavy eye makeup and my hair’s natural waves hanging loose instead of in my usual straitened ponytail.
I grab the whip that changes the costume from the standard black cat into Catwoman and tie it loosely around my waist like a low-riding belt before grabbing my phone and ordering an Uber since I’m planning on drinking tonight.
I’m meeting Livvy and Cory to go through the haunted house at Ten-Air before they head up the mountain to the party that I refuse to attend since I don’t want to risk running into my estranged big brother. After they leave, I’m headed across the street to the bar Livvy told me about to see if I can get into some trouble. Not real trouble. Just some underage drinking and hopefully a hot guy looking for a one-night hookup.
“Me-OW!” Livvy says when I find her and Cory in line for the haunted house.
I grin before asking the group behind them if they mind me cutting in. The jocks in their football uniforms can barely pick their jaws up off the ground enough to tell me it’s fine. I’m sure they’re just letting me cut in so they can stare at my ass while we wait to go inside, but that’s fine. Maybe one of them will be brave enough to make a move and I’ll be able to fuck a certain cop out of my system.
“Oh, there’s your nemesis, Catwoman.” Livvy giggles and I tense beside her.
I look in the direction she’s pointing and get a sudden flash of disappointment when my eyes land on a man in a Batman costume instead of Tyler in his uniform. He has about the same build, but I know it’s not Tyler since he’s surly at his cousin’s party tonight. Still, it’s close enough that my body heats up with the same spark and I decide that he’s exactly who I need to help rid my body of its desire for Deputy Sheppard.
“You’ve got that look,” Livvy whispers beside me. “You really go for the protective heroes, huh?”
I remind her that Batman is an anti-hero, not a hero as I laugh and wave at Batman.
His head jerks up in acknowledgement and he turns to say something to the group of DC heroes next to him before he stalks our way like a predator. God, I hope I’m his prey. Apparently, I am, because he doesn’t stop until he’s standing in front of me —close enough that I can smell the leather of his suit combined with a hint of pine—before he lowers his head to my ear. “You won’t escape me tonight, kitty cat. ”
I’m not sure if it’s the proximity of a man not afraid to go after what he wants or the deep timbre of the voice modulator in his mask that has me damn near trembling with anticipation, but I’m here for it either way.
Before I can respond with a remark about him being catnip to a girl like me, the jocks behind us decide that they’re not okay with another person skipping the line—probably because they assume we’re together and I’m no longer fair game. They’re not exactly wrong.
“No problem,” Batman says to the guy who spoke up. “I think you’ve gawked at her long enough anyway. She’s mine, now.” He takes my hand to pull me out of line.
“Hey,” Cory says when he catches the move, stopping our retreat. “You good, Ricki?”
“Oh, I’m perrrfect,” I purr with a grin.
Cory just shakes his head as Livvy bursts into a fit of giggles beside him while I turn my attention back to the man still holding my hand.
I didn’t realize how long the line was behind us until we make it to the back and I turn to see about a hundred yards between us and the entrance to the haunted house. My resolve to go in falters as I think about how long we’ll be standing together before we can go inside. I wasn’t looking for conversation or awkward stranger tension. I just wanted some spooky fun and then, hopefully, some sexy fun.
“You didn’t have to leave your group to come stand with me,” I say.
He laughs and it comes out sounding sinister through the voice modulator. “Yes, I did if I didn’t want you to get away.”
I let out a relived breath at his keeping with the roleplaying of our costumes instead of trying to make this some kind of date. Further proof that he’s definitely not Tyler. The realization has disappointment replacing some of my relief and I let out a huff of frustration.
“Patience, kitty cat. The line is moving fast,” the man next to me says as he places his hand on my back to move me forward with the line. “I’ll have you in the dark in no time.”
Those words coming from a stranger should scare me, but all I feel is the thrill of anticipation as we make our way toward the entrance. Once we step inside and see the strobes lights flashing on the tattered circus decorations, we both freeze.
“Fucking clowns,” he rasps the same thought I’m having.
We take turns reaching for each other’s hand each time a deranged clown jumps out at us until we finally exit the back with our breaths heavy and our hearts pounding.
“I guess it makes sense for you to be scared of clowns.” I let out a breathy chuckle before looking up into the eyes of his mask. “That Joker sure does get the best of you.”
He wraps his hands around my slim waist and turns to push me back against the building, ignoring the other people exiting the haunted house beside us as he whispers in my ear. “I bet the fear turns you on as much as I do.”
His whisper is so low that the device inside his mask doesn’t pick it up. So, it’s just his voice. A voice I recognize but refuse to acknowledge, because I’m tired of pretending I don’t want him. Although, I’ll never admit that to him. And this way, I won’t have to.
This could work out so much better than my original plan to fuck Tyler out of my system with a stranger. I can let him fuck himself out of my system while he thinks I let myself get carried away with a complete stranger. Then, he’ll back off and I can put him out of my mind for good.
“Yes,” I admit as I grab his wrists and move his hands to my ass before gripping his shoulders to lift myself up and wrap my lean legs around his waist. “So, what are you going to do about it, Batman?”
His hands tighten on my ass as I grind myself on him, working up a rhythm that could end with both of us exploding if it weren’t for the constant interruption every time someone screams from inside the building behind me.
“We need to get out of here,” he says, loud enough that his voice is distorted by his mask. “Before you get both of us into trouble.”
“I like trouble,” I say with a wicked grin as he drops me to my feet and takes my hand.
“I’m well aware,” he mumbles as he pulls me toward the gate leading to the parking lot. He stops and looks around before turning back to me. “Did you drive?”
I shake my head. “I took an Uber. I planned to have drinks at Hangar 7 after leaving the haunted house, and I didn’t want to drink and drive. Want to come buy me a drink before rocking my world, Batman?”
I fold my lips between my teeth to suppress my laugh when his distorted growl comes out sounding feral. His inner debate is so loud I can practically hear it. If he takes me up on the offer, we’ll both be breaking the law he’s sworn to uphold. If he refuses, I could go without him, and he’d miss his shot while knowing that I was breaking the law. If he admits that it’s really him behind the mask, I could storm off and never speak to him again.
I’ve left him with a dilemma that could ruin both our nights. But somehow, I know it won’t. We’ve both been dodging this explosive attraction for too long. Now it’s just a matter of how far he’s willing to go… for me.