Masked Kiss

by Christine Rains

  Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A.

  My penis fell from her mouth as she cried out. Her body went rigid and sagged as she shuddered with her orgasm.

  I held her in place, working her all the way through it until she pleaded with me to stop. She turned her body around and collapsed on me with her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her. Neither of us said anything. The sound of our heavy breathing and thumping hearts was all the victory music we needed.

  K.O.

  Chapter Five

  Geek boy problem #73: You give the key to your heart to a gamer girl, and she sells it for gold to fund her quest.

  “I’m sorry about this morning…or, yeah, yesterday morning. I guess it’s already morning again.” Nat skimmed her fingers over my side. Up and down, so soothing.

  She didn’t look at me as she apologized, which was probably a good thing. The silent “Yes!” in my grin probably wouldn’t have gone over too well.

  We’d slept awhile after our lusty sixty-nine, and when the sun peeked over the horizon, it woke us early enough that she wouldn’t be late. I’d make sure of it. Saturday was the busiest day at the con, so she couldn’t dare miss it.

  “It’s okay.” I kissed the top of her head.

  “No. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. It wasn’t your fault. It’s just that,” she let out a little growl and continued, “life fucking sucks. I need the money.”

  Nat rolled to lie on her belly and propped her head up on one hand to look at me. “You know, I don’t even know what you do, where you live, all that shit.”

  “Well,” I said and wiggled a little farther up onto the pillows. Damn, she was beautiful all tousled and thoughtful. “I live in Champaign, Illinois, and share an apartment with my buddy. I do web programming with a bit of game programming on the side. Nothing too thrilling at all. You?”

  She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I just graduated with my degree in fine arts. No job prospects. I live in my parents’ basement in Michigan. Yup, that’s me. The gamer living in her folks’ basement.”

  I don’t know what I would’ve imagined her doing, but I couldn’t imagine Nat living in a basement. And yet, at the same time, it made her more real to me. I’d put her on such a high pedestal in my mind, but this made her easier for me to reach.

  “Ah, but you’re a sexy stereotype.” I caressed her arm. Yes, so wonderfully soft and real.

  Nat rolled her eyes but smiled. “And as much as I loathe it, I use that sexiness to make money. Being a booth babe sucks, but I can coherently talk about the game, which is much more than any other dumb-ass chick working the booth can do. Plus it pays really well. Something to get me to cons where I can get into the tournaments to do what I really want.”

  “Which is being a kick-ass pro gamer.” I finished for her.

  “Fucking right.” She nodded and poked me. “You should try to do that too. You’re an awesome player.”

  The biggest compliment any woman could give me. But all I cared about was what this one thought. And she thought I was awesome! It was giving me a hard-on. “Nah, I’d rather program games, but that industry is nearly impossible to break into. That’s why I take contract work, go to cons like this and meet game designers and hope I can get an in.”

  “Don’t I know it.” She sniffed and shook her head. “At least you can do other stuff. I have an arts degree. A lot of good that’s going to do me. And I can’t get some joe job at a Starbucks or whatever. I’d fucking die. Playing games is what I’m good at. It’s all I want to do.” She plopped her head forward onto a pillow. “My life sucks.”

  “But you won last night’s tournament.” I nudged her. “You’ve got your foot in the door. Now you just have to keep winning.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Nat lifted her head and smiled, caressing my cheek. “You’re so sweet. How the hell did I end up getting lucky with such a sweet, hot guy like you?”

  I raised my brows. “Seriously? A gorgeous woman in a silver bikini approached me and talked about gaming. I was hard in two seconds flat.”

  Nat laughed that marvelous nerdy laugh. I wondered if she realized I was stiff and aching for her again. Leaning in, I kissed her long and slow. “I’m the lucky one. You’re every guy’s dream. And I can’t get enough of you.”

  “Yup, so sweet.” She kissed me once more and rolled over to grab her Nintendo DS from the bedside table. “But I’m just going to play for a while now.”

  She was joking, right? I knew how powerful the call of gaming was, but to choose it over sex? Whoa. She was kidding me. She had to be.

  The DS came on with a beep.

  No way! I nabbed her by the hips and pulled her to me. “You’re seriously going to play?”

  Nat batted her eyelashes at me and hit start on her Pokemon game.

  I laughed and rubbed my erection against her hot little rear. “Uh-uh. No way.”

  “My, my, you’re incorrigible.” She snickered and threw me a hot, devilish look over her shoulder. “How about this? You can play with me as I play my game. Do me Arcanine-style.”

  Another round of laughter echoed in the room. My god, she was sexy and hilarious. And I really wanted to do it while she played now. Or at least while she tried to play. I was going to make damn sure that she had trouble concentrating on the game.

  “Ask and ye shall receive. You shall receive it long and hard.” Okay, maybe I wasn’t as funny as her, but she chuckled and tucked her legs under her to prop up her behind. I tapped her bottom and leaned over to nab a condom. “I choose you…uh, ribbed-for-her-pleasure dude.”

  I tore open the wrapper and rolled the rubber on. Nat was doing her best to pretend not to pay attention to me as she wandered around a forest to level her pokemon up. I peered over her shoulder. They were already at a far higher level than they needed to be at that point in the game. Thinking she was a level-grinder like me aroused me all the more.

  Starting off by massaging her back, I worked my hands down to her hips and ass. No rush, no rush. My erection certainly wasn’t going anywhere. And I wanted her wet with anticipation.

  Nat was slender, but where her waist met her hips, there were definite curves. I traced them and followed them around her heart-shaped butt. So squeezable. Padded just enough that bones weren’t bonking against bones while we fucked.

  I sent my thumbs sailing down between her cheeks to spread her for me. The folds of her pussy parted. Wet, oh yes. So creamy just for me.

  Probing her with the tip of my penis, I smeared her juices back and forth. I bit my lower lip before I slowly sank into her. She fit me way better and felt more right than a Nintendo glove. And I was finding her more addictive than any game I’d ever played.

  I pumped with slow, long strokes, pushing all the way into her and drawing myself out until only my cock head was in. I continued to knead her rear and hips as I dug my knees in.

  Nat’s breathing grew heavier, but she kept clicking buttons on her DS.

  Taking a firmer hold of her hips, I plowed into her, hard. No more leisurely humping. My groin slapped against her rear again and again. Her moan pushed me up a notch further.

  Her head tipped back as her eyes fluttered closed.

  Releasing her hips, I placed my hands on the bed on either side of her, trapping her under my body. This way I could fuck even faster and nip at her shoulder.

  Nat twisted her head and our mouths came together with hungry kisses. The DS bounced against her breasts, forgotten even as the battle music rang.

  Our tongues twined even as our heads bumped. Not for a second did I slow, though.

  Faster and harder. Fuck. Yes, so good.

  Her orgasmic cry drowned out the music. I ate it up. It gave power to my own eruption.

  My climax blinded me as I exploded within her. I nearly fell over on top of her as I shook with the force of it. I hoped the condom was made of adamantium, because it would have to be that strong to contain my super-ejaculate.

&
nbsp; I panted with my head on her shoulder as I came down from my blissful high.

  “I feel like I just captured one of the legendary pokemon.” Nat laughed breathlessly, remaining in her curled position.

  She had totally captured me. I didn’t want any other girl. If I could put her into a pokeball and take her home, I would.

  Was I considering having a girl I’d met two days ago move in with me? Yeah, I was. It was better than her parents’ basement. Better than a state away from me. But really, that was ridiculous. Way too soon. And we weren’t even official or anything. Yet we could be.

  “We should get up and shower, then go get some breakfast. I want some food in me today before I have to deal with standing in heels for hours.” Nat wormed her way out from under me, kissing me as she went.

  I sat up and took one of her hands. “Hey, you want to grab a bite with my friends? I’ll introduce you—”

  Nat squeezed my hand and let go. “Nah, let’s just grab something quick ourselves. I don’t want to be put into an awkward situation where everyone will be asking us questions and me having to explain that my life can’t be complicated by relationships at the moment. Then they’ll think I’m some con slut or something, but don’t worry.” She smiled at me. “I don’t go trolling cons for sweet geek boys. You’re the first guy I ever had a fling with.”

  I barely heard the last bit. My head had started pounding when she’d said she didn’t want a relationship right then.

  She disappeared into the bathroom. The water started, and I lowered my head into my hands.

  Did I really think this would be more? Yes. It had to be. I didn’t do these sorts of things either. There was something between us.

  But all I heard echoing in my head was that ominous Mortal Kombat voice: “Fatality.”

  Chapter Six

  Geek boy problem #1: All you want is a girl to grow old and game with, but cat ears and a tail are a deal-breaker.

  Emily and Russell did get married. It was the strangest and most awesome ceremony ever. There were so many pirates present, good fortune was definitely on their side.

  My fortune, however, had crumbled. Andrew did his best to cheer me up and distract me, but all I could think about was Nat. The mischievous glint in her big, dark eyes. The yummy fullness of her lips. And her donkey laugh.

  “Maybe I should take a cue from Russell and ask her to marry me.” I sighed. The hoagie in my hand remained uneaten.

  Andrew swallowed the last bite of his sandwich. “Nah. You’d just scare her.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Besides, Russ and Emily have known each other a long time. They didn’t just meet here.”

  I cocked my head and looked at him. “Really? How do you know?”

  “He told me.” Andrew shrugged. “When I was playing last night with Patrick and Sydney, they told me they’ve seen Russ and Emily competing in the same cosplay contests before. But Morgan and Dean just met this weekend, and they’re hot and heavy already. I think Dean and Emily are going to flip sides in the game. I’m trying to think how Cashan will react to that.”

  “Damn.” I’d missed so much of what was going on with our group that weekend. That was the reason we’d come to the con. Instead I’d got distracted by a girl. A hot girl, but still. I felt like such an ass.

  But that didn’t stop my thoughts from going back to Nat. What was I going to do?

  “You’re coming out with us tonight to celebrate, right? It’s the last night of the con.” Andrew crumpled his wrapper and napkin and tossed them at the trashcan three feet away. He missed.

  “I guess.” I stared at my dinner, not feeling hungry at all. Not for food, anyway.

  “Dude.” Andrew patted me on the shoulder. “If you want the girl, go get her. Even if it’s just one more night with her here at the con. God knows I’d like to have your problem.”

  I peered at him from the corner of my eye. He wasn’t going to try to convince me to just let go and forget about Nat? And he wasn’t begging me to go out to the celebration with him. That was totally weird. But at the same time, I was glad not to have that friend-guilt piled on me. Even if I did feel its weight a little.

  “I don’t know if I can. She made it clear she doesn’t want a relationship. I’m not the type who has sex and just carries on.” I was the fool who got emotionally attached. Great big loser. That was me.

  “But she does?” Andrew raised a brow.

  “Well, no, not really. She said I was the first guy she ever did something like this with.”

  “So you don’t do that. She doesn’t do that. Maybe she feels like you do,” he suggested.

  I shook my head. “No. She made it really clear she doesn’t want anything.”

  “All right, but does she know that you do?”

  I pressed my lips together. Of course I hadn’t said any such thing to her. It would’ve frightened the poor woman. No one liked an overly emotional guy. I had to retain some sense of manhood.

  “See?” Andrew smiled and leaned back on the bench, watching people walk by. “You should. You don’t have anything to lose. You say nothing, she’s gone tomorrow. You say something and she’s not interested, she’s gone tomorrow.”

  Who was this dude? Had some wise old spirit possessed my best friend?

  “Thanks, man.” I took a bite of my hoagie.

  “Hey, all those romcoms I’ve been watching have to be put to some good use.” Andrew laughed, and I smiled with him.

  Except unlike in the movies, the female lead was nowhere to be found. The dealers’ hall was closed, and Nat wasn’t in her room. I peeked in restaurant windows and checked out all the video game sessions happening for the con. Nothing.

  Had she left to go home already? I knew she didn’t have to work on Sunday. An anvil settled in the bottom of my belly.

  Three hours later, I knocked on the door to her room again. No answer.

  Nat had never given me her cell number. I Googled her, but her number wasn’t online. I did find a blog where she regularly reviewed video games, but there was no personal information on it. The reviews were well-written. Funny and accurate.

  I had to find her.

  Another tour of the convention center and a few hotels, and I came across the Saturday night dance. It was an anime theme this year, and very few people sported a normal hair color.

  Walking the perimeter of the dance floor, I tried to decide what I should do next. Camping out in front of Nat’s room was not an option. That would cross the creep line. Maybe I should just write a note and leave it under her door. But that was too easy to ignore.

  I needed to meet with her face to face. Not that I knew exactly what I was going to say when I did find her. Most likely just blurt it all out and hope she didn’t scream and run away.

  That was when a super-tall blonde caught my attention. Not just any blonde, either, but that other Cinterrealm booth babe. What the hell was her name? Darlene. No. Darla? No. Dara. There we go.

  Dara was dressed as a schoolgirl complete with cat ears and tail. Several other kitties bopped to the music around her like some weird catgirl harem. It was like the beginning to some surreal horror flick. One that likely included tentacles.

  If anyone else might know where Nat was, there was a chance Dara did. It couldn’t hurt to ask.

  I wound my way through the crowd. Not dancing. I couldn’t hold a beat if my life depended on it.

  Six feet away, I saw her. Nat wore a tight black T-shirt with “Gamer” on it and a kilt so short it flashed her black panties every time she twisted and turned. Instead of too-high heels like Dara’s, she wore calf-high Doc Martens.

  Fuck. That was hotter than her silver booth babe outfit.

  Bonus: no cat ears or tail.

  The song ended and Nat stopped, flipping her hair out of her face. She had a Teen Titans Raven-esque manner going on. And I was drooling like Beast Boy.

  The next song started. Booty. I cringed.

  Nat caught sight of me at that exact moment. An
d she looked…relieved?

  She ran and threw her arms around me. “Take me away from this Hell!”

  Nodding, I couldn’t contain my surprise and then my pleasure. I would be the white knight to rescue her from the kitty-cat dance dungeon.

  Dara skipped over, and Nat said something into her ear. The blonde shrugged and waved her off, going back to the dance. Her harem welcomed her back with happy paws and butt-shakes. I was going to have nightmares for weeks.

  With Nat’s hand linked with mine, I snaked through the crowd and out into the nearest hall. The doors shut and blocked out the music.

  “Thank God you showed up. I would’ve had to claw off my ears if I had to listen to any more of that horrendous shit.” Nat let go of my hand and made a beeline for the nearest water fountain. “Oh, the price I pay to try to be social. Give me a dank basement with a game console over this any day.”

  “Here, here!” I clapped as she took a drink, and tried not to ogle her rear. “So why did you go if you don’t like that sort of thing?”

  Nat wiped her mouth. “Dara does a lot of conventions and has a ton of connections. She said she could get me more jobs since the boss was impressed with how much I knew about games. So it was my way of trying to forge some sort of…I don’t know, friendship or business association or whatever. Totally a bad idea.”

  “You’re an awesome booth babe. And guys really do appreciate a girl who can talk intelligently about the game they’re promoting as much as they like to see her in a skimpy costume. The fact that you’re a gamer will leave more of an impression in the long run than your…well, yeah.” My gaze darted to her pert breasts and then up again.

  Nat laughed and hugged me again. “Thank you. Your opinion means a lot to me.”

  I hoped so. “Can we go—”

  “Yeah, let’s get out of here. This bra has wires and it’s so uncomfortable. I’m sure you’ll be more than happy to help me take it off.” She winked as she took my hand and led the way outside.