something but Cassie flipped them off and went back to shooting.
It made him grin.
And suddenly he was incredibly glad he’d come. Still grinning, he sauntered up to the booth and leaned a hip against it as he turned casually toward her.
She didn’t even glance at him, just accepted her new darts from an awed-looking, pimply-faced teenage boy and aimed again.
Two balloons in a row, bull’s-eye. Pop. Pop.
“One dart away for the big prize,” the boy told her with a huge, dopey smile on his face. “You have to hit all three to get the—”
“I know what I have to do.” She threw the dart.
“Close,” Tag said conversationally when she missed by a mile. “But no cigar.”
Oh, she noticed him now. Narrowed her very incredible, very green, very expressive eyes on him. “You distracted me.”
He lifted his hands. “Hey, you didn’t even see me until just now.” Slipping a hand into his pocket, he came out with another buck. “But here. Try again, on me.”
“I’m not taking your money.” She slapped down her own dollar. “Back off, you’re in my space.”
“Backing off.” But he didn’t. She smelled too good, looked too good. He wasn’t going anywhere.
She didn’t even notice. In fact, she appeared to forget about him as she took aim. And this time hit her target. Then did it again.
“One more time,” the kid said, ever so helpfully, and Cassie lowered the third dart and glared at him. He took a step back. “Sorry. I just know how bad you want this pretty teddy bear here.”
“Teddy bear, huh?” Tag tucked his tongue into his cheek as she aimed and once again missed her third and winning shot. “I gotta tell you, I never really pictured you as a teddy bear type, Cassie.”
“Oh, she wants it really bad,” the kid offered as Cassie grated her teeth. “She’s already put at least ten bucks on it.”
“Is that right?” Tag looked at Cassie and lifted a brow. “You need something cuddly to sleep with at night, Cassie?”
She sighed. “Is there a reason why you’re standing there staring at me?”
“Well…” He scratched his jaw and looked her over, from the long neck he suddenly wanted to nibble on, to the breasts nicely outlined behind her halter, down her curved hips and mile-stretch legs. Her toenails were hot pink tonight, and she wore a silver toe ring, reminding him of the nipple ring. Was she wearing it now? “You are something to look at.”
With a roll of her eyes, she slapped down another buck and went back to the task at hand. Aimed. Let it rip, and Tag had to admit, she knew what she was doing.
Pop. Pop.
Two balloons down.
“Only one to go,” he offered.
Her hand lowered, and she shot him a withering look. “Don’t talk.”
He smiled and waited until she aimed again. “You know, if you want the teddy bear that badly, I could win it for you.”
“I’ll win it myself, thanks.”
“Oka-a-ay,” he said, and watched as she missed.
She swore with impressive skill, then dug into her pocket again. Came up empty. Swore some more.
“My offer still stands.” He smiled when she bared her teeth at him. “If you’re interested. I’ll win it for you.”
“Sure you will.”
He put a hand to his chest. “Your doubt wounds me. But you should know, I was all-city dart champ.”
Cocking a hip, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Really.”
“Really.”
“So you’ll win me the teddy bear.”
“Just said so, didn’t I?”
She studied him, then let out a little laugh. “Okay, cocky man, what happens then? After you win?”
“I hand you the prize.”
“And?”
“And…” He let out a slow, wicked grin, both because he could taste victory and because she was so incredibly hot. And fun. That was the shocker. He was having fun with her. “And in return, you give me a prize.”
Her eyes narrowed to little slits. “Which would be what exactly?”
“I don’t know yet. I’ll think about it.” He slapped down a buck, accepted his three darts. Aimed.
And was stopped by a hand on his arm. He looked into deep green eyes that held a world of knowledge. “I don’t want the teddy bear.”
“Liar,” he said softly, and hit the first balloon. “But that’s okay. The bear will look good on my bed.” He hit the second balloon.
Pop.
She tossed back her hair. Looked at him with fire-spitting eyes. Then caved. “Okay, damn you, I want the bear.” Her fingers dug into his arm. “Name your price.”
They weren’t touching—other than her fingernails digging into his biceps, that is—but their mouths were only a fraction apart. Hers was all glossy and smelled like peaches.
He loved peaches.
Their breath comingled, and with a sharp stab of lust he remembered exactly how good those lips tasted. He wanted another taste. “My price?” He lifted the third remaining dart. Weighed it in his hand. “A kiss.”
A laugh escaped her. “Just a kiss? You don’t aim very high for yourself, do you?”
“On the contrary…” He narrowed his gaze, studied the distance to the remaining balloon. Hefted the dart. “I know exactly what I want. And I’m not afraid to get it.” Turning his head, he shot her a last look. “How about you?”
“I know what I want.”
“The teddy bear.” He smiled. “But I’ve discovered I want it, too.” He aimed, but before he could throw the dart she stopped him.
“Fine,” she said.
He set down the dart. “Fine what?”
“You want me to say it?”
“Yep.”
That earned him a roll of her eyes. “If you win the bear, I’ll give you a kiss for it. Okay? Right here, right now.”
“Oh, no,” he said with a shake of his head. “Not right here.”
