Alter Ego: His Sultry Lover

He opened the passenger side door for her and let her in before jogging onto the other side. Soon, they were pulling into the traffic.

"It's a medium sized town, but it's brimming with people because of the championship," she commented on the passing. "So, where are we headed?"

He glanced at her. "Not far," he said and went back to driving. He was a very serious driver, rarely looking away from the front of the car. Which was good. They wouldn't want to get into an accident and have it plastered all over the news.

When they stopped in front of a store, Katherine gasped.

"This is the game store I have heard so much about!" She quickly undid her seatbelt and pulled out of the car. Cage shook his head, chuckling as he followed.

The security checked her purse before they entered. Cage saw the bounce in her step as she moved about. On a date, it would be nice to hold her hand, but that was out of the question in this store.

Katherine was really trying to act cool, like it was nothing. The warehouse-like space was filled with video game memorabilia and merchandise. There were even comics and figurines to go with it. She craned her neck, looking at a huge painting depicting characters of a Chinese game.

"This place is amazing," she mumbled under her breath. Cage watched in fascination as she spun around in a circle, taking in the place in its full glory. Her cheeks were burning when she saw him looking at her like that… like he was in love.

She knew that there was nothing to impress him about, but she wanted to show him that he could take her out in public. "It's a nice place," she said with a restrained smile.

Someone brushed past them and Katherine moved forward, coming closer to him. She snapped out of her embarrassment and finally pulled out her phone.

"Take a photo of me with this background," she said, handing it to him.

"For your followers?" he asked casually. She nodded. She gave him a sheepish smile as he took her picture.

They wandered around the store, looking at the display and talking about games they had played, art that had inspired her, movies that had made him want to be an actor. No one noticed them, thankfully.

"Let's go into that room. All the influencers take pictures there." She looked delighted. He nodded and followed behind. The room was set up like a battlefield from a popular game which Katherine enjoyed playing. There were numerous spots she could pose at. Knowing what to do, Cage started to click her pictures.

They were candid in the beginning and then some of her posing. Cage didn't hold back.

"Do you like this picture?" he asked dotingly, showing her the screen. She liked it a lot; if she had a choice, she would ask him to take all her pictures. "Now, let's do something different." He recited pose after pose, directing her.

He had stepped closer throughout the series of pictures, and soon she found herself standing face to face with him.

"What are you doing?" she asked suspiciously. He didn't reply, choosing to lean in and kiss her instead.

She was still processing the situation when he broke the kiss and stepped back.

"Sorry," he muttered, running his hand through his hair. "You're too cute when you are in your zone. I couldn't hold back," he sounded breathless and like 'he' had been the one who had been taken advantage of.

She wondered if it was possible to get high from a kiss because that's the exact feeling she was experiencing in the moment. The utter delight from coming to this place combined with his kiss had left her brain in a fuzzy mush of warmth. She couldn't quite process what he had just said.

Though her brain was not functioning, her hand moved forward and grabbed him by his expensive shirt. She didn't give a damn if the collar became loose. Pulling him down, she pulled up to her tiptoes and kissed him. A proper kiss. She felt his content sigh against her lips.

She straightened soon after, caressing his shirt to put it back in place and then finally looked at him. Her eyes were wide while his were narrowed into slits.

"You shouldn't go around yanking people's shirts that way. It's too s.e.xy." She shook her head and mumbled a sorry before scurrying away.

"You know how good you look right now," she hissed. "You did that on purpose to get me bothered," she accused, turning back and pointing a finger at him.

"Don't know what you are talking about," he said innocently.

He moved to her and took her palm into his. "Come." Electricity shot through her as usual. Being out in public, holding hands… she had never imagined such a day would come.

"Let's take a picture for private consumption, shall we?" he asked her. He had a gleam in his eyes, a knowledge of the effect he had on her. They stood in front of the battlefield and took a selfie, making silly poses and faces. Once they were satisfied, they walked to the small café in the shop.

"Would you have rather we go out on a proper date?" he asked suddenly as they sipped on their drinks.

She looked up, surprised. "Sorry. I am not the kind who enjoys grand gestures. This was so much better. This is personal. It shows that you know me."

He looked back at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "I suppose it lived up to your expectation of a first date?" he asked, his palm cradling his scruffy chin. The smile reached his eyes, doing incomprehensible things to her body.

Did every damn look he gave her need to make her want to melt into a pile of goo?

"It was amazing. I like games and I like words." She gave him a look. The implication was clear.