Cole was pretty sure he was kidding about the last part, but damn. He stared down at Tanner’s keys and blew out a breath. He’d been hoping to tie up someone else tonight…

“This isn’t a date,” Olivia said. It was the next night. Halloween. And she was crowded in her small bathroom with Becca and Callie.

“Okay,” Callie said. “But then why are you wearing lip gloss?”

“I always wear lip gloss,” Olivia said.

“Not your Tom Ford lip gloss,” Becca said. “That thing costs an arm and a leg, which I know because I looked it up. Out of my budget. And your budget can’t be that much bigger than mine. Which means that stuff is sacred. And yet you’re wearing it.”

“Damn, you’re smarter than you look,” Olivia murmured. She was staring at herself in the mirror over the bathroom sink in disbelief. Long, flowing wig, red. Silk corset, brilliant green. Matching skirt so snug she’d practically had to spray paint it on.

She was Ariel, the Little Mermaid.

She’d gotten the brilliant idea because Cole was a sea captain. It’d made perfect sense in her mind. But now she felt…silly. “I should cancel.”

Her peanut gallery stared at her reflection in the mirror. “You can’t cancel,” Callie said.

Becca shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

“Why?” Olivia asked.

“Because I haven’t been out on a date in a long time,” Callie said. “I’m living vicariously through you. I need this date, Olivia. Ariel.”

Olivia sighed and stared at herself some more. “It’s not going to work. The costume is…too much.”

“It’s perfect,” Becca said. “It’s gorgeous. You’re gorgeous. I mean, who knew you had that rockin’ of a body? Good Lord, woman, you’re going to knock Cole’s socks right off.”

“It’s not a date,” Olivia repeated. “It’s a…favor.” Or so she’d thought, but now she wasn’t so sure. Sleeping with him had changed things in a big way, and she was trying to ignore that, but some things couldn’t be easily ignored.

Callie shook her head. “Honey, trust me, you looking like that makes it a date. His tongue’s going to fall right out of his head.”

“Where in the world do you get all these fantastic costumes?” Becca asked. “This thing looks like the real deal.”

That’s because it was. She’d got it off eBay from a Stars on Ice production assistant. “eBay—”

Someone knocked at her door and she froze.

Becca jumped up and down and clapped her hands, looking for all the world like Pink or Kendra in her excitement. “I can’t wait to see what he’s wearing.”

“Don’t you have anything else to do?” Olivia asked in desperation.

“Nope!” Becca said cheerfully.

Olivia walked out of the bathroom. Although in the skintight “fin,” walked was a bit of a misnomer.

“Your ass looks really great,” Callie said helpfully from behind her. “But you might not want to sit down. I don’t see you getting up again without splitting that thing. You’re wearing undies, right?”

“Yes!” If a teeny-tiny thong that was really more like a G-string counted…Olivia stopped at the front door, drew a deep breath that threatened to pop open her corset, and then answered the door to…

Captain Jack Sparrow.

She’d always had sort of a secret thing for Johnny Depp in the Pirates movies, but Johnny had nothing on Cole Donovan. In his pirate’s hat, bandana, and long dreads, not to mention sexy scruff, he was smokin’ hot.

And that was before she followed the lines of his leanly muscled body down the white shirt and leather vest to the various weaponry, such as the sword strapped at one lean hip, and boots.

“Wow,” she whispered.

Chapter 20

Cole’s eyes just about popped out of his head at the sight of Olivia, and when the irony of her costume hit him, he laughed. “Ariel, fair maiden of the sea,” he said, and bowed.

When he rose again she was…blushing? Fascinating that his confident, hot Supergirl would be, but she most definitely was.

Becca and Callie were right behind her, staring at him with their jaws dropped open.

“Wow is right,” Becca said with serious ego-stroking awe in her voice.

“You’re engaged to be married,” Callie reminded her.

“Yes, but it’s Captain Jack Sparrow,” Becca said. “He’s a fictional character. You’re allowed to lust after fictional characters when you’re engaged. It’s in the Engaged Handbook somewhere.”

Cole smiled at her.

Becca smiled back dreamily.

Olivia rolled her eyes and pointed at Callie and Becca. “Do not eat my brownies.” And then she shoved Cole over the threshold, followed, and shut the door behind them.

“Brownies?” he asked, leading her to his truck.

“Yeah, I—” She stopped at the passenger side and stared up into the cab, and then down at her tight skirt.

“No worries, I’ve got ya.” He scooped her up and set her on the seat, taking his time putting her seat belt on for her and retrieving his hands from her delicious curves.

“I could have done that,” she said, a little breathless.

“What fun would that have been?”

“I…” She closed her mouth, blushed wildly, and sighed. “I forgot what I was going to say.”