I hadn’t planned on spending my Saturday sweating inside a giant bunny costume, but life had a funny way of throwing surprises at me. The mall Easter event needed an extra mascot, and somehow, I got roped into it. So there I was wrapped in polyester fur, waving at kids, and trying not to pass out from heat exhaustion.

“Must be hell in that thing,” a voice chuckled beside me as I took a break near one of the vendor stands.

I turned to see a guy leaning against the counter, arms crossed, watching me with amused eyes. He was stupidly handsome. The kind of guy who probably never had to suffer inside a bunny suit to make a few extra bucks. His name tag read Steve.

“You have no idea,” I groaned, pulling off the oversized bunny head. “I feel like a boiled egg. Fitting for Easter, I guess.”

Steve laughed, and damn, it was a nice sound. “I’ve seen you working around here before,” he said, his gaze lingering on me. “Always thought you were kinda cute. Even cuter when you’re suffering in that ridiculous suit.”

I huffed a laugh, wiping sweat from my forehead. “Well, that makes one of us.”

Steve handed me a bottle of water, his fingers brushing mine just slightly. “Gotta keep the Easter Bunny hydrated. You holding up okay?”

I took a long sip, letting the cool liquid soothe my parched throat. “Barely. But hey, kids love the magic of it, so I guess it’s worth it.”

“Ever thought about making me believe in some magic?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, his smirk playful.

My stomach did a little flip. “That depends—what kind of magic are we talking about?”

Steve leaned in just enough for his voice to drop into something softer, something more suggestive. “The kind that might involve unwrapping some Easter treats later.”

I choked on my water, coughing as heat that had nothing to do with the bunny suit spread across my face. Steve just laughed, patting my back lightly. “Easy there, big guy. Didn’t mean to make the Easter Bunny malfunction.”

I caught my breath, shaking my head with a grin. “You’re terrible.”

“But you’re smiling,” he pointed out. “That’s a win.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t fight the grin tugging at my lips. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks for noticing.”

Steve smirked, tilting his head. “You know, I was gonna get some ice cream. You should let me buy you one. Cool you down after all that suffering in the bunny suit.”

I smiled. “Aww, that’s really sweet. Thank you. Sure, I’d love some ice cream right now.”

He smiled, shaking his head as he led me toward the ice cream stand. We stood in line, the scent of sugar and vanilla wrapping around us. When we reached the front, he glanced at me. “What’s your flavor?”

I pretended to think. “Hmm. Something classic. Vanilla, maybe.” Steve snorted. “Vanilla? You give off more of a ‘spicy caramel’ vibe to me.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what exactly does that mean?” “A little sweetness,” he mused, handing the vendor some cash. “With a kick.”

I took the cone from him, licking a slow stripe up the side, fully aware of his eyes on me. “That so?”

Steve didn’t even try to be subtle about watching. “Yeah,” he said, voice dropping slightly. “And now all I can think about is how that tongue of yours could be put to better use.”

I nearly choked on my next lick, shooting him a look. “Oh my god, you’re terrible.” He grinned, unbothered. “Am I? Or am I just saying what we’re both thinking?”

I shook my head, but I didn’t move away when he sat next to me on a nearby bench. The ice cream was melting too fast, dripping down my fingers. I licked the sweetness from my thumb, only to catch Steve watching with dark amusement.

“Damn,” he murmured. “You really know how to make a guy suffer.” “Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s just ice cream.”

“Mmhmm,” he hummed, leaning in just slightly. “And yet ... I can’t stop imagining you licking something else.”

Heat pooled in my stomach at the way he said it, low and teasing, sending a shiver down my spine. “You have a one-track mind.”

“I have a focused mind,” he corrected smoothly. “And right now? It’s focused on you.”

I swallowed, trying to play it cool. “Well, thanks for the ice cream.”

Steve leaned back, stretching out like he had all the time in the world. “How about you thank me by licking my body tonight?”

My breath caught, my body reacting before my brain could process the words. He watched me, his expression smug, waiting. I exhaled sharply. “You live around here?”

His smirk deepened. “Right around the block. Do you wanna come over tonight? I get off work at 11pm. Give me your number...”

I hesitated for only a second before Steve pulled out his phone. I typed in my number and handed it over. Steve’s fingers brushed mine as he took it, his smirk softening into something almost warm.

“I’ll see you later, then?” he asked.

I chuckled. “Guess we’ll see.”

With that, I went on with my day, the encounter lingering in my mind longer than I cared to admit.

At 11:15, my phone buzzed.

“Hey, you up?”

A few minutes later, I found myself already outside his place, heart pounding in anticipation.

The door swung open and there he was. No work shirt, just sweatpants slung low on his hips, revealing a glimpse of taut skin and hard-earned muscle. Who would’ve guessed the store manager had a body like that hidden beneath his uniform? Defined arms, a knowing smirk, and the kind of quiet confidence that made my stomach twist in the best way.

“You coming in, or just gonna stand there drooling?” he asked, amusement curling his lips.

I stepped inside, barely catching my breath before his hands were on me; gripping, pulling, claiming. His mouth crashed into mine, all heat and hunger, lips demanding and urgent. His fingers dug into my hips, dragging me closer until I could feel the heat of him through those thin sweats. A shiver curled deep in my gut, and I moaned into the kiss.

“Been thinking about you all day,” he murmured, trailing heated kisses down my throat. “And that smart mouth of yours? Bet it looks even better wrapped around my cock.”

My breath hitched, and I sank to my knees before I could second-guess myself. I looked up at him, watching his smirk turn into something darker, more possessive.

He exhaled slowly, fingers curling into my hair as I pressed my palms to his thighs. “Are you gonna lick my cock like you were licking that ice cream this afternoon?” he murmured, voice husky with heat. “All slow and teasing ... like you wanted everyone to see that filthy little mouth.”

A flush crept up my neck, desire pulsing through me at the memory—at the way he’d watched me earlier, eyes glued to my tongue with a look that should’ve melted the whole damn cone.

“You liked that?” I asked, letting my lips brush over the bulge in his sweats, slow and deliberate. “You gonna tell me you were hard the whole time I was licking that spoon?”