nice. I'm Rebecca Moore." They shook hands. "You don't
seem like the guard type. More like a lion."
"You think I'm the Cowardly Lion?" He shook his head.
"I'm many things, but not a coward." Then he brightened.
"Now I might be the Wizard. Did you know we have the
same first name? In one of the later books, they reveal that
his name was Oscar Zoroaster blah blah blah. It goes on for
nine names. But his first name was the same as mine. And
his first two initials were O.Z."
"You don't look very much like a wizard."
"Well, maybe I'm not, but I'm not the Cowardly Lion."
He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"And I'm no heartless Tin Man either. I hope you can feel
my heart pounding for you."
She could feel two hearts pounding. Even breathing was
difficult when he held her like that. Rebecca swallowed. In
order to lighten the mood, she continued with the Oz talk.
"So you're the Scarecrow?" She reached for his blond hair "Is
this straw?"
He let go of her and stepped back. "Apparently so. The
way I'm messing things up with you makes me feel like my
head's stuffed with it." He smiled.
"Looking for a brain?"
"My brain works fine, thank you. I've already taught you
something you didn't know about Winkies. And I bet
there's plenty more I could teach you, too. I can surf, I know
when colors clash, and. . ."
Rebecca flopped her arms haphazardly like the
Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, then in a goofy voice, cut
him off with one of the Scarecrow's lines. "'Some people
without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?'"
O.E. let out a deep laugh and beamed at her. "Nice! You
do know your Oz. I'm very impressed." He nodded slowly,
showing how impressed he really was. "Okay, I'll be the
Scarecrow. So what about you? Good witch or bad witch?
Or are you Dorothy, looking for a home? Most of people
here tonight have found a home at the bar. Come on." He
took her hand and led her away.
He's a little pushy. But Rebecca followed him without
hesitation. Part of her couldn't believe that he was coming
on to her so strongly. Another part of her couldn't believe
that she was falling for an egotistical freeloader. Still, he was
powerfully attractive, and they did share a love of all things
Oz.
Rebecca and O.E. stood at the bar with fresh drinks and
toasted to the bride and groom. O.E. tossed his drink in one