Chapter 44
You couldn’t ask for a more perfect Halloween.
The air is cool and crisp, just the way I like it, but not so cold that it’s unbearable for the kids.
Most of the leaves have fallen from the aspens, giving that satisfying crunch underfoot that I’m so fond of.
Staying in this year will be a change, but I’m excited for it.
Especially because we have an extra guest.
Jameson’s sickness knocked him out for a few days last week.
But as soon as he was feeling better, I invited him over for dinner.
Just him, Jess, and me. I thought it went amazing.
And since I haven’t scared him off yet, I’m guessing it went well for him too.
During that dinner, Jess unexpectedly invited him to our house for Halloween.
My little empath felt bad for him when he said he wasn’t doing anything and would be all alone.
He accepted the invitation without hesitation.
I respect that about him. He simply knows what he wants, and he goes for it.
“So, I brought something,” Jameson says in my ear like he has a naughty secret. Jess is in her room getting ready.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yep. Do you want to see?”
“No, not now!”
He stands back and laughs at me. “Whoa, what did you think I meant?” He pulls something from behind his back—a DVD. The Return of the King, to be exact. “You have to see the entire trilogy through. If I hadn’t been sick, I never would have let you leave that room.”
“If you hadn’t been sick, we wouldn’t have been watching those movies at all.”
His gaze becomes heated. “Damn. You got me there.” He steps closer, placing his hand on the counter and trapping me in. “Speaking of…I really miss the way you squirm when I bury my head between those thighs.”
“Shhh.”
“You know she can’t hear me. Don’t be embarrassed, baby. I can’t help that I love the taste of you.”
My breath hitches, and my cheeks heat. I don’t know how he manages to get me so frazzled all the time.
“Are you a witch?” I ask him.
“A…witch?” Utter confusion crosses his face.
“Yeah. Because I’m pretty sure you’ve cast a spell on me.”
“What?” He laughs.
“Yeah. There’s no logical reason I should be this hot and bothered around you all the time. You did something to me.”
He laughs again, trying to pull me in closer.
I swat him away, though, since Jess will be out any minute and he’s making me way too flustered. Ripping the DVD from his hand, I escape his arm cage and place it by the TV.
“After the trick-or-treaters come?”
“Okay.” He chuckles with his mouth closed.
“Hey, so the deal should be closing on your house next week.”
“So soon?”
“Yeah. Cash deals process much faster.”
He nods and walks toward me again.
“You don’t look that excited.”
“I am.”
“Okay, weirdo.”
He chuckles again. “Okay. It will be nice to have my own place and to stop staying in rentals and hotels.”
“Think you’ll stay for the winter?”
He looks down at me with a lazy grin. “Do you want me to?”
I hesitate, looking into his eyes. “Yes. Is that crazy?”
“If it is, then call me crazy too. Unless…” He narrows his eyes at me. “Are you a witch? Were those accusations a cover for the real truth?”
A deep belly laugh escapes me. “No. Promise.”
“Okay.” His smile spreads across his whole face.
“So, where else do you have…residences?”
“Residences?” He grins, then looks away, pretending to be lost in thought. “Well, I do actually have a little cottage in Ireland that I rarely use…then there’s my place in Southern California.”
“Oh, is that all?”
“Yes. Not only am I stepping away from that stressful, toxic life, but I’m also downsizing a lot.”
I smile and take his hand just as Jess emerges from behind us. She said she’s not dressing up this year, but I knew she wouldn’t be able to resist doing a little something fun, so I got her cat ears and painted her nose.
“Were you guys kissing?”
“No,” we say together.
“Okay. Just checking.”
The first trick or treater arrives a few minutes later, followed by a couple dozen more over the next hour or two.
We don’t usually get much action around here.
Once the knocks begin to dwindle, we make popcorn, turn the movie on, and all three of us settle on the couch to watch The Return of the King.
When we realize Jess is actually interested but a little lost, we start back at the beginning so she can get caught up.
“You brought them all?” I ask Jameson with a laugh as he pulls out the whole case.
“Of course I did. You didn’t think I’d bring one single disc with no case, did you? And let my precious movies get all scratched? They were a gift, and I cherish them.”
I smile. “Yeah, that makes sense.”