Nightfall (Devil's Night 4)

“Maybe stay here and take a tour of the Bell Tower and the cemetery,” I taunted, kissing those tattoos on his arm and chest. “Do some climbing and have a tasting of the best cuisine Thunder Bay has to offer.” I bit his nipple, tugging it and then licking it. “Lots of tastings.”

He shivered and smiled, bringing me up and kissing my mouth. All I wanted to see in the world right now was him sweaty, him wet, him walking naked from our bed to the shower, him tied up underneath me…

He put his arms behind his head as I kissed his body and rubbed him everywhere.

“I’m putting a down payment on my old house,” I told him, nibbling his neck and breaking the news while he was weak. “We don’t have to live there. I’m just not ready to lose it yet.”

When I saw it was for sale, I sent Alex to the realtor after the dress shop, so my brother wouldn’t know it was me buying it. I still might sell it. I just didn’t want to lose it before I was ready.

He stopped me, looking down as his thumbs rubbed circles on my face. “It has so many bad memories, Em.”

I know. But…

“I’m not giving him that power,” I told my husband. “That’s my family’s home. My grandmother grew up there. My mother and I did, as well.”

That house was more than just Martin.

He gazed into my eyes, and after a moment, nodded. “Okay.”

I dipped down and kissed him on the lips, soft, slow, and deep as I grinded on him through his jeans.

He gasped, chuckling. “Oh, baby. As much as I don’t want you dressed, I need to eat.” He groaned as I kept going. “Can you stay here? I’ll go grab us some bagels and coffee or something?”

At the mention of bagels, my stomach growled.

Shit. Food would actually be good, but I didn’t want him to leave me.

“I’ll come with you,” I said, looking down at him.

“Yeah?” He shot up and gave me a peck on the lips. “All right, let’s go.”

We threw on our clothes from last night, and I was kind of anxious to get to the hospital and check on Alex, and check in with the police to make sure there was nothing hanging over our heads regarding Martin.

It still hadn’t hit me yet, except for the slight thump in my chest when I thought about them going over that cliff. I should be wrecked, right?

For some reason, I didn’t hate him.

But there was that tear in the membrane again, my emotions muddled and confusing. His end wasn’t going to go any other way.

We left the theater and locked up, Will taking my hand and leading me past Sticks toward the bagel shop, but I looked over toward the gazebo and saw Damon straddling the railing and disconnecting the lights they’d installed for the ceremony.

I stopped and looked at Will. “Can you grab us a table? I’ll be there in a minute.”

He followed my gaze, seeing his friend at the top of the hill and then back to me. “Sure.”

He kissed me and left, and I pushed my hair behind my ear, crossing the street in a jog.

Orange and red leaves fell from the trees, and the chill in the air nipped at my nose, but there Damon was, black T-shirt and no jacket as the wind blew through his black hair.

Decorations hung from lamp posts, and people walked to work dressed in costumes for Halloween.

I stopped, looking up at him and taking in the beautiful work, the solid build and foundation, and the jingles in the trees from the chandelier crystals rustling in the wind.

“I drew up blueprints for a gazebo just like this,” I told him. “But with marble instead of wrought iron.”

I gazed at him knowingly, and he just shot me a glance but kept silent.

“I like the wrought iron,” I said. “It was a good choice.”