The light green corset cut into my breasts as I took a deep breath.
Jett’s eyes laser-focused on my quivering cleavage. “Take Jaydon’s coat.”
Steven took that second to finally act concerned. “Vick, when we planned this, I didn’t think to wear extra layers. Wish I would have brought a coat to match for you.”
Jett’s eyes didn’t wander over to Steven or anyone else. He unbuttoned his black jacket and slid it off. Without saying a word, he stepped behind me, grabbed my wrist, and stuffed my arms into his jacket.
I protested, but it wasn’t in earnest. “Hey! I’m really not that cold.”
“No one gives a shit. You’re making us all uncomfortable,” Jett hissed, and that shut me up.
Tonight wasn’t about making anyone uncomfortable. It was about proving that everyone could be more comfortable and would work better when they were.
I had to remember that even as our line moved, and I smiled to myself at having Jett’s smell all around me. The jacket was warm and felt like melted butter over my skin. I glanced at the tag. Yup, this cost him a fortune.
Steven stayed glued to my side as he talked with the Stonewoods, and I tried my best not to salivate over Jett. He’d pocketed his hands, but that was the only sign the cold affected him. He nodded at all the right things, talked at all the right times, and genuinely looked like he was trying to have a pleasurable time for once.
The night had kicked off perfectly. A few employees came out of the haunted house laughing and screaming. Ghouls and monsters leapt at them one last time as they made their way over to the concession stand.
We moved forward in the line, just one group away from going in. Right then, Gloria walked up, her white dress flapping in the wind behind her. Her dark hair fell loosely around her face, framing her rosy cheeks and red lips. As she leaned in toward Jett, my stomach twisted.
The Phantom of the Opera and Christine.
They’d come as a couple.
My boss and his assistant.
My boss who I’d slept with and secretly had a stupid crush on even though I knew we could never be anything.
He’d come with her just as I’d come with Steven.
Jett looked at me as Gloria whispered something in his ear. He put his hand on the small of her back to steady her while she leaned into him. His eyes held no remorse, no guilt.
Nothing.
We’d fucked. That was it.
What a perfect reminder.
I spun toward my friends to hear Brey saying, “I’m not doing the burying-you-alive part. I just can’t. Small spaces. Just no.”
Jax pulled her close. “We’ll do hot cider, Peaches. No worries.”
Jaydon nodded. “I’m doing it all. Vick you’re doing it all right? YOLO?”
I winked at him. “Only live once.”
The line shifted as a masked man ushered us in. Chains clattered and the door shut us in. Pure darkness descended. My heart rate instantly rose. I liked scary movies, and I’d been to haunted houses but I always, always went with someone I could hold on to.
Tonight, I wasn’t sure if Steven wanted me to hold him and Brey was holding onto Jax. I folded my hands together and walked forward. A light, dim and flickering, switched on. I glanced around to find all of us were in a small metal cage, the door to the next room closed. I looked up and my stomach dropped as I stepped back, stumbling into Jett. It looked like snakes slithering above us. “Oh, God.”
Jett grabbed one arm to steady me. “They’re fake,” he said dryly.
I glanced back, and he was smiling a little at my horror.
I mumbled a sorry for falling on him and righted myself. It occurred to me that Gloria hadn’t come into the haunted house, but even so, I moved over toward Steven.
In that cage, more creepy-crawly reptiles sprang out at us. The sound effects had me flinching at every single one. Steven jumped along with me, and at one point shoved me forward to save himself.