I wolf-whistled, and he finally raised his head, freezing in place and raking me with his gaze.
I felt the look like a physical caress, a trail of warmth sliding over my body like a hush of breath. Just that one look and my breasts felt heavier. My core needy.
I did a slow turn, showing off my slinky lime-green gown, the back dipping to just above my butt crack and displaying the little witch’s knot tattoo I had there. “You like?” I asked when I turned to face him once more.
He moved his lips as if trying to say something, the look on his face as if his brain had encountered an error and needed a reboot, and then he just propped his hands on his hips without saying a word.
I chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes.” I walked over to him and grabbed his wrist, fixing his cuff.
“You look unbelievable,” he said, his tone reverent as he brushed some curls over my shoulder.
“You look pretty amazing yourself.” I leaned forward and kissed him, thinking it nice that I didn’t have to rise on tiptoe like usual.
“Are you ready to head out?” I asked, grabbing my bracelet off the table and sliding it over my hand.
“I dunno. I’m thinking maybe we should feign an illness and beg off,” he said with a suggestive waggle of his brows.
That actually stopped me for half a second as I imagined all the ways we could play doctor. But I gave myself a little mental shake to regain focus. “Not a chance, Romeo.” I reached up and wiped some lipstick off his chin. “This is Lennie and Van’s big night. We aren’t missing it for anything.” I pretended to think for a minute and then finished, “Nope, not even that.”
The Arnots had joined forces with their siblings and some friends to purchase and refurbish an old, abandoned schoolhouse on Lagniappe Isle. They had turned it into a high-tech, first-of-its-kind, totally immersive virtual reality thrill experience they were calling Hell’s Bells. Tonight was their grand opening, and we were thrilled to show up and support them. The fact that they were living their dream and using some of the skills they so readily gave toHaunted New Orleansfor themselves made us incredibly proud.
“No, we can’t miss this. I am dying to see everything they’ve pulled together,” Kholt said, and I knew that he had a little extra stake in this as he had helped them refurbish the schoolhouse and build some of their custom pieces for the equipment housing.
“Me, too,” I agreed. “I can’t wait to check in with the ghosts there. Lennie said they’ve been great—if a little mischievous—and thinks it adds to the experience. Van, on the other hand, has been second-guessing his decision not to have Dev and I cast that spell on him so he can see them—though I think he’s likely too stubborn to admit that he was wrong.” I laughed.
“I bet,” Kholt said and took my hand. “Are you ready, my beautiful witch?”
“Absolutely. Let’s go watch our friends rock the locals and shake up that quiet isle.”
I smiled, thinking of all the ways that things were changing within our little family.
The show was still doing amazing and there were talks of possibly expanding to a spin-off for house calls. We were also starting discussions revolving around a reality special for the show’s fifth anniversary calledHaunted New Orleans: Behind the Veil.
Padre was trying really hard to get Sky to marry him, and the rest of us were enjoying watching that dance. I wasn’t sure if he’d ever tie that girl down. But if she ever did say yes, it would be one hell of a party. I knew that much.
Dev and Hanlen had added to their family, bringing home another dog from the local shelter. A Weimaraner named Logan. Yes, they adopted a ghost dog—what Weimaraners were sometimes called—named after Wolverine when they already had a pit named Mystique. It made me laugh every time I thought about it. But he was a bad boy with a big ol’ heart. And he did have the wicked claws.
The family was growing, pets and siblings and additional businesses, but we were closer than ever. And some things would always remain the same: we had each other’s backs. In everything. Always.
I looked over at Kholt as we walked out the door, feeling my heart soar, filling with love, hope and gratitude, and needed to take a moment to swallow the emotion rising in me. It’d taken a long and winding road to get here, but I wouldn’t change the destination for anything.
All I could think about the entire way to the island was how lucky I was.
And the best was yet to come.
THE END