Page 20 of Don't Scare Me, My Love

His lips parted as they passed my face and reached for my ear. “You’ve won this round,” he whispered. “Brace yourself for tomorrow. Now it’smyturn.”

His breath prickled my ear.

Oh, no.

His words, combined with him being so unfamiliarly close, sent all the blood in my body rushing to my groin.

Luckily, I was wearing loose pants and tight underwear that hid everything

My gaze was drawn to his lips as he drew back with a mischievous grin. His eye lingered on me for a second too long, teasing me that his words weren’t meant as a threat but as a promise. He turned around and headed for the break room while I remained frozen in place.

It took Gary squeezing in between me and the counter to pull me out of the trance Jason had put me in.

I turned back to the woman whose purchase I hadn’t finished.

Gary had already taken her credit card. “Don’t worry. I’ll take it from here,” he said, already punching his code into the register.

“I’m fine finishing up?—“

“You should take care of the important things right now,” Gary said with a fatherly warmth as he fed the woman’s credit card into the reader.

“Thank you.”

My eyes wandered to Jack, who was waiting next to the energy drinks. When he noticed me staring, his eyebrows raised, and he motioned for me to follow Jason.

I spun around and took big steps through the small corridor. If they both said to follow Jason, it was most likely the right thing to do.

The door to the break room was ajar. I pushed it open—and for a moment, my brain imagined catching Jason taking off his work shirt, even though he had never done that in the last five days I had worked here.

Jason stood in front of his locker, pulling out his coat. As I walked in, his head lifted. “There he is.”

“Here I am,” I replied, leaning against the door frame.

Jason threw the coat over his shoulders, his arms reaching high as they slipped into the sleeves. “Okay. Heads up. Tomorrow, I have to work until seven, but as soon as Stan takes over, I’m ready. Does that work for you?”

“I’m free whenever. Tomorrow,now…”

Jason shook his head and ambled toward me. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Nicholas.” He manifested in front of me, and even though his face was further away than it had been two minutes ago, it felt closer. “Then we’ll see who makes who scream, sweat, and beg for more.” He licked his lips and stepped into the hallway. “Wear something warm. We’ll be outside for a while.”

My back was still pressed against the wall as I watched him walk away. I was sweating. This didn’t sound like we were going to have a regular Halloween date. It sounded like I could and should expecta lotof things to happen. Things that would be suitable for mature audiences only.

The morningbehind the gas station was warm enough to keep my jacket open, even though the sun was still roughly forty-five minutes away from coming out.

My feet dangled over the asphalt as I sat in the driver's seat with the door open. I drummed my fingertips on my knee and hummed. The radio had played my favorite Halloween monster song an hour ago, and it hadn’t left me alone since. I was excited. I had expected to have a sleepless night, but it was a breeze. Just a minute before my alarm, I awoke refreshed, as if this was a new life and I had a new body.

Headlights illuminating the trees across the street announced Jason’s arrival. I finished my daily banana, jumpedout of my seat, and shut the door as Jason parked next to me. I searched for his face, but as soon as I saw it, my head snapped back.

He wasn’t wearing his eye patch.

Jason waved me good morning as he got out of his car, making a face like he was still tired.

“Today, of all days, you’re not wearing your eye patch?” I asked him because… it was Halloween. If any day of the year would be perfect to have one, it would be today, wouldn’t it?

Jason frowned. “What eye patch?”

I stepped closer before pausing, my eyes glued to his face.Had I crossed a line?He didn’t like to talk about it, and it was the first thing I commented on.

“Sorry, I—“ I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have said that. Apologies.”

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