Page 57 of Digging Deeper

Swatting his hand away, I say, “Stop distracting me. You’re gonna make me fall.” I can’t help but laugh a little and shake my head as I concentrate on tying the top of the lifesize headless horseman decoration to the porch so it doesn’t get blown over.

“Fine, fine, fine.” He finally holds the ladder with two hands, just in time for me to climb back down. He grins and asks, “What next?”

Scanning the yard and porch, I take in all the hanging ghosts, the creepy witch that jumps at you when you walk by, the creeptastic dolls spread throughout the yard, the headless horseman, the skeletons, the gravestones, the countless other smaller decorations, and I ask, “You think we need more spiderwebs?”

Drix laughs again and walks around the ladder bringing himself next to me to wrap an arm around my waist and tug me close. He nudges my nose with his own, then places a sweet kiss on my lips before muttering, “I think our house is the best on the block already.”

“Yeah?”

He nods. “Definitely. Wanna clean up and order in? We can test out that creepy as hell doll on the rocking horse. Well, you can test it out, I’ll stand back and watch you.”

I grin. “That is the best thing I found this year.”

“I might have to go around to the back door when I come home at night.”

I chuckle and nudge him out of the way to grab the ladder. “Are you scared of the little dolly?”

“When it starts rocking when you walk by and it’s missing eyes and shit? Hell yes.”

I laugh and lug the ladder into the back yard, then put it in the garage before locking up. Drix is waiting for me near the back door, and as I walk closer, I soak in the sight of him. He’s no longer using any assistance to walk, and most of the time, he doesn’t even limp so you’d never know he’d been injured so badly. And now, as he leans against the house with his hands in his front jeans pockets, wearing a hoodie, watching me with those sapphire blue eyes popping out against his brown hair, his confidence is fucking sexy. Pretty sure my mouth is watering.

As I approach, he starts to turn to head inside, but I cut him off, pressing my body into his and going up on my tiptoes for a lingering kiss. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I lean into him and groan as he holds me up and pulls me close.

These last few weeks have been amazing with Drix. He’s been sweet and kind and patient, and I’m pretty sure I’ve already fallen head over heels for him. If he keeps it up, I’ll be a goner for sure.

“What?” he whispers against my lips.

I shake my head. “Nothing.” I bury my fingers in his hair, playing with the strands. “You ready to go inside?”

He nods but captures my lips again, making me melt into him. Time passes by—minutes? hours?—as I lose myself in Hendrix’s embrace.

* * *

Standingin front of the mirror, I frown and groan in frustration. I hate my costume.

“What’s the matter with you?” Drix yells from the other side of the bedroom door.

“Nothing!” I yell back.

“Gavin, I can hear you groaning and moaning from here.”

I sigh and march over to the door, throwing it open. “I hate my costu—”

I cut myself off when I get a good look at Drix. He’s got a long coat on with a high collar, a red button down shirt underneath, black pants, black shoes, and when he smiles at me, I see his fake vampire fangs. “Wow.” He looks sexy as sin. “You really pull off the vampire look.”

“Thanks,” he says distractedly. When I glance up, I see that his eyes are running all over my body. His gaze finally reaches mine, and he smiles. “You look great.”

Looking down at myself, I sigh. “No, I don’t.”

“Are you kidding me? You always look great, but you make a sexy nurse.”

“Thanks.” I sigh again and stare at my white nurse’s costume. It’s… okay, I guess, but not great, not like Drix’s costume.

He moves closer and kisses my lips with a smile. “You ready?”

“I didn’t think you even wanted to go tonight.”

He shrugs. “I didn’t, but now that I see this”—he waves his hand at me, encompassing my whole body—“I’m happy I agreed.”

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