Page 43 of Gorgeous

The food is passed around, and I take a moment to look at the guys and make sure they all have something to munch on during the movie. Tim is in the recliner, soda in hand, eyes fixated on the screen, while Mason stretches his legs against the ottoman. Everyone seems to be settled and ready to watch the horror flick Mason bootlegged off the internet.

Except Cade.

He refused to watch the movie with us, insisting he had work to do in his office. I tried to sweet talk him but he only grunted out a firm, “No,” and slammed the door in my face. I let his sour attitude go,but part of me wants to storm back into his office and tell him he should come have some fun. A defeated sigh turns into a squeal as Hayes yanks me down into the small hole he created between him and Mason. “Watch the movie, darlin. He’s fine.”

I nestle under the throw blanket Hayes offers and snuggle up next to him. He’s probably right. Cade is fine. He doesn’t need me to worry over him. Obviously, he needs space from everything. I just wish he would talk instead of closing himself off from the guys. They can’t help it I’m here causing him grief. At least I only have a week before Anniston returns home.

When Mason turns the lamp off and plunges us all into darkness, I feel a pinch at my side. I whip around, not able to see the knowing smirk on Hayes’ face, but I can almost feel the smile spreading all the way up to his cheeks. Instead of slapping his hand away, I snatch the licorice out of his mouth and cram what’s left into mine.

“Somebody is being naughty,” he rumbles under a low laugh.

Somebody could make a girl’s panties go up in flames with that one sentence.

“Somebody better keep his hands to himself and watch the fucking movie.”

Hayes and I both startle at the sound of his command before he turns on the light and reveals his pissed-off expression. Jaw tight, his forearms strain at his side as his eyes bore a hole into Hayes. “Am I clear, Sergeant Hayes?”

Hayes’ body shakes from holding back his laughter as he salutes Cade almost comically, “Yes, sir.”

With a hate-glare aimed right at me, Cade turns and heads up the stairs without another word.

“Look what you did, B. Now we’ll have to run an extra mile tomorrow all because you can’t control yourself around me.”

Mason groans beside me and I look at them all incredulously. “What are you talking about?”

Tim casts an apologetic look in my direction but doesn’t answer me. It’s Vic who finally explodes, standing from his seat on the floor and punching Hayes in the leg. “Stop fucking taunting him.”

Taunting him?

Like making Cade jealous?

I tip my chin back to Hayes and he grins boyishly. “Don’t worry. It’s good for him.”

Mason turns off the lamp. I want to ask Hayes to elaborate, but he covers my mouth, shushing meand pointing at the screen as the first victim screams.

It’s after one in the morning and I still can’t fall asleep. Visions of a masked man hiding in the closet have me on edge. And by on edge I really mean scared shitless. Where did Mason find such a gruesome movie? It’s all I can think about when I close my eyes—me waking to a man plunging his rusty knife in my throat and laughing evilly as he gets his rocks off by watching the life fade from my eyes.

No superhero saved the girl in the movie.

Everyone died.

The killer lived.

What kind of bullshit is that? I watch scary movies occasionally, but I want the good guys to win. Everyone wants a happily ever after, right? Sweat clings to my Optimus Prime t-shirt like I’ve run ten miles uphill. Ugh. This is going to be the longest night in history. See if I let the guys talk me into another horror movie again.

Turning over and groaning into my pillow, I try thinking good thoughts, like Cade’s muscular ass this morning when he asked me to hold the ladder so he could clean out the gutters. Calves that looked like they were carved from stone flexed below the hemline of his shorts, taunting me to graze my hand against the soft hair covering them.

Click.

Click.

A noise outside my window has my head off the pillow in two seconds flat. I stare through the darkness, my gaze focused on the sheer paneled curtains. They don’t move, and I can’t see if a man is standing behind them.

You’re safe, I tell myself.

But it doesn’t make me feel any better because I hear another noise. This time it sounds like something is scratching the screen.

Fuck this.

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