Page 81 of You Rock My World
I don’t.
When we reach it, I slip off my sweater and socks, ending up in just a tank top and leggings. He pulls back the covers and slides in, holding them up in invitation. I climb in beside him.
We don’t touch at first. We just lie facing each other, the silence heavy with everything wewantto do but won’t—can’t.
Then, slowly, carefully, he pulls me against him. I bury my face in his chest, and he rests his chin on top of my head.
His voice is a whisper against my hair. “We’ll get there.”
I nod, my fingers curling into his T-shirt, as he holds me closer and we fall asleep.
36
DORIAN
Early on Halloween night, I sneak up to Josie’s sister’s house looking like a B-movie Dracula, complete with a black mask and a red-lined cape. I’m hoping the disguise will keep me anonymous. I should’ve gone for a more foolproof costume with a full-face disguise. Kylo Ren, Dr. Doom, or a traditional Ghostface. But Josie has a thing for vampires, so here I am with my chin and mouth exposed—ready to sink my teeth in.
A wicked grin spreads across my face at the thought of grazing my fake fangs over her neck. The smile fades as I glance around the busy street where Ned dropped me off. A few kids in costumes run from house to house, their parents trailing behind, and I pull my cape tighter over my shoulders. Following Josie’s instructions, I hop up a flight of steps to the second story of her sister’s housing complex. I adjust my mask, schooling my features in a look as menacing as possible before I ring the bell.
Footsteps approach from the other side, prompting a warm friction to rise in my stomach.
The lock clicks, and a second later, Josie steps into view—or rather, her evil twin does.
My jaw hits the floor as I take her in. She’s wearing the sequined dress I was promised, the skirt criminally short, exposing miles of long, toned legs. Her lips are painted a sinful red, and her dark and smoky makeup, much heavier than her usual, gives her an unrecognizable, sultry edge. Her hair is loose and wild, tumbling over her shoulders. A pair of horns peeks through the messy waves, and it’s absurd how badly I want to let her be the devil on my shoulder.
Josie twirls the pitchfork in her hands with a wicked grin. “Trick or treat?” she purrs.
“You’re stealing my lines.”And my heart. And my soul.
“Answer me.”
Bossy, I like it. I let my eyes trace the curve of her thighs before meeting her gaze. “What happens if I pick wrong?”
She leans against the doorframe, one leg crossing over the other, striking a pose that would make any mortal man weak in the knees. “You’ll suffer.”
“And if I pick right?”
Her lips curve wickedly. “You’ll suffer—but enjoy it.”
“So I suffer either way? You’re not presenting my opinions very well. Shouldn’t there be some seduction before the torment?”
“Didn’t you read the fine print before promising your soul away for tonight? I told you it wouldn’t be easy.”
“My kind doesn’t have a soul to sell.”
She frowns adorably as she takes in my costume. “Why, who are you supposed to be?”
“A brooding immortal. A seductive creature of the night. Your pick.”
“So vampire.” The way she saysvampire—silky, teasing, an invitation and a dare—grazes against my ribs like a wooden stake, poised to pierce my heart and end me. “Do I need to invite you in, Mr. Immortal?”
“You do. But if I were you, I’d think real hard before letting me cross that threshold.”
She doesn’t even blink. “Come on in.”
Before I can even take her up on the offer, Josie catches me by the cape and pulls me inside.
The house is decked out in simple Halloween decorations—cobwebs crafted from cotton, paper skeletons dangling from strings, and a few carved pumpkins with friendly faces. It has a charming, DIY feel that speaks of a family’s touch, not the kind you get from clearing out an aisle at the Halloween superstore. It reminds me of the ornaments my mom used when I was a kid, the sort that held more sentimental value than aesthetic.
