Page 2 of A Little Red
“Certainly not ADA compliant,” he said, with a grin—only Scarlet would worry about whether the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration had approved a haunted house. She blushed a little like she knew she was being silly. “Want to go get a drink?” he asked.
She blinked at him, her eyes still glossy with unshed tears. “Yes?”
“All right then Ms. Hood, give me a moment to collect my jacket and I’ll be ready to lure you down the wrong path.”
She chuckled. “Oh, good. I’ve always wanted to be lured.”
Liam tried not to question his intentions as he pulled on his jacket. Some things were just instinct. He could worry about consequences later and God, did he need some sort of distraction. Between the full moon and the fact that he hadn’t made it home for a hunt this month, he was starting to go a little bonkers.
She was waiting for him when he came out of the office, a tiny basket in her hands and a sweetly nervous expression on her face.
“You don’t mind going out with me looking like this, do you?”
Liam contemplated that. Truly what he wanted was to stay in with her looking like that. But, no, going out with Scarlet looking like a wolf’s wet dream wasn’t going to be a problem.
“It’s fine,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t think anyone will notice honestly. It’s Halloween.”
“That’s true,” she agreed. “And if anyone asks, we’ll tell them you’re the wolf.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “I am definitely the wolf.”
“You know what I always wondered about Little Red Riding Hood?” she asked, as he led the way to the elevator.
“How anyone could mistake the wolf for the grandmother?” It was the part of the story that always made his family nervous. It was too blatantly close to the truth.
“No, I wonder where the wolf was going before he met Little Red. No one ever seems to wonder if she lured him offhispath.”
“Well, he’s the bad guy,” argued Liam, although he had to admit he liked her interpretation.
“Well, of course,” said Scarlet. “The bad guy isn’t going to tell you that she’s the bad guy.”
“What do you mean?” he asked with a frown.
“The wolf died. It’s Little Red who lived to tell the story and craft the marketing message. For all we know, Little Red lured the wolf to the cottage to kill her grandmother and then had the huntsman kill the wolf.”
“Little Red,” said Liam, feeling more attracted to Scarlet with every word out of her mouth—her pretty red-tinted mouth with the invitingly soft lips. “Should I be worried for my safety?”
“My grandmother lives out of state. And I like wolves,” she said giving him a saucy wink.
Liam grinned, showing all his teeth. “Then, perhaps I can interest you in this very dark little lane just off the beaten path.” He gestured to the elevator as the doors slid open.
She chuckled again and Liam felt smug. She didn’t laugh much during working hours.
“Actually,” he said as they entered the elevator, “I was going to grab a drink at Maxim’s in the upstairs bar. If you’re up for that.” He waited for her to be impressed. The private club above the dance hall at Maxim’s was one of the cities hardest to get invitations. Of course, that was mostly because they had rather stringent restrictions on membership. Money was only half the requirement for getting through the door – members also had to be a Supernatural being of some kind. They’d relaxed their policy in the last decade though. Humans were now allowed with an escort.
“I’ve only lived here a few months,” said Scarlet. “I don’t know where, or what, anything is, so wherever you want to go.” She looked embarrassed and standing in the closed space of the elevator Liam found her scent heady and drool inducing. He wanted to lean in and lick her. She was so perfectly innocent that he thought he probably ought to feel guilty about all the things he was going to do to her.
But he didn’t.
“Great,” he said, forcing himself to keep his hands in his pockets and his tongue in his mouth for the moment. “I think you’ll like Maxim’s.”
Tonight was going to be just what he needed.
Episode 2
Maxim’s
Scarlet
