Page 10 of Her Trick His Treat

The energy shifted around us, crackling with unspoken possibilities.

I could feel his presence enveloping me, a fierce heat that made me both anxious and exhilarated.

I stood rooted in place, waiting, hoping for whatever might happen next.

I was an avid reader, and though I’d never been a dark romance girlie, I sure understood the appeal as this masked stranger stood in front of me. He was mysterious, seductive.

The living, breathing personification of a dark hero from the depths of a story I hadn’t yet begun to write.

Shadow Man.

That’s how I’d think of him from now on. He was both intimidating and fascinating, a mystery I couldn’t resist.

My lips parted.

“You, uh, scared him away,” I said.

He nodded.

“Why?”

“Because. That creep had no business talking to you, Vixen,” he growled the words.

“Vixen?”

He nodded again.

I’d been going for sex kitten, but a vixen was good.

Vixen. Female fox. Fox meant sexy, right?

My brain never turned off. But right then, staring at the way his broad chest tapered to rock hard abs outlined in the form fitting t-shirt he wore, mine was damn close to short circuiting.

“Okay. So what does that mean?”

“It means he was in my spot. I’m here now, though. Want a drink?” he asked.

“Sure,” I replied.

“What’s your poison?”

“Um, surprise me,” I said.

Truth was, I never drank. Not because I was some teetotaler, I just hardly had occasion to imbibe.

But I was at a bar. So, he’d made a natural assumption.

I watched as he motioned to the bartender and leaned over to order.

“Are you here with anyone?” he asked.

“Nope. Well, that’s not true, I am meeting my cousin,” I confessed.

I realized I probably shouldn’t have said that, but it was too late now, so I shrugged it off. A few minutes later, two blood red shots were placed in front of us.

He reached for the bottom of his mask.

“Don’t,” I blurted, and his head turned to mine.

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