Page 7 of Midnight Masquerade

"It's never the season for murder."

"It's Halloween, Madeline."

She snorts indelicately, making me laugh out loud. "Which is the most cliché season of all to murder someone, if you ask me. Murder at Halloween. Oh, scary." She rolls her big brown eyes.

"So, murder at Halloween doesn't scare you," I murmur, popping the locks on the truck as I lead her across the packed parking lot, her hand still firmly caught in mine. "What does scare you?"

She eyes me sideways. "Uh, are you crazy? Murder at Halloween scares me. Murderanytimescares me. I'm just saying Halloween murder is cliché."

"But you're going to kill your cousin," I remind her.

"Oh, yes. He's definitely gotta go." She bobs her head for emphasis, making me laugh again. Maybe it's the furry tail swishing along behind her or the sparkly horn bopping along on top of her head, I don't know. But fucking hell, she's so goddamn cute when she's being savage.

I can't remember the last time anyone made me smile this much. Actually, that's not true. I never smile this much. I'm a grumpy asshole nine days out of ten.

People annoy the fuck out of me. Being nice to them annoys the fuck out of me. Spending time with them also annoys the fuck out of me. Having to do those three things at the same time turns me into a raging asshole. But there's something…calming about her.

For the first time in a long time, being in town, surrounded by people who used to bully the fuck out of me, doesn't have me feeling like I want to crawl out of my skin. There's a sense of anticipation and…excitement I haven't felt in…well, since I was a fucking kid, honestly.

I help her climb up into the truck—but not before she peers into the backseat like she's checking to make sure no one is hiding back there.

"Did you move here from Houston?"

"No. Why?"

"Because I can pretty much guarantee no one is hiding in the backseat of my truck in Midnight Falls, unicorn," I murmur. "The crime rate around here is a dispute between farmers, the town drunk running naked through town again, and the occasional candy bar theft."

She turns to look at me, a smirk dancing on her lips. "Are you the town drunk you speak of, Mr. Whitlock? You seem awful familiar with his criminal history."

"Get in the truck, smart ass."

She giggles as she scrambles in, giving me a fantastic view of her ass. Right up until she drops down in the seat.

I scowl, trying to figure out how to get my eyes on her ass again.

"I meant what I said. I will be the most annoying gho—What are you doing?" She swats my hands away when I try to buckle her seatbelt. "I can do that."

I reluctantly back off to let her do it, my hands itching to touch her again. "You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"What scares you?" I ask, curious as hell. She's a fearless little thing, as far as I can tell. Spiders and the prospect of jail aside, nothing much seems to slow her down.

She considers the question while I close her door and circle around, climbing in beside her. My eyes drift closed as her scent swirls around me. Fucking hell. The whole cab of the truck smells like her—sweet, juicy apples.

I briefly wonder if she'll taste as tart and juicy. But that particular line of thought makes my cock throb like a motherfucker, so I crank the engine instead.

The truck rumbles to life while she's still considering the question.

"This," she finally says as I pull out of the parking lot onto the main road.

I glance over at her. "Hmm?"

"This scares me," she whispers, her fingers all tangled up in the long sleeves of her costume.

"Being alone with me?" My heart climbs into my throat.Fuck. She's afraid of me. "I'm not going to hurt you, unicorn. There are no bodies in my basement, and you aren't in any danger with me. Not now or ever, I promise you that."

"Good to know." She swallows. "But that's not what I was talking about. Um…" Her cheeks heat, an adorable blush climbing all the way to her hairline. "I've never left a party with a guy before, Drake," she whispers like she's telling me a state secret. "Or gone home with one."

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