Page 26 of Moonlighting with the Werewolf

“That’s real good news,” Conall said. “Try to keep that in mind when I break the bad news. The reason we’re stopped at the tippy top is because I paid the guy running the ride to give me a few minutes to look around. My pack is in danger, and since we both know you’re not the witch, I need to take advantage of this eagle-eye view. But I won’t let you fall, I promise.”

Apprehension rose, but I did my best to appear calm and collected anyway. It wasn’t like I could say,Well, too bad for your pack.“Okay. Just...be careful.”

“I’d blush over the fact that you’re worried about me, Doc, but I think that’s just the orgasm talking.”

The seat rocked as I slapped a hand over his mouth. Immediately, I regretted the movement. Still, did he have to say it so loud? “Maybe I’m just sick of patching you up. But fine. Don’t be careful. Just hurry it up already. I’m anxious to return to solid ground.”

Conall took my hand from his mouth, placed it on the bar, and instructed me to hold on tight. Then he stood—not just on the rust-speckled floor, either. The daredevil placed one foot on the seat and one on the front of the bucket.

At least I got to have an amazing orgasm before plummeting to my death.

Now do I owe him one? I’m not sure we’d have time for me to give him a hand job, as they’ve never been my specialty, but I don’t want him to think I used him. Even if I kind of did.

“I don’t see any unfamiliar faces,” Conall muttered, and I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me but decided talking would keep me from obsessing on how far down the ground was.

“You know everyone in town, then?”

“I make it my business to know,” he said, as though he were a superhero protecting his city. Which was probably close to the truth, come to think of it.

After a couple more seconds, Conall extended his hand to me. I eyed it the same way I would a live wire. “Just take my hand,” he said. “I want to show you how beautiful my forest is.”

His forest? That was neither here nor there, so I lifted my head enough to glance at the treetops. “Yep. Super pretty.”

Conall didn’t budge. Damn guy just continued to hold out his hand. “The faster you let me show you, the faster we return to the ground.”

Grumbling and glaring to show how little I appreciated his coerced high-rise tour, I slapped my palm in his. My knees wobbled as I stood, and he at least placed both feet on the seat as he wrapped an arm around my middle, drawing my back to his front. Then he pointed over my shoulder while I clung to his other arm. “FYI, if I die, I’m going to kill you. Even if it takes coming back as a ghost. And don’t even try to tell me those don’t exist, because I’m not taking the word of a mythical creature.”

He laughed, relaying how scary he found my threat. “See that out there? That’s Watuppa Pond. The moss-covered chunk of granite next to it is Solitude Stone. Some folks call it the ‘suicide stone.’ Supposedly, when a person stands atop of it, they suddenly have the urge to jump. Possibly due to the creepy transcription:All ye, who in future days, Walk by Nunckatessett Stream, the Beauty that he wooed, In this quiet solitude.”

I peeped over my shoulder at him, unable to help my smile. Okay, so I enjoyed having his arm around me and the vibration of his voice as he gave the arial tour of Guadalupe Falls.

Below us, several of the people on the ride murmured questions, but they all seemed to be too caught up wondering what was happening while casting their gazes downward to notice there was a freaking werewolf standing on the top bucket.

“And if you follow the ridge, there’s the werewolf compound. Hmm. I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.” Frustration pervaded the statement.

“I’d make a joke about casting a spell to help,” I said, “but I’m not sure if it’s too soon or if you’d realize I’m only kidding.”

It certainly didn’t get a laugh out of him, although he did finally step us down. Immediately I plunked myself into a safer, seated position and renewed my firm grip on the bar. “Okay, so how do you tell the guy to get us going again?”

Conall cocked his head, and my skin prickled under his scrutiny. “About Mayor Sullivan... Did I interrupt a date?”

“We can talk about that as soon as we’re on the ground.”

“Why?”

“Because our experiment is starting to wear off, and I’m going to use every advantage I have to ensure we get offthis rideASAP.” I’d never use the wordregret, but I was starting to feel weak for not holding him more accountable for everything that’d happened last week. The guy was volatile, and I didn’t want to bethe foolish girl who ignored red flags. Or say or do anything that might leave us at this revolting height longer than necessary.

Not to mention that I wasn’t sure myself whether my outing with the mayor counted as a date. Guilt arose, regardless—I’d skipped out on our whatever-it-was to climb into a bucket with Conall and do a whole lot more than flirt.

“Either way,” Conall said, “you’ll be sticking by my side for the rest of the carnival. It’s as much for the mayor’s safety as it is for yours.”

Before I could shoot him an appropriate scowl, he banged the metal door of the bucket. The ride jolted into motion, and I crossed my arms. “You can’t demand I stay by you.” “Fine. I’ll stay byyourside.”

I heaved a sigh. This was the perfect example of why I didn’t ordinarily make impulsive decisions. Throwing caution to the wind was for people who didn’t care about the consequences.

My mission today was to make a good impression, and if the townsfolk thought I flitted from man to man, that wouldn’t help the outsider vibes I was already fighting against. Ugh.

Sorry, Grams. It was fun while it lasted, but I’m no good at it.

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