Page 19 of The Haunting of the Mountain

“She’s okay. She wasn’t but now she is.”

“What?”

“You were right about it being dangerous. She lost her way and ended up off the beaten path. She injured her leg but luckily someone found her and he’s making sure she gets back here alright.”

“That’s great. Now how about we?—“

My stomach grumbles and she laughs.

“I’m with you.” She pats my stomach and says, “Let’s get some food. I’m dying to see what else this town has in store for me. My treat.”

I shake my head. “No need.”

She tugs at my arm as we head toward the front door to Windy Brews.

“I crashed your cabin, ate your cobbler, and then had you chase after me in the pouring rain.”

“Blinded me with holy water too.”

She blushes. “See? It’s the least I can do to pay you back.”

A kiss would be more than sufficient. I’d be in debt.

I pull the door to Windy Brews open, and she slides in front of me, her scent wafting in my face as I take a deep breath.

“I don’t mind the excitement,” I say, but Kyla is already ahead of me, bursting with glee as she looks around the cafe.

Nearly every inch of Windy Brews is covered in decorations. Black spiders climb the walls in all directions with streaks of puffy white webs between them. Candles and broomsticks and cauldrons galore. Kids are running around in their costumes, clutching small orange, black, and purple bags filled to the brim with candy.

“I feel like I should’ve brought a costume.”

“There’s a store for that down the road.”

She glances back at me over her shoulder and beams that perfect smile of hers, constricting my chest and abdomen and making it hard to breathe for a few moments.

“I don’t doubt it.”

And as I watch her move to the counter, still reeling from the effect she has on my body, there’s one thing that’s not a doubt in my mind. She’s mine. And I’m not going to let her go.

“Black Death?”I ask after taking another sip of my coffee.

“Yeah, and I got it extra spooky,” Kyla says, licking the whipped cream from her lips.

What I wouldn’t give to do that for her.

“Sorry,” I mumble, damn near leveling a man leaning against the lampost as we walk down the sidewalk.

Kyla laughs. “Did you just apologize to a scarecrow?”

I glance back and see that the man is nothing more than old clothing stuffed with straw and a kinda creepy burlap face.

“Guess the coffee isn’t doing the trick. Maybe I should’ve asked for it extra spooky.” I give her a light bump with my hip and she smiles, taking another sip. “What is it anyway?”

“Hot chocolate with extra ghost marshmallows and whipped cream. It’sdelicious.”

Not as delicious as those lips.

The thoughts have been coming harder and faster. Everything she does drives me wild. Talking with her. Walking with her. Doing anything with her.

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