Page 25 of Little Horrors & Deceptions

No, you stupid horny bitch. Don’t do it. You’re here to investigate him, not sleep with him.

I never listened to me. Johnathan was right. I was weak. Instead, I found myself nodding. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“Cool, I’ll see you tonight.” Liam’s voice was casual, but I didn’t miss the flicker of something deeper in his eyes. My stomach did a weird flip, and for a moment, we both just stood there, neither of us knowing what to say next. The air felt heavier than it should have, and I was suddenly aware of how close we were standing.

He cleared his throat, nodding toward the merch booth where a small line had started to form. “Looks like you’ve got some customers.”

“Oh, right,” I stammered, fumbling with the carving tool in my hand before practically tossing it back on the table. “I, uh, better get back.”

I turned too quickly, nearly tripping over my own feet as I hurried back to the booth. My face was burning, and I could still feel his gaze on me, like he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on me. I tried to shake it off, focus on the customers in front of me, but all I could think about was tonight.

The festival had wrapped up, and I’d managed to survive the rest of the evening without embarrassing myself further. But now, here I was, standing in front of Liam’s front door with my heart lodged firmly in my throat.

There were a dozen reasons why this was a terrible idea, but none of them seemed strong enough to make me turn around. Instead, I just stood there, staring at the door like an idiot, debating whether to knock or just bolt. Before I could make a decision, the door opened. Liam stood there, leaning casually against the frame, his expression unreadable but his eyes soft.

“Hey,” he said, stepping aside and gesturing for me to come in. “Come on, I’ll show you how to make the drink. I already set out all the ingredients.”

I swallowed hard and walked inside, my legs feeling like jelly beneath me. There was faint music playing in the background, something with a smooth rhythm.

Liam moved to the kitchen and pulled out two glasses. He set them on the counter, glancing up at me with a half-smile. “You ever made a cocktail before?”

I shook my head, leaning against the counter opposite of him, trying to act casual. “No, first time for everything,” I said as he nodded and began walking me through it, step by step. Whipped cream vodka, sour mix, some sweet syrup that was way too orange, pineapple juice, and a little cream on top. The whole time, his voice was calm, but there was a quiet intensity to the way he moved, the way his fingers brushed against mine when he handed me the shaker.

We made two drinks, and after the first sip, I knew I wanted more. We had another. And another. By the third, I could feel the warmth spreading through me, my head feeling pleasantly light. The music seemed louder now, or maybe I was just more aware of it. Liam was close, closer than he had been before, and neither of us was saying much. But I could feel the tension building, like it had been all night. Like it had been since our very first meeting.

And then, without a word, he leaned in.

His lips brushed mine softly at first, almost hesitantly. I froze, as his hand slid to the small of my back, pulling me closer. His mouth moved against mine with more urgency, and I melted into the kiss, losing myself in the feel of him, in the taste of him mixed with the sweetness of the drinks. I kissed him back.

But just as quickly as it started, it was over. Liam pulled away, his forehead resting against mine, his breath shaky. “I… I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

I blinked, my mind reeling from the kiss, from everything that was happening. “No, it’s—” But before I could finish, I stepped back, needing to clear my head. “I should go.”

Liam didn’t try to stop me, just nodded, his jaw tight, regret flashing across his face, or was it something else? I could still feel the ghost of his lips on mine as I turned and left.

I shouldn’t have done this. I shouldn’t have come.

Chapter 16

Olivia Bennett

Screams resonated through the empty haunted house as I adjusted a motion sensor. I shivered, my skin prickling despite the stuffy air. Even after weeks of setup, this place still gave me the creeps when I was alone, and I hadn’t even had the full experience of walking through it when it was up and running.

I moved to the next room, cataloging what still needed fixing before opening night. Fright Night had been rescheduled to two weeks from now, and I wanted to be sure it was perfect. Flickering lights cast eerie shadows across the walls. The creak of a floorboard made me pause. Footsteps echoed through the space. Had Derek come back?

“Hey, did you forget something?” I called out, adjusting a cobweb-draped mirror.

No answer. The footsteps grew closer.

I turned, freezing when I saw Liam standing there. His usual polished appearance was gone. Hair disheveled, tie loose, helooked like he hadn’t slept in days. Maybe even since the last time I’d seen him standing in his kitchen. We’d kept our distance from each other since then. The last three days, I’d only seen Derek. I assumed it was because Liam was avoiding me, and honestly, it was probably for the best.

“Liam?” I asked, concern creeping into my voice. “Is everything alright?”

His green eyes, usually so sharp, seemed unfocused. “I-I needed to see you.” he said, his voice rough.

My heart raced. “It’s pretty late,” I replied cautiously. “Is there a problem with the house?”

Liam ran a hand through his hair, messing it up further. “No, no problem. I just…” He looked lost. Had he been drinking? I didn’t think so. His body language was solid, and he wasn’t staggering or slurring.

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