Page 61 of Spookily Yours

To the demon waiting for me.

* * *

“Damien!” I shouted, tossing my keys on the front table and my tote bag onto my designated stuff chair. “I’m home!”

Part of me liked being able to say that to someone. Sure, I used to say it to my sister—and to my cat—but now, knowing that the being in this house was mine, even if it was just for now, made me giddy.

“I brought home some of the extra scones Luna made today,” I added, carrying the box into the kitchen. “They’re pumpkin and chocolate chip.” I was watering just thinking about the contents. As if I hadn’t had two this morning.

“What are we doing tonight?” His arms wrapped around my shoulders as he placed a kiss on my temple. “Does this town have any other fun festivities I should know about?”

“Have you ever gone bobbing for apples before?”

Damien looked horrified. “Willow. What?”

I laughed, unable to keep a straight face. “I’m kidding. Though you wouldn’t believe what some of the kids here can do. They’re champs.” I brushed a hair back from my face, grabbing the other bag of supplies I’d brought home with me. “I thought maybe we could make caramel apples and then just watch a movie. There’s a new one on tonight.”

Slowly, I was going to convert him to like my silly Halloween romance movies. I had no idea what he watched before meeting me, but I’d watch them all year long if people let me. We’d already watched Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus, two of my favorites, but I had an entire cabinet full of options.

“Mmm. Sounds good. But I have an idea before that.”

“You do?”

He nodded, taking my hand and guiding me outside to the back patio.

“Is this…” I looked back at him. “Did you do all of this?”

Damien gave me another nod. Not only had he strung a canopy of lights over the backyard, but he’d laid out a blanket—laid out with a complete picnic and a glass of wine. The last rays of sunset showed through the trees, lighting up their orange and yellow leaves. I loved New England in the fall. Truly, even though I could have moved anywhere, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere but here.

“It’s probably not as good as the one at the festival, but…” He pulled the lid off of a dish, exposing a freshly made pumpkin pie.

“Damien…” My eyes watered. “You made me my favorite pie?”

“Of course.” He kissed my forehead as we both settled onto the blanket. “Anything for my little witch.”

“You gotta stop spoiling me,” I murmured, staring up at his chiseled jaw as I settled against him. “Or I’m never going to let you go.”

My admission was too close to the truth, and I promptly shut my mouth. I didn’t want to ruin this moment with that conversation. It could wait.

He gave me a lopsided grin before starting to unveil the rest of the dishes. It must have taken him all day to do this. Damien placed a glass of wine in my hands, and I took a sip, enjoying the flavors as they blossomed on my tongue.

The lighting, the ambiance, it was all simply perfect. He was perfect. How could he be anything but? He’d come into my life in the most unexpected of ways, but he fit so perfectly.

Fit withmeso perfectly.

I gave a happy sigh, leaning my head against his shoulder. The aroma of the food wafted towards my nose, and I was suddenly starving. I couldn’t wait to try everything he’d made for us.

“Oh. And one more thing.” He pressed a button, and a low, soothing melody started playing. “Now it really is perfect.”

I shook my head in disbelief. He’d really thought of everything, hadn’t he?

Which led me to the question I’d been asking myself for the last week…

How was I going to let him go?

* * *

“I’m so full,” I bemoaned, talking to the black cat who laid at my feet.

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