Page 61 of Teach Me How

I pull back, looking up at him. “You can’t invite a girl to a costume ball and then not take her. It’s bad form.”

He growls, reluctantly letting me pull out of his grip. “Bad form, huh?”

“Yes. Let’s not fall into old habits, Mr. Thomas.” I dig around in the paper bag and withdraw his costume. I was tempted to make him a magician. A rabbit and her magician. I love a good theme, but I decided I didn’t want to do anything too couple-ish. Stepping back, I hold up a pair of fuzzy white angel wings. Parker wore them in the nativity scene one year. But as I’m holding them up, I’m having serious doubts about whether they’ll fit over Skyler’s broad shoulders.

The straps are just barely stretchy enough to make it over his shoulders, but after a brief struggle, I’m looking at a dashingly handsome angel. He immediately reaches out and reels me back against his chest. “How do I look?”

I squint at him. “Annoyingly good.”

His fingers glide up my spine. “I seem to recall someone criticizing my idea to wear a hat tonight. Said it was too simple. And that someone’s costume consists of a headband.”

I start to pull away. “You don’t like it?”

He holds me tight. “Oh, I like it.”

“How much?”

He bumps his hips against my tummy. Lowering his lips to my ear, his voice is a sexy rumble. “I like it a lot.”

40.

Skyler

I’m realizing I have an unflattering history of skipping the date part of a date so that I can get a girl back to my place.

Call me impatient.

But with Reese, that impatience is at an all-time high.

We’re talking biblical proportions.

From the moment I peeled that jacket off Reese’s shoulders, I was done with the whole party thing. I wanted her naked, and in my arms, as soon as possible. But dancing with her is a close second—only because that smile on her face makes it worthwhile.

The DJ is playing the typical Halloween party fare. Thriller. Love Shack. Even Monster Mash, for Pete’s sake. Heedless of the goofy-ass music they’re piping through the sound system, Reese and I have been dancing to our own rhythm. It’s slow and sensual and it’s setting me on fire. She won’t let me full-on make out with her, too demure for that, but she’s let me trail kisses up her neck. Whisper dirty promises into her ears. Her hips and her tummy melt into my body, and it’s been a sweet torture to keep my engorged dick from turning into a raging hard-on. I let her scent fill my head with thoughts of a sunny day at the beach, even though we’re surrounded by pumpkins and skeletons.

She’s my beach bunny and I’m her fallen angel. That dress celebrates her curves. The white fabric stretches underneath my fingers, giving me tempting, teasing access to her soft body. After our run in with the dumb fuck at the bar the other night, I was afraid her newfound sense of expression would get stamped out as collateral damage. I’m relieved to see her sticking to her guns, trying new things. But I’m also not going to let her leave my sight.

Except to use the bathroom.

This time, I follow her there, leaning up against the wall just outside the hallway. A cute brunette in an angel costume gives me a flirty smile on her way past. She looks like she’s thinking about stopping, and I’m grateful she doesn’t, but then I hear her talking to Reese in the hall.

“Oh my gosh, Reese. What are you doing here?”

There’s a slight pause and then Reese’s voice, high and plasticky, rings out. “Leah. It’s been so long. How are you?”

I grin to myself. These girls have a certain way of pitching their voices when they’re pretending to like each other.

“I’m good. I was so sorry to hear about you and Jonah. You two made such a good couple.”

“Yeah, well…” Reese’s voice drops slightly.

“I thought for sure you’d get married.”

“Me too.” Reese’s voice is flat now. “But I also believed in Santa at one point, so what do I know?”

Leah’s laugh is tinged with uncertainty. “Long distance relationships can be hard.”

“Long distance?”

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