Page 18 of Must Love Alligators

“Of course.”Ellie’s look said that was a really stupid question.“The bayou is perfect for Halloween.”

“The Spanish moss and stuff is kind of creepy,” Chase agreed.

“Not to mention the ghosts,” Ellie added.

Chase laughed.“Right.”Then he looked at Ellie and sobered.“Wait.The ghosts?For real?”

“The bayou is one of the most haunted places there is,” Bailey said.“Everyone knows that.”There were many published stories of murders and disappearances and hauntings in and around the bayou and she’d heard plenty of unpublished ones in her time working up and down the waters from the locals who had been there for most of their lives.

Chase looked at her.“You believe in ghosts?”

“I don’t really have a reason not to,” she said honestly.

“You’re a woman of science.”

She rolled her eyes.“Any scientist who tells you that they can explain everything is too conceited to have true credibility.Humility is a very important part of discovery.”She lifted a brow.“Don’t tell me that you think modern medicine can explain and fix everything that can go wrong with the human body.”

He lifted the mason jar of homemade hangover cure he still held.“Point taken.”

Bailey looked over to find Ellie watching her with a pleased smile.“I like you.”

That felt like a huge compliment.And possibly an invitation to a crawfish boil.Besides their bayou boat tours and their general wackiness, the Landrys were well-known for their crawfish boils.She’d tried twice to come up with a reason to hang around long enough to be invited to one.Of course, they’d all thought she was there to confiscate their favorite otter so the chances of getting that invite had probably been pretty slim anyway.But now…

“Well, sounds like there’s a cabin that needs decorating.”Chase looked at Bailey.“You up for some decorating?”

“You have to do it,” Ellie said, taking him by the arm, turning him, and pushing him toward the boat.“Everyone else is busy and we’re doing the first tour tonight after dark.So get your butts out there.”

Chase looked at Bailey.“You okay to stick around?”

She pretended to be nonchalant.“Sure.”But the idea of sticking around was far too appealing.

“Well, come on then.”Ellie took her arm and nudged her in the direction of the boat, too.

Chase stepped on first, set his box down, then turned to offer her a hand.She took it and just like some stupid romantic movie, she felt tingles trip up her arm.

He looked up, his gaze catching on hers, as if he felt it too at that moment.

She didn’t know what else to do, but she squeezed his fingers quickly.He gave her a smile and then helped her onto the boat.

Of course, she should have been expecting what happened next.She and Chase were touching, after all.

Looking into his eyes instead of where she was stepping, she put her foot too far to the edge of the step and as she shifted her weight forward to get onto the boat, her foot slid and she ended up falling into Chase.

He caught her—also like some stupid romantic movie—but the bag she was holding whacked him in the leg and he winced.She looked down.It didn’t just hold strands of lights.There was also a big, hard plastic, gold-glitter covered star.With very sharp points.One of which was poking into his leg.

Bailey quickly shifted to move the bag away from his leg but that only managed to press her hips into his.

And the big, hard erection behind his fly.

Her eyes flew to his face.

He was looking down at her.His expression held pain, amusement, heat, and exasperation all at once.Impressively.

“Sorry I’m poking you,” she said, her voice breathless.

“I was going to say the same.”

His grin registered before his words did.

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