Page 83 of You Rock My World
“Are you trying to tame me?”
“Never.” She laughs, then—without hesitation—takes my hand, her fingers slipping between mine like she’s done it a million times before. My heart does some ridiculous taekwondo move in my chest, and I squeeze her hand back as we keep walking down the block, just a regular couple out on Halloween night.
At the end of the block, Penny turns to us, her eyes wide with anticipation. “Are you guys ready? This street is the best!”
We follow her from door to door, hitting every house in quick succession. Orange-and-purple string lights flicker along porch railings, while inflatable ghosts sag slightly in the heat. Plastic skeletons dangle from second-story balconies, their joints clicking in the breeze. One yard has a dozen foam tombstones arranged in precise rows across drought-friendly gravel. Spiderwebs stretch between cacti, and glow-in-the-dark bats cling to stucco walls.
Penny barely notices the decorations. She’s a machine, her energy boundless as she sprints from yard to yard, dodging other kids and parents.
Once we clear the first block, Penny grabs my hand. “One more street, please!” she pleads. “We can’t stop now!”
“Sure.”
Josie scolds me. “You didn’t even negotiate that this would be the last one.”
“Oh, well.” I brush the back of my fingers against hers. “I can’t say no to any of the Monroe women.”
* * *
We end up hitting three more streets. When we return home, I take off my mask and wipe the sweat from my forehead. Penny is bouncing off the walls, her sugar rush at full throttle as she dumps her candy onto the dining-room table.
“We got way more than last year!” she exclaims, as the assortment of sweets spills out in a colorful avalanche. Penny sorts them with the precision of a miniature scientist conducting an important experiment.
“How good are you at math?” I ask, loosening the collar of my Dracula costume.
“I can already do fractions. Like, if I eat half my candy now, I’ll still have… half left!” she announces with a big, proud grin.
Josie walks in, taking in our loot. “Penny, no more candies for tonight. You need to wind down. It’s way past your bedtime.”
Penny pouts. “But Mom said I could stay up late because it’s a special night.”
“How about this?” Josie crouches down. “If you brush your teeth and get into your PJs, I’ll show you the story I’ve been working on.”
Penny’s eyes light up. “The mermaid one, you’ve finished it?”
Josie nods. “And if you go change, I’ll read it to you.”
Penny considers. “Okay, but only if he reads the prince’s part.” She points at me.
Josie pretends to think it over. “Well, Dorian has the best reading voice…”
Her eyes meet mine, and I nod. “You’ve got a deal, kiddo.”
Penny runs down the hall, whooping, while Josie walks to the chair where she left her bag and pulls out a tablet. I stand behind her, draping her hair to the side and dropping a soft, open-mouthed kiss on the juncture between her neck and shoulders. “Do I get a preview?”
She leans into me. “Sorry, no spoilers.”
“Always so strict.” I let my vampire fangs graze her skin, and she makes a small, helpless sound.
“And you’re always so… tempting.” Josie sighs, tilting her head to expose more of her neck as she shimmies against me.
My pulse kicks up. Josie is a devil and she knows exactly what she’s doing to me. “I won’t be able to read anything if you keep moving like that.”
Mercifully, Penny calls out before Josie can reply, sparing me from whatever wicked retort she was about to deliver.
“I’m ready!”
We walk into her bedroom and find her sitting cross-legged on the bed, still wearing the Mouse King cape over her pajamas.
