Page 81 of The Haunting of Lockton
“No you won’t.” He stared at my cookie before helping himself to one too.
The corner of Paxton’s mouth twitched. “Bring your phone and play your game while we research.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Julian said. “He has very few brain cells left.”
Paxton choked on his next gulp of coffee and slapped a hand to cover the dribbles that’d escaped his lips. So freaking cute. He then stood from the couch. “I’m going to top off my cup. Anyone else want more?”
“Please,” Julian told him.
Paxton grabbed his mug and walked into the kitchen. And I, most definitely, checked out his ass as he did.
“Pig,” Julian mumbled.
I used my middle finger to scratch at my jaw.
He laughed.
Around midnight, Julian and I packed up our laptops and equipment. Paxton helped us carry it out to the SUV and then crossed his arms over his chest as a cool breeze swept around us. He looked so damn huggable in his sweater.
Julian caught my eye after shutting the back door and whispered, “You can stay the night with him if you want. I promise I’ll be fine on my own.”
“I don’t want to invite myself over,” I whispered back.
“Then consider me offering,” Paxton said.
I whirled in his direction. “You, uh, heard that?”
“You suck at whispering,” he answered.
Julian laughed and reached into my jacket pocket for the keys. “I’ll pick you up in the morning. Don’t sleep until noon. We have a library date.”
“Ugh. I can already feel my head exploding. And my ass going numb.” I walked over to Paxton and stood beside him as Julian got into the SUV.
“Speaking of your ass…” Paxton shifted his body a little closer and rested his hand on my lower back. “Maybe we could find a good use for it inside.”
“A better use than my whispering skills?”
He grinned. “Anything’s better than that.”
Ever since we’d met, I had picked on him several times. But as he’d become more comfortable around me, he’d started picking on me too. I liked it.
A lot.
As we went back into the house, his hand found mine. Without a word, he led me upstairs to his room and gently pushed me to my back on the bed. Our lips met. Our fingers linked. And as I felt the heavy beating of his heart against mine, a rhythm matching the beating in my own chest, I knew when the time came for me to leave, I’d miss this.
I’d miss him.
***
I tapped my phone screen, making a powerful combo before crushing all the candies around it. The game told me I’d done a good job. I soon ran out of moves and failed the level.
How quickly everything could do a one-eighty.Awesome jobone moment andYou fucking suckthe next.
Sighing, I exited the game and set my phone on the table, harder than intended. It made a loudthump, causing the woman sitting at the next table over to shoot me a nasty look. Yeah, well, I was sure she’d be salty, too, had she been on a winning streak and lost it, all because of one stupid piece of candy.
Julian kicked my foot beneath the table. I kicked him back. Or thought I had.
Paxton jolted from the chair beside me.
