His hands are on my waist, and we’re so close that I swear I can feel his heart beating against my chest.
Before I can tell him to behave, his mouth finds mine. Suddenly, I forget we’re hiding and the house is full of people. My hands tangle in his hair as he presses me against the wall, kissing me like tomorrow will never come, like we have all the time in the world.
“Surprise!” The room bursts into muffled cheers, but we’re too lost in one another to break out of it.
Seconds later, the door opens, and I hear Zane laugh. Nick’s lips are on my neck, and my hands are still twisted in his hair.
“Surprise,” Nick says, not even slightly embarrassed. “Happy birthday, buddy.”
“Thanks,” Zane says.
Autumn appears behind him, laughing. She hands him their coats, and he hangs them at the opposite end before closing the door.
I collapse against Nick’s chest, laughing.
“You make my heart race,” I whisper.
“It’s mutual, babe.” He steals a few more kisses.
“Does Harper usually give love prophecies?” I ask before he tugs my bottom lip into his mouth and sucks.
“Yes, and she’s never wrong.”
His words force streams of electricity through me, and there’s a part buried deep inside that wants her to be right. I can’t deny that.
“We should join everyone,” he says.
“Yeah,” I tell him, knowing we can’t stay in here all night.
We lost control, and I don’t know how to feel about that.
He reaches for the door and opens it, and the two of us step out. I glance at myself in the golden-framed mirror on the wall. My lipstick survived, thanks to the super-stay formula, but my lips are swollen, and Nick’s hair is messy from my fingers running through it. Everyone gives us knowing looks, but there’s no judgment, only support.
Spooky music plays in the background, and the lights are lowered. The ambience is perfect and makes me excited for the huge costume party they’re throwing on Halloween.
Zane and Autumn offer us drinks, and we take them.
“Were you at least surprised?” I ask Zane.
“Not even a little. She’s been trying to return last year’s favor since I threw her the best surprise party of the century,” he says, smiling at her.
It’s so easy to see how in love they are.
“At least act surprised,” Autumn says, feeding him a nacho. “One day, I’m going to get you so hard.”
“You’ve already got me, Pumpkin.”
More of his friends walk up to chat, and Nick pulls me away. We refill our drinks at a giant cauldron that’s lit up and smoking. The purple punch smells like bad decisions, but right now, I welcome it. We both gulp it down, and I take a moment to notice how many fall decorations are in the house. Autumn must’ve spent all morning decorating. There are at least fifty pumpkins in different shapes and sizes.
“Do you think she did that while he was sleeping last night?”
Nick chuckles. “So, when he woke up, it was like the Autumn Santa visited.”
“Exactly. But he was born on the first day of fall, so that would be fitting.”
Nick glances around, taking it all in. “I think there are at least a hundred pumpkins in here.”
“That many? No way.” I begin counting. “Okay, maybe I have pumpkin blindness. I just counted eighteen on the mantel.”
