“You bastard.” Ariana screamed, beating against his muscled back, her strawberry blonde hair swinging with his every step. “I’m going to have you arrested for kidnapping.”
“In case you forgot, princess, making sure you don’t get abductedagainis exactly why I’m here.” Theo scoffed, a satisfied smirk on his face. “Better me than someone else.”
Riley’s shoulders sagged as she trailed along behind Theo and an outraged Ariana.
“Bye, cutie.” Cade called with a wave of his fingers to Riley.
Without even turning around, Riley threw her hand up behind her and flipped off Cade.
Sara clapped a hand over her mouth as thegirls erupted in shocked giggles. “Why was that kind of hot?” Jules gaped at Sara, who headily murmured her agreement.Noted.
“Okaaaaay.” Sloane chimed as we all gawked at each other. “I guess we’re done with cake. Who’s ready for the haunted house?”
My grip on Sara tightened. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?
CHAPTER 37
Monsters in The Dark
SARAFINA
A shrill scream erupted in the distance, and I sucked in a sharp breath, jerking toward the sound. Relief flooded me when muted laughter quickly followed, but my skin still prickled with unease.
You’re fine.
The soft hum and chirp of bugs filled the air around me. Minutes stretched long, and dead ends grew even more frustrating as I tried to push down the panic that had sunk its teeth deeper into me with every wrong turn.
With mud squelching under my caked tennis shoes, I started down the next tall row of corn, hating the darkness that suffocated me from all sides as I very unsuccessfully tried to navigate my way out of the maze.
I told myself my mind was playing tricks on me, but ominous shadows seemed to move within the dense walls of corn, seemed to keep pace with me.
When I reached the end of the row, my stomach dropped, realizing the path split in three different directions.Again.
There was a strong chance I’d been going in circles for quite a while now, and I’d had just about enough of that. I quickly tied several corn husks together and placed the large, recognizable knot at the entrance of one path before starting down it.
I pulled out my phone and turned on the flashlight, not caring about the rules as I hurried down the row to see if I made a loop back to my marker.
Cold mud splattered up the back of my bare legs, and I desperately wished I’d changed into leggings, but of course, the outfit had been my priority.
Well, actually, the look on Carter’s face when he saw me in my leggy little dress had been the priority. A twist of heat bloomed in my chest, making me smile as I recalled Carter’s quiet simmering outrage when Cade had taken me to the dance floor. Jealous Carter washot. Gotmehot just thinking about it. As fun as dancing with Cade had been, he’d only been a part of my cover. There was, of course, only one person I had really wanted to dance with.
It was the guy who had fucked me into next week like it was a casual Tuesday night. The guy who had practically turned me inside out, using in his own wordsa cute little unicorn horn.
To put it delicately.
I rubbed my collarbone breathily as I turned his words over in my mind. He wanted to take it slow. I rolled my eyes. Please. I wanted to do anything but. I wanted to make up for lost time. I wanted?—
God, I was desperate for him. Whatever. It was what it was, and what it was—was all freaking consuming.But I’d always been like that about Carter, always been drawn to him. I couldn’t help it.
I shook my head, knowing Liam was going to besoupset when he found out; it’d feel like a betrayal to him. We’d have to figure out a way to tell him eventually, but Carter was right. We deserved a little time to figure this all out, just the two of us.
Plus, the sneaking around was kind of hot too.
Replaying last night’s shenanigans in my mind, I clung to that little kernel of warmth as I turned down another tall row of corn, lost in my dirty little thoughts.
The way Carter’s eyes had tracked my every movement allnight, what we’d almost gotten caught doing underneath the table.
Whew.
