A different kind of heat rocketed through her veins. Frank had always said she was a good waitress and she liked that work, but this was on a different level. Pride. It made her a little lightheaded to think that she might have value to other producers.
A niggle of an idea took hold, something she’d have months to work out all the details on. But the kernel of an idea was there, something she might be able to do in Pine Harbour.
Excitement took hold and for the afternoon she almost forgot to be nervous about the next day.
Almost.
— THIRTEEN —
HAUNT The Park was a family affair.
Even if his brother hadn’t been the park ranger in charge, Rafe would probably still have signed up for off-duty service for the annual pre-Halloween event. He had fond memories of making out on the hayrides in high school and never tired of hearing kids talk about how they survived the loop through the dark campground and all the scenes of gore and horror they encountered on the way.
His mother donated the hot chocolate and apple cider, and Dani was manning the table on the far side of the parking lot. When Liv had worked for his mom, she’d stood right there next to his sister. That familiar ache pulsed in his chest—regret and confusion, because it wasn’t supposed to be like this. And then the newer but still just as recognizable reaction of self-loathing. Fuck, he needed to get over himself. The notes had been his last attempt to ask for a second chance and she’d obviously passed.
Maintaining distance while he sorted his head out had been hard. Now that he was avoiding her, he caught tail-end glimpses everywhere. Her car driving away from the diner at the end of a shift. Her ponytail swishing into the bank mid-afternoon. And on Facebook, all of a sudden this morning everyone was sharing a flyer notice about a public meeting about the film shoot. And there was Olivia’s name as a local contact down in the bottom right hand corner.Olivia Minelli. He traced the letters with his eyes, over and over again. She still used his name. She was stillhis. Except he didn’t have a decent plan to remind her of that fact in a way that didn’t send her running for the hills.
He even thought he’d seen her here tonight, but that was wishful thinking. Liv hadn’t come to Haunt the Park since they broke up.
The detachment had been asked to provide two officers for traffic control as the fundraising night brought more visitors to the park than any other evening event of the year. As always, Dean and Rafe were the first volunteers. And as usual, both of them weren’t needed for the whole night, so they took turns riding the loop. Dean returned from his ride on the wagon just in time to nip Rafe’s melancholy in the bud.
“Your turn.” Dean nodded to a small figure bobbing along in line. She hadn’t been visible ten seconds earlier, but the queue weaved around the administrative building. His friend bumped an elbow into his side, a dull thud against the layers of his uniform. “Go join her.”
“Nah.” She’d made it clear she didn’t want to try again, and he wasn’t any closer to having a plan to win her back. Taking a break from her hadn’t brought clarity about their relationship. If anything, seeing her again tumbled him backwards by a month. He stared at her, all bundled up against the cool fall night. Why couldn’t he get over her? Their marriage hadn’t worked. It was a fool’s errand to think she’d ever give him a second chance. He’d tried the cocky bastard routine, he’d tried sweet and adorable. There was a reason nothing had worked. “She doesn’t want me.”
Dean snorted. “Man, you gotta pull your head out of your ass. Why else would she be here? Do you think she likes freezing her pretty little ass off?”
“Eyes off her ass,” Rafe groused.
“Go join her in line. Just see what happens.”
That had been his plan before—just see what happens—but he hadn’t lasted long with it. Probably wouldn’t this time, either. By Christmas, he’d be drunk and on her front lawn in a red suit.
He stared across the parking lot. She was talking to the kids ahead of her in line as they bobbed around their parents, but clearly hadn’t come with anyone. Fuck it. It wasn’t like it was a big secret that he was mooning over her. Might as well enjoy the rush of being near her again before she dashed his hopes to smithereens.
And maybe this time would be different.Wishful thinking.
He wandered in her direction, eyes on his prize the whole way, but he didn’t rush. She was bundled up in a fleece hoodie, mini mitts and a toque, but her pink cheeks and bright eyes were super cute. He wanted to kiss her—hard. Make her shriek and laugh and blush so furiously everyone would know he’d turned her on. But he wanted to loop her arm through his and just stand together, too. Be seen as a couple and go home with her at the end of the night, where he’d kiss her all over again, not stopping until she was screaming his name with her legs wrapped around his head.
He really had no self-restraint when it came to Liv fantasies. He also had a hard time remembering why that was a bad thing, especially when she caught sight of him.
Her eyes lit up and a gorgeous smile spread across her face. “Hey, you.” Was he imagining that her voice was softer, more sultry, than he’d heard in two years? She tilted her head toward the front of the line. “You want to take a ride with me?”
There was no way he was imaginingthat, not with the way her lower lip plumped out and she glanced up at him under her eyelashes. He stepped into line with a quick thanks to the couple behind them, who both gave him knowing winks—even if he didn’t recognize them, they definitely knew him and Liv.
They crawled ahead a few more feet, then the queue paused again. His heart beat fast and sure in his chest. His Olivia had just flirted, hardcore, withhim. He hadn’t said anything, just walked over, and instead of being cheeky or combative, she’d suggested…well, hell, his mind filled in all the possible ways they could ride each other. Like a technicolour X-rated slideshow, snapshot memories of all the various ways they’d loved each other slammed through his head.
He slid his arm around her waist, sneaking his fingertips under the edge of her sweatshirt to press against her bare skin. He needed to remember that he was in uniform and had to return to work in half an hour. This wasn’t going to end with him hauling her over his shoulder and driving ten over the speed limit back to their house for aride. They were going on a wagon covered in hay bales and excited, impressionable children.
He absolutely should not lean over and brush his lips against her temple, knowing it would make her shiver. He did it anyway because full restraint was a lost cause. So while he was there, Rafe decided to play with fire. Just a little bit. Just enough for his fingers to feel the pinch of the flame as the match burned. He wouldn’t use the match. Just light it and then blow it out.
“I’m surprised to see you here tonight, Liv. I didn’t think a slow, bumpy ride in the dark was your kind of thing.” He whispered the words against the outer curve of her ear and was rewarded with another shiver. Of course, it was also cold as hell. He shouldn’t assume…
She slowly turned her face towards him and smiled again, a simple curve of her mouth that tugged at something dangerous low in his gut. Really low. He gave silent thanks for the dark cover of night and a navy uniform as his erection started to swell. She knew what she was doing, the minx, because she kept her voice low and for his ears only. “As long as we keep our clothes on, I’m game for pretty much any kind of ride you want to take with me.”
How much trouble would he get in for causing a public scene and abandoning his post? Rafe couldn’t be sure he cared. But then her first words slid through his lusty haze. Clothes on? “Wait, what?”
Her face fell. “Weren’t we teasing each other? I thought…your comment about the bumpy ride…”
