David chuckled. “I don’t remember throwing in dinner.”
“You were getting to it,” I insisted as I smiled up at him.
His eyes softened. “I suppose I was.”
“So?” I stopped walking before reaching the ropes to line up in the queue, sidestepping so we’d be out of everyone’s way. “Spell it out. I know it’s not your strength. But I’m not opposed to giving As for effort.”
As I spoke, I grabbed onto David’s jacket, openingit a little so I could more easily press myself against his chest. His hands encircled my waist as if it were second nature. We’d made a habit of leaning into one another.
“So soft,” he chastised before kissing me. My grip on his jacket tightened as I steeled my resolve not to beg for more.
“We’re going toward a relationship that I have no intention of leaving anytime soon,” he whispered against my mouth. “Does that sound okay? Like someplace you want to be?”
I swallowed, trying to get my mouth to produce noise again. It quickly proved to be a lost cause, so I simply nodded.
“I figured.” David’s low, knowing chuckle should trigger a snarky retort. I couldn’t let this man get too bigheaded. But if I opened my mouth now, who knew what mushy nonsense would spill out?
“Ready to go in?” David asked, pulling back enough to let cold air filter between us.
My mouth stayed shut as I nodded. He wouldn’t get my unbridled confession of admiration. My frustrating desire to have him pull me back into his chest and never let go. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing I was falling fast… yet.
“Born ready,” I finally said.
“We haveto get a scare band for this one,” I said when we stood outside the largest house of the night. David and I had gone through three houses, starting with a low-scare tier: a wicked-witch one. And building up to the creepier demon possessions and masked murder houses. My adrenaline was pumping, and my cheeks ached from laughing so much.
“Lead the way,” David permitted. He let me tug him overto the worker handing out bands that told the scare actors we consented to being touched.
When I wrapped the bracelet around his wrist, I noticed the red in his cheeks didn’t hint toward amusement. David’s eyes went big when he realized what I’d realized.
“Come on,” he said quickly and turned toward the house’s line.
“David.” I hurried after him, smiling as I hugged his bicep to keep his pace aligned with mine. “Look at me.”
He turned his head, so all I saw was the back of his beanie. I laughed and switched over to his other side. He turned away—but not before I could see a smile tugging at his lips.
“You don’t have to wear the band if you’re scared. I won’t judge you.” I slipped to his other side and this time, caught his gaze. My lips pressed together as I tried not to laugh.
David leaned down so our foreheads touched as he whispered, “You’re already judging me, liar.”
“Not harshly,” I promised. “Not in the way I would have months or even weeks back.”
“How comforting,” he muttered deadpan.
“It’s okay to be afraid.” I tugged at the bracelet on his wrist, but he waved me away.
“I’m fine,” he promised. “You know I’m fine.”
Sure, he hadn’t screamed once in any of the houses we walked through so far. In fact, the man barely blinked as a very well-done headless monster fell onto the walkway. The actor didn’t move, so we had to step over him. I freaked out, and David briefly picked me up to carry me over the obstacle. It was all very ‘thank-you-for-saving-me-want-to-have-sex’ vibes after that. I quelled that feeling with about a liter of apple cider and a bucket of caramel popcorn.
“Is it the scare rating?” I asked. “You know, most of it’s just preference. High ratings don’t guarantee you’ll be afraid. You’ve been doing so well, so far.”
David shook his head, keeping his gaze on the start of the line. Since the sun had long dipped under the horizon, the night was full of mosquitoes and bats. Fewer people lingered in the queues. The crowds were thinning, migrating either to the parking lot or the food court. End of night meant peak time for getting into the best houses at record speed.
“Promise me you won’t use this against me.” The seriousness in his tone had me straighten at attention. I held up my pinky.
David raised a brow. “I mean, really promise.”
“What do you think this means?” I asked and wiggled my finger. “I’m not so coldhearted as to break this kind of promise. Besides, what are you so afraid of? You know enough about me to retaliate if it comes to that.”
