“You just impressed me, biker man.”
Hayride tips my chin up, and before I can catch my breath, his lips are on mine. It’s a slow, thorough, intoxicating kiss that I feel all the way down to my toes as they tingle.
When we separate, I stare into his stormy grayish blue eyes, and I see an intensity and desire that rivals mine. We’re both a little breathless. I want to tell him to take me to his room and ravage me for most of the night.
It’s reckless and irresponsible, and exactly what I need.
“You keep looking at me like that, Fireball, and we’re gonna be fucking against the hay bales.”
“I can’t believe you just said that.”
Hayride’s dark chuckle is filled with promise as his gaze sweeps over me. “You make me hard.”
I do the only logical thing after a statement like that. My gaze dips right to his crotch, where I see the bulge. He’s telling the truth. “Uh, nice?” I say and wince. Who says a guy’s enlarged penis isnice?
“Nice?” Hayride growls, reaching for my hand and pressing it against the bulge. He’s not being an ass, just letting me check out the package.
“Okay, nice is not the right word.”
“Thank fuck for that.”
“Would you prefer large? Girthy? A dickasaurus?”
“A dick-a-what?” He looks horrified.
“It’s a reference to a dick-shaped dinosaur.”
Hayride takes a step back. “The fuck?”
I can’t hold it in any longer, and I laugh, doubling over to hold my stomach because his expression is priceless. And yes, I’ve seen them at book signings and shops. They’re funny.
But I guess it’s not that hilarious when you’ve got a cock.
I wipe under my eyes because I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster today. I’ve cried. I’ve been inside a tent whensomeone is murdered. I’ve lost my brother, and I don’t know where he is or if I’ll ever find him alive. My life is turned upside down.
But I finally feel something other than fear, worry, concern, and sorrow. Ineededthis.
Hayride shakes his head but slides his arm around me, and we keep walking, moving through the maze until we reach an emergency exit. “Come on. I think we’ve had enough of the maze and dick jokes.”
I snicker. “Okay.”
“How about we ride over to the Mayfield and see if Ellie is working?”
My humor vanishes, but that’s okay. I don’t mind. I’ve been a mess the last couple of days. My emotions are all over the place, shifting between excitement, fear, shock, and worry so often it’s a wonder I’m able to keep my sense of humor or my sanity at all. I’m a bit traumatized, truth be told.
But I won’t let it control me. I can’t.
We walk out of the Fear Farm and through the crowd, passing the pavilion on the way to Hayride’s motorcycle. It’s grown cooler out. A brisk breeze whips around us while we pass a big cornfield on our right.
I happen to look into the stalks, but gasp when I see glowing red eyes. They’re staring at me with the same intensity that I felt when I left the Mayfield Inn after the tour.
Creeped out, I cling to Hayride’s arm.
“Hey, what’s the matter?”
We stop, and that just makes this scarier.
“Red eyes,” I whisper.
