39. Reese

Halloween has historically been a cozy, if unexciting, event for me. Growing up in the country, we never got trick-or-treaters. Our church obviously never celebrated the holiday. Some parents even boycotted it. Silver Bend hosts the annual Harvest Festival instead.

Even in college, I spent the night watching scary movies in my dorm room, while the other girls got ready for a night at the bars.

I had some serious sexy costume envy.

When Skyler invited me to a costume ball, it was like I was getting a do-over. It’s not just a frozen bar crawl in a skimpy dress, it’s a costume ball. Full stop.

…In a skimpy dress.

I didn’t think twice about what I wanted to wear when I was getting ready. I’ve been fantasizing about dressing up for a party like this for years.

But now that we’re walking up to the country club, I’m starting to second guess myself. We passed a chicken and a Frankenstein in the parking lot, and I’m wondering if I misunderstood the assignment.

This is a charity event and I’m pretty sure Skyler intended to do some networking while we’re here. If I was smart, I would do the same thing.

But I’m the girl who wanted to wear something sexy.

Maybe I should have gone with the Kim Possible costume.

The closer we get, the faster my heart beats. I’m having flashbacks to that night after the game and that handsy asshole. Nobody would bother me here, would they? Skyler is completely unaware. He holds the door open for me, ushering me in with a hand on the small of my back. I pull my coat closer to my body with one hand, a paper bag in the other.

I criticized his original costume idea, a cowboy hat with regular clothes, so he let me choose for him.

I’ve been keeping it a surprise, and remarkably, he’s letting me.

We stop at the coat check, and I watch him pull off his thick wool coat.

My only instructions were to wear a white shirt, and he surprised me by wearing a crisp, white button-down and black trousers.

He steps around me, slipping my coat from my shoulders. It’s just a white bodycon dress, but the ultra-short skirt and spaghetti-thin straps reveal more skin than I’m used to.

I can feel the heat of his gaze on my neck. Bending down to distract myself, I fish a pair of fuzzy bunny ears from the paper bag.

Fitting them over my loosely curled hair, I turn to him and hold out my hands. “Voila.”

He just stares at me.

My cheeks heat and my palms start to sweat. “I’m a bunny.”

“I can see that.”

His voice is low and husky. He snakes a hand around my waist and tugs me against his hips. “I have a new suggestion. Let’s skip the party and go straight to Cody’s place.”

I frown. “Cody’s place?”

Skyler’s nose trails along my neck, sending shivers spiraling down my spine. “He’s gone for the weekend.”

I pull back, looking up at him. “You can’t invite a girl to a costume ball and then not take her. It’s bad form.”

He growls, reluctantly letting me pull out of his grip. “Bad form, huh?”

“Yes. Let’s not fall into old habits, Mr. Thomas.”

I dig around in the paper bag and withdraw his costume. I was tempted to make him a magician. A rabbit and her magician. I love a good theme, but I decided I didn’t want to do anything too couple-ish.

Stepping back, I hold up a pair of fuzzy white angel wings. Parker wore them in the nativity scene one year. But as I’m holding them up, I’m having serious doubts about whether they’ll fit over Skyler’s broad shoulders.

The straps are just barely stretchy enough to make it over his shoulders, but after a brief struggle, I’m looking at a dashingly handsome angel. He immediately reaches out and reels me back against his chest. “How do I look?”

I squint at him. “Annoyingly good.”

His fingers glide up my spine. “I seem to recall someone criticizing my idea to wear a hat tonight. Said it was too simple. And that someone’s costume consists of a headband.”

I start to pull away. “You don’t like it?”

He holds me tight. “Oh, I like it.”

“How much?”

He bumps his hips against my tummy. Lowering his lips to my ear, his voice is a sexy rumble. “I like it a lot.”