Heaven's Loss (Hell Yeah!)

by Sable Hunter

  “Yea.” He gave her one more kiss, then stepped back, removing his hands from her body. “I did. And I meant it. I just think we should take it slow. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.”

  Dizzy with need, Seren huffed in frustration. “I’m sure you would do just fine. In fact, I’m pretty damn sure you’re an expert at doing it right.” She’d experienced his finesse first hand, up close and personal.

  “All in good time. We’re in a good place right now.” He soothed her by rubbing his hand down her arm. There was no way he could miss how turned on she was, how hard her nipples were, or the flush of excitement on her cheeks. “And I want you, don’t doubt that I do.” He chuckled when her eyes dropped to see his swollen dick straining against the zipper of his jeans. “Let’s just take it one day at a time and see what happens.” Canyon knew he was contradicting himself. Hell, everything he felt for this woman was a contradiction to the path he thought his life would take. “I just wasn’t expecting you, is all. You took me by surprise and I don’t want to ruin things by pushing too fast.” After all, there was the other damn guy to consider. The one she loved. “I know you have your own…issues.”

  “You’re right.” Seren nodded. Issues she had – in spades. “We can pick up where we were in the friendship thing?” she offered as a tentative question. “Be buddies? Pals? Heck, we could be each other’s wingman.” This was a new word she’d learned lately from a couple of cowboys who’d come into the bar trolling for women. “How does that sound?” Actually, it sounded awful to her. Seren felt like she was caught in some type of loop, circling over and back, never making any headway.

  She wanted to stay. She needed to go. She wished she could turn back time.

  Canyon seemed to echo her sentiments. “Not going to happen. We’ve come too far to go back now. I want to be more than your friend.” How much more? He couldn’t answer that question.

  “Fuck buddies?” The stunned look on his face at her suggestion easily mirrored her own internal shock. She’d just used very off-color language. Seren couldn’t help cringing a bit as she waited again for that ever expected bolt of lightning to come crashing down on her head.

  Canyon barked out a laugh as his body flamed in response to her suggestion. “You’re killing me.” He took her by the shoulders and pointed her in the direction of the guest room. “Go. Run. Before I lose all control.”

  Seren went, but she grumbled. She wanted him to lose control. She knew just how amazing it could be when he lost control.

  From the moment the door closed between them, both realized they’d turned a corner.

  Canyon knew this was just the beginning.

  Seren knew it was the beginning of the end.

  * * *

  “Bunny want a carrot?”

  Seren glared at the drunk idiot wearing a Trump mask who was cupping the pitifully empty looking crotch of his pants. “Sorry, I’m not into baby carrots. I like my vegetables full size.”

  “Burn!” yelled the president’s companion. “Beware the rabbit has claws!”

  “Bunnies don’t have claws,” she commented smoothly as she sat down the four mugs of beer. “I do, however…” She flung her cape over her shoulder. “Have superpowers.”

  As she sauntered across the gaily decorating room, her hips swaying unconsciously to the beat of the music, Seren drew many stares. The night was proving to be taxing as well as exciting. The bar was full, everyone was in costume, and there was an air of mystery to the evening. She knew Canyon was here – somewhere. They’d come to work together – him to weld and forge the BBQ pit and she to prepare for the festivities. She’d caught sight of him several times during the day, but neither had mentioned the kiss from the night before. Or how up in the air they’d left things.

  From across the room, Bull, dressed as Zorro, elbowed Canyon. “She’s something else. I can’t believe you found yourself a playboy bunny, Brady.”

  “The name’s Thor.” He swung a huge Styrofoam hammer over his shoulder. “And I found her because I’m…mighty.”

  “Unless you’re getting some of that, you’re mighty horny, I bet.”

  Canyon turned to stare at his friend. “Being masked sure does free up your tongue.”

  “Nah, it was Jose Cuervo, another friend of mine,” Bull yelled over the dull roar of the celebrating crowd as he raised a shot of tequila in salute. “Well, you be good. I’m heading over to entertain my lady.” Nodding toward the booths set up next to the stage, he grinned. “You’d better go stand in line. According to the sign out front, I think your bunny is scheduled for her turn in the kissing booth next.”

  Kissing booth?

  “Oh, hell, no.” The idea of other men laying their lips on Seren’s plump rosebud mouth was intolerable.

  Leaving his friend behind, Canyon made his way through the maze of costumed customers, knocking a few balloons out of his way as he walked. A smile came to his face as he waved at several friends, the sight of these folks dressed up and playing like children made him feel good. Some were carving pumpkins. Some were having their faces painted. Others were trying to pin the tail on a life-size donkey.

  “Excuse me, O God of Thunder,” Doris said as she passed closely by Canyon with a tray of drinks. “Have you checked out the apple bobbing booth?”

  “Not yet,” he muttered, looking over at the booth where men were cheering on women who were dunking their heads down in a tub of water to try and catch an apple between their teeth. Looked more like a wet T-shirt contest than anything else. “Maybe later. I’m on a mission.”

  “Yea, I noticed.” She gave Canyon a big grin. “Watch out for her. Don’t let her get too tired.”

  “Oh, all right.” He frowned at the thought. “I’ll check on her.” Upon arriving at the kissing booth, he could see the blonde behind the counter had less than five minutes to go. Counting the number of men in line, he hoped he’d get to the front about the time Seren took over. Raising money for charity was always a good thing, but that wasn’t his main objective. Checking out the cost per kiss, Canyon tabulated how much it would cost to monopolize her whole time slot. “Well worth the money,” he mumbled as he pulled out his wallet from the back of his leather pants. Glancing around, he spotted Seren, still waiting tables. “Hmmm,” he mumbled, she didn’t look tired to him. He smiled at the sight, thinking she looked radiant.

  Across the room…Seren was dead on her feet. She knew all of this was for a good cause, but people let Halloween make them crazy! She’d been pinched a number of times. Propositioned. Proposed to. Let a person put on a costume and they lost all their inhibitions. And some of them were downright creepy. Letting her eyes move over the room, she caught glimpse of the one character who was giving her the willies more than any other.

  Pennywise the Clown.

  What was with this guy?

  Each time she noticed him, he was staring right at her. He wasn’t at one of her regular tables, so she hadn’t been called upon to serve him a drink or anything. Still…it felt like he was just watching her and that was all. If Canyon weren’t here, she’d be nervous – but he was here and she knew he’d keep her safe.

  “Emma, I’ll take two rum and cokes, one margarita, and three Shiner beers.”

  “Coming right up. How do you feel?”

  “Fine.” Seren reached into a bowl to grab a couple of goldfish crackers. “How are you holding up?”

  “Great.” Emma smiled serenely. “When I get through here, Josh is going to treat me like a queen. Foot rub. A massage. And he’s cooked me dinner. Can’t get any better than that.”

  Seren giggled. “I think you’re right.”

  “Right? Emma’s always right.” Avery came up to join them dressed as a dominatrix.

  “Well…not always,” Emma said as she placed the drinks on the bar for Seren to put on the tray. “I totally blew the contest for guessing how many candy corns were in the jar at the end of the bar.”

  Avery hugged her neck. “Understandabl
e. What you should’ve done was pour them out on the counter and count them.”

  “I should have,” Emma agreed. “Who will win best costume? Has Isaac decided yet?”

  “I’m not sure. He’s milling around the room. The prize is a keg of beer, so a lot of folks took the competition seriously. There’s some great costumes out there.” She poured herself a diet soda. “The zombies are outrageous.”

  Ding!

  “Okay, Bunny, you’re up.” Avery set her soda down and came around the bar. “I’ll deliver those drinks for you.” She winked at Seren. “With each kiss bringing ten bucks, your fifteen minutes of fame will raise almost a thousand dollars!”

  Seren rubbed her palms on the sides of her bunny suit. “Okay, but I don’t think my kisses are worth near that much.” She dreaded this a little bit. The only person she’d ever kissed was Canyon. She had no desire to kiss anyone else. Of course, these kisses were supposed to be light, fun, and casual. Although…she’d seen a few of the girls giving out some serious lip-locks earlier. “This will be over soon,” she told herself softly. “And it’s for a good cause.” Setting her course for the stage area, she looked up and saw the gathering of people around the booths, mostly men. There were a few queued at the gaily decorated kissing booth – and Canyon stood at the head of the line.

  “There she is. Come on, Seren!” Pretty blonde named Celine motioned her over. A former employee and friend of Emma’s, she was visiting for a few days. “I tell you what, girl, you’re a go-getter. I manage a bar in Houston and if you’re ever in need of a job, you’ve got one.”

  “Oh, thank you. How nice of you to say so.” She filed that bit of information away for later. At the moment, she was too nervous to process it properly.

  Stepping behind the booth, she straightened her ears, and climbed up on the stool. Celine leaned between the counter and Seren, getting close enough to her face so no one else could hear what she was saying, “Listen, the key is to keep your lips closed. Some guys will try to push their tongue down your throat, but don’t let them. Keep your teeth together and you’ll be just fine. Although…” She giggled and peeped over her shoulder. “With this first guy, you might want to forget everything I’ve just said.”

  The first guy cleared his throat. “Seren lives here. Not in Houston.”

  Still standing behind the counter, Celine raised her eyebrows. “A friend of yours?” she asked as she moved to the side, clearing the view between Seren and Canyon.

  With their eyes locked, Seren nodded. “Yes, friends. Good friends.”

  “Hey, when’s the kissing gonna start?” a Jedi warrior yelled from his place in line.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Canyon glared at the men behind him. “For you. No time soon.”

  “What do you mean? My money’s as good as yours!” A man in a skeleton suit rattled his bones in protest.

  Canyon ignored him. Instead, he laid a hundred-dollar bill on the counter.

  “What are you doing?” Seren whispered. “You don’t have to pay for my kisses.”

  “Right now, I do.” For one tantalizing moment, he held her gaze. Seren’s heart clenched in her chest. The man was seriously hot. Seriously sexy. “Come here.” Curling his big hand around the side of her face, he pressed his mouth to hers. Just a brush of his lips, achingly sweet. Almost chaste, just a tease.

  “Ah, come on, man. If you’re gonna kiss her, kiss her!”

  This comment from the skeleton seemed to spur Canyon on. The gentleness disappeared and the kiss turned hot, their tongues mating. A hungry, openmouthed kiss that made their heads spin and stole all awareness of where they were or who was watching. Whimpering, she leaned further over the booth’s counter, arching as close to him as possible.

  Ding!

  “My turn!” The Jedi yelled and grabbed Canyon’s shoulder.

  He retreated, giving up his place – albeit very unwillingly.

  Canyon didn’t go far, just a few feet away. Watching the big ape Jedi move into position, push up his mask, and leer at Seren caused his blood to boil.

  Seren looked into the stranger’s eyes and shivered at the prospect of letting him touch her. She knew this was nothing, most girls had kissed plenty of guys. But she wasn’t most girls. She belonged to Canyon. She’d always belonged to Canyon.

  “Hi,” she spoke to the man, giving him a tentative smile.

  “Don’t need to waste our time on small talk.” Grabbing her by the shoulders, he yanked Seren close. She opened her mouth in a gasp, shutting her eyes, dreading the moment when someone she didn’t love claimed her kiss.

  “I’ll give you a hundred dollars just to move your Jedi ass.”

  What?

  Seren opened her eyes in time enough to see Canyon slap a hundred-dollar bill flat to the other man’s chest.

  The Jedi warrior frowned, then grinned. “You got yourself a deal, Thor.”

  Muscling his way in front of the skeleton and several others, Canyon laid out a full hand of greenbacks, all hundreds. “I’m buying up the rest of her time.” Drawing himself to his full height and taking a breath big enough to force his massive chest out even further, the big blacksmith narrowed his eyes to stare at the crowd. “Anybody have a problem with that?”

  “No. No.”

  “Not me.”

  “No.”

  The chorus of denials was unanimous.

  After a few seconds of scrambling, Canyon stood alone at the kissing booth. All around him activity had ceased, everyone was watching the ongoing spectacle. Even the band had stopped playing.

  “What are y’all looking at?” he demanded.

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing.”

  With a growl, he turned back to Seren. “Now, where was I?”

  Seren glanced down at the money. “Are you crazy?”

  “Yea.” Canyon nodded. About you. He just hadn’t realized how much until the idea of someone else touching her entered into the picture. Completely shocked by his feelings, Canyon drew her close, resting his forehead against hers. “Is that okay with you?”

  It shouldn’t be. It wasn’t wise.

  To hell with wise.

  “Yea, it’s good.”

  “Good.”

  Canyon clasped one hand on the back of her head and crashed his mouth to hers. The instant their lips touched, the passion and need between them flared to life. Tossing all caution to the wind, Seren threw her whole soul and body into the kiss.

  In mere moments, the woman was kissing his face off, her lips eager and sweet, her soft whimpers driving Canyon crazy. She placed her palms over his pecs and rubbed him like a cat in heat. As his cock begin to fill, he had to make his hands into fists to keep from touching her in the same way she was touching him.

  “Whew! This is better than one of those peep shows!” A lone voice carried over the hushed crowd.

  Remembering their audience, Canyon toned it down, his mouth rubbing over hers softly and tenderly. The kisses he gave her were gentle and full of promise.

  Seren didn’t seem to hear the heckler, however.

  Leaning forward, she took control of the kiss again, pressing her lips firmly to his. Sweeping her mouth back and forth, she reveled in the way his pulse pounded as her tongue darted inside his mouth to tease the underside of his lower lip. “Kiss me – hard,” she whispered.

  Not wishing to disappoint, he held her chin in his hand, capturing her eager lips in another teasing kiss. “Later. I promise. I’m finding I’d rather keep what’s between us – between us.”

  “Time’s up!” someone declared. “Send us a girl Brady won’t monopolize!”

  Suddenly, Seren felt unbelievably vulnerable. As roses bloomed on her cheeks, she trembled. Canyon tightened his arms around her. “Worth every penny. We’ll pick up where we left off – at home.”

  With a little more than a half hour left on her shift, Seren made her way out of the booth and through the crowd. She didn’t make it all the way to the bar before someone grab
bed her bunny tail and stopped her progress. “Hey, Jessica Rabbit, how about a lap dance?”

  “How about you cool off instead?” she suggested flatly as she picked up a glass of water and poured it over the Joker’s head.

  The man growled and made a grab for her but Seren evaded him, heading to her section of tables to relieve Doris. She half expected Canyon to pop up out of nowhere. When he didn’t, she glanced around to see where he might be. To her disquiet, she saw him heading to the back with Pennywise on his heels.

  “Ma’am, can we get a drink?”

  The polite voice brought her to a stop. “Of course. I apologize.” To her surprise, the request came from Cady McCoy.

  “Oh, hello!” She was just about to say something personal when Seren remembered that she wasn’t supposed to know Cady.

  “How are you?”

  “I’m good. What can I get for the two of you?” She looked around for Cady’s husband Joseph, knowing full well the man was close by.

  “Bring Joseph a Shiner beer and me a coke.” She smiled at Cady as if inviting her to make more of a conversation.

  “All right. Coming right up.”

  As she started to walk away, Cady caught her arm. “We need to reschedule that party.”

  “Party?” Seren’s mouth dropped open. “What did you say?”

  Cady opened her mouth to explain, then abruptly cut her eyes toward the hall where Canyon had disappeared. “Somebody should check on…”

  Cady didn’t get a chance to say more, Seren was already moving. To her shock, she was experiencing a tingling, like a warning, very similar to the feeling she used to get when Canyon was in trouble. Hurrying, she moved through the crowd, weaving around dancers and revelers. “Excuse me. Excuse me.”

  When she came to the hallway leading to the back, Seren was just in time to see Canyon making his way from the men’s room. He was looking down and Pennywise was coming up right behind him. “Canyon?” she uttered at the same moment she saw a silver glint behind him. “Canyon!” Rushing toward him, she tried to focus on what she thought was a knife in the clown’s hand. “Hey!”