“They grabbed me. Hauled me into the back of a van. I’m still not sure how no one noticed or stopped them there. It was the school, you know? I was supposed to be safe. But they must’ve drugged me or knocked me out. The next thing I knew, I was tied up in a damp concrete basement. It was roughed out but hadn’t ever been finished. A gag was in my mouth, and the trio was there again, but this time they wore Halloween masks. They always wore Halloween masks.” I sighed, knowing the tears were streaming down my cheeks, whether I wanted them to or not. “They kept me down there for days. Barely let me eat or drink, and when they did, they’d threaten me. Don’t make a sound, Angie. Don’t scream, don’t speak, don’t even breathe too loud. Or else. I was terrified, and isolated. I knew I was going to die. Sooner or later, I was going to do something they didn’t like.”
The next parts of the story had always been fuzzy. The only thing that was clearly burned into my brain was the fear. “I only knew it was Halloween when the doorbell kept ringing. I wanted to yell, to scream as loud as I could, even through the gag, and hope someone would hear me. But I didn’t dare, and eventually the house quieted again. Two days later, they hauled me back out of the basement, into the van, and drove for what seemed like hours. The court appointed therapist eventually told me they’d sent my parents a ransom note, hoping to get a payday.” I looked at Colton, my lip trembling. “It was a family who lived right down the street. They’d hit hard times, couldn’t pay their bills, or something. And because the father worked for the same company as mine did, he knew my dad had just gotten a huge promotion. He thought they could profit off my family’s circumstances. We moved to Jubilee a few months later, and my parents tried to bury it. But I couldn’t ever trick-or-treat again. I couldn’t even hand out candy on Halloween night. The sound of the doorbell ringing incessantly still sets me into a panic.”
Colton’s arms wrapped around me, holding me against his chest as I sobbed into his sweatshirt. He didn’t say anything, didn’t offer any sage therapy advice, or even any of the platitudes I’d heard for years, whenever anyone found out.
Eventually, I’d just stopped telling people. I’d tried to bury it down, hide everything that happened. Except on Halloween.
“No wonder you freaked out when you first showed up and I was in the welding mask.”
His statement was simple, matter of fact. And completely accurate.
“If people I knew could hurt me like that, just by hiding their face behind a piece of plastic… I didn’t know what you would do. Half the time, I still don’t.”
He pursed his lips as if he was thinking for a second, and then a slight smile curved up at the corners of his lips. “I won’t promise I’ll never scare you again. You’re awfully fun to watch when you jump. But I won’t wear any more masks. Except for the masquerade.”
I crawled off his lap and stood, taking a few steadying breaths. “I’m still not sure how I’m going to manage the masquerade. All those people in masks. Everyone in town, hiding who they are.”
He got up and squeezed my hand. “I’ll be there by your side. And Tru’s going to be there. Does she know?”
I nodded. “It was my biggest concern at being Mayor. And when Mildred announced she was retiring I knew she wouldn’t be any help. But Tru’s been a godsend, in so many ways, and I figured if I could trust anyone, it was her.”
Colton wrapped his arm around my shoulder and smiled. “Let’s talk everything else through at dinner. I’ve got some more ideas I think you’re going to like.”
Another meal with Colton was dangerous. When he’d ordered for me, I just about got up and walked out right then.
But it was like he knew exactly what I needed. Like he’d read my mind, knew what I’d been daydreaming about but never would’ve let myself have on my own.
And the wine. The man knew good wines.
I needed to keep a level head. Good food, gentle touches, and red wine had led to bad decisions once already. I didn’t need to keep letting my libido get away from me. I didn’t need to keep daydreaming about Colton’s lips, or his hands.
I didn’t need to keep wondering what it would be like with him in bed.
Colton didn’t give me a choice for where to go for dinner. He refused to let me drive. If I wanted to get anything done with him today for the party, I was completely at his mercy.
And I wanted to be.
He drove us out of town, to a little cantina in the next town over.
Nebraska wasn’t exactly known for its Mexican restaurants, but Tito’s Taqueria had it down.
Even before we were through the door, the scents of spicy food hit me, making my mouth water and crave a Patron margarita.
He slipped this host cash too, and soon we were seated in a secluded booth, tucked back where it was almost quiet.
But rather than sitting on his own side of the booth, he slid in next to me.
Professionalism be damned.
Still, I doubted anyone from town would see. Even if someone were to come in, the high-backed booth completely hid us from sight.
Why did the idea of being in public, but secluded from anyone else, send a delicious little thrill straight to my core?
Colton took my menu from me without asking and stacked it together with his.
“How would you feel if I took your menu, ordered for you?” I rolled my eyes at him, reaching to take it back.
I could’ve sworn his voice dropped half an octave at least as he practically growled, “Angela, you’re going to let me take care of you.”
I dropped my hands to the table again and sat back in my seat. I didn’t know what it was about that growl, about the way he said it, but it sounded like a promise of more than just dinner. It had me wiggling in my seat and my pulse was racing but not from fear and anxiety, but anticipation. I licked my lips and smoothed my hands down my thighs.
A promise my body achingly demanded I take him up on.
The server came by, dropping off water and chips and salsa. “What can I get you to drink?”
He ordered for me. A Patron margarita on the rocks with salt. Just what I would’ve ordered myself. He followed it up with vegetarian fajitas with an extra side of guacamole for me, and smothered steak burrito for himself.
As the waiter walked away, I smirked. “Okay, you have to tell me how you do that.”
“I can’t give away all my secrets, or you won’t think I’m mysterious anymore.” He grinned and leaned over, grabbing a chip full of salsa before he popped it in his mouth.
I followed suit and sighed as the spicy flavors filled my mouth. “Okay, the masquerade.”
“Honestly, I’ve got it pretty well in hand. I’ve been auditioning bands. I’ll need you to choose from the top few once I get them narrowed down, and then it’s just a matter of getting all the decorations together. And your costume.”
“Right. A trip to Bizarro’s. I think I’ve got some free time tomorrow. How’s your schedule look?”
“I can make tomorrow work. Have Tru call me in the morning with a time, I’ll pick you up.”
“We could meet there. It’s not like I don’t know how to drive.” I smirked. “I could even pick you up.”
Colton shook his head and leaned in close, brushing my hair back off my shoulder before he whispered, “I’ll pick you up.”
I shivered and didn’t argue. If he could overlook my aversion to masks as we planned a masquerade, I could let him be a little bit of a control freak when it came to driving. And ordering food.
“I don’t have to do anything else, other than get a costume picked out?”
“Did you want to do more? I’ve got a couple of helpers now, and they’re all more than happy to do the grunt work.” He smirked. “Not that I wouldn’t love to see you get your hands dirty.”
“It’s my party, as you’ve taken to reminding me. I should have my hand on everything.”
“Trust me, Angela, there are plenty of things left for you to put your hands on.”
&nbs
p; There he went again with the innuendos. The kind that sent a zing right to my core and made me want to fall onto whatever flat surface he’d take me on.
“You asked me to dinner to talk out details, took me to a restaurant out of town, picked a secluded table, ordered my food and drinks for me, under false pretenses.”
“Basically, yeah. Would you have agreed to come, if all we needed to do was set a time to go to Bizarro’s?”
I took a sip of water to give myself a moment. To find some composure I’d somehow lost along the way.
“I’ll take that as a ‘no’.” He popped another chip into his mouth just as the waiter brought our margaritas.
As soon as he’d walked away, I looked at Colton again. “It’s an ‘I don’t know’. This was supposed to be a business arrangement. A way to make sure the town’s masquerade didn’t fall flat just because I couldn’t handle it. I wasn’t ever expecting anything else to come out of it.”
He shifted in the seat, crowding me back into the corner as he licked his lips. “And now?”
God, I wanted him to kiss me. But clearly, his lips made me a little crazy. He made me lose my composure, my sanity, for hours after, after just one kiss. What would letting things going further do to me? To us?
“Now, I still need to get through the masquerade. I still need to be able to make it through the party without losing it.” I slid my hand up his arm, and then over his shoulder and down onto his pec. “I can’t risk anything getting in the way of that.”
He leaned closer, more into my space, until he was almost a breath away from my lips. “Do you think I’d let you fall on your face? Really?”
I shook my head slightly.
He brushed his lips against mine, just a whisper of a kiss. “Relax, Angela. It’s just dinner.”
I sighed, pressing my head against his. “You’re wholly distracting, Colton. I do crazy things when you’re around, like facing down Taylor in zombie make-up.”
He laughed as he pulled away. “If that’s what kissing me inspires in you, we should kiss more often. From what I heard you scared the piss out of her. Was she really hiding behind the counter, as if ice cream would stop a zombie mayor from eating what little brains she has?”
I chuckled. “I am tired of her thinking the rules don’t apply to her. It was the easiest way to get her out of my hair.”
“I think she’s going to think twice before she tries to go toe-to-toe with you.” Colton sipped his margarita and smiled. “But I doubt you really needed my zombie makeup to do that.”
I shrugged, not sure I agreed with him. I drank at lunch. I flirted. I kissed a man I’d begged to help me. And I wouldn’t have done any of that, if it weren’t for Colton.
Dinner came, and then another round of drinks. And a third.
The tequila was hitting me, lowering my inhibitions, making me want more.
Or maybe it was just Colton.
As soon as he paid the check, I grabbed a handful of the front of his sweatshirt and pulled him in close, slanting my lips over his for a kiss.
It started out a little sloppy; the tequila made things a little blearier than I’d expected.
But Colton’s expert lips moved under mine, with a few teasing kisses, before the kiss grew more forceful, hungrier.
My back hit the back corner of the booth, and I wrapped my arm up around his neck as his teeth nipped at my lower lip. As his tongue flicked against mine, I let out a soft, husky moan.
Every second his lips were on mine sent jolts to my core, making me needier, more desperate for him.
When Colton pulled back, both of us were panting with need.
“Angela…”
My hand grew warm against his chest from the heat radiating off him; or maybe it was me. Still breathless and unbelievably turned on, I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss and murmured against his mouth, “I think you should take me home.”
“Your car’s at my place.”
I didn’t care.
I should have. My car, outside a single man’s house all night? It could cause a political scandal that could hurt my chances of re-election.
But I didn’t care.
“Come on. I’ll take you back to your car. Or we can go walk around for a while, let the tequila work out of our systems.” He reached for my hand but let me press my palm against his.
“Colton…”
“Not tonight, Angela. When we get there, I don’t want it to be because you had tequila. I don’t want it to be because we were in a dark restaurant, pressed close together. I want to know, one hundred percent, that it’s because you want me as much as I want you.”
I nodded, letting him hold my hand as we walked out into the cold Nebraska night.
The cold helped clear my head, but not enough to make me stop wanting Colton.
I wasn’t sure anything would’ve helped.
8
Colton
Leaving Angela at her car, not kissing her again, not dragging her into my house, into my bed, was one of the hardest things I’d ever done in my life.
It left me as hard and aching as I’d ever been.
But I couldn’t guarantee she’d want me in the morning, that she’d be as interested in seeing me in the light of day. Not after all the margaritas.
Instead, I went inside alone. To an empty house. An empty bed. And nothing but my hand to ease the pressure.
As I stroked myself to a quick climax, Angela’s name escaped my lips in a husky, needy groan.
It barely took the edge off.
The next morning, I woke to a voicemail.
Not from Tru, but from Angela herself.
“Hey, I’m not sure if you’re going to want to see me at all today, after the way I acted last night, but if you do, I can clear my schedule after two this afternoon. I’d really like your opinion on the right outfit for the ball.”
The way she called it a ball made it all the more ridiculous. Most of the attendees would probably be in cheap costumes, or things they’d thrown together.
But it didn’t stop me from wanting to make sure she was dressed to impress.
And I still needed costumes for the kids, for our zombie surprise.
I texted her number back, testing the waters.
Colton: Meet me outside the capitol building at two. Wear something to make me drool.
Just before I hit send, I deleted the second half. Even if I thought she would, I didn’t want anyone else to see her in something drool worthy. If she was going to wear something jaw dropping, something that would leave me hard and wanting, it was going to be just for me.
I spent the morning focused on finishing the last pieces of my backyard haunted display.
I wondered if Angela would let me lead her through it, if she would trust me enough to be the first person to see the completed project.
I didn’t think she was there yet. But I wanted her to be.
At least it meant the mess was under control again, securely stacked away in the garage. I could invite her over for coffee or tea.
Or me.
Shaking my head, I grabbed lunch from Weather the Storm, killing time with Margot before my meeting.
“You’re spending a lot of time with the Mayor lately. The rumor mills are cranking stories out at light speed.” She leaned on the counter as I finished off my beer. “Do you want to set the record straight?”
“You’re as bad as they are, Margot.” I slid a hundred-dollar bill across the counter and smiled. “I’m helping her with a project. Nothing more.”
At least nothing yet. But I hoped there would be soon.
With two coffees in hand, I pulled up in front of the capitol building, watching for Angela.
When she came out in a clingy red sweater and a pair of chocolate brown slacks, I half-thought I’d told her to wear something to make me drool.
But Angela possessed a sexiness and confidence making it impossible for her to be anything but drool inducing.
“I’m glad you
were available.” She slid into the car and leaned close, almost as if she expected a kiss. But she pulled back before I could really react.
“I’m at your service, Mayor.” I winked at her and drove to the other side of town, to the biggest costume shop in the county.
Bizarro’s was owned by a pair of brothers who loved Halloween at least as much as I did. They hunted all year long, finding the best possible costuming, stocking their shop with everything imaginable, from sweet to sultry, from terrifying to trashy.
If you couldn’t find it at Bizarro’s, I doubted it existed.
“You know what we’re looking for?” I parked and looked over at Angela, not wanting to stare too long. Or I’d never stop staring.
“I have a few things in mind. I’ll know it when I see it. What about you?”
“I’ve got mine. I know exactly what I’m going to wear.” I winked at her. “But I’ve got a few other things to look for too.”
She bit her lower lip as she pushed open the door. “Are you going to be able to do my makeup for the event? I could never do half of what you did.”
“Have I left you wanting yet?” I grinned as I got out and walked around the car, knowing exactly what my question sounded like.
A huge part of me wanted her to answer. To know if our interactions were hitting her the same way they were hitting me.
“I just want everything to go off without a hitch.” She reached for my hand, and I took hers without hesitation.
We walked through the aisles of Bizarro’s, weaving around displays and standing racks of costumes, all mish-mashed and randomly sized.
Angela wouldn’t tell me exactly what she was looking for, so I let her take the lead, let her look for the right things. While I spent my time watching her.
In just the couple of weeks since we’d started working on this masquerade, she’d blossomed. She didn’t flinch every time I put on a mask. She barely jumped when I scared her.
I wasn’t sure I could believe she would have the same reaction around anyone, but with me, she relaxed and went with the flow.
Unmasked Desire (Love Demands a Holiday Book 6) Page 6