by Frankie Love
It’s been a long time since I was truly alone.
Steadying myself on the chair, I screw a light bulb in the kitchen fixture, thinking how strange it is that I left the day after Halloween three years ago… and now I’m back a week before the holiday.
After putting away the groceries, I make sure the front and back doors are locked. Then I check again. Willow Creek has always been a safe place, but I’m still alone, in a two-story farmhouse that has been vacant for far too long.
In the bedroom, I place a lightbulb in the lamp I’d used as a little girl, always reading late into the night. Falling into the rabbit hole with Alice, later repeating spells as I read the Sorcerer’s Stone.
I could use some magic right now. Maybe a sleeping spell, to be honest, because after the cross-country drive to get here, combined with unloading my crap all on my own, I’m exhausted. Grabbing a tote bag filled with my toiletries, I sling it over my shoulder and then pour myself a generous glass of wine.
I need a bath. Stat.
Splurging on cute clothes may have never been my thing, but I do like to spend money on pretty bras and panties. As I strip down, I can’t help but wish Luke had seen me in this pale pink ensemble instead of my sweaty clothes. With the water running, I add drops of peppermint essential oil in the tub, instantly creating a steamy escape.
Sipping the wine—okay, gulping—my mind calms. I eye myself in the full-length mirror, remembering again. I take off my panties, unclasp my bra, and run my hand over my bare breasts, giving into the trip down memory lane because I know my body is craving it.
I am craving it.
Stepping into the bath, I turn off the faucet, and exhale. Closing my eyes, I let my hand graze lower, running a finger up and down my pussy. I let out a soft whimper, sinking deeper into myself.
Luke is on my mind of course, and the Halloween from three years ago.
Stacy and I had been shopping for costumes at a tiny shop a few towns over. She kept insisting we dress up as a sexy angel and devil.
"My Gram would die if I leave the house in lingerie."
Stacy wiggled her eyebrows. "Get ready at my place. You can even go as the devil if you want. I think it’s time you committed a few sins."
I shrugged. We’d graduated high school the past spring, but I was still a virgin. Stacy thought it was ludicrous.
"Oh look, it’s the Barton boys." Stacy pointed to the entrance, and I whipped my head around so fast I could have given myself whiplash. "Woah, horsey," Stacy teased, pinching my butt. I swatted her hand away, feeling my face burn.
She knew I had a thing for Luke, but that our relationship was firmly in the friend-zone.
"Hey Luke, Chris," Stacy said, waving at them.
Broad grins spread across their faces, and Chris wrapped me in a bear hug, lifting me off the ground.
"Been a long time, Hay," Chris said, setting me down. "You look so… grown up."
He’d been at Washington University for two years, and Luke had been there just over a year.
"Yeah, you boys went off to college and left us," Stacy said, fake-pouting.
I felt Chris’ eyes on me, looking me over like I was someone he’d never seen before.
I remember repositioning my purse over my chest, not wanting to get his attention.
I’d always wanted Luke to have eyes for me.
"You both still living in Willow Creek?" Luke asked. We hadn’t kept in touch, it would have been weird. The Barton boys were older, had started their lives. I was just the neighborhood friend they ran around with in high school. “I’m here, but I’m leaving next week, gotta one-way bus ticket," Stacy bragged. I was proud of her. She’d waitressed all summer, saving her tips, and she finally had enough of a cushion to start her solo adventure. "So does little Miss Goody-Two Shoes."
"You’re leaving, Hay?" Luke cocked an eyebrow, not believing it for a second.
I nod. "I’m moving to New York. Flying tomorrow. Stacy and I made a pact senior year that we’d leave here at the same time and never look back."
Chris whistled. "Damn, I’m impressed, ladies."
Stacy not-so-discreetly crossed her arms, pushing up her cleavage, and I bit back a smile. This girl had game.
"What are you boys doing home?" she asked.
"We came back for the Halloween Festival. Julie insisted we come, it’s her favorite holiday."
"That’s sweet. She usually goes to your mom’s this weekend, doesn’t she?" I asked.
"Our mom moved to Phoenix over the summer. Besides, Julie’s a sophomore now, says she wants to stay for the Harvest Festival."
"You’re so good to her," I said, smiling. "So what are you dressing up as?"
"I have no freaking clue," Chris said as we all started thumbing through a rack of costumes. "But Julie said it had better be good."
"No pressure," I laughed, pulling out a red cape. "I could go as Little Red Riding Hood."
"Hey," Stacy whined. "What happened to being a devil?"
"They both wore red." Luke shrugged. "Besides, no way in hell is Hayley Adams dressing up as a bad girl."
"I could be the Huntsman," Chris said gamely. He held up a costume complete with a flannel shirt, suspenders and a fake axe.
"Really?" I asked. "You’d do that?"
"For you, of course," Chris said.
Again, I had the feeling he was looking at me a little too closely, but when Luke piped up, I was all in.
"Then I’ll be the Big Bad Wolf." He grabbed a hanger with a wolf costume. "See, it’s destiny."
"Destiny, huh?" Stacy’s eyes got wide. "In that case, screw being an angel, I’m the one who gets to be naughty tomorrow night." She swung a teeny-tiny red dress over her shoulder and headed to the dressing rooms.
The next night, dressed in the red cape, a picnic basket hanging on my arm—filled with actual fresh baked goodies from my Granny—I slipped into the Halloween Festival with Stacy beside me. Of course, the moment we arrived she was searching for someone with whom she could commit a sin or two.
I was also searching the area. My eyes zoomed in on the only person I cared about seeing.
We hadn’t spoken except for the costume shop, and I craved his words, his eyes on me.
He was in the corner, the wolf mask over his face, wearing tight black pants that made me grin like a fool. I loved that Luke was always all in with something, never half-assing anything. So many guys would have scoffed at a costume with a tail, whiskers and ears. But somehow Luke pulled it off. He pulled everything off.
Everything inside of me begged to be closer to him.
The festival was in the old high school gym. Carnival games were set up on the perimeter, but he stood on the edge of the dance floor, as if waiting for me.
I’m sure he wasn’t, but my nipples hardened at the possibility.
"What big eyes you have," I said, as I walked up to him.
"All the better to see you with," he said, wiggling his brows. We laughed and then there was a pause. A pause that said so much. "You look beautiful, Hay."
"You look… ravenous," I teased, not knowing what to do with his compliment.
"I am." He wasn’t joking then, and I felt my chest tighten, my core on fire. I wasn’t imagining things. Luke was coming on to me for the first time in my life.
Just then, the lights dimmed and music started. An old bluegrass band played fiddles on the stage and kids were running all around, dressed as witches and fairies, and all at once it felt like a dream.
A dream come true.
Luke took my hand, and I set the basket on a table, and then he was swinging me around the dance floor, like we’d done it a hundred times. And in some ways we had, we’d spent our childhood playing flashlight tag and chasing one another at recess. But now I was in his arms, I wasn’t running away. I’d been caught.
I saw Chris walk into the gym and Luke swung me around, but I didn’t want to stop.
We were laughing, and we must have looked like the perfect pair
.
I knew it wouldn’t last forever, this magic, but right then, it was real. I was leaving the next day, and Luke was in college; our lives might never intersect again.
When the music slowed, and Luke’s arms wrapped loosely around my waist, I didn’t hesitate. I pulled my hands around his neck, lifted my chin. Offered him everything.
His lips crashed into mine. My mouth parted, wanting this in a way I'd never wanted anything else.
His tongue was hot and pushed past my teeth, his hands pulling me closer to him, and the room spun around us. We kissed, the fire between us palpable. His lips tasted delicious and I never wanted to stop.
"Damn," he said, when we pulled apart to catch our breath. "I’ve wanted to do that for a fucking long time."
"Really?" I knew my voice sounded innocent, naïve. But back then I was. I had experienced so little and my deepest desire was for Luke to be my first.
First and last.
But even then, I knew that was reaching. I hoped that this night would be enough.
I looked around the gym, trying to steady my wildly beating heart. I saw Chris coming toward us, his brows creased, eyes turning dark. I watched as he turned on his heels, rushing out of the gym.
I looked back at Luke, he saw everything I did.
But what were we supposed to do?
He kissed me again, silencing any insecurity I may have revealed. This time the kiss was hotter, deeper.
Ravenous.
"Come on," he said, taking my hand. "If we stay here any longer my hands are going to be up your dress." I must have looked scandalized, because he leaned in, whispering in my ear. "You know, in the story, the wolf devours Red."
I nod, my eyes covered by the hood of my cloak. I pushed it back.
"It’s time for supper, then."
Luke didn’t say anything, instead he pulled me through the crowd and took me into the woods.
Alone.
3
Luke
3 years ago
Holding her hand in mine feels good. Almost too fucking good, tempting me to do more than just caress her small fingers in my palm. I run my finger over the pulse point in her wrists and Hay shivers. I give her a wolfish grin as I pull her farther into the woods.
"Where are we going?" she asks almost fearfully. I don't know why, but it excites me. I always did love giving her a good scare.
"I wanna show you something in the woods," I say with a wink, pulling her into the trees. She looks over her shoulder with a concerned expression and I just smile. "Don't worry about Stacy, she'll be just fine. Chris will make sure of it."
"Okay," she says in a small voice.
The trees are enveloping us now, and only the full moon is left to guide us. My eyes roam over Hayley's sexy little body and I wonder whether she even knows how fucking hot she is. What she does to my mind... What she does to my body in my dreams.
After walking for several minutes, we finally reach a small clearing in the forest. There's an old watch post in the middle of it and Hayley gasps when she sees it, her hand flying up to her mouth.
"Remember this place?" I ask her with a big smile, knowing full well she does. We spent so much time here as children.
"Of course I do," she says, smacking my forearm playfully, and her pretty eyes twinkle. "Can we go up there? Is it still abandoned?"
"Not exactly," I reply with another wink. "I kind of made it my own. I mean, it's been abandoned for so long I thought I might as well. You wanna see?"
"Yes." She nods right away. "For old times' sake."
We exchange smiles and I help her up the rickety ladder. We climb into the small wooden space and she lets out that enchanting, sparkling laughter of hers when her eyes see the room.
It's nothing fancy, small and barely furnished with some pillows and throw rugs on the floor. I don't tell Hay, but I've been coming here more often than I'd like to admit.
I've been trying to escape some shit, and it feels like this makeshift treehouse is my new home sometimes. It's the only place I can breathe. Be by myself. And I never would've shown it to her unless I trusted her completely.
Watching as she crawls onto the pillows and gives me a smile, my breath hitches. She's so fucking beautiful, so delicate and so perfect. I know her life hasn't been easy either, and I know we've drifted apart.
I've done my best to stay the fuck away from her, actually. I'm bad news, and I don't want her to be too involved with me. But seeing her in that costume store, and then the party, god, I can't stay away.
It's always been Hay and me.
"Mind if I join you?" I ask her with a grin.
She nods timidly, and I get up on the pillows. She lies on her back and I stay on my side, my fingers going to her neck. Her pupils dilate and her eyes widen as I slowly place my hand on her throat.
Slowly, I squeeze her neck, and she gasps, the sweetest, smallest and most sinful sound that makes me go crazy. I stroke her pretty throat, my fingers roaming down her neck and petting her collarbone, wanting to play with her bra strap. But I’m not sure I should. I sigh and back away, and Hayley gasps.
"You can't do that," she says, and I give her an amused look.
"Do what, darling?"
"Get me all..." She waves her hands in the air and it makes me laugh out loud. "And then stop. You can't do that to me."
I lean closer to her, my lips almost on her ear. I smooth down her hair and tuck a strand of it behind her ear and she exhales in one long breath.
"Then what would you have me do?" I whisper in her ear, watching goosebumps prickle the skin on the back of her neck. "Tell me, Hayley..."
Instead of giving me her words, she gives me her body, and it stops me in my tracks. I'm the one playing the games. I'm the one calling the shots. So when Hayley presses her tight little body against mine and kisses me deeply, I barely have time to react.
She kisses me sweetly, but in moments, our mouths meld together and she fits me so fucking perfectly, just like I knew she would. She's delicious. Tastes like strawberries and marshmallows. I want more.
"Hayley, I don't want to hurt you," I murmur in her hair when she gives me a moment to breathe.
"Then don't," she says with a smile, toying with the hem of her dress. My eyes roam south and I watch her reveal some thigh to me. She's wrecking my mind. I want her. I need her.
"Are you sure?" I ask her softly, and our eyes connect once more. Her gaze is sincere and sweet.
She nods, and it's the end of the world as well as the beginning.
I climb on top of her, but I don't touch her. My hands go to either side of her body and I admire her, sprawled out under me, so damn pretty and so fucking innocent.
And I'm the big bad wolf about to devour her....
"So pretty," I tell her, and she blushes, trying to look away. But I don't let her, I make her face me again and grin at her. "You know you're pretty, don't you, darling?"
"Shut up," she giggles nervously, but it's soon cut off by a moan as my mouth descends upon her neck and I suck in her flesh, probably leaving a hickey for tomorrow. I don't fucking care—I need to have her, to mark her as mine.
I'm not going to hurt her. But I'll make sure she knows who she belongs to.
My lips roam her neck and she moans my name. It's the sweetest sound, and I need to taste it on her lips. Our mouths connect again and I suck her bottom lip between mine, biting down gently. She's delicious. So damn sweet.
"Hayley," I groan. "I need to make you mine."
"Yes," she moans back, her body arching off the pillows and throws on the floor. "Please Luke, I... I've been waiting for so long."
My hand wraps around her hips and I raise them to my body. Hay gasps when she feels me rubbing against her, feeling my cock throb, only separated from her by a thin layer of fabric.
"Are you sure?" I ask her again.
"Yes," she begs. "Yes, Luke, please... I can't wait."
Her body trembles and shivers as I get to work on it, kissing ev
ery nook and cranny of her pretty self. Every inch of her tastes better, every new part I find unlocks another secret. A birthmark on her collarbone, a tiny scar on her arm. I remember her getting it when we were riding our bikes as children.
I have history with this girl.
But I want to have a future with her.
I toy with the hem of her dress and she moans, trying to wriggle out of it. Chuckling, I slowly pull it off her and she moves even closer, now only in lingerie. She looks stunning and her bra and panties are a cute cherry-red set.
My little Red Riding Hood.
My lips quiver above her navel, and I breathe hot air on her tummy.
"Luke, please..." Her voice is hoarse. I could make her beg so much right now. But I'm not that kind of guy. I want to be gentle with her. Good to her. I want to show her how fucking well we fit together.
"What do you want, Hay?" I ask, and her hands find their way into my hair, tangling in it and pulling me closer.
"I want you," she begs. "You, Luke, please."
"Where?" I whisper against her skin, and she moans. Her hands push my head lower until my lips are hovering inches above the fabric of her pretty panties. I press a finger to her center and she shivers. "Here, pretty girl?"
"Yes," she moans. "Yes, right there..."
I strip her panties off in one fluid motion and my mouth waters at the sight of her pussy. I need to taste her.
My head dives between her legs and I give her a tentative lick. I haven't done this a lot, but, fuck, I can't resist. She's too fucking special. Too fucking delicious and too damn good for me.
"Oh my god," Hay bites out as I lick her clit. "Oh god, Luke. Don't stop."
I suck her little bundle of nerves into my mouth and she arches her back again, her legs going around my neck. With my free hand, I press on her tummy so I have better access and she moans so deliciously I feel myself throb between my legs.
"Oh god," she breathes. "God, Luke, I need so much more. I need more of you, fuck me, Luke..."
"What did you say?" I ask, and she blushes when I raise my lips from her wet little pussy. "What do you want, pretty girl?"