Page 12 of These Unhallowed Halls (Equinox Seasons Duet #2)
The shorts were a no-go, though, hiding somewhere just to be a dick. I gave up the search, grabbing a pair of thick, tall socks to provide that necessary warmth.
“Dammit. Ugh, Lizzie, would you help me with this?”
I spun around to see Temps struggling with the shirt I’d made her wear and chuckled.
Padding over now that my socks were on, I helped her get the fabric up and over her head as it fought to remain stuck to her.
Without thinking, I dropped my hands to the zipper of her skirt—well, my skirt—and wiggled the pull tab so that it didn’t catch and actually came down.
It was a finicky thing about wearing that thing that only I knew about.
“What are you…”
The question drifted off as I wrangled the zipper, and Temps was able to let the skirt hit the floor and step out of it.
“Zipper sticks.”
She nodded over her shoulder at me, looking painfully aware of how exposed she was even with her back to me, and then whipped her head around toward the closet.
“Oh, thank you.”
I didn’t know what got into me, but as the glow of the moonlight peeked out from behind a storm cloud, I reached out, wanting to drag my fingers down Temps’ back.
Just before my fingers made contact, thought, a boom of thunder shook the room, and she jumped, wildly flailing as she fell forward into her clothes.
“Fuck, the storm is going to keep me up all night.” She pushed out of her hanging clothing and yanked down a large sweater, pulling it on over her head. “If someone did mess with the weather, I kind of hate them right now.”
“Hmm.” It was all I could manage, my heart pounding as I hurried over to my bed and got in under the covers.
After a moment, Temps finished dressing, not wearing any shorts either, I might add, and rushed to her bed, practically diving inside.
She peered over at me from her side of the room, the covers pulled up under her chin.
In the dark, I could still see her enough to know that she was feeling off, something I didn’t need my abilities to tell me.
“The carnival was weird, right?”
With a sigh, I shoved the blankets off and walked over to Temps’ bed. “Scoot.”
She moved closer to the wall so I could get in beside her, and I lay down with my head on the pillow, meeting her stare.
“Yeah, it was. I…I don’t know, Temps. Maybe they like weird. Who am I to judge? Though…” But I had to be reading into this, so I shook my head, dropping the thought in favor of getting some sleep.
“What? You can’t leave me hanging like that?”
Rolling my eyes, I chuckled quietly. Like you do to me all the time?
“Ugh, fine. It’s just that I noticed something while we were there—a symbol I recognize from a necklace your mom has.”
“A symbol?” Temps’ brow furrowed as she visibly thought about what I was saying. “That one from the church thingy she’s so into?”
I nodded. “Yeah. But I’m sure it’s nothing. I mean, they probably both go to it right. She said the cult—”
“Lizzie!”
“Sorry, ‘church’ has a following, right?”
“Yes, they have locations and stuff across the country. At least according to her. It’s not like I went and looked it up.
” Temps sagged, her eyes dropping to the space between us as she burrowed down into the bed.
“She’s been going a lot lately. I…Okay, it’s stupid, but I don’t really like it.
It feels like one of those holier-than-thou places. And not very queer friendly.”
I cocked a brow, tilting my head as I found her hand under the covers. “Queer friendly? That matter a lot to you?”
Yes, it was a leading question, but sue me.
“Of course! Everyone should be treated equally. Hell, you’re bi, Lizzie. Why would I want my mother to be an asshole to a group of people at all, let alone one that includes you?”
I didn’t sense even a spec of mistruth in Temps’ words.
She believed that wholeheartedly, according to her body language, aura, and everything else.
But I couldn’t tell if she was including herself in that group.
Temps had never been much of a dater, and while we’d talked about me being bi, she’d always danced around the subject.
“Well, I appreciate your support, as a ‘queer’ and all.”
“Oh, shut up.” She playfully shoved me back, and as I rebounded back into the bed, I scooted up higher on the pillow, shoving my arm under her neck and pulling Temps in for a cuddle.
“I’m cold and couldn’t find shorts. Keep me warm.”
Temps didn’t move for a second, but then snuggled deeper into my arms, resting her head on my chest.
“That makes two of us. Do we have a short-stealing gremlin?”
I laughed, which I knew jostled Temps, and closed my eyes, suddenly feeling much more relaxed and ready for bed.
“Well, if we do, we’ll just have to come up with a spell or potion to get rid of it, because I need my damn shorts. I’m not about to get expelled because I couldn’t find my clothes. It should be because I chose not to wear them.”
Giggling, Temps shook her head against my chest, and then I felt her relax, her breathing slowing down as she drifted to sleep. I didn’t rest until I knew she was out, soothed by the sound of her breath moving in and out like the ocean.