Page 25 of Waiting for You (Balsam Cliffs #3)

“Yes. They’ll look like Thomas and Aggie. But they’ll be moaning and coming toward you.” I hug her tighter to me. She’s shaking under me.

“Okay. I can do that. They can’t touch me, right?”

“Nope. We’re here.”

The shrieks fill the air around us as I see a zombie parting our crowd, coming right for Eve.

“Oh, God!” She turns and jumps into my arms. Catching her effortlessly she wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck, nearly choking me. “Don’t let it touch me!”

Laughing at her, I shake my head at the actor who’s still approaching us. Luckily, they back off and turn on the other girls.

“Shit, it’s still looking at me.” She screams over my shoulder once we’re through and she’s facing them now.

“Don’t worry. They won’t leave their areas. But we are approaching the doll house.” I adjust my hands under her ass, holding her tight.

“Great. Dolls are creepy as fuck on a good day.” Her muffled voice is quiet against my neck.

“There’s an emergency exit just up here. We can bail out. I’ll run past everyone. They’ll just think we finished first.”

“No. I’m going to do it. I’m going to finish.” When she makes no move to come out from being nuzzled into my neck, I choose to not point out that she isn’t actually doing it.

I might have been dumb as a twenty year old kid, but I’m not a dumb man. I won’t be putting her down.

“We’re going in. There’s people dressed like porcelain dolls. Close your eyes.”

“Do the sounds have to be so fucking creepy?” Somewhere in the distance a speaker plays the sound of a creaky rocking chair.

“I think it’s part of the appeal, Peach.”

“Appeal? Why people like this is beyond me.”

A doll jumps out of a closet door “Play with me, pretty girl.”

I jog ahead to catch up to the back of our group. “Eve, I can’t breathe.”

Her grip loosens the smallest amount but at least I feel like I can let air out again.

“What is that noise, Hunt?”

“I’m almost afraid to tell you.” I wince before telling her. She hates bugs. “It's a killer bee hive.”

“No one will be dressed up like a bee will they?” The high pitch of her voice gives away her fear.

“No. No people.”

Entering the beehive we’re coated in smoke from a smoke machine, making it impossible to see. Then Eve nearly busts my eardrum, hopping off me and running straight out. Guess she found out they have rubber bees dropping from the ceiling.

“What the fuck was that?” I find her outside swatting at her hair.

“Just a rubber bee.” I shrug, pulling her back to me.

“Just? Just? When did the Petersons become so sadistic?!”

“I might have given Thomas a few ideas over the years. And I might have been part of the build out.”

“This was your idea?”

“Guilty. You ready for the circus?” I clutch her hand in front of her hip.

“There’s fucking clowns too?” She looks at me, the white of her eyes glowing in the black lights. “How many more houses are there?”

“Just two more after this one. The haunted house, and the mines.”

The mines project is my own. I’m pretty impressed with what my crews were able to build out.

We had the local high school’s art department come out to decorate the walls.

I also know it’s the spot with the most hiding holes.

I should bail her out before we get there.

I know the path to go around. But I’m enjoying having her cling to me.

Most of the hiding spots for actors in the house are on the right, so I shift her to my left, ready to take the brunt of the jump scares. She makes it through the haunted house with closed eyes, and white knuckles. I might have a broken finger, but totally fucking worth it.

“Last one, Peach. You’re doing so good.”

“I better get five orgasms tonight for this. And definitely not adding your letter back now that I know you’re responsible for it.” Her voice is accusatory like I’m the one who forced her to do this.

“Whatever you want.” I lean down to kiss her neck and she almost decks me. Bad move, Hunter.

“Okay, in the mines it’s lit by Edison bulbs, everyone in there is a mine worker. They’re dirty looking and think feral prisoners mixed with Walking Dead characters.” I pull her in front of me knowing that they’ll be reaching out from the sides. “Close your eyes, I’ll guide you through.”

“Promise?”

“Have I let anything get you this far?” She shoots me a death glare. “Besides a rubber bee?”

“No. But that rubber bee almost made me pee my pants.”

“Close your eyes, Peach.” Her footsteps falter and I know she listened.

The girls are full blown screaming at this point followed by the guys laughing. There’s a few of the women in their men' s arms. Emma has Rome on one side and Coop on the other. I’ve seen both shake their hands off every now and then.

“We’re out, Peach. Just a car graveyard to get through but no actors here. I promise.”

Her shoulders drop and she lets out a breath. Relief flooding through her body. But it’s short lived as the old cars start up and the doors pop open. She’s back in my arms.

“You fucking promised!”

“I didn’t know, I swear. This must have been Thomas and Aggie’s surprise.” I answer her, unable to hold the chuckle back.

That got everyone pretty good. Even a few of the guys who were next to the cars screamed as loud as the girls.

As we exit, Thomas and Aggie come running over.

“Sounds like we got you this year!” Thomas says excitedly, rubbing his hands together in front of his chest.

“That was fucking awesome, Tommy,” Cooper gushes.

“Yeah, we were all caught off guard. You should do that for everyone.” Porter adds.

“I told the guys if y’all were scared they better keep doing it. But they won’t have time to get out.”

“The doors springing open is good enough.” Willow breathes out, still clutching her racing heart.

“Oh, I’m just so glad we got y’all.” Aggie slaps Tommy’s arm lightly as if to say she told him so.

“It's always a good scare here, Aggie. It’s why the kids all come back every year.” He wraps his arm around Liam’s shoulders. “And next year we’re going to make it better. What’d y’all think of that mine?”

“That was fucking awesome.” Colton answers.

“That was all you, Hunter. Thanks for the help this summer.” Thomas slaps my shoulder.

“Any time. I’m happy to help.” All eyes are on me.

“What else have you done here?” Liam asks.

I just shrug. Not wanting to take any credit.

But Thomas is quick to jump in. “Everything. All of it has been done by Hunter’s crews and he won’t accept any money for any of it.”

Aggie gives me a pointed stare. “Tommy, I told you to pay that boy for all the work he’s done for us! Especially at Christmas time!”

“Hunny bunny, I’ve tried. He refuses to cash a check and when I slipped some cash into his toolbox he mailed it back to us!”

“Hunter. You do too much around here. You better take that money.” Aggie points her finger into my chest. “Besides, you have to have enough money to take this pretty girl out to dinner.”

“Don’t you worry about me. I’m alright. I just love to see how happy the farm makes everyone.” I pull her in for a hug, the only sure fire way to get Aggie to quit getting onto me about money.

“You’ve been holding out on me, brother.” Liam says as he saddles up next to me. “Why don’t you join us Tuesday? I bet we could do something huge for Christmas… I’m thinking a lobster trap tree at the inn.”

“That would be adorable!” Scarlett joins the conversation. “And perfect for your social media.”

I lean down to whisper into the shell of Eve’s ear. “Come on, let’s start the lead out of here or they’ll be here all night. And I do believe I have five orgasms to start on.”

She shivers when my breath lingers on her skin and follows my lead along with the rest of the crew.