Page 52

EVE

Orion pulled up in front of a weathered storefront in Alton Creek. A faded sign swung in the breeze: Fancy This – Costumes & More.

“What are we doing here?” I asked, brows furrowed.

He just grinned—that maddening, smug look that made my knees weak. I hated how easily he did that. How easily he saw me.

“You’ll see.”

He was out of the truck in a flash, opening my door and offering his hand. There was a glint in his eye I couldn’t resist. I slid out, the autumn air nipping at my skin as we crossed to the shop.

Inside, the place was cramped—racks of costumes, tangled string lights, the scent of dust and cinnamon clinging to the air. A few teens laughed while trying on the wigs, while adults browsed quietly.

Orion leaned in, his hand brushing the small of my back, filling me with heat.

“I called Louise. She’s still throwing the party. At her place this time. Bit of a funeral vibe for the diner, but still a party.”

“Pick a costume,” he murmured. “I’ll be right back.”

I blinked. “You… called her?”

Louise loved Halloween—always turning the diner into a haunted house with tacky decorations and a punch bowl that tasted like regret. Masks. Glitter. Ridiculous vampire capes. She loved every inch of it. I hadn’t thought about it. Not since the fire. The nightmares. The magic.

Orion’s voice cut through the memory. “Go on, Sunshine. Pick something.”

I watched him disappear toward the back, his height making him easy to follow. My gaze lingered longer than I meant it to. Then I looked around.

I turned to the rack but couldn’t focus. My fingers drifted over sequins and velvet while my mind circled him. Somehow, in the middle of chaos and grief, he’d carved out this moment for me. Something normal. Something mine.

I glanced back. He stood at the counter now, slipping something into a paper bag as he handed over cash. My curiosity sparked, but I didn’t ask. If he wanted it to be a surprise, I could play that game too.

My fingers paused on a costume—sleek lapels, bold color. A slow smile curled at my lips. If Orion wanted mischief, I’d give it right back.

I grabbed a few accessories and turned—only to nearly crash into him.

“What are you hiding?” he asked, tilting his head with that smug look I hated and adored.

I clutched the bundle tighter. “It’s a surprise.”

His eyes dipped—slow, deliberate—from my lips to my thighs and back again, the corner of his mouth tugging higher, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me.

His brows rose. “Oh, really?”

“You’ll see,” I said, breezing past him toward the register.

My shoulder brushed his chest. He didn’t step back. Didn’t blink. Just watched me with that look that always made my thighs press a little tighter.

“You’re playing with fire, Sunshine,” he called.

“Then it’s a good job I’m fireproof,” I tossed back, grinning like I hadn’t a care in the world.

The drive felt easy, the silence between us warm and comfortable. My costume bag sat on my lap, and I ran my fingers over the smooth paper, anticipation humming low in my chest.

But something felt… off.

I frowned as Orion turned onto a narrow, perfectly paved road.

“This isn’t the way to Louise’s,” I said, sitting up straighter.

Orion didn’t look at me, but his grin was electric. The truck rumbled beneath us, but all I could feel was the thrum of my pulse.

“I also called Darcy. I thought you might want to spend some time with your friends while you get ready. Lila’s here too.“

Then the truck slowed in front of a large, familiar house. The ivy-covered stone facade. The warm, golden light spilling from the windows. The perfectly trimmed lawn that always made me feel like I didn’t quite belong.

He stopped the truck and turned to me. The teasing faded from his eyes, replaced by something that lit a fire inside of me.

“I want to see what you look like when you unwind. I want to see every inch of you, Eve. Especially the fun parts.”

It wasn’t just the gesture—it was him. The way he made space for every part of me, even the broken ones. The way he looked at me like I was something he wanted to unwrap slowly, reverently… like I was already burning and he didn’t mind getting scorched.

I didn’t mean to kiss him. I meant to say thank you. But then I looked at him—really looked at him—and all that warmth pooled into heat so thick it swallowed the words.

This wasn’t like before—not playful, not stolen. This was deeper—heavier. A kiss full of everything I didn’t know how to say.

“Thank you,” I finally whispered against his lips. “Not just for this. For everything.”

His hand cradled the back of my neck as he kissed me again, slower this time. His lips moved against mine like a promise.

When we pulled apart, he grinned and brushed his thumb over my cheek. “Come on. Let’s get you ready to knock me dead.”

I stepped out of the truck, my heart lighter than it had been in days.