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Kat settles gracefully onto a log bench near the roaring bonfire, the flickering light playing across her lovely features. I prowl closer but come up short when the cowboy sidles up to take the spot beside her. Wilder shoots me a sly grin, seeing the irritation flash across my face at his maneuver. He leans in close to whisper something in Kat's ear and her answering laugh has me clenching my fists.
I sink down onto a nearby log bench, my jaw tight as I observe their cozy interaction. Her guard seems to lower ever so slightly around Wilder, though she still watches him with a mix of wariness and reluctant fascination.
The knowledge that she has yet to fully submit to his charms brings some comfort.
The sky darkens to ink above us as the Sharpe family laughs and chatters around the roaring fire. Flames crackle and snap, sending glowing embers rising into the night as the subtle notes of guitar music mix with the rhythmic crash of waves along the shore. It's a scene of joy and celebration.
Kat’s mom’s voice pierces through the air as she calls for Wilder to come tell some stupid story to a couple of people she’s standing with. I catch his eye as he begrudgingly stands and moves to oblige the demanding woman. His loss. I shoot him a wink before returning my attention to where it belongs.
Kat meets my stare across the divide, an intriguing mix of curiosity and uncertainty in her luminous eyes. A wolfish grin curves my lips as I casually rise and stride her way.
Let the hunt commence.
I make my way around the large bonfire, grabbing two drinks from a nearby cooler before settling on the log next to her. Extending my hand out, she accepts the canned fruity cocktail with a grin.
"Trying to get me drunk, Emrys?" She teases, taking a sip.
"Maybe I just like watching your cheeks flush pink," I rumble back, mesmerized as I watch her throat bob as she swallows.
Wait, what did I say?
My gaze snaps up to hers, and Kat narrows her eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile on her lips. "Is that right? Careful now,” she purrs. “Two can play at that game."
Before I can respond, she casually brushes her fingers along my forearm, igniting a trail of sparks across my skin. Our eyes lock and the heady promise in her stare makes my blood run hotter than the flames before us. The minx is testing my restraint, and delighting in it. Were we not surrounded by her loved ones, I would accept the unspoken challenge gladly.
I capture her wandering fingers in my own and bring them to my lips in a searing kiss, scraping the sensitive skin just slightly with my teeth. She sucks in a sharp breath, eyes darkening.
"Careful, love, I play to win," I warn in a low voice. Kat's lips part, a delicious mix of arousal and indignation flashing across her face. Before she can respond, Wilder returns, tossing a bag of marshmallows on my lap.
"Who wants s'mores?" He announces loudly, interrupting our heated moment. Fucking asswipe.
Laughter rises around us as ingredients get passed around the fire and, after everyone is contentedly munching on smores, Kat’s dad gleefully rises to his feet. “Alright, everyone, you know what time it is!”
Hoots and hollers follow his words and I glance around curiously. Luckily, it seems as if Wilder and Wyatt are both as confused as I am. Kat’s face spreads into a wide grin as she claps her hands. “I call first!”
Roger laughs at the same time that her sister, Annabelle groans from a few benches away from us. “You know the rules! The person with the least amount of reactions has to be punished. We take our scary stories very seriously around here. Are you ready?” Kat joins the chorus of voices screaming their agreement into the night sky. “Alright, Kitty-Kat. Get us started!”
The idle chatter around the fire begins to wane as Kathryn's family members settle in for the apparent tradition of telling spooky tales. I keep my gaze locked on Kat, noting the way the firelight plays across her delicate features. A smile tugs at her lips right before she dramatically lowers her voice and launches into a chilling story about the haunted doll with her sister’s namesake.
Annabelle groans loudly, hiding her face in her fiance’s shoulder as he chuckles.
Kat's turquoise eyes are alight with amusement, even as she plays the crowd artfully, drawing out suspenseful moments and far outperforming the movie version of the story. As her tale reaches a crescendo, a blood curdling shriek pierces the night air, causing the entire gathered crowd to jump in fright. Nervous laughter quickly follows as one of Kat's cousins takes an exaggerated bow, clearly the culprit behind the well-timed scream.
After a loud chorus of claps and cheers for Kat, the cousin who helped along Kat’s story begins her own haunting tale and I turn my attention back to Kat's animated reactions. Her unrestrained mirth captivates me and makes me want to draw out every nuance of expression.
I have no idea what’s gotten into me, but I can’t help it.
A slight shiver runs through her slender frame at a particularly vivid description. Without thinking, I shrug off my leather jacket and drape it around her bare shoulders. Kathryn stiffens in surprise, then meets my gaze, something unreadable swimming in her eyes.
"You looked cold," I offer simply.
She pulls the jacket tighter around herself and whispers a soft, "Thank you." The sight of her enveloped in my scent, wearing my mark, satisfies something primal within me. I feel Wilder's glare boring into the side of my face at the intimate gesture and have to tamp down my satisfied smirk.
“Alright, who’s next?” Roger claps his hands and stares amusedly at everyone around the fire. “I don’t know how anyone is going to follow those two…” He hooks his thumbs at Kat and her cousin and they both stand and take a couple bows to cheers and hollers before sitting back down.
“Why don’t you have one of Kat’s men do the honors? It’s initiation time, boys!” Annabelle cackles with the crowd as Kat groans beside me.
“You don’t have to!” She’s quick to assure us, but her dad quickly interjects once more.
