I know that Dylan’s not actually afraid of this five-foot-eight person in a clown costume, but he grabs my waist and pulls me onto his lap with my back facing him, my doll-key pressing against his abdomen. I squeal and shift my legs sideways across his thick thighs, his arms folding around my front as he turns his nose into my neck.
“Way to distract me from my fear. This dress should be illegal,” he says roughly, slipping one hand beneath the side of my skirt and running it high up my thigh. His fingertips graze the edge of my panties, and a needy sigh slips out of me. I lock my hooded gaze on Pennywise, who’s now stopped still and is staring right at us.Okay, I admit, that clown is creepy.
I lean into Dylan’s shoulder, the protruding key making my back arch. “I think Pennywise likes to watch.”
I can feel Dylan’s smoky gaze looking down over my shoulder at the tight swells of my breasts straining against my dress. “Let’s give him a show then,” he says, clutching my jaw and steering my face to his.
His warm mouth lands on mine, and my lips part instantly, welcoming his tongue as it sweeps into my mouth. I’m not usually an exhibitionist, but it feels kinda hot having this costumed stranger watch us make out with a helpless urgency like we’ve been craving this. Dylan’s palms grip my face as I twist toward him, seeking more of his intoxicating taste. A moan wells up in his throat, and I swallow it down. “You taste so good, baby,” he breaths against my lips.
“Oh my god, are you fuckingserious?” cries a familiar voice.
Dylan and I gasp in unison and jerk apart as the clown rips the mask off its head.
Hayley stands gaping at us, her eyes wide with horror.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
DYLAN
It’sa good thing the “Monster Mash” is blaring through the speakers, otherwise everyone in this bar would be staring instead of just the painted faces closest to us. “Hayley, you need to calm down,” I warn under my breath so that only she can hear.
From the way her chin jerks back, you’d swear I slapped her. “Don’t you dare tell me to calm down.”
Okay, shrieking banshee is not a good look on my baby sister. “You’re causing a scene.” And that’s saying a lot, considering there are two rag dolls making out on the dance floor and a woman in a skin-tight catsuit is leading around a man dressed like a dog on a leash.
Hayley’s hand flies to her ruffled collar before she points a gloved finger in my face. “I’mthe one causing the scene? You’re trying to bang mybest friendin the middle of a fucking bar.”
Good thing Hayley didn’t accidentally walk in on us in the darkroom the other day. My stomach twists into knots when I glance over my shoulder and find a line of silver tears along Jade’s extra-long fake lashes. I don’t give a shit how pissed my sister is; she doesn’t get to speak about Jade like that. Should I have touched or kissed her so brazenly in the heart of the town’s rumor mill? In hindsight, probably not. But I couldn’t help myself, and from the way Jade had kissed me back, she seemed pretty into it as well.
Jade clears her throat. “Hayley, I—”
Hayley cuts her off. “I, what? I’m screwing your brother and didn’t think to tell you about it? Just like you never told me about the little kiss you two shared at Fall Fest? What the hell, Jade?”
“That’s enough,” I say before more hateful words can spew from my sister’s mouth. “We’re not doing this here. You can come to my place if you want to have an adult discussion.”
Hayley’s eyes flash with anger. “Fine.”
I turn back to Jade and give her shoulders a squeeze. “Are you okay?”
She nods and wipes her eyes with her fingertips, smudging her doll makeup. “I’m sorry.”
“For what? Making me crazy about you?”
A small smile lifts the corner of her lips. “Obviously not. I just hate that she found out like this. I wanted to tell her in person, but I didn’t know how, and... I just wish I’d known she'd be here.”
“I still would’ve had a hard time keeping my hands to myself,” I reply honestly.
Jade’s lips rise a little more, and I feel like I should be wearing some shining armor and riding a white steed. From the way Hayley is glowering, I could probably use an extra layer of protection. “Do you want to come up to my place?” I ask Jade. “Or would you rather stay here?” Jade’s been looking forward to tonight for a while, and I’d hate for her to cut the night short because of my sister and her drama.
Jade glances over my shoulder, but Hayley’s already stomping for the exit. “We should probably get this over with.”
Thank fuck. I really don’t want to deal with Hayley on my own. Not that I can’t handle my sister, but Jade deserves a chance to speak for herself, and I don’t want her to have to do that without me by her side. But first… I snag our Bloody Marys, hand Jade hers, and clink our glasses together. “Bottoms up.”
We finish our cocktails at the same time, leave the empty glasses on the table, and start for the door. I reach back and take Jade’s hand, leading her between skeletons, witches, and werewolves out onto the street, where Hayley is pacing like a feral clown in a cage. My worst nightmare on so many levels.
Hayley comes to a halt beneath the iron streetlight, her gaze falling to our joined hands. Jade tries to pull away, but I don’t let her. We have nothing to be ashamed of, and the sooner my sister realizes that, the better.
I don’t let go of Jade’s fingers until we reach my front door and I’m forced to fish my keys from my pocket.
