Page 12 of Trick or Tease

He laughed that easygoing laugh that always seemed to annoy me and make me miss him all at once. “Oh, come on. It’s just a little fun. You used to have a sense of humor, remember? Or did the city suck that out of you too?”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help the small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “You haven’t changed a bit, have you? Still the same idiot who thought it was a good idea to jump out at me dressed as a scarecrow.”

“And you’re still the same grumpy older brother who pretends he doesn’t love Halloween as much as I do,” Billy shot back, his grin widening. “Admit it. You missed me.”

I crossed my arms, trying to maintain my annoyed facade, but deep down, I had missed him.

Billy held up his phone and pushed the button, playing the spooky child laughter I heard earlier. “Honest answer, gut reaction, don’t stop to think about it—how scary is that clown mask?”

“Not as scary as how bad I’m gonna whoop your ass.”

The words were out before I could think about them. It was the country in me coming out. You could take the boy out of the farm, but there was no taking the farm out of the boy. No matter how long I lived in the city and dressed the part, there was still a farm boy under the sleek suit.

Billy grinned and shut off the stupid recording. “It’s a serious question. It’s for work.”

“Harvesting pumpkins in a mask now? You’re ugly but not that ugly.”

“Hey,” Lucy said, walking up with Sabrina.

Holy shit. Sabrina fucking Lamb.

It had been a few years since I’d seen her, but mother of god, Sabrina was looking like a Michelin-star meal and I wanted to dig in. I wanted to devour her. Inch by slow inch.

She smiled. “Hi.”

I knew I was staring but I couldn’t look away.

Holy shit.

I felt like a teenager all over again.

She was the one to finally look away. She had grown up hot. Perfect tits. A nice round ass. She was a knockout even in jeans and a flannel shirt.

“Hey, butthead,” Lucy said and shoved my shoulder.

I blinked and remembered where I was. Lucy was smiling.

“You’re here,” I managed to get out.

Lucy nodded. “Yep. Here. We were hiding behind that SUV.”

“Did you see his face?” Billy asked. “I told you that mask was too much.”

“Too much for what?” Garrett asked.

“Something I’m working on at the farm. I’ll fill you in later.”

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see you guys, but what the hell are you doing here?”

“You know why I’m here,” Billy said with a shrug.

And then it clicked. I did know why he’d driven five hours to surprise me and it had nothing to do with a clown mask.

“Fuck off. I’m not going home.”

5

SABRINA