Page 87 of Trick or Tease

“Smart man.” Lucy nodded approvingly. “At least the city didn’t ruin him all the way.”

I took a sip of my coffee, trying to hide my smile. “Yeah, well, he’s always been thoughtful like that. Even when we were kids.”

Lucy leaned forward, squinting at me. “Sabrina, what is that on your neck?”

My hand flew to my throat instinctively. “What? Nothing.”

“No, no, no.” She reached over and gently tugged at the collar of my Aerosmith shirt, revealing the red mark just below my ear. “Holy shit, girl. Did Garrett bite you?”

I swatted her hand away, my face burning. “It’s not that bad.”

“Not that bad? You look like you tangled with a vampire!” Lucy was practically cackling now. “I mean, I knew the man was intense, but damn. Did he think you were going to escape?”

“Lucy!” I protested, but I was laughing too. “He got a little… enthusiastic.”

“Enthusiastic? Sabrina, that’s not enthusiasm, that’s possession. He marked his territory.” She sat back in her chair, grinning wickedly. “I have to say, I’m impressed. Quiet, serious Garrett has some serious passion hiding under all that lawyer polish.”

I buried my face in my hands. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Are you kidding me? This is amazing! You’ve got the hottest guy in three counties completely obsessed with you. Look at yourself—you’re glowing. And not just from the hickeys.”

“They’re not hickeys,” I mumbled through my fingers. “It’s probably just ringworm or poison ivy.”

“I hate to break it to you, but those are definitely hickeys. Multiple hickeys. Did he work his way down like he was sampling a buffet?”

I peeked at her through my fingers. “You’re terrible.”

“I’m thorough. And I’m your best friend, which means I need all the details. Did you at least return the favor? Please tell me you left some marks on him too.”

“Stop! I am not giving you all the details.”

“Sweetie, I’ve been sleeping with his brother nearly half my life. I’m guessing there are some family traits that they share. And all I can say is, I know. Trust me, I know. Billy dreams big in the bedroom too.”

I could feel my cheeks burning. I was never going to be able to look at Billy without blushing. “You’re killing me,” I groaned.

“Look, I’m not going to tell you what to do. But if you want to have fun with him, go for it. Just be clear with yourself about what this is. Set clear boundaries. You deserve someone who’s all in, Sabrina. Someone who wants to stay.”

I sighed. “I know. And I’ll try to keep that in mind. It’s just hard. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a guy. But he’s not here to stay.”

“I’m sorry. Who knows? Maybe Garrett will surprise you. Maybe he’ll realize what he’s missing here.”

I knew the truth. Garrett’s life was in the city, and mine was here. And no matter how much I wanted him to stay, I couldn’t ask him to give up everything he’d worked for.

For now, I’d take what I could get. The tears could wait.

32

GARRETT

Istood back and admired our handiwork, wiping paint off my hands with an old rag. The wooden sign stretched nearly eight feet across. “HOGAN’S HAUNTED FARM” painted in bold black against a weathered gray background. Billy had added some nice touches to make the sign really stand out. There was dripping paint effects that looked like blood, and shadowy outlines of bats in the corners.

“Not bad for a couple of amateurs,” I said, grinning at my brother.

Billy laughed, flicking a drop of red paint at me. “Speak for yourself. I’ve been painting barn doors since I was twelve.”

“I don’t think either of us is going to win any art competitions,” I joked.

He grinned and tilted his head to the side. “It’s not terrible. I think the letters are a little crooked though.”