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“Hey. I’m Wyatt.” He pulls off his glove and extends his hand to her.
“Rowen. Thanks for coming to help. It’s too cold for this and Janet just couldn’t get it.” I give her an appreciative glance and she beams at me. I could shove her against the wall and…
“This house belong to the Addams family?” Wyatt looks up and around, taking it in.
“In a former life.” Rowen slides her phone out and shows me that the camera app is open and recording video. I nod.
“It’s back here.” I push past him and lead the party from the front door, past the stairs, through the kitchen, to the bathroom. The tub catches his eye and he runs his hand along the edge before coming to the door. “Water heater is in there. Let me grab my bag.” I have no bag, but I want to see him open the door and watch him freak the fuck out. It scared me and I’m not afraid of creepy shit. Collins is a giant wuss when it comes to this stuff, though, and I’ll be sharing this video with everyone at work, at the comic shop, and every stranger on the internet. Rowen touches her phone; Wyatt grabs the doorknob and opens the door. Rowen raises the phone and winks at me.
“What the fuck!?” Wyatt jumps back, slamming the door and stumbling until he hits me standing behind him. I grab his shoulders, doubling over in laughter and Rowen snorts, following Collins with her phone. “What the hell is wrong with you Morgan!” His voice is high, squeaky, and I literally snort with laughter. “Who the hell does something like that? No. Just no! You called me out here for that shit?” Collins usually doesn’t swear so much, so this really got him. “There are demons in there! You know that right? Demons!” He looks at Rowen and sees the phone. “Fuck the both of you!” So, maybe this was a little better than kissing Rowen. I can do that later, but this was once in a lifetime. “I thought we called a truce!”
“Last year, we had a war. Pranks were rampant in the department, and we finally had to stop when an officer had to shave his head because he couldn’t get the slime out.” I’m still laughing too hard to talk but manage to get the words out between me wheezing.
“You’re an asshole.” Wyatt takes a breath and lets go of my arm. “I hate you.” He looks at Rowen whose face is red with contained laughter. “Laugh. It’s fine. Go for it. Did you even need help?” Rowen throws her head back laughing hysterically.
“We need help dusting the dolls. Obviously.” I laugh, clapping him on the back.
Collins shakes his head. “How did you two even meet? No offense, but who are you? How did you get drawn into Morgan’s twisted web of pranks?”
Rowen wipes her eyes from laughing. “I’m the new owner of this house and Cover to Cover Books.”
“She drove me home last night.” I give Wyatt the most obvious look I can manage, and he nods slowly.
“So, you met last night and now you’re here?” That shit eating grin on his face makes me roll my eyes. “Sure, you want my help, Morgan? Looks like you’re doing fine on your own. You had your fun, now I can leave you tohave your fun.”
“Funny,” I deadpan.
“Trying to help out my partner.” Shrugging, he turns to Rowen. “I’m sorry for your loss, but congratulations on this inheritance. Besides the fact that the dolls are going to kill you in your sleep, this is a great place. That kitchen’s amazing. If you really need help cleaning, and I don’t actually have to go in that room ever again, I’ll help. Do you have supplies yet? Need the team? I can call in the troops after eight when the shop closes and we can get enough people to get the whole house clean in one go.” Wyatt looks from me to Rowen and back. “You know they’ll do it just to be in the house, and Viv can cleanse it. Maybe some sage will get the demons out of those dolls.”
Rowen’s mouth opens and closes. “I… a team? To clean my house? I can’t really pay for that yet, not-”
Collins holds up a hand. “Can you buy pizza? If not, I will. Don’t worry about it. We help each other here and a friend of Morgan’s is a friend of everyone.”
She nods enthusiastically. “Pizza I can do. How many?”
“I’ll text orders to Morgan. I need to get Cruze covered for more than a few minutes. You two go get cleaning supplies and meet back here in an hour for everyone not working, the rest can come later. Welcome to East Hollow, Rowen.” He claps her on the shoulder and winks at me before walking between us through the kitchen and out of the house. We wait until the front door slams and Rowen turns to face me.
“Is this real life? These people don’t know me. They’ll actually come clean and only want pizza? I don’t even think my bestie would do that for me. I’d at least have to throw some money at her.” Rowen breathes a laugh and leans back to sit on the edge of the tub.
“He wouldn’t have offered unless he meant it. Do you have enough cleaning supplies? Windex? Clorox? Store run?” I offer my hand and she takes it, letting me pull her to her feet and into me. She sucks her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbles it, her eyes roaming my face and hesitating on my mouth a beat too. I skim my hand up her arm, the other going to her waist. Rowen steps toward me, her hand comes up to brush where my neck meets my shoulder, working her way below the collar of my coat to rest against my skin. I know my pulse picks up, and she can feel it in my neck. Her smile tells me everything, the smirk I saw in her photo, the one that speaks volumes without a word.
“We should go to the store,” Rowen whispers, smile still on her face. “But…”
I cup her face, tighten my grip on her waist and ease her closer. Her eyes flutter closed, and I press my lips to hers. She tips her head, immediately deepening the kiss, her other hand slides around my back, pulling me closer. Our bodies meld perfectly, her curves pressing to mine. I’m taller, but not much, so everything is right there, aligning perfectly. I slip my hand into her hair, threading the soft strands between my fingers, mouth moving with hers. Heat and desire pulse through me, my whole body humming with a want I haven’t felt in a long time. Rowen pushes to her toes, her tongue teasing my lips. Her heart thuds against mine, her grip on my neck tightens, and I part my lips for her. My back hits the wall but I don’t remember stepping back or pulling her with me. Her hand on my neck moves to the zipper of my coat and freezes. My eyes open and clash with hers, our lips still touching. Her cheeks are flushed, eyes glassy, shoulders moving with each breath. Nothing moves for one beat, two, and then I blink. Rowen eases down from her toes, lips leaving mine in slow motion. I don’t let her move away though, flexing my hand against her waist so she doesn’t step back. She licks her lips and I watch with all my attention.
“Sorry.” I am not sorry. Not even a little. I’ve never been less sorry in my life. Kissing Rowen is electric.
“Liar.” That damn smirk.
“Yeah.” I lean in and kiss her again, quick and soft. “Wow.” I know my face has to be as flushed as hers, my eyes just as glassy, and all I want is to kiss her again, more, let her take off this coat and everything else.
“Should we go? Or we can keep going?” Rowen clears her throat, eyes darting to my lips and back to my eyes. My brain makes no more thoughts while I entertain the keep going option. Rowen on the sectional sofa, a knee on either side of my hips, her skin against mine, my hand tangled in her hair, kissing down her neck… “Right, so the store?” She pulls me from my fantasy, taking my silence as rejection.
“No.” I pull her closer. “I mean, yes, but I’m not done.” My brain and mouth don’t seem to really want to connect properly, but my body knows to lean in and kiss her again. It’s slower this time, but more sure. I know how my mouth fits with hers now, know how to get her lips to part and how our bodies fit. I work my hand down her waist to the hem of her shirt and under it, my hand pressing into her skin. I rub my thumb over the soft curve of her hip and she whimpers into my mouth. I tighten my grip and feel the goosebumps erupt over her skin. Rowen pulls away first, eyes still closed, and blows out a slow breath. “So, we should go?” My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I don’t check it yet, I know it’s’ Collins with a pizza order, but I have more important things on my mind.
“Can we pick this up again later? When the only clean surface isn’t the sofa.” Rowen leans in to kiss the corner of my mouth and smiles.
I nod. “Yeah. Definitely.” I brush invisible hairs from my face and swallow the lump in my throat. My hands fall away from her, and I immediately miss touching her. My fingers twitch to make contact again. “I’ll drive.” I reach for my keys in my pocket and realize how stupid it was to say that. Her car is at the bookstore. “I can take you to get your car on the way back?” I don’t want her driving separately, I want my hand on her thigh on our way back here knowing that later, I’ll toss that beanie and her clothes on the floor and kiss every inch of her. It can wait.
