“Thank you for introducing me to him. I really appreciate it.” I stand on my tip toes and search the crowd for Owen.
“No, problem.” He clears his throat. “Are you looking for Owen?”
“Yes. Do you see him?”
Damien points over toward the exit doors. “He’s all the way over there. Want me to call his cell?”
He starts to pull out his phone, but I place my hand over it. “No, I got this. I really need to talk to him.” Damien has a mischievous glint in his eyes, and I can’t help but wonder if he knows. “You know about me and Owen, don’t you?”
He smirks. “What part?”
“Everything. The masquerade, the Halloween party.”
Damien averts his gaze and laughs. “The man’s in love with you, Ensley.” When he turns back to me, I can see the seriousness on his face. “I thought he was crazy for doing what he did, but there was no stopping him. He would’ve done anything to get close to you.”
It warms my heart to hear it. Maybe I am a hopeless romantic after all. “He probably thinks I’m mad at him. He confessed everything to me, but then Jordan pulled me away.”
Damien’s eyes widen. “Seriously? Yeah, he’s probably freaking out right now.” Quickly, his eyes scan the crowd. “Dammit, he’s heading out. Hurry.”
Heart racing, I rush as fast as I can through the people without knocking anyone down. I can see Owen exiting the doors to the lobby and pressing the button for the elevator. When I finally make it out, he’s nowhere to be seen. The elevator door begins to close, and I step in its way. Owen’s eyes widen when I push my way in and press the button to close the doors. I don’t want anyone else in there with us.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I say, glaring at him.
Owen sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Trying to avoid this part right here. The last thing I wanted was for you to be angry with me. Guess I was giving you some space to think things through.”
“I don’t need space.” I press the stop button on the elevator, and it stops immediately. The alarm goes off and I smile as I wrap my arms around his neck. “The second you kissed me, I knew. I was waiting for tonight to tell you, but you beat me to it.”
His hands snake around my waist. “So, you’re not mad at me?”
I shake my head. “Not in the least. I can’t believe you did what you did just to get close to me.”
Owen pulls me in closer to his body. “I didn’t know how else to approach you. I’m glad you figured out it was me.”
I stare in his eyes, knowing they aren’t really green. “It would’ve been much easier if you weren’t wearing contacts. You know I love your gray and golden eyes.”
Chuckling, he slides a hand away from my waist and takes out the contacts, his true color staring back at me. “Better?”
“Much.”
He glances down at my lips. “What happens now?”
I slide my hands up to his face. “Well, for starters you can kiss me.” He grips my waist and quickly turns me to where my back is against the elevator wall. His lips close over mine with an urgency that makes everything inside of me tighten. I want more…so much more.
“How was that?” he asks, murmuring the words against my lips.
My breath comes out in rapid pants. “Oh, that was just the beginning.” I reach over and press the button to start the elevator back up.
A few seconds later, the doors open and Owen smiles. “So, what’s next? This is my floor. I could give you a tour of my place.”
Taking his hand, I pull him out of the elevator. “Maybe tomorrow. Right now, I only want to see your bedroom.”
He unlocks his door and closes it behind us, pushing his arousal into my body. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
His words make me smile. He asked me the same question on both the nights we slept together. “Yes,” I murmur whole-heartedly. “I want this and so much more.” Picking me up in his arms, he carries me to his bedroom and lays me down on his bed, his body covering mine. I run a hand down his cheek and brush my thumb over his lips. “It’ll be nice seeing your face when we make love.”
He nips my thumb and smiles. “I’m glad you’re not disappointed it’s me.”
I shake my head. “You’re everything I could ever want, Owen. I’m happy it’s you.”
“Things aren’t going to be same after this. Are you ready for that?” He kisses me and slides a hand underneath my dress and up my thigh.
Goosebumps fan out over my skin and I tremble with anticipation. “As long as I have you, I’m ready for anything.”
~ Halloween Night – 1 Year Later ~
Trick or treaters have come and gone, and I’ve eaten so much chocolate I feel a sugar high coming on. The night is just getting started though.
“Want a glass of wine?” Owen calls out from the kitchen.
I get the TV ready and wave a hand in the air. “Yes. Just bring the whole bottle.”
Owen chuckles. “I can do that.”
He sets the bottle of wine on the coffee table beside my many empty wrappers of Kit Kat bars. There’s a whole bucket of candy on the table with various chocolate bars and I handpicked all the Kit Kats out. Owen sits down and hands me the glass of wine, his eyes focused on the candy.
“Please tell me you didn’t eat all of the Kit Kats?”
I knew it was his favorite candy bar so I ate some of them and hid the rest just to mess with him. “Did you want some?” I ask, feigning innocence.
Owen sits back on the couch, looking bummed. “Well, damn. Guess I’ll just eat the Twix.” He’s talked
