Hope Burns - Page 45/75

“Oh, it totally rocks.”

“So does your hair.” He smoothed his hand over it. “How did you get it to do that?”

“I have a crimper.”

He frowned.

“It’s a girl thing.”

“I’ll leave it at that and just say you look amazing.”

“Thanks.” She took a sip of wine and looked around. “Your party is really something, Carter.”

He nodded. “We got a good turnout this year, since Halloween is on a weekend. I’m happy people showed up. And everyone seems to be having a good time.”

They definitely were. Though it was cold out, Carter had put heaters in the backyard, so some folks had spilled out onto the patio, no doubt buoyed by alcohol and the heaters. There were a lot of people in the living room dancing to the music, and some in quiet corners talking. With the added open space, there was a lot of room, which was a good thing because Molly had lost count of the number of folks who’d tumbled through the front door once it had gotten late enough that the kids had stopped coming.

Around midnight, the party started to wind down and people began to leave. While Carter was busy saying good night to everyone, and Will, Evan, and Luke made sure everyone was sober enough to drive home okay, Molly picked up random plates and cups and put away whatever food was left over, then did some dishes.

That’s where Carter found her a little while later.

“Hey, you should leave that stuff in the sink. I can take care of it tomorrow.”

She laid a plate in the rack, then grabbed a towel to dry her hands. “There were only a few things. And besides, it’s all done.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” She looked around. “Has everyone left?”

“Yeah. Will and Luke were the last to leave. We had a couple of guys they thought seemed a little unsteady, so they’re driving them home.”

“That’s nice of them.”

“Yeah. I turned off all the lights and the garage door is shut, so we’re locked in for the night.”

She offered up a smile. “Is that right?”

“Yeah.” He lifted his arms over his head and gave her his best monster growl.

She laughed. “Now I’m really scared.”

“As you should be. You’re all alone with the monster now.”

“Don’t forget, so are you. And speaking of that, I’ll be right back.”

She went into his bedroom and shut the door, then shimmied out of the white toga she’d worn.

That had been her costume for everyone else. Next up was one for Carter’s eyes only.

She grinned and headed into the bathroom.

Chapter 21

CARTER GRABBED A beer, then poured a glass of wine for Molly.

“Carter?”

When he heard her call his name, he headed down the hall toward the bedroom. The door was ajar, so he pushed it open, then nearly swallowed his tongue.

Molly stood next to the bed. She’d removed the white toga costume. Now all she had on was a white one-piece corset, red stiletto heels, and white thigh-high stockings.

His dick got hard in an instant.

“Holy shit, Molly.”

Her lips curved in a sexy smile. “This is my other costume.”

He tried to swallow. It didn’t work. His throat had gone dry. “That’s some costume.”

“So . . . you like it.”

“I like it so much that if I’d known you had it on underneath that sheet, I’d have sent everyone home hours ago.” He came into the room, took a long swallow of his beer to cool his parched throat, then set the drinks down on the table by the window. “Seriously, Molly, you take my breath away.”

“That was what I was hoping for. We haven’t had much alone time since that night we spent together. I didn’t want you to think it was a one-time thing. I didn’t think it was.”

He swept his fingers up her arm. “Neither did I. I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”

She lifted her gaze to his, and, as always, her eyes mesmerized him. “Have you?”

“Yeah. And just so you know, I’d have tried to seduce you tonight, even in that baggy white sheet you were wearing earlier.”

She lifted her hand to his face, using her thumb to tease his lower lip. “Good to know. But isn’t this so much better?”

He was so hard right now he was afraid he might bust open the seam of his tight Frankenstein pants. Just looking at her—that white corset making her breasts threaten to spill right out, her hair flowing over her shoulders, her legs—oh, man she had great legs—and those shoes.

He pulled his wig off and dragged his fingers through his hair.

“I should go take a shower and get this green makeup off my face.”

“And leave me standing here? I don’t think so.”

“You really want to . . . be with me looking like this?”

Her lips curved. “Maybe I have a thing for movie monsters.”

“Kinky.” He grasped her wrist and kissed it, then pulled her arm around his neck, drawing her body closer to his so he could touch her skin and that sexy white thing that encased her curves.

“I like the way you feel against me,” he said, sifting his fingers through her wildly curling hair.

“But my hair is graying. Will you still want me when I’m old and gray?”

She was teasing him, but he wasn’t in the mood for jokes right now. Not when she was half naked and pressed against him. “Yes. Hell yes.”

He tunneled his fingers in her hair and pressed his lips to hers. Her answering whimper made him groan, made him want to strip her out of that flimsy, sexy thing and slide inside her, so the pounding ache in his balls would go away.

But oh, he liked the feel of her when he ran his hand down her back. There were strings back there. How the hell did she get dressed in this?

He made a mental note to ask her later, because right now her lips moved under his, her tongue flicked against his, and he picked her up and carried her to his bed, sitting her down on the edge.

He crouched down and slid his hands up her silk-clad legs. “These are nice.”

She smiled down at him. “You like them?”

“Yeah. The shoes, too.” He lifted her leg. “How can you walk in these things?”

“Did you see me doing any actual walking in them?”