Page 61 of Manors & Mischief

As the night goes on, Devon becomes more and more distracting. It’s not just him being here, it’s how overwhelming his presence is. The way his hand finds my leg and draws patterns on my thigh. How he has to be touching me in some form or another as we watch the film. How he moves a little closer when the soundtrack of the movie gets higher, indicating something scary is about to happen.

He’s all-encompassing.

“Okay, hear me out,” Travis says. “I’m never buying another antique.” He stops chewing whatever it is he’s chowing down on—he hasn’t stopped eating since he got here—and turns toward me. “You’re screwed. You live in a house with nothing but antiques.”

“Astute observation.” I know it’s only the ambiance and the fact that we’re watching this movie, but the manor feels haunted now. It feels like a ghost could just appear in front of us, and I would absolutely buy it. That’s why it seemed totally real that the fog was entering the house earlier, and the knocks and the scratches against the glass.

“I’ll protect you,” Devon whispers into my ear as Travis turns his attention back to the TV.

His hot breath on my ear sends a chill down my spine. I’m waiting for him to turn back toward the TV, but instead, he nips at my earlobe, then licks the outer shell of my ear. I grip the couch as heat douses me, then send him a dirty look. We are not doing this here with an audience. It’ll be all over the town before we know it.

He chuckles silently and then starts watching the movie again.

Soon, they’re battling the entity, and none of us make a peep until it’s all over, then it’s like the four of us exhale at the same time.

“That was really freaking good,” Travis says, as the actors on the screen wrap it up.

“I enjoyed myself,” Devon remarks, even though he says it in a way that means he’s not even talking about the movie.

Bea stretches in her chair. “It’s one of my favorite franchises.”

“Mine, too,” I tell her. “They’re all good.”

She peers over at Devon and me, and then stands. “Well, I think it’s time we got out of here, Trav.”

I jump to my feet. “What? No. You’re spending the night.”

“I can spend the night another time.”

“Dev is my ride,” Trav informs us.

“You can walk home,” Bea points out.

I shake my head. Not that what Bea is trying to do sounds like a bad idea, but I’m not the type to break plans just because a guy got involved. “I’m not rewarding anyone who messed up our girls’ night. You’re staying. They’re going.”

Travis holds up his hands. “It was Devon’s idea.”

“Wow, way to throw me under the bus.”

“Out,” I tell him, pointing toward the door.

He moves that way, but holds on to my hand. “Reward, huh?” he whispers. “Just what were you thinking would happen if we were left here all by our lonesome?”

“I was going to lock you in the secret passageway.”

He beams. “Sure you were.”

Travis grabs the back of Devon’s shirt. “Alright, they want us gone.”

Devon winks at me. “Good night, ladies. Don’t let the spirits attack.”

“Ha. Ha,” Bea and I say at the same time.

When they saunter out of the house and I lock the door behind them, Bea places her hands on her hips. “You have more restraint than me.”

“Girl, we had plans. Plus, I already cleaned out one of the bedrooms upstairs for you, and I don’t want all of my hard work to go to waste.”

A knock sounds on the front door again. “Goodbye!” Bea and I shout.