Page 54 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

Josh’s eyebrows disappeared into his shaggy brown wig. ‘Maybe we should skip the tricks and get straight down to the treats?’

He kissed her. Ginger was expecting passion. Hot and heavy. Even she couldn’t deny the sparks that had flown between them over the last few weeks. She’d suspected he was attracted to her in some way. Possibly only physically and didn’t know why; she wasn’t anything glamorous or out of the ordinary. But, of her own feelings, there was no doubt. And there was no doubt she wanted this kiss. Wanted this man.

She was expecting an unleashing of all the pent-up sexual tension that had grown between them. Or an expert kiss from one practised with seduction. Instead, to her absolute surprise, he was hesitant, almost as if expecting her to reject him. Delicate and tender. She would have coped with passion, welcomed it, in fact, but this tentative side to Josh made him seem vulnerable. Made her love him even more. He teased her with his lips, firm and warm. She opened her kiss to him, hearing him groan against her mouth. Josh explored her, kissing the corners of her mouth, nibbling at her lower lip, invading her with his tongue. For a moment she sank into it, loving being desired again. Being held. Being warmed by him.

‘We need to go,’ she protested, half-heartedly.

‘Do we?’ Josh kissed her again, trailing butterfly kisses across her jaw, nibbling at her earlobe. His mouth strayed to the dip where her neck met her shoulder, his teeth grazing her collarbone, his breath hot on her oversensitive skin. ‘I’d rather stay here.’ His voice hoarse, he tightened his hold around her waist, pulling her even closer.

Ginger’s head was swimming. She didn’t think she’d been kissed like this for years. She didn’t think she’d ever been kissed like this. It was heaven. She wanted to kiss him like this forever. Josh’s mouth devoured hers again and she surrendered to it.

He twisted her round, backing her up against the front door, kissing her passionately. Her foot slammed against the chair, the scarecrow fell to one side and the treats bowl flew off, scattering chocolate over the porch tiles. The noise, and the cold wood of the door against her bare shoulders shocked her. And she fell. Right back down to earth.

Ginger found the strength from somewhere and pushed him away. Reality crashed in. What was she doing? Who was she? She didn’t recognise herself. Control yourself, woman. You can’t have sex with a Hollywood film star on your porch! Self-doubt flooded her, dunking her lust in cold water. You don’t know him, he’s moving on in a few weeks. It’ll come to nothing.

Flicking her hair out of her eyes and tucking the shawl defensively around her, she panted, ‘We really need to go. After we’ve picked this lot up.’

Josh was panting too, his eyes veiled with desire. He slumped against the door and adjusted his ridiculous headdress. ‘If I’d known dressing up as a donkey would have this effect on you, I’d have done it days ago. Your kisses pack a punch, girl.’

Ginger blew out a wavering, calming breath. It sounded as if it was just sex to him. She needed to decide how to feel about that. Could she sleep with him and not get hurt? She didn’t think so. But it might be worth it…

‘Tricks first, treats later?’ Josh tugged his collar back into place.

‘Maybe.’

‘Jeez, the anticipation’s going to kill me.’

‘Well, before you die,’ Ginger said, self-protection making her crisply efficient, ‘make yourself useful and pick up those Freddos.’

After trick or treating a few homes with lit pumpkins and decorations, they found themselves back at Ticky Tacky Green and the funfair. Ginger suspected neither of them had their mind on trick or treating. She was nervous and jittery. All she could concentrate on was the feel of Josh’s hand and his long fingers wrapped around hers. As well as the headdress, he was wearing hairy armlets that stuck out comically from beneath the sleeves of his coat. The hair tickled her over stimulated skin but kept her hands warm. Her whole being thrummed with anticipation. What would happen when they returned to The Sanctuary? Was she ready to take this next step? Was she happy to accept this for what it was? A fling with no future.

‘Candy floss,’ Josh announced, leading her to a straw bale. ‘Sit there, my beautiful Red Riding Hood, and your wolf will go forage in the woods to find some.’ He jogged off, humming along to AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’, which was playing at ear-splitting volume from the merry-go-round.

Ginger watched him join the queue for candy floss and smiled as he chatted to others standing there. She still didn’t know what to make of him.

‘Hey, Ginger.’ It was Hannah, dressed in a black jumpsuit, whiskers painted on her cheeks and a cat’s tail drooping from her bottom. A fairy ballerina Maddy and Isaak, in a Spiderman outfit, trailed behind her looking tired and cold. ‘Like the costume.’

‘Hi, Hannah. Hi, kids. Right back atcha. Want my booty?’ Ginger held out her bag of sweets collected during the round of trick or treating. ‘Is that allowed?’ she asked Hannah. ‘Sorry, should have checked.’

‘Course. It’s Halloween. No fun unless you’re sick from eating too much chocolate.’

Josh bounced back, holding two huge pink clouds of candy floss wafting the scent of hot sugar. ‘Couldn’t resist,’ he began, clocked Hannah and added in his Jim voice, ‘Loves the stuff, I do.’

‘And who’s this?’ Hannah asked.

‘An old friend. From college,’ Ginger improvised.

Josh transferred the sticks of candy floss to one hand and stuck out a hairy paw. ‘Jim Jones.’

‘Hello, Jim,’ Hannah flirted. ‘I do love a Welsh accent. Where are you from?’

‘Cardiff.’

‘Pontypridd.’

Ginger and Josh answered simultaneously.

‘I was born in Pontypridd,’ Josh amended hastily. ‘But I live in Cardiff now. Born and bred valleys boy, me.’