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Maybe the shock would help her scattered brain.
Usually, Halloween was her favorite day of the year. All the dressed
up kids at the inn door begging for candy. The heart stopping image
of someone tearing out of the woods with a chainsaw, chasing you
until you got out of their designated range. The Halloween dance
which was really just an excuse for her to wear a skimpy costume and
flirt with whatever single men were around.
    It
was supposed to be fun. Now all she could think of was having to run
into James every step of the way. With his cocky smile because he
knew he was the one with the upper hand at the moment. Granted, she
was going to try like hell to beat him at his own little game, but
she just didn't have the damndest clue how to go about that yet.
    She
pulled her hair into a ponytail and slipped into old, soft skinny
jeans and a short black sweatshirt with a white skeletal rib cage
across the front and back. It had a hood she could pull up to block
out the spooky stuff in her peripheral if it all became too much.
    Emily
slipped into a pair of sneakers and made her way to the kitchen. The
inn was oddly quiet, the guests still asleep and the staff not
arrived yet. She pushed in through the dining room and was met with
the smell of fresh coffee. Good old Meggie.
    “You're
up early,” a voice that was decidedly not Meggie said.
    The
only light on in the kitchen was the one over the stove, casting most
of the room in near-darkness. But she didn't need light to know whose
voice she had heard. What the hell was he doing up?
    “Busy
day,” she said, moving past where he was sitting and pouring
herself a cup of coffee.
    “I
hear this town is something else today,” he said, moving away
from the counter and coming toward her to refill his mug.
    “Yeah,”
Emily said, trying to sound neutral. Like nothing had happened. He
absolutely, positively did not kiss her silly in an orchard less than
twenty-four hours ago. Nope. “We close all services at noon.
Guests are free to come and go, but we don't do food, riding lessons,
or check ins or outs until
after the Halloween dance at the school.”
    “Interesting,”
James said, turning toward her.
    Her
eyes dropped immediately to his lips before going lower to take in
his outfit. Comfortable jeans and a gray t-shirt. It had two
candy-corns embracing with the words 'Give me some SUGAR' written
above them. She felt her eyes widen for a second. He had worn it on
purpose? To fuck with her? Well, he wasn't going to get any kind of
reaction that was for damn sure.
    “Yeah,
everyone goes so it seems unfair to leave someone strapped to the
desk or locked away in the kitchen when the whole town is somewhere
else.”
    “Makes
sense,” he said, stepping closer. His pelvis was pressed
against hers as he reached behind her back. She had a moment of
absolute certainty that he was going to grab her ass when she saw his
brow raise as he stepped away, holding out two sugar packets. “Just
getting some sugar, honey,” he said, his tone amused. Another
point for him.
    Damn
it.
    “So
what events are you planning on hitting up today?” she asked,
angling her head to the side.
    “As
many as I can fit in. Haunted hayride, haunted maze, haunted house,
the dance thing...” his voiced trailed off, watching her
absentmindedly wipe the already clean counter top. “What about
you?”
    Should
she tell him? What would be the point in lying? She would probably
bump into him at some point anyway. “I like to brave the
haunted maze every year. It's like a haunted house but more
terrifying because you're completely trapped. They change the maze
layout every year so no one can master it.”
    “What
about the dance at the school? I hear that is like the main event.”
    “Maybe.
If I am up for it.” Any other year, that would be a lie. She
always planned on going. Maybe having a few too many cups of Maude's
Widow Maker Punch. Dancing way too close to one or two good looking
men and if one was lucky,