Crazy Stupid Love (Crazy Love #1)(36)

“I think I’m gonna hang out here for a minute,” Harlee calls behind me, halting both mine and Angel’s steps. I turn my head to see a wide smile on her face. “I won’t be long,” she reassures me, winking.

Shaking my head, I grab Angel’s forearm as she starts to object and drag her inside behind me, my steps faltering the moment the door closes behind us. It takes me a moment to take it all in.

The entire room is done up like some freak show haunted fun house. Black lights and strobe lights have taken the place of the normal dim bar lighting. Crazy mirrors line the exterior walls, and there are at least three, that I can see, life-size clowns that remind me of Pennywise from the movie ‘It’.

“Shit, they really get into this.” Angel steps up next to me, looking around the room.

“That they do,” I agree. “I’m gonna go try to find Decklan, are you okay for a minute?” I ask, not really wanting to leave her alone but also not able to fight how badly I am dying to see him right now.

We haven’t spoken since Tuesday when he dropped me off after dinner at the Porters house, and I haven’t felt right about anything since then. I tried texting him a couple of times but have gotten no response. A part of me even considered not coming tonight fearing maybe he doesn’t want to see me.

“Yeah, yeah, go.” Angel shoos me with her hands. “I’m gonna grab a drink and scour the room for some hotties.” She winks.

“I’ll be back,” I say, turning as I push my way through the thick crowd of witches, vampires, devils, and other various disguises.

Not sure if I can just go up, I hesitate at the edge of the bar, catching the attention of a short dark haired girl who crosses towards me the moment she sees me.

“Can I get ya something hon?” she asks, reaching into the cooler not feet from me to grab a beer, immediately sliding it across the bar to a man on the other side before turning back to me.

“Is Decklan upstairs?” I ask, not missing the recognition that crosses her face the moment the question leaves my mouth.

“Kimber?” Her lips turn up in a wide smile when I nod. “You can go on up.” She pulls the door open and gestures up the stairs without a moment’s hesitation. Her action leads me to believe that maybe he informed her to send me up when I arrived.

The thought makes me feel just a tiny bit better but doesn’t fully calm the butterflies in my stomach still flapping around nervously.

“Tell him to get his ass down here if you don’t mind.” She nods before letting the door close behind me.

It takes only seconds for me to climb the narrow staircase, the dark wood of Decklan’s door directly in front of me before I even have a moment to figure out what I’m going to say or how I’m going to act.

This whole thing is so new to me. I really have no idea how to conduct myself. Do I act entitled like a girlfriend? Should I go back downstairs and wait for him to find me?

Before I can overthink it too much, I reach my hand up and knock lightly on the door, Decklan’s voice sounding just moments later.

“What?” he yells from inside, aggravation evident in his tone.

“It’s Kimber,” I get out weakly.

I stand in complete silence for what feels like several long moments but is likely just a few short seconds, wondering if he even heard me before I finally hear him again.

“Come in.”

Pushing my way inside, it takes my eyes a moment to adjust to the dark room, the only light provided by the street lamp outside. I close the door softly behind me before spotting Decklan sitting on the couch, a glass in his hand, a near empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table in front of him.

“Hey,” I say softly, not sure exactly what I’m walking into.

“Hey.” His response is casual as he leans forward and refills the glass in his hand, slugging back the contents seconds later.

“What are you doing up here?” I ask, slowly crossing the space towards him.

“I just needed a few.” He lets out a deep exhale.

“Do you want me to go?” I ask, stopping just feet from where he’s sitting.

“No.” His answer is instant. “That’s the last thing I want,” he says, for the first time taking in my attire as I step directly into the light filtering in through the window.

He takes a ragged inhale, and even in the darkness I can see the desire form behind his incredible eyes.

“You like?” I ask, holding my arms out to the side so he can get the full view.

“What do you think?” He grabs my hand and pulls me into his lap.

“I’m guessing yes?” I laugh, feeling him grow hard beneath me.

“You guessed f*cking right.” He growls, pulling my face down to his.

The moment our lips meet, he pulls me in deeper, the taste and smell of whiskey invading my senses in an instant. As much as I hate whiskey, I have to admit I love the way it tastes on him.

“You’re killing me, Kimber.” He groans, pulling my bottom lip into his mouth.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I get out on a pant when his lips find my neck and he nibbles at my flesh.

“It is a bad thing. A very bad thing.” He nips roughly at the base of my neck before tossing me backward onto the couch.

I don’t have time to react before he’s hovering over me, popping the buttons of my costume open one at a time, his eyes remaining focused on each inch of flesh as it’s exposed. Within seconds, the dress is laying open and his hands are trailing across the bare flesh of my abdomen.