I smiled. “Let’s get dressed and go into town.”
“And what shall we do?” He returned my smile, though his appeared more mischievous.
I bent to kiss his lips before whispering, “Anything. Everything. Live life to the fullest. But we’ll start with breakfast because I’m starving.”
“You have an insatiable appetite,” he said, as we got out of bed and put our clothes on. “With food and sex.”
I shot him a grin. “Hey, I just indulge a little. No harm in it.”
“If you were a demon, you’d be Gluttony.”
“Is that right?” I bounded up to him and poked his cheek. “Then you’d be Lust. Because all I gotta do is look at you, and I wanna rip your clothes off.”
He arched a brow as he buttoned his shirt. “Don’t tempt me. If you keep saying things of that sort, I’ll have you in that bed flat on your back faster than you can bat an eye.”
My phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I walked over to grab it.
“Morning, Ben,” I answered, surprised by his call. “What’s up?”
“I had an idea, and if you don’t want to, I understand, but would you and Z like to meet Theo, Taylor, and I for breakfast?” he asked. “It’d give us all a chance to meet the guy you can’t seem to shut up about.” The last bit was spoken with a smile in his voice.
“Hang on a sec.” I held the phone away from me and looked at Zeke. “You wanna meet my friends?”
He beamed. “It would be my pleasure.”
“Okay,” I said to Ben. “It’s a go for us. When and where?”
“Our usual café in say… fifteen minutes?”
“We’ll be there.”
Zeke pulled me into his arms. “Does this mean we’re an official item?”
I snickered. “Not if you keep sayin’ things like that.”
Once we left the room and made our way down the hall, the usual heaviness of the mansion felt lighter. Sunlight lit the rooms, bringing life back into the place. Did the thinning of the veil between worlds allow for the cursed mansion to breathe easier too? That question brought forth another, and I looked at a smiling Zeke.
“Do the other ghosts get to leave the property on Halloween?”
I shivered at the thought of Jasper or the creepy thing that lived in the wardrobe roaming free in Ivy Grove.
“No,” Zeke answered, guiding me down the stairs. “I believe the curse prevents them from doing so. I always bring the children back some sweets when I go out. They might not be able to leave, but they can still enjoy some things that are lost to them any other day of the year, such as taste.”
“Lady Death can leave, though,” I stated, stepping closer to his side as I glanced around the entrance hall. “Ben saw her in town last Halloween.”
“She’s the exception, yes. However, she never takes a human form like I am now. She has her own curse, her own burden to bear.”
“Enjoy your day, Mr. Warren!” William said, appearing in front of us as we reached the back door. He stepped toward me and tugged on my shirt. I bent down so I could be eye level with him. “Sorry for scarin’ you last night, sir. And for running when she showed up.”
“It’s okay,” I said, before bopping his little nose and straightening back up. “Take care of the house while we’re gone, okay?”
“Yes, sir!”
We exited the mansion and walked across the back patio. The sun shone bright in the sky, adding warmth to an otherwise chilly fall day.
“I parked behind the shrubs on the left side,” I said, as we strolled across the grass. “I hope my driving doesn’t make you sick. Ben said I drive like a mad man and…”
I trailed off when I noticed Zeke wasn’t beside me. Confused, I turned around. He had stopped walking and had his face turned toward the sun, gently smiling as he closed his eyes. The rays danced off his pale skin and gathered in his blond hair like fiery embers as the strands caught the light.
“I feel the sun’s warmth,” he said, his voice shaking. When he opened his eyes, I saw tears glistening in them. “How I’ve missed it.”
I walked over and took his hand in mine. “There’s more where that came from. If you think the sun is awesome, just wait until you try the breakfast platter at the café. It’s heaven on a plate.”
We climbed the fence and reached my car minutes later. Zeke opened the passenger side door and slid