Dream Wedding(119)

“I thought we’d go to the end of the block,” Cassie said, pointing to the stop sign three houses up. “We can cross over and come back on the other side of the street. She should be tired by then.”

They continued to walk from house to house. Sasha collected more candy than she handed back. Around them the sidewalks filled with more families. Ryan saw parents with their children, groups of kids alone. Several people stopped to tell Sasha that she was a beautiful princess. The child beamed with each compliment and Ryan felt an odd sense of pride, even though he had nothing to do with Sasha’s appearance.

He felt a sense of community that was as tempting as it was unfamiliar. He wanted this all to be real. For the longest time he’d thought his brother was a fool, that John had sold out for something insignificant and that he would live to regret cutting back on his hours so that he could spend time with his wife and daughter. Now Ryan knew that John had made the right decision. He’d had no business judging his brother’s actions.

Cassie and Sasha chatted with each other, occasionally drawing him into the conversation. But he was content to mostly listen while he mulled over his own thoughts. They turned up another walkway. Sasha was a couple of steps ahead when Cassie tripped over an uneven flagstone. Ryan grabbed her around the waist to keep her from falling. She clutched his arms.

Their combined actions brought her up against his chest. He felt the pressure of her breasts against him. One of her thighs slipped between his and bumped his rapidly swelling arousal.

The need was as instant as it was unexpected. One minute they’d been talking about upcoming movie releases for the holidays and the next she was in his arms. It took all his self-control to keep from hauling her closer and kissing her until they both forgot all the reasons they had to maintain distance in their relationship.

“Ryan?”

It was too dark for him to read her expression, but he heard the question in her voice. What the hell was he doing?

“Are you okay?” he asked, trying to sound casual. He released her and, when he was sure she’d regained her balance, stepped back a few feet. “You nearly took a header there. That path is pretty rough. Watch your step.”

She drew in a shaky breath. “I will. Thanks.”

For a second he thought she was going to say more, but thankfully she turned away. “Sasha?”

The little girl had paused halfway up the path. Now she waved and headed toward the front door. “Candy,” she called over her shoulder.

“That’s right,” Cassie told her. “You can…” She groaned. “Sasha, wait. Don’t go there.”

Ryan heard the concern in her voice. He scanned the front porch and saw what had alerted Cassie.

Fake cobwebs hung from the eaves of the porch. Candles flickered on the porch railing and in the corner two masked kids giggled together as they watched Sasha approach. Spooky music rose to a crash of cymbals, drowning out Cassie’s plea that they not scare the little girl as she approached.

Unsuspectingly, Sasha trotted right up the front steps and headed for the door. Ryan raced after her, passing Cassie in three strides. Even so, he was too late.

Sasha innocently reached for the bell beside the door. As she did so, the two monsters sprang toward her, yelling and waving their arms. Sasha let out a screech that took ten years off Ryan’s life, dropped her pumpkin and fled down the stairs. In her haste, she lost her balance. Ryan scooped her up before she tumbled to the ground.

“Hush, sweetie, it’s okay,” he said.

Sasha screamed and sobbed, clinging to him. Cassie rushed over and hugged the child. The three of them stood huddled together, the two adults murmuring promises that nothing bad was going to happen to her. Ryan could feel the tremors rippling through her.

“We’re really sorry,” a young voice said. “We were just playing. We do this every year. Most people know to keep the little kids away if they get scared. We’re sorry, mister.”

Ryan saw the two “monsters” in question had pulled off their masks and were maybe eleven or twelve. The boys looked as shaken as Sasha, probably because they were under orders not to frighten small children. One of them held out Sasha’s pumpkin.

“Here’s her candy. We gave her a couple of extra pieces.”

“Thank you.” Cassie took it, then smiled at the boys. “It’s not your fault. She’s only two and doesn’t really understand what’s going on. We know you didn’t scare her on purpose.” She kissed the top of Sasha’s head. “Let’s go home.”

Ryan nodded. The toddler’s tears had slowed, but she still trembled. “I’m glad you spoke to those two boys. I wanted to blister their hides and I would have overreacted.”