Murder and Treats

By Lyncee Shillard

Lila Maxwell is coaxed into attending All Treats, a Halloween speed dating event by her best friend. Instead of the soul mate promised one Halloween ghoul after another appears at her door until Cowboy Bill.

Jax Carlson has spent the last year focusing all of his attention on starting his own business. Hiring Lila Maxell over the Internet as his project manager was the final piece to his prefect plan. Set to open for business in three days, Jax plans on spending a couple of days on his boat relaxing. However, his friend Erik has a different idea – a speed dating Halloween party.

Jax has spent the night plotting the best revenge possible for Erik until Sally opens the door. The woman dressed in the pale lavender Harem costume ignites a fire that Jax thought was impossible without the aid of his formulated dating list.

After a night of mind blowing sex, Lila sneaks out before they exchange real names believing it was no more than a one-night stand.

Lila's first day is full of surprises, the biggest being Cowboy Bill is actually her new boss, Jax Carlson. She thinks keeping her hormones in check while convincing Jax that love doesn't follow a formula is complication enough until she learns the participants of the All Treats speed dating event are being killed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lyncee Shillard
• Release date: Oct 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386468219

Book preview

Chapter One

Lila’s heart sank with each step until it rested in her toes. Blue and silver lights swirled around the dance floor as the wedding party made their way to join the bride and groom. She swatted at her arm again and silently swore. The silky material of her gown kept brushing against her arms, making her think she had spiders racing up them, so she looked like a crazy person hitting herself.

At the sight of Greg’s leering smile, the three pieces of shrimp she’d eaten lunged out of her stomach and back into her mouth.

I guess the saying ‘always a bridesmaid never the bride’ is your motto, Greg said as he jerked her into his arms in a fashion that would make a caveman seem romantic. They stumbled across the dance floor to some ridiculous song about undying love, and she wondered if friendship was really worth this.

And two left feet with the hands of an octopus could be yours, Lila Maxell snapped, shifting so she could jerk his hands off her ass.

Someone is a little touchy. It’s nothing that a dose of my magic can’t fix. Besides, I save all my best moves for the mattress song. He pulled her closer and rubbed his crotch against her hip.

Lila considered castrating Greg but knew it would upset Beth. In truth, Lila felt most would support her actions, and if she didn’t happen to be at Beth’s wedding reception, her friend would more than likely go find the knife for her to use. But Greg was Rick’s friend and therefore a groomsman. Lila was fairly sure castrating a groomsman would be considered highly tacky.

Not in the mood tonight, tomorrow, or ever, she grumbled. When would this song end?

I’ll make you forget Evan. Believe me, after a ride on my joystick, the only game you’ll be interested in is mine.

The mention of Evan Standish made Lila’s stomach roil. Her lover, boss, and supposedly best friend for the last five years had announced two weeks ago that he’d decided to explore new things. Mainly, the new waitress at a twenty-four-hour diner they both had loved. Well, apparently, he loved it more. She should have known something was up with all the two in the morning runs for chili cheese fries. Not even a pregnant woman had cravings like that.

She sighed in relief when the song finally ended and she could untangle herself from Greg’s groping hands.

Don’t hesitate too long in accepting my offer. Greg flashed a blinding smile of overly-large, glow-in-the-dark white teeth. You don’t want to lose out to some other lucky lady. He jerked his hips in the fashion of someone having a seizure then turned around and walked away. Lila stood frozen in her spot, afraid to move for fear of throwing up.

It’s my wedding, not my funeral, Beth hissed in her ear, dragging her back to the table.

I know, Lila said but wondered if there was a difference. Hell, she needed to get a glass of wine. Greg had taken the chair next to where her old wine glass sat unprotected.

Then act happy. Beth grabbed her shoulder and turned her so she could give Lila the evil eye of a pissed off friend.

A delicate lace veil covered her ebony hair—which had been forced into ringlets to frame her face and uniformed waves down her back. Her dress was beyond beautiful. She’d spent two years looking for it, refusing to set a date until she’d found it.

Lila made herself smile, if Beth’s normally wild curls could conform for the day then so could she.

Now you look like the Joker off Batman. Beth twisted the skin on Lila’s arm—hard.

Ouch. Why did you do that?

Because you need to stop sulking like a little girl, and since it would be inappropriate to kick your ass at my wedding, I pinched you. Evan is a jerk. You have a great job waiting for you in Florida. In case the clouds of self-pity have kept this from entering your misery-soaked brain, you are minutes from the ocean, from hunky surfers, from buff guys rollerblading by in tight shorts, and from rich men on yachts. Beth narrowed her eyes even more until they were mere slits, and Lila wondered if lightning bolts would flash out of them. Unless of course you want to remain here and be pawed by Greg.

No, but I do want to cut off his joystick, Lila replied.

I don’t think prison orange is in your color wheel, and I have enough drama with my mom trying to drink out of the punch bowl. She tightened her lips. I tried to tell Rick we needed to get her one of her own. But no, he thought she could share just this one time.

Lila laughed. I’ll go and make sure she behaves. Enjoy your night, and thanks for the pinch. She kissed her friend on her cheek and walked away, searching the crowd for Beth’s mom.

Five Months Later

Lila unlocked the apartment door and was greeted by the mixed smells of mildew and cat urine. So much for the no pet policy, she said and stepped back.

Candles, vinegar, and carpet fresh can fix anything. Cara pushed past her. The bells on the woman’s ankle tinkled as she glided into the apartment. But if the harmony is off, there is no correcting that.

Lila slumped against the door. Eight apartments and so far, none had met Cara’s approval.

I like the feel of this one, the air is peaceful. Cara slowly turned a circle with her arms stretched wide.

The air stinks, Lila interjected.

Cara waved a hand of dismissal and the silver bangles lining her arm clanged. The key will be if the bedroom is the northernmost room.

Shaking her head, Lila followed her friend into the apartment. They had met during Lila’s third year of college. Lila was working with a small grass root environmental group looking for viable ways to save a natural swampland.

She enjoyed life, but Cara took things to an entirely new level. Their friendship had been one series of laughs after another. Besides wanting to avoid ever having to run into Evan and his new girlfriend, the possibility of reconnecting with Cara had made it an easy choice to accept the job as project manager for Carlson’s Solutions.

The bedroom is in the north corner. You’ll have excellent sexual encounters, Cara announced, poking her head out of the room. Her blue-gray eyes danced with merriment as a Cheshire cat grin tugged at her lips. At least three orgasms per session.

Lila humphed and walked into the small galley kitchen. She’d been lucky to approach the takeoff point with Evan, let alone achieve liftoff once; she doubted the direction the bedroom faced had anything to do with it. But then per Evan, his dick had frostbite after making love to her.

A breakfast bar covered in brown tile with orange flecks separated the kitchen from the living area. The appliances fell somewhere between antique and obsolete.

Does the massive spider living in the sink count as a pet? She sighed. She hated spiders and would never be able to use the sink. Ever.

Yes, this is definitely the place. The view completes the harmony.

What view? Lila asked as she moved over to where her friend stood. The living room had three small rectangular windows. There isn’t a deck here. I want the other one. It didn’t smell like cat piss.

I’ve seen linen closets larger than what you’re calling a deck. Besides, the feel of that one was all wrong. I can’t detect any evil spirits here.

Of course not, no one—spirits or living—likes the smell of mildew and cat piss. Before she could offer any further objections, Cara grabbed her head and guided it so she was looking out the far window.

Well, he has a deck, Lila murmured.

Across the parking lot in the neighboring apartment complex, two stories up, stood a Greek god who was currently lifting a large hunk of metal. His gym shorts hung low on his hips, offering an excellent view of his golden, tanned endless chest muscles.

He’d have to work out a lot to look like that, right? The guy was the vision Lila also formed when she thought of Florida. In her mind he was the reason the state existed.

At least once a day but more likely twice.

"Candles, vinegar, and carpet fresh will get