Excitement. Heaven knows it was the last thing they needed right now in their lives, but that's what she wanted...a little excitement and tonight's Halloween party was to provide just that. He glanced in the mirror at his reflection staring back at him. Shaking his head, he thought of her words and her desire to spice things up for them as if their lives didn't have enough spice already. 

With a sigh, he opened his closet doors looking at the costume before him. At a glance one would say predictable yet practical for the occasion. The Zorro suit hung nicely in contrast to the other neatly pressed suits in the closet, yet it still oozed with the same predictability that she'd claimed their lives had been transformed into lately in her quest for excitement. Taking the suit off the rack, he held it up to him looking at himself in the mirror. Giving a long look knowing that he could've made some kind of effort and came up with something new this time around, but as his motto went if something usually went well the first time around, then why go and change it, but tonight...well, tonight was to be the ultimate challenge for him. One that she'd laid out and he had every intention of following through with.
 
"How will I know where to find you?" He'd questioned unable to suppress the air of concern in his voice as she'd spoken to him over the telephone line.
      
"You'll know when you see me." She'd teased with that ginger laugh that he'd come so accustomed to over the years. "I'll be the sexiest woman in the place."
 
"I don't doubt that dear, but if perhaps you give me some clue, then I'll know where to find you when the time arrives." He'd explained once again letting practicality shine through.
 
"You'll know." she'd answered confidently. 
 
Now staring back at the phone, which had been his only contact with her since this whole charade had begun weeks earlier, he was ready and eager to blow all of her misconceptions about his predictability aside. Tonight he was going to see to it that things between them would never be considered dull or humdrum again.
 
"Tonight," He whispered to himself holding the mask to his eyes thinking about his plan.

Upon entering the party, he glanced around the room noticing the variety of colors and costumes surrounding him. He knew that it wouldn't be long until they met and once they did, he was ready to capture the very essence of excitement seizing it as he vowed to show her once and for all that he was capable of being anything but predictable. 
 
Laughter filled the air and he turned to see two lovers intertwined in a kiss as the spooky sounds of shrills and horrors filled the air. Standing up taller, he repeated the affirmation in his mind over again not allowing himself to retreat into that air of predictability that everyone expected him to slip into. As he passed by the two young lovers engaged in a kiss, he took in the scent, her scent, the scent of mystery and intrigue all rolled into one. While he hadn't seen her in quite some time, he knew she was there the feel of her surrounded him taking in his senses and invading him down to the inner core. He knew he must find her and soon before predictability once more snuck in and this night transformed into nothing short of disaster.
 
He scanned the room a few minutes more, silently pleading with her to come out from beneath the mask of people and the cascade of laughter filling the room. He felt his heart racing beneath his rib cage wondering if perhaps the phone call had been nothing more than an illusion, one he'd created in his loneliness after having her gone so long, but then in that pivotal instant when his heart cried now or never, he turned and found her before him at the bar. 
 
She was standing there like a vision from his dreams sipping on a glass of champagne. While he couldn't see her face, he knew it was her, the one he'd spent the night searching for. The one for whom he'd gone to such great lengths to overcome predictability. The woman who held his heart and possessed his soul unlike anyone else had in the past or ever will. 
 
Silently he moved through the crowd, everything in the room becoming nothing more than a blur of muffled sounds and sprays of colors. He'd found what he'd been looking for and at this moment there was no turning back as the gap between them transformed to a mere breath and a heartbeat away.
 
"Going my way beautiful," he whispered lowering his voice as he moved in behind her taking in that distinct scent of her.
 
"I might be." she replied in a full seductive tone as a smile curled upon her lips and she turned to face him.
 
"I was hoping you might be." He whispered bringing his hands over her shapely hips and running them along her body in a soft caress. Instantly she turned and their eyes met knowing that soon the games would begin. With a playful laugh, she pulled away tilting her head upright and shaking it slightly letting him know that this was only the beginning.
 
"I didn't say I was going your way." she reminded him briefly before turning towards the bar once more.
 
"What might I say to persuade you crossing over to my side?" he questioned with an air of darkness noticing the way her thin fingers held onto the champagne glass tenderly circling it's rim with her index finger.
 
"At the rate you're going, it could take a lot." she replied casting a glance in his direction briefly before raising the glass to her lips allowing the bubbles to tickle her throat on the way down as he watched her closely never taking his eyes away from her full, dark lips.
 
"That's not very convincing my dear," He pointed out taking note of her tone as she faced him once again. "One might consider giving up on trying all together based on the lack of interest in that comment alone you realize."
 
"Well, if one did that, then they would never know what truly waited for them around the corner." she responded getting up from the bar stool and handing him her glass before crossing the room
 
Watching her leave his eyes caressed every contour of her perfect body wondering how long this game would continue between them as he noticed her move into the arms of another suitor, who was more than eager to sweep her into his arms, yet never into his heart because that was a prized possession for which only he held the key. His eyes played along her body as they danced swaying to the haunting music as she let out a laugh and her hair fell into a cascade across her shoulders. 
 
While he'd vowed to let this game of hers continue for a little while longer, he felt his need for her build, a need that had been long suppressed since she'd left on her adventure. With a pleased smile, he watched her moving from one partner to the next sending out her unspoken message to him with each stolen glance she cast along the way. 

He fought to suppress his grin as he emerged from the bar making his way onto the dance floor seeking the hand of the first woman who'd requested a dance. Knowing he'd now captured her full attention he draped his arms around the woman beside him pulling her to him closely as their bodies played to the music setting the stage for the grand finale later on this Halloween eve as it drew nearer. 
 
When the music ended, he finished his dance with his current dance partner realizing that she'd disappeared. He knew that her disappearance was no accident, but a mere beginning to the adventure she'd planned for them and it finally dawned in on him that this was his moment to seek her out like a lion hunting his prey ready to capture her and make her his. 
 
Making his way across the room, he said his pleasantries to those who'd crossed his path, though never deviating from the ultimate goal....finding her. He breezed by the crowd into a dark corridor filled with the sights and sounds of Halloween terrors when he was overcome with a sensation drawing him in. He turned facing the opposite direction and amongst the webs and darkness, he saw her hand with it's long slender fingers calling out to him to follow her, to seek her out, and with a hearty step that was just what his intentions were.
 
He watched her hand fade into the darkness as he approached the door pulling it open as he slipped inside. He was suddenly overcome with blackness filling almost every one of his sensations except the one that had brought him thus far, the scent of her now stronger than ever as he felt a hand upon his shoulder. Abruptly he turned, seizing her firmly in his grasp as she let out a surprised breath.
 
"I was afraid you'd never find me," she whispered feeling his strong arms around her.
 
"And risk missing out on this?" he questioned curiously, “I wouldn’t dream of it for the world.”
 
“Is that a promise?” she questioned in a low seductive voice as his arms slipped around her.
 
“It’s more than that,” he reached out to brush his fingers against her cheek as a smile tugged at his lips, “so much more.”
 
“Such as?” she questioned curiously.
 
“Such as this Samantha,” He breathed bending in to kiss her tenderly as he swept her into his arms, “I love you.”
 
“I love you too Brandon,” she breathed as he removed the mask from her eyes and he found himself lost in the swirls of blue before him.
 
“Samantha, I’ve waited so long to have you home again, to have you realize where it is you belong..”
 
“And that’s with you Brandon. I know that now,” she offered up honestly as she thought of all the pain he’d endured because of her childhood obsession with Austin.
 
“I see that, but I want to take it a step further,” he insisted getting down before her on his knee as he took her hand in his, “Samantha, will you marry me?”