“Come on, Maddy, you’re scaring me. Talk to me.”
Suddenly she grabbed onto him so tight it unnerved him.
He lifted her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to his room. After gently laying her on the bed, he covered her with the quilt and climbed up next to her. Her body still trembled and now her teeth had joined in. He pulled her close to his body and continued to rub.
“He followed me,” she said just above a whisper.
“What? Who?” She wasn’t making any sense.
“Didn’t you see it?” Maddy pulled away and her eyes found his. At least now they seemed to focus.
“See what?” Doug was at a loss.
“The blood!”
“Shh, calm down. You’re safe. I’ve got you.” He stroked her hair and felt the tension ease a bit.
“Okay. Now tell me about the blood. Where was it?”
“In the tub. Didn’t you see it? The tub was full of blood!” Maddy pushed out of his arms, pulled the robe from under him and sat on the side of the bed glaring.
“All I saw was water, babe.” Doug felt powerless. He desperately wanted to help her, he just didn’t know how.
“What, now you don’t believe me!” Maddy jumped off the bed quickly covering her naked body. She turned around, fastened the belt on the robe, then stomped out of the room.
Doug raced after her. “Maddy, I didn’t say I didn’t believe you. I just didn’t see it that’s all. If you say there was blood in the tub, then there was blood in the tub.”
He caught up to her and spun her around. “Look, why don’t I call your friends over to check it out. Would that make you feel better?”
Her shoulders visibly relaxed. “Yes. That would make me feel a lot better.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Okay, whatever it was appears to be gone now,” Jane said, entering the living room where Maddy and Doug were waiting on the couch. Tim followed close behind and flopped down into an armchair.
Jane sat on the coffee table in front of Maddy and took her hands. “Look, Tim and I were discussing this on our way over and we think it’s possible that this entity is attracted to you for some reason.”
Maddy winced.
Jane hesitated before continuing, “I know it’s a scary thought, but… that would explain why the house has been relatively quiet since you left. It must have followed you here.” Maddy tightened her grip on Jane’s hands. “We were wondering, that is of course if you don’t mind, if maybe we could set up a digital recorder in your room tonight while you sleep?”
Maddy looked around the room at the expectant faces. “I guess that would be okay. It’s just…”
“What?” Tim asked.
“It’s just that…” Embarrassed, Maddy looked down at her lap before answering. She felt all eyes on her and the room seemed to be closing in.
Doug who hand his arm around her shoulder’s leaned down. “It’s just what, babe? You can tell us. You’re among friends. ”
“I’m afraid to be alone,” Maddy mumbled. She felt so stupid. What did she expect them to do about it, bring out the sleeping bags and have a slumber party?
“Why don’t you set up your equipment in my room. She can stay with me. That way I can watch over her myself. I know that would make me feel a whole lot better.” Doug’s gaze fell about the room and ended on Maddy.
“That sounds like a great idea. Maddy?” Jane said.
Heat inflamed Maddy’s cheeks and her mouth fell open as her head turned. First to Jane, who now wore an impish grin. Then to Tim who just stared back at her as if not getting the implications. And lastly to Doug whose broad smile she wanted to slap off his face. She clamped her mouth shut and glared at him.
“I promise to be a gentleman.” Doug put up three fingers on his right hand and said, “Scout’s Honor.”
Maddy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Whatever.”
“Great. It’s all settled then.” Tim jumped to his feet and Jane followed him out of the room.
Maddy heard them going up the stairs and glared at Doug once more.
“What?”
After her friends left for the night, Maddy stood in front of the bedroom mirror holding up Bob’s holey tee-shirt in front of her. She tossed it on the bed, then rummaged around in her suitcase until she found the white nightgown Gisele had loaned her. “I guess you’ll do. Thank God you’re cotton and not silk.”
She threw it on over her head, then began brushing out her hair. What the hell am I doing, this isn’t a date for Christ’s sake! She dropped the brush and headed out of the room.
* * *
Doug was reclining in bed reading by a small overhead light when he heard a tentative knock. “Come in.” He couldn’t help but smile. The door slowly opened. Maddy stood in the doorway as if she were deciding whether or not to enter the room.
The bright light from the hall showed through her flimsy gown, accentuating her figure in silhouette. He felt his arousal grow. Immediately he dropped the book on his lap before she noticed.
“Are you coming, or going?” Doug asked playfully.
Maddy ran to the bed, jumped in, then pulled the covers up to her chin. Doug lifted the covers on his side and her body jerked.
Doug bit the sides of his cheeks to keep from laughing out loud. She was acting like a nervous bride on her wedding night and he just couldn’t help himself, he loved adding fuel to the fire.
“What are you doing?” her voice was tense.
“I’m just going to turn on the recording equipment. Tim told me to do it before we turned out the light. You are tired, aren’t you?” He put on an innocent expression and hoped she was buying it.
“Oh, yeah. Exhausted!” She feigned a yawn.
Doug turned away quickly to hide his smile. Yup, hook, line and sinker! He slid out of bed and heard her giggle. He stopped mid-stride and stared at her over his shoulder. “What?”
“You don’t think much of yourself, do you?”
“Huh?” Her face wore a shit-eating-grin, but for the life of him, he couldn’t imagine why.
Maddy pointed at his pants. “Is that an advertisement or what?”
He glanced down. “Oh.” He was having so much fun at her expense, he forgot what he was wearing.
“See, it’s like this. I normally sleep naked, but I didn’t think that was appropriate tonight. After all, I did promise to be a gentleman.”
“Yeah, but flannel Superman pajama bottoms?” Her gaiety was infectious.
“I didn’t pick them out,” he reasoned.
“Uh huh.” She giggled again.
“Okay, a former girlfriend gave them to me years ago when we went camping. Hey, the nights can get rather chilly in the mountains.” He loved to see her so happy after all the horrible things she’d been through. So he put his fists on his hips and posed like Superman turning his head to the side.
“What, you don’t see the resemblance?” he called over his shoulder.
Maddy started laughing out loud, so he kept it up. He flexed his arms and did He-Man poses for her. She rolled on her back, eyes closed and held onto her stomach as she laughed. Doug leapt on the bed and started tickling her. Maddy screamed, and laughed harder.
“Stop.” He could barely make out the word. “Stop!” she yelled through gales of laughter. That he heard very clear, it was right by his ear.
“Not until you say uncle!” Doug continued to tickle her, loving every second of it.
“Uncle!”
Doug stopped and collapsed back on the bed, breathing hard. Maddy lay next to him panting as she gasped for air.
“I won!” Doug jumped off the bed and turned on the video camera.
“No fair,” Maddy said between breaths.
“Oh, you want more?” He eyed her threateningly.
“No!” She threw a pillow at him.
* * *
Doug opened his eyes to slivers of sunlight peeking through the plantation shutter. Maddy was spooning him from b
ehind, holding on tight as if her life depended on it. Instantly he was aware that his brain was not the only part of his anatomy that was awake.
He rolled onto his back gently. Maddy scrunched up her cute little face, mumbled something incoherent, then laid her head on his chest snuggling up close. He kissed the top of her head, it smelled like orange blossoms. Damn, he had it bad. She was an enigma, one minute adorable, the next seductive as a siren.
She jumped and whimpered in her sleep.
“Shhh, you’re all right,” he whispered as he moved a lock of hair from her face. She swatted blindly at her cheek, smacked her lips, then settled her hand on his stomach. He smiled while his hand glided down her silky hair.
* * *
Help!
Her heart hammered in her chest, she couldn’t catch her breath. Faster, I’ve got to run faster! The deserted beach yawned ahead. Sweat stung her eyes, she brushed it away with her hands, but they still burned. A lock of wet hair plastered itself to her cheek. She swatted it away like a fly.
Boom! She stumbled and caught herself. Thunder crashed above. The rumble that followed carried for several long seconds. Her heart stuttered along with it.
A bolt of lighting cracked a tree not far ahead of her.
Why doesn’t anyone help?
Vacation cottages dotted the shore. No lights, no one’s awake. They could be empty.
Her cries went unanswered.
She’d had a good head start, until she fell. Now he was gaining on her. She could hear the heavy pounding of his feet, the puffing of his breath. He was close.
Why is this happening to me?
She didn’t dare turn around; it would slow her down. With each step her feet sunk into the sand as if someone were pulling them down into the earth’s core.
The lightning had started a fire in the trees on the far shore. She looked to the forest running parallel to her and made a hard left. Maybe she could lose him there. She now ran up a small incline, but it was slowing her down.
She chanced a backward glance just as the man slipped. Hope renewed and spurned her on. Into the woods she went, but the deeper she got, the darker it became. Maybe this was a mistake.
Suddenly her foot caught on something, she landed hard. Pain ripped through her body. The scream began deep in her gut until it became an agonizing wail.
She was dead.
She could no longer run.
Her leg was broken.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Maddy jerked awake, and a pair of compassionate eyes gazed down on her. She was lying in the crook of Doug’s arm and he was stroking her hair. The tension in her body eased, the nightmare almost forgotten. Her body tingled at his touch, at the heat suddenly surging through her.
“Hey, beautiful, were you having a nightmare?”
“Hmm.” She gave a slight nod.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Huh, uh.” She didn’t feel like talking. That was the last thing on her mind at the moment.
As if reading her mind, Doug’s lips caressed hers softly. An electrical charge surged through her body. He teased her with tiny kisses, then pulled away. He looked down at her as if waiting for her to say something. So she did. “Again?”
He smiled. When his lips met hers this time, it was as if he were taking possession. His mouth opened and their tongues found one another. He moaned as the kiss deepened. He slid down the bed even with her and wrapped her in his arms.
He pulled her close and she felt his erection. She rubbed her body against him and was rewarded with a deep guttural moan. Suddenly the kiss ended and she groaned at the loss, until he began feathering her neck with his lips. A slight nip on her neck sent shivers down her body. A hand slid to her breast, then fingers caressed her nipple through her nightgown. He pinched it ever so slightly and a cry escaped her lips.
Abruptly all contact ended and he jumped out of bed.
“What--” Maddy sat up on her elbows and watched him.
“Shhh.” He ran over to the wall and pulled the plug on the recording device. Hurriedly he stripped off his pajama bottoms and she sucked in a breath at the sight of his deliciously naked physique. What a lucky girl I am! Her eyes meandered over his body lazily, starting with his sinewy legs, resting only slightly on his engorged manhood, then up his well-defined torso before settling on his eyes.
Eyes no longer gray, but more like black as they bore through her with sheer lust. She had never wanted a man more, her body all but screamed for him to take her.
* * *
Doug watched her expression change as her gaze journeyed the length of his body. Her eyes widened as they hesitated slightly on his erection before traversing up his chest, then come to rest on his own eyes. Heat swarmed up his body and his cock jumped in anticipation.
With slow deliberate steps he made it to the end of the bed and crawled up her like an animal about to devour its prey. He watched her swallow hard as she awaited his next move. He slipped the nightgown over her head and tossed it aside.
Finally he had an unadulterated view of her perfect body. He gave her full breasts the much needed attention they so deserved. He watched her nipple shrink while he teased it with his tongue and heard her gasp when he took it gently in his teeth. While his mouth nibbled on one nipple, his hand sought out the other and pinched it ever so lightly.
He knew he was driving her crazy, hell, he was going a little nuts himself. He yearned to feel her around him.
But first he needed to praise her luscious body the way he had in his dreams ever since the day they’d first met. The long awaited moment had finally arrived and he would not be rushed.
His hands and his lips explored every inch of her until they came to rest inside her moist folds. She was ready for him. He slipped the middle finger of one hand deep inside her while the other exposed his intended target. The moment his tongue touched her, she closed her eyes and moaned.
Her pelvis pushed against his mouth begging for more. He sucked, licked, and nibbled while she writhed, her hands clutching the sheets. But when he wiggled his finger inside her, her body came up off the bed and began to buck. Her moans of ecstasy increased in volume until she fell back down, spent.
While shudders still wracked her body, he slipped on a condom and covered her body with his. Her legs spread out her welcome. He shoved himself deep within her and reveled at her cry of appreciation.
Abruptly he stopped and closed his eyes. It felt too good, she was as tight as a glove. He clenched his teeth and held himself rigid above her. He dare not move for fear he’d lose it right then and there. A moment later he opened his eyes and gazed down at her. The heat he saw there scorched his face.
She locked her legs around his waist and pushed her pelvis up and down the length of his shaft. He groaned, his arms flexed and his body tensed as he tried to resist her urging. Her passion was a complete surprise to him. He knew it would be good, but shit. He had no idea. He leaned down and took her mouth with his, their tongues danced wickedly while she grabbed his hair and tugged.
That was it. He couldn’t hold it any longer. He began to pump her hard. He felt her hands grab his ass and pull him deeper. As he drove his cock into her, each stroke sent him further and further over the edge. Then her muscles tightened around his dick as she started to come, and he was right there with her.
His body lurched and an animalistic growl escaped from deep within. His back arched and held, then quivered in aftershock. A moment later, he eased himself down by her side. Their moist bodies glistened in the early light of dawn.
The only sound in the room was their labored breathing.
* * *
Maddy lay there in a daze. What the hell had just happened? Doug had brought out a side of her that she never knew existed. She found herself clawing and pulling at him like a cat in heat. She’d never been more demonstrative in her life. She stifled a giggle.
The sheer masculinity that was him amazed her. He was sex personified. She neve
r knew a man like him existed outside of the movies. In fact, she doubted there was another man like him.
Superman, indeed.
She nodded off with a smile plastered to her face.
* * *
Doug heard the doorbell and rolled over to look at the clock. “Shit!” He jumped out of bed and searched the floor for his jeans.
“What?” Maddy asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
“It’s after nine. That must be Tim and Jane at the door!”
“Shit!” She leapt from the bed, grabbed her nightgown off the floor and fled the room.
Pounding echoed throughout the house. He located his jeans in the last place he would have thought to look, his dresser. Usually tossed to the floor, he’d actually put them away last night when he’d tidied up for Maddy.
Doug flew down the stairs making sure his pants were completely buttoned this time before he yanked open the door. “Sorry you guys, I guess I slept late. Come on in,” he said between gasps for air.
* * *
Maddy’s jeans were on the floor, scrunched up as if she’d just walked out of them. She snatched them up, sat on the edge of the bed and slipped them on. Since she was in a hurry, she didn’t bother with underwear for now. She rifled through her bag for a shirt and bra, then ran a brush through her hair haphazardly. She got to the head of the stairs just as her friends walked in.
“Where’s Maddy?” Jane asked, staring at Doug’s naked chest. Maddy could almost hear her thoughts from where she stood.
“Uh.” Doug turned and looked up at her.
“Here I am,” Maddy answered, trotting down the stairs in her bare feet. She stopped short in front of everyone in the foyer. Suddenly she felt something slide down her pant leg. Confused, she looked down in time to see a pair of underwear snake out and drop to the floor.
To her horror, she realized they were the panties she’d worn the day before. They must have been in her jeans when she put them on. To make matters worse, as if things could get worse at this point, they were old lady underwear!
Spirits In the Trees Page 20
