Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

by Ally Blue

Adrian let out a quiet laugh. If Greg didn’t believe in a ghost so many of his friends had seen with their own eyes, what in the world would he think if Adrian said he could move things with his mind?

  Greg knocked again, harder this time. “C’mon out. Please. I’m sorry, okay?”

  Shaking himself, Adrian pushed away from the sink, unlocked the door and swung it open. “You’re right. We should talk.”

  “Yeah.” Greg laid both hands on Adrian’s cheeks, a solemn expression in his gray eyes. “I just think you deserve credit. That’s all.”

  Adrian frowned. Before he could ask what that meant, however, Greg dropped his arms, took Adrian’s hand in his and led him down the hallway.

  To Adrian’s surprise, they entered the last room on the left. No one was certain what its purpose had been in Groome Castle’s heyday, but since it was too small to be useful for the haunted house it had ended up as the default make-out room. Some enterprising soul had even brought a futon.

  Adrian’s heart thudded hard enough to make him dizzy when Greg shut the door behind them. “Um, Greg? I thought we were…I mean, tomorrow…”

  Greg looked startled for a moment, then laughed. “Yeah, we are. I brought us in here because we won’t be interrupted. When this door’s closed, everybody respects that. Other rooms? Not so much.”

  “Oh, okay. That makes sense.” Relief, disappointment and insistent lust overcame Adrian’s muscle control and he plopped onto the futon. Kicking off his sneakers, he curled his feet beneath him. He figured he might as well be comfortable before the fighting started. “Why didn’t you believe me, Greg?”

  “Hmm.” Greg lowered himself to the futon beside Adrian. “Because there are no such things as ghosts. And because I know for a fact that you’re more than capable of creating a visual effect as good as the one I’ve been hearing about all night.”

  Adrian drew a couple of slow, deep breaths and blew them out. It wouldn’t do to let his irritation get away with him. Across the room, a pile of school newspapers fluttered in an impossible breeze. “Yes, I am capable of creating that visual effect. If I had the right equipment to do it. Which I don’t, not here tonight. Besides which, I don’t lie.”

  That got him a skeptical look. “Everyone lies.”

  “Not me.”

  “Never?”

  “Never.”

  “Not even by omission?”

  Shit. Adrian studied his hands. “That’s not exactly the same thing, is it?”

  Greg shrugged. “Okay, not really.” Turning sideways, he pinned Adrian with a calculating stare. “So you say you don’t lie.”

  “I don’t!”

  “You say. But ghosts don’t exist, Adrian. They don’t. So where does that leave me? What am I supposed to think?”

  Impotent fury swelled in Adrian’s chest. Overhead, the dim bulb buzzed and flickered behind its old-fashioned cream-colored glass shade. He shoved to his feet and walked to the other side of the room, arms wrapped around himself, his back to Greg. “You could try opening your mind a little bit and believing me.”

  Behind him, Greg sighed. Cloth rustled, muted footsteps paced across the floor, then Greg’s arms slid around Adrian’s waist and Greg’s chin rested on Adrian’s shoulder. The touch brought a rush of energy that blurred Adrian’s vision and prickled over his skin. He covered Greg’s hands with his and hung on for dear life.

  “I don’t think you’re a pathological liar or anything,” Greg whispered, his breath tickling Adrian’s neck. “I think you mostly do tell the truth. I think you only lied this time because you hate having the spotlight on yourself. You don’t like people noticing you. You’d rather be in the background. So instead of taking credit for that fantastic special effect, you claimed it was the ghost everybody already thought was here anyway. I don’t know why you did the effect in the first place, when we already had me playing the ghost, but whatever. I think you only lied because you’re too modest to claim the credit. But, Adrian, you deserve the credit for what you did. Can’t you see that?”

  Adrian didn’t know whether to be touched that Greg wanted to see Adrian’s achievements recognized or aggravated that Greg still refused to believe him. He felt guilty for his continued anger in the face of Greg’s desire—however misguided—to give credit where he thought credit was due. But he couldn’t help it. Adrian’s childhood and adolescence had taught him the value of truth. He hadn’t been less than honest with anyone, including himself, in years. Being accused of deliberate lies now felt like a knife in the heart.

  Gathering his scattered wits, Adrian broke out of Greg’s arms, spun and faced him with as much calm as he could muster. “Whatever you might think, I am not lying, for any reason. I did not create any sort of special effect tonight. What everyone saw tonight was the ghost of Lyndon Groome. Whether you believe it or not doesn’t make any difference. It’s the truth. I can’t tell you anything else. I am not going to start lying now just because the real world doesn’t fit into your mental box.”

  “Adrian—”

  “No, let me finish.” Adrian raked both trembling hands through his hair. “I like you. I want…I want to keep seeing you. But not if you can’t trust me to tell the truth.”

  Greg stared, eyes wide in a face as pale as Lyndon’s. “Are you serious?”

  “Completely.” Adrian shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. His pulse raced, and his breath came short and harsh. “So. That’s it. What do you say?”

  “I don’t know.” Greg shook his head, his expression stunned. “You’re asking me to switch my own beliefs around just because you want me to.”

  “What? No, that’s not what I’m asking at all.”

  “Oh, really? Because it sounds like it to me.”

  Frustrated, Adrian clamped his mouth shut and counted to five in his head before he allowed himself to answer. “Explain to me how I’m asking you to do that.”

  Greg shot him a withering look. “You want me to believe that everything you tell me is the truth, right? So you want me to believe ghosts are real. And I can’t just make myself believe that all of a sudden, just because you want me to.”

  Staring into Greg’s stony face, Adrian felt his barely controlled anger tip and spill. It was almost a relief to grab Greg by the shoulders, shove him across the room and slam him against the wall hard enough to tear a sharp cry from him. A surge of guilt made Adrian wince, but he didn’t loosen his grip.

  “I don’t care what you personally believe about the stupid fucking ghosts,” Adrian growled, his nose inches from Greg’s. “All you have to know is that I believe they’re real, and that I am telling the truth about what I did and did not do.” He gave Greg a shake, hard enough to hopefully get his point across but not hard enough to hurt him. “Listen to me. I will never. Ever. Lie to you. That’s a promise. Got it?”

  Greg just stared without answering, his breathing fast and harsh in the thick silence. Adrian’s stomach plummeted into his feet. He’d screwed everything up. It was bound to happen eventually, he’d known that all along, but still, he’d hoped…

  A pained whimper was the only warning he got before Greg snatched a double fistful of his hair and yanked him into a hard, hungry kiss.

  Chapter Nine

  In an instant, all Adrian’s anger and frustration melted away in a firestorm of pure lust. Clamping one hand onto the back of Greg’s neck and grabbing his ass with the other, Adrian plunged his tongue deep into Greg’s mouth.

  Adrian’s psychokinesis, already unstable, erupted into a cascade of miniature explosions inside his mind. The air around him heated until his skin began to burn with it. His control hanging by a thread, Adrian gathered the crackling energy to him and twisted it until it became a vague, sensual caress sliding along his torso. The soft not-quite-touch felt so damn good. Adrian shuddered, the hand on Greg’s neck climbing upward to tangle into his hair.

  A rough groan bled from Greg’s throat. His hips rocked against Adrian’s, one leg bending up in an awkward attemp
t to wrap around Adrian’s waist. Adrian moved his hand from Greg’s butt to his thigh, holding it against his hip.

  Tightening the hand in Greg’s hair, Adrian tore his mouth from Greg’s and yanked his head back. Greg sucked in a hissing breath when Adrian’s teeth dug into his neck. “God. Adrian. Fuck me.”

  Oh, my God. Even though they’d talked about it, even though they’d planned it, something about standing face-to-face with the raw reality of finally being inside Greg made Adrian’s legs shake and his chest hurt.

  He shut his eyes. Greg’s pulse fluttered like a captive moth against his lips. Fine tremors shook Greg’s body. Dropping Greg’s thigh, Adrian slid his hand beneath Greg’s shirt to trace the delicate ridges of his vertebrae. “What about tomorrow?”

  “What about it? Those plans don’t have to change.” Greg loosened half his death grip on Adrian’s hair and shoved his free hand down the back of Adrian’s jeans. His fingers were cold and shaking against the bare skin of Adrian’s ass. “I can’t wait ’til then, Adrian. Please don’t say no this time. Please don’t.”

  Adrian’s heart gave an odd little thump. Eyes still shut, he bit the spot on Greg’s neck that always turned him pliant and quivering. Greg moaned and arched in his arms.

  Opening his eyes, Adrian pushed back until he could see Greg’s face. Greg’s eyes glittered from beneath half-closed lids. His cheeks glowed pink in the dim light, his hair stuck up at odd angles, and his shirt was rucked up nearly to his armpits. Adrian thought he’d never seen anything more enticing in his life.

  Unable to help himself, Adrian leaned in and brushed his lips against Greg’s. “We don’t have any supplies.”

  “I do.” Greg’s tongue darted out to tease the corner of Adrian’s mouth. “In my pocket.”

  The mental picture of Greg walking around during the party with a condom and packet of lube in his pocket struck Adrian funny, but the laughter dissolved into a moan when Greg latched his mouth onto Adrian’s neck and sucked.

  You and Greg can finally have sex. Right here, right now. There’s nothing to stop you anymore.

  The realization hit Adrian like a brick to the skull. He planted a palm on the wall behind Greg’s shoulder to steady himself against a sudden rush of dizziness.

  Greg unwound his other hand from Adrian’s hair and clutched at his shirt instead. “Let’s go lie down now, okay?”

  Lie down? For a moment, Adrian couldn’t think what Greg meant. Then he remembered the futon. “Oh. Yeah.”

  Greg snickered. Adrian shut him up with a kiss and hauled him across the floor toward their temporary bed. A quick thought cleared their path of any potential obstacles. Adrian had already tumbled to the thin navy blue pad with Greg on top of him before he realized, with a thrill of fear, that Greg could’ve easily seen the old papers, plastic cups and Adrian’s sneakers skittering aside all by themselves. That would’ve killed the mood pretty fast.

  But he didn’t see. Just this once, focus on what’s right in front of you instead of worrying about what might have happened or what might still happen in the future.

  He tugged on the hem of Greg’s long-sleeved UNC T-shirt. “Off.”

  Greg sat up, pulled the T-shirt off and tossed it aside. Adrian allowed him to take the condom and lube from his pocket before pulling him to the futon again and rolling on top of him, insinuating himself between Greg’s spread thighs. Greg yanked Adrian’s sweater up to his shoulders just as Adrian started to fumble one-handed with the button and zipper of Greg’s jeans. The sweater caught Adrian’s arm and knocked it violently sideways. Adrian tore the sweater off, bent and dug his teeth into Greg’s right nipple.

  Greg gasped, his back arching. “Oh, fuck. Yeah.”

  Encouraged, Adrian licked the flesh he’d just bitten, then moved to give the other nipple the same treatment. Greg moaned and squirmed beneath him. The movement slid their bare torsos together enough to send tiny shockwaves spilling down Adrian’s spine. He used the resulting flare of psychokinetic energy to smooth an invisible palm over Greg’s chest alongside his own hand.

  “Oooh, my God,” Greg moaned, grasping at Adrian’s hair. “Adrian. Please.”

  Planting both hands on the floor at Greg’s sides, Adrian wriggled further down his body. “Please what?” He bent and kissed the soft skin just above Greg’s navel, then swirled the sparse blond hairs with his tongue. He’d never felt so powerful—or so confident—during sex before. It felt wonderful, and he wanted to draw it out as long as he could. Considering the insistent throb in his jeans, he’d be lucky to hold out ten minutes, but he was going to damn well do his best to make it last.

  “Please fuck me already.”

  Adrian glanced up. The desperation in Greg’s eyes matched the growl in his voice. Adrian’s power responded with a pulse so strong it left him struggling to breathe. By the time his conscious brain realized there was no reason not to do what Greg wanted because they could go as slow as they pleased tomorrow, his baser instincts had already taken over his motor function enough to get Greg’s snug jeans unzipped.

  Greg bent his right leg up, almost knocking Adrian in the head with his knee. He pulled off his shoe and let it fall to the floor, then hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans and wormed them over his hips. As soon as Adrian figured out what Greg was doing, he grasped the right leg of Greg’s jeans and managed to wrench that side free.

  With Greg finally naked—except for the jeans crumpled around his left calf—Adrian planted both hands on Greg’s splayed legs and held him still so he could get a good look. God, the sight of all that smooth, pale skin exposed just for him made him want to lick, to bite, to taste. Especially Greg’s cock, lying flushed and rock hard against his belly. Fine golden hairs downed the balls drawn up tight against Greg’s body.

  Adrian dipped his head, nuzzled between Greg’s thighs and breathed deep. The sharp musk of sexual arousal shot straight to his groin. Pushing Greg’s legs farther apart, Adrian sucked one testicle into his mouth, rolling it with his tongue to savor the taste of warm skin and dried sweat.

  The wail he got as a result had him fighting to keep from coming, and he knew he’d better hurry if he wanted to actually get inside Greg before he lost it. With a quick swipe of his tongue up the length of Greg’s cock—because how could he resist?—he sat up on his knees, undid his jeans and shoved pants and underwear down over his hips. His prick sprang free to sway in front of him. His damp skin was so sensitive even the brush of the air nearly undid him. He bit his lip and hung on with every ounce of his hard-won control.

  “Turn over,” he ordered, his voice trembling almost as much as his fingers.

  Greg folded both legs up and rolled onto his knees and elbows. He shot Adrian a fevered look over his shoulder. “Hurry.”

  Adrian stared at the tiny pink whorl of Greg’s anus. It always amazed him that something the size of an erect human penis would actually fit in there.

  But it does. And you’re wasting time thinking when you could be fucking.

  This time the voice in Adrian’s head sounded so much like Sean it was disturbing. Shoving the thought to the back of his mind, Adrian retrieved the condom packet from the floor and tore it open. He managed to roll the rubber over his erection on the first try in spite of the way his hands shook. He ripped the lube packet open with his teeth. There didn’t seem to be much in it. Dropping the packet, he slicked a finger with saliva and pushed it inside Greg in one slow, smooth motion.

  “Oh, fuck yes.” Greg’s hands clenched the fabric of the futon. His spine bowed, his hips rocking backward to force Adrian’s finger deeper. “More.”

  A great fist took hold of Adrian’s insides and squeezed. Leaning forward, he lapped at Greg’s hole where it stretched around the invading digit. Once he had the entire area dripping wet, he pulled his finger out enough to slip a second one in beside it. Resting his cheek against Greg’s ass, Adrian pumped his fingers in and out, in and out, twisting and scissoring. If he didn’t get his cock i
nside Greg soon, he thought he might explode. He was certain Greg would, considering some of the barely coherent threats being hurled at him in between the moans and wails and pleas for more. But he’d never forgive himself if he rushed things and ended up hurting Greg. So he worked Greg open with as much patience as he could muster, stroking Greg’s cock with his free hand and trying to ignore the ache in his crotch.

  Finally, after what seemed like ages but probably wasn’t more than a few seconds, Adrian felt the tightness in Greg’s muscles ease. He stuck the tip of his thumb in and spread his fingers apart, just to be sure. The little opening fluttered and stretched, and Greg let out a pitiful mewl. “God, Adrian, please?”

  “Yes.”

  Adrian pulled his fingers from Greg’s body and sat back on his heels. He picked up the lube packet. It fell from his shaking hand. He scooped it up again and squeezed the contents into his palm before his violent tremors could dislodge it from his grip again. A couple of swift strokes spread the slick gel along the length of his cock.

  Heart hammering, Adrian rose to his knees and scooted forward until the head of his cock rested against Greg’s loosened hole. His head swam with an excitement so intense he felt dizzy and sick. He hoped he didn’t ruin the moment by throwing up.

  Adrian wiped the sweat from his brow with the hand not wrapped around his shaft, then planted his damp palm on Greg’s hip. “Ready?”

  “Yes.” Greg pushed backward. “C’mon. Move.”

  Brow furrowed in concentration, Adrian pressed forward. After a second’s resistance, the head of his cock popped past the ring of muscle and into Greg’s ass. One more thrust drove Adrian root deep. He whimpered as a wave of psychic energy blasted through him. His hair lifted and swirled around his head. Static electricity crackled in his ears.

  With a groan, he fell forward onto his hands, his chest plastered against Greg’s back. Adrian’s power seethed around and between them like a living thing. It was wonderful and terrifying, and Adrian had no idea whether or not he could rein it in. Squeezing his eyes shut, he buried his face in Greg’s neck and let his psychokinesis drive his cock just a little bit deeper into Greg’s body, fuck him a little bit harder. When he lifted one hand to stroke Greg’s cock, his power gave his touch an extra sizzle it didn’t ordinarily have.