“Uncle Harris said the restoration is doing well,” Jason commented. “Luckily the police were finished with the area long before he started.”
“Guess a crime scene, no matter how old, needs to be looked at.” Luke squinted into the dimmer light at the parked cars some distance away. “Cripes, is that Mikki hanging onto the fence screaming at the drivers again?”
Jason glanced over, laughing. “It would appear so. She’s really getting into the racing.”
“Speedway only,” Luke corrected. “I can’t get her to watch racing on the TV, she always leaves the room and shuts the door, says the sight and sound drives her mad. She takes Duchess, leaves me and Dog to watch the man’s sport alone.” He shook his head fondly. “But bring her to the speedway and she’s yelling along with everyone else, if not more so.”
Jason laughed.
They continued in silence for several seconds before his cousin stated, “Izzy and Mikki have been talking”
“Oh no.” Luke groaned. “About Adelaide? Mikki’s really set on several ghost tours in Adelaide. She’s determined we’re going there on our honeymoon.”
“So she does wear the pants in the family.”
“Not bloody likely. I’m the man of the house. I agreed only as long as we went together to the Adelaide races while we’re there.” At Jason’s smirk, he said, “Up yours.”
“Lovely. However, Mikki’s theory…”
“This should be good. Give it to me.”
“She reckons what happened at the mansion was proof there are ghosts there.”
“Oh, what a big surprise. Oh please, stop me from fainting with shock.”
“Wait, there’s more.”
“With her there always is.” Luke smiled, his gaze fastened on the generously curved figure of his fiancée as she hung onto the wire yelling both encouraging words to her chosen race car driver and abuse at the other drivers. God, he loved her. He didn’t care that they hadn’t been going out long before getting that ring on her finger and moving her into his home - theirs, now - he knew she was meant for him, they were meant to be together. Good thing she felt the same way, made things easier, though he’d been prepared to pursue and persuade her for as long as it took to bind her to him.
“First off, she thinks the ghost of Anna’s grandmother tripped Anna up.”
Luke rolled his eyes.
“Get this. She saw Anna suddenly fall, the journal and torch went flying. She said there was nothing there to trip Anna up in the first place.”
“It was dark and the suicide grave has a small headstone. Hell, Mikki admitted she tripped and fell over. You telling me that was a ghost, too?”
“Hey, I’m just saying what she’s saying.”
“That woman has a wild imagination.” Even in bed. Luke grinned a little wolfishly. Especially in bed.
“And then,” Jason continued as they strode along, “there was the thing Anna bumped into in that big main room on her way to the hidden door.”
“So?”
“Oh, you’re going to love this.”
When Jason said nothing further, Luke looked at him. “Spit it out, mate, I’m not getting any younger.”
“The room had not one stick of furniture in it.”
Luke looked blankly at him.
“Not one stick.” Jason glanced at him. “It was an empty room, there was nothing Anna could bump into, and yet she hit something hard enough to drop the journal. Also, Mikki swears Anna shut the hidden door but it was wide open when you found it. What do you make of that?”
Well, shit… Thinking hard, Luke stopped walking. The door could have swung open, Anna probably didn’t shut it securely in her haste, so no big mystery there. He could explain that away. But there had been nothing in that room, no way Anna could have bumped into anything. No way.
“Got you thinking, hey?” Jason drawled.
A tiny, fleeting chill went down Luke’s spine before he shook his head. “Don’t worry, there’s a perfectly good explanation.”
“Uh huh.”
“Don’t tell me you believe in ghosts.”
“I’m on the fence with that one.”
“Are you serious?” Luke stared at his cousin.
“Just keeping an open mind.”
“I knew there was a reason half your brains fell out. But seriously? Ghosts?”
His cousin shrugged, unconcerned what Luke thought of his unexpected announcement.
Closing the distance to the cars, Luke’s thoughts were diverted by Mikki catching sight of him and greeting him with that brilliant smile, her eyes sparkling, radiating joy of life.
“I won!” she announced triumphantly.
“I think that was the driver.” Bending, he kissed her temple before handing her the bottle of icy cold Diet Coke.
She twisted the lid off, took a long pull at it before lowering it enough to kiss his cheek. “Don’t care. I picked the car and it won! You owe me.”
Placing the bag on the bonnet of the ute, Luke took out a bucket of hot chips and handed it to her before retrieving his own. “I’m going to seriously regret this, aren’t I?” Like hell he was, he was looking forward to it.
“What did you bet?” Izzy asked.
“My body. I’m scared.”
She laughed while Jason’s eyes twinkled as he took a cautious mouthful of hot coffee.
Mikki patted Luke’s bum before giving one cheek a good squeeze. “I promise to be careful not to break anything,” she said solemnly.
“That would be appreciated.” Placing his mouth to her ear, he whispered fervently, “But feel free to fondle, lick and suck whatever you want.”
She tsked. “Lukey-boy, this is my prize. You’re my prize. I’ll handle you any way I want.” She winked. “And you’ll just lie back and take it and you, my man, will like it.”
“Is that so?”
“Oh yeah, it’s so.”
Jason gestured with his hand and made a ‘cracking’ sound. “Whipped.”
Before Luke could retort, the cars engines revving filled the air and Mikki and Izzy were back at the fence.
“Whoo hoo!” Mikki practically danced on the spot, shoving a chip into her mouth before waving enthusiastically. “Number 8! Number 8! Yeah!”
Laughing, Jason and Luke moved up each side of their women, Jason hooking his thumb into the back of Izzy’s jeans.
As Luke slid his arm around her waist and plucked a hot chip out of her bucket, Mikki looked up at him and smiled. “I love you.”
“Yup,” he replied.
“I’m going to make you scream tonight.”
“God, I know you will, Red,” he replied with feeling. At just the thought of what his adventurous little Red could do to him, had done to him many times, heat was already curling through his loins.
Laughing, she cupped his cheek, pulled him down for a deep, drugging kiss that had his toes curling in his sneakers. She kissed him with a passion that touched him down to his soul, down to his heart, and deep down to his own love.
God, he loved her so much. Opening his eyes, he looked down at her as she pulled back slightly. Her eyes sparkled with love, with laughter, with life.
“Want to bet on this race?” she asked.
“Only if you’re the prize.”
She winked. “Imagine if I win your body twice.”
“Red,” he said huskily, “you already have both my heart and my body.”
Her face softened, her hand sliding down his cheek to rest on his chest.
“Yes!” Izzy screamed. “Number 8 is in the lead!”
“Whoo hoo!” Swinging around, Mikki pumped a fist into the air. “Lukey-boy, you are so mine to ravish tonight!”
He laughed, standing there contentedly, watching the lead car - number 8 - roar around the track ahead of the other cars.
Mikki might think she’d win him again tonight, but he’d spoken the truth, she’d already won him heart, body and soul.
Looking at her, those wild red curls pu
lled into a ponytail, her curvy body jumping up and down with glee, he smiled.
He’d already won his prize.
###
BIO
Angela Verdenius lives in Australia where she is ruled by her cats, adores reading, and thinks a perfect day is writing and drinking Diet Coke, followed by reading or a good horror movie. She has a weakness for potato chips, Pavlova & rainy days.
To date, she has written numerous novels in sci-fi romance series and BBW contemporary romances, 2 novellas, and several short stories, one of which is a zombie story she had great fun writing. Her books have won many reviewers’ awards, as well as having been on the Fictionwise best-seller list and winning the Golden Rose Award.
Connect with Angela:
Monthly newsletter for updates and new releases
Her website
The lighter side of life Books, Cats & Life blog
Author pages at Goodreads & Amazon & Book Bub
Keep reading for a list of all available books in both ebook and print.
Other Books by this Author
BBW Romances
Big Girls Lovin’ trilogy
Doctor’s Delight
Cop’s Passion
Vet’s Desire
The Lawson Boys duet
The Lawson Boys: Alex
The Lawson Boys: Marty
The Virgin Sex Queen
The Mackay Sisters duet
Call on Me
Lean on Me
Seducing Sam
Adam’s Thorn
The Goodbye Girl
The Gully’s Fall series
Burn for You
Fall for You
Lie to Me
Fly with Me
You’re the One (not BBW)
Second Chance
Promises
The Wells Brothers trilogy
The Wells Brothers: Luke
Heart & Soul sci-fi romance series
Heart of an Outlaw
Soul of a Mercenary
Heart of the Betrayed
Love’s Sweet Assassin
Soul of a Hunter
Love’s Bewitching Thief
Heart of the Forsaken
Soul of a Witch
Heart of a Traitor
Soul of the Forgotten
Love’s Beguiling Healer
Heart of a Peacekeeper
Soul of a Predator
Love’s Winsome Warrior
Heart of a Smuggler
Soul of a Guardian
Love, Heart & Soul Moments
Shattered Soul
Box Set
Heart & Soul bks 1 - 4
Novellas sci-fi
Operation Seduction (BBW)
Blast from the Past
Free Short Stories
Zombie Hospital
Perceptions
The Wells Brothers: Luke Page 28
