by Lia Davis
“I saw her working her evil ways on someone else as we were walking out. That lady ain’t no lady. Are you going to be okay at work after this?”
“We’re in different departments, so I never see her except for faculty meetings or if I want to do something cross-curricularly. But still. I don’t know. If she causes me any problems, I can create just as many for her.” She slammed her hands against the steering wheel. “I’m so pissed right now, and so embarrassed to have opened you up to that kind of situation. Please, forgive me.”
He took both hands in his and kissed the reddened palms. “You’ve done nothing wrong. This is totally on her. You’ve got nothing to apologize for. You know what else I told her?”
“What?” She wouldn’t look at him. Not even for an instant. She’d obscured her face with her long hair.
He swiped the curtain of hair aside and lifted her chin. “I told her the only treat I was looking forward to having this evening was you. Her outlandish behavior hasn’t changed a thing. It’s still early. We have hours before our midnight rendezvous with your ghost. How about we make good on our promises to each other?”
She put the car in gear. “What a perfect way to salvage Halloween.” She drove no sports car, but the way she sped off down the road, it might as well have been. He smiled all the way back to her house.
Chapter 4
“How about I run you a bath? Those fake scars need to be soaked off and your real injuries could use a cleaning.”
“Only if you join me.”
Violet felt her cheeks burn hot and knew she’d turned the very color of her namesake. “I’d like that very much.” Without another word, she hoisted up her dress so she wouldn’t trip on her way upstairs to the bathroom.
As bathrooms went, it was her favorite. There was plenty of room for a toilet, shower stall, and deep soaking basin. The design was simple, but elegant, harkening back to old Southern charm with paneled wainscoting, crown molding, and a ceiling medallion where a small chandelier extended down. She chose a soft yellow milk paint to cast a golden glow when the sunlight shone through the curtains. Her one indulgence was always to run a bath at the end of every school week. Now, she was about to share it with the man who’d completely thrown her for a loop in the romance department.
She started the water running and added a few drops of essential oils that would soothe his angry scrapes. She readied the sponge, bath mat, and towels. Then it was time to ready herself. She reached behind to unfasten the dress, but the zipper handle was in the sweet spot of her back where she couldn’t access it from above or below. Getting it on had been a struggle in the first place, but now, taking it off was proving impossible.
“Dagnabbit,” she muttered.
“Here. Let me.” Noah’s tenor thrummed through her body like a freight train.
As he painstakingly unzipped the back of her dress, his lips caressed the crook of her neck. Nerve endings went nuclear, and she released a sigh of deep satisfaction. The dress slipped to the floor, revealing her corset and thong she’d bought special for the occasion. No, she thought, it wasn’t historically accurate, but it felt sinful to wear knowing he’d see it eventually.
Stepping gingerly over the mound of material, she turned toward him and gasped. Noah stood before her in naked magnificence. A mass of rippling muscles, he stood self-assured with his manhood promising a night of unquenchable passion. Speechless, all she could do was gawk, ogle, and all the things a girl would do when she thinks no one is watching her. But Noah was watching. Very intently. And he seemed quite satisfied by her reaction.
Without taking his eyes off of hers, he spoke again. “I think the water is ready. Don’t you?”
“What? Oh! Yes, the water! Shit.” She rushed over to the tub and turned off the spigot. Before she could turn around, his hands had cupped her ass and squeezed. She grabbed hold of the tub’s edge for stability.
“My sweet Violet. My sweet, sexy Violet.” He ran his hands down the backs of her thighs and up again to work their way around to the front of her corset. He spun her around and released the laces, letting the corset fall at their feet.
His hands reached out to gently massage her breasts, then knelt before her to capture each in his mouth, one after the other. Flicking his tongue across her nipples, goosebumps rose on her flesh. All thought left her mind and what remained was pure unbridled, wanton need. Her hands held his head to her breast while his held her ass firmly in his grasp. He blazed a trail of kisses down to her belly button and grabbed her thong with his teeth. She helped him divest her of the last trappings of clothing.
Standing once again, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply until her knees turned to rubbery ramen noodles. Being the man he was, he held fast to her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and her hands journeyed across his back.
“Noah, your scrapes. Let’s get in the tub and I’ll take care of you.”
She entered first. He followed and sat in front of her. The water’s warmth mixed with the oils and was the perfect accompaniment to the rising heat between them. She dipped the sponge in the bath water and squeezed it gently over his back.
He flinched. “Ooh. Guess those scrapes are a bit raw.”
“The oils will help with that.” She took such care bathing him, removing the scar makeup, tending to his injuries. To her, these simple tasks were more than what they appeared. They were a special rite initiating the two into the world of lovers. “As a final touch, kisses to make it all better.” She touched her lips lightly beside the scrapes. “How’s that?”
“Perfect. My turn now. Let me care for you.” He arose like Neptune rising from the deepest ocean. Bath water rained down and the oils slicked his skin. She swallowed hard knowing soon his body would be sliding over hers in a ferocious passion play.
Violet scooted forward, and then leaned back into his awaiting arms. He soaped up the sponge and lathered her shoulders and chest, then rinsed. Feather-light kisses were the finishing touch along her neck.
But he wasn’t finished. His hands charted a daring course beginning at her breasts, where he toyed with her hardened nipples. He stirred a fiery need deep in her belly, and his hardness pulsed against her in response to her squirming as he continued down between her legs. His fingers played her like a harp, and he growled in her ear.
“Mmm, God almighty,” she uttered, dizzy from the swelling waves of a long-anticipated orgasm. “Yes, yes, yes, Noah! Dear Lord!”
Rapture engulfed her from her swimming head to her tingling toes, and she twisted in his arms to assault his lips with hers. “I want you in my bed, Noah. Now.” She stepped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her heated body. “Come. I’m so ready for you.”
He stepped out, his hardness showing he was just as ready. A quick towel off and he was right behind her. Right behind as in his body molded to hers as they walked in tandem to her room. “Good thing I bought a large box of condoms. One small box would not be enough.”
“Certainly not.”
She turned in his arms and nudged him onto her bed. “It’s time for me to have my way with you.” She slithered up his body until she lay atop, face to face. “Noah,” she muttered against his lips. Violet blazed a trail of hot kisses along his throat, across his chest, where she lingered to tease his nipples with her tongue.
“Oh, God! If you want this to last, you better stay away from those.”
“Ah, so I’ve found a hot spot have I? Okay, then. I’ll just make my way on down the valley. See if you have any more.”
Down she went, along his V, licking and nipping around her final target. His cock jerked every time she ventured close enough to touch it, but she held off until even she couldn’t resist him any longer. She held him in her hands, licking his shaft from the base to the tip, and then took his head into her mouth, using her tongue again to drive him as crazy as he’d driven her.
His moaning and sucking in breaths caused her to go wet all over again. Snaking her way ba
ck on top of him, she rested her mound against his cock, “Noah, I need you inside me. Make love to me.”
As he kissed her, he rolled them both over toward the bedside table. Standing up, he tore into a condom packet and sheathed himself. Like a predator who’s trapped his prey, Noah gazed into her eyes with lustful, rapturous promise and grabbed her legs to pull her toward the edge of the bed. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, wanting nothing more than to be filled by him.
A tap, a rub, and then Noah slid inside her. Eyes locked, they moaned together and smiled. He lingered inside before pulling out, but quickly entered her again. Violet had never felt anything so exquisite before. They’d begun a rhythm that was neither frantic nor rushed. This time would be sweet ecstasy. She held him to her, bodies so close they could become one as he thrust in and out at a quicker pace.
“I don’t want to squash you, sweetheart,” he said while burrowing his face in the crook of her neck.
“I’m fine. If I die now, I die happy. Don’t stop. Just don’t.” She rolled her head side to side, not aware of anything any longer but the pure sensation of love’s touch deep inside her.
Violet bucked beneath him as his thrusts became more frenetic. In one final deep push, he came, and so did she. Groaning and kissing and holding onto each other for dear life. This is what it’s supposed to be, Violet mused. This right here.
Noah collapsed beside her for a few moments, then cleaned up and pounced on her while she lay quietly with her eyes closed. After a few squeals and playful whacks, she drew him to her and snuggled against his cooling body.
He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair. “This is the best Halloween treat I’ve ever had.”
“Mmm. Yes, and instead of gaining calories, we just used some up.” Violet tickled his ribs, but he didn’t flinch. “Hmm, I wonder what time it is.”
“I’d say we’re getting close to the witching hour.” He sat up and looked at her cell phone next to the box of condoms. “Yup, it’s a quarter to twelve. Wanna go outside and watch?”
“Yes! Let’s do this. I’m convinced we’ll learn something new tonight.”
“I’ve already learned something new.”
“What’s that?”
He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her. “I learned that I like your kind of Southern hospitality.”
“Ha ha ha! I’m glad.” She extricated herself from his embrace and stretched. “Ooh, time for some comfy clothing. That costume was far from comfortable.”
“You sure as hell looked sexy in it.”
“I felt sexy in the corset. The dress, not so much. Meet me downstairs, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He flashed her a sexy grin and sauntered out of her room.
Violet scurried around, opening dresser drawers, taking out clothes. Guess he won’t be needing the guest bedroom anymore. She trembled at the thought of spending the entire night in bed with him. This was turning out to be the best weekend ever.
* * *
They sat together on the two-seater rocking chair holding hands. She leaned her head against his shoulder as they listened and watched for any signs of ghostly maneuvers. Frogs croaked, insects buzzed and chirped, but no ghosts had arrived.
“Do you think maybe we’re too late? Maybe he came around earlier?”
“Naw, I think he’ll come the same time he always comes. Three minutes until midnight.”
A slight breeze kicked up, rustling the leaves on the trees. It was a welcome stir of air that moved the humidity along and cooled her neck where damp hair lay. Sea smoke came rolling in off the river as the air cooled.
“I hope we can see him through all this fog.” No sooner had she voiced her concern, then he appeared. More solid in form than ever before. He was barefoot and wore the same ragged clothing as before. His back bore the same scars. “He’s here,” she whispered and tapped Noah’s leg. “Do you see him?”
“Yeah,” he whispered back. “Let’s see what he does.”
The ghost slave repeated his jaunt across the back lawn. Stopping at trees to keep himself hidden. When he stopped at the tree closest to the house, he spoke. This time, she heard him as clear as if Noah had spoken.
“Annabelle! Annabelle, where are ya? It’s me, Benjamin. It’s okay to come out now. Come on out so’s we can be togethuh. Annabelle?”
“Oh, my God! He said her name!” Violet took to smacking Noah’s thigh in her excitement. She continued in hushed excitement. “He said his name! Holy geez!”
Benjamin sat by a tree and kept scanning the area. Every minute or so, he called out for Annabelle.
“Violet, we just scored huge here,” he added. “Annabelle’s never gonna show. The journal says Benjamin got a girl, the girl of a plantation owner, pregnant. He’d wanted her to run away with him. I have the recounting, but no name to go with it. Benjamin refused to give her name away. Given how many plantations there were back then, I’ve yet to come up with any leads.”
“Well, he certainly gave her name away to us now. This is thrilling! I wonder if he knows the tunnel is open.”
Benjamin called out for his lady again, but as Noah predicted, she never appeared. The ghost slave, rather than just fading away, scuttled over to the tunnel’s entry point and vanished beneath the wooden gate. Noah jumped up.
“Holy shit! Come on! We gotta go down to the basement. Maybe he’s found his way into the safe room. Maybe he’ll say something more.”
Violet hurried behind him and down the stairs. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, making her heart pound through her chest and it impossible to catch her breath. Following Noah to the newly opened room, she stopped cold in her tracks.
Benjamin was there.
In a corner of the formerly hidden room, he sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. His legs splayed out, and his head hung low. He looked like a man utterly defeated. He would never know why his girl never showed. He would never know if his child had ever been born. None of Noah’s records mentioned him looking for either in his lifetime, either.
Violet had to do something; was compelled to do something for this forlorn ghost. She mustered up all the courage she had inside and prayed he wouldn’t disappear on her. “Benjamin,” she said softly. “Benjamin, how can I help you?”
He raised his head and looked around trying to find the person attached to the voice.
“Annabelle? Is that you? I thought for sho they’d done tied you to the bedpost. Annabelle, we’s gonna be free to be togethuh. Folks upstairs, they’s here to help us.”
Violet stepped back into the shadows of the basement and freaked out. She hadn’t expected him to think she was his girl! She was only going to introduce herself and see if there was a way to free his soul. She was mortified. “What the hell do I say, Noah?”
“Keep up the conversation. Be her. Be Annabelle.” She gave him a dubious look, closed her eyes briefly to gather her wits, and soldiered on.
“A promise is a promise, Benjamin. I told ya I’d come and I did. Nobody’s gonna keep us apart no matter what. I love ya, Benjamin.”
He stood and edged his way to the boundary between the safe room and the rest of the basement. “Oh, Annabelle, I love ya, too. Where are ya? Come ovuh so I can see ya propuh.”
“I… I can’t, Benjamin. It’s not safe enough yet. But I’m here, and we can start our lives togethuh soon, right?”
“As soon as the boat comes, then we can get on it and float down the rivuh to a place called St. Augustine. Is our baby doin’ all right in your belly?”
“Oh, he’s doin’ mighty fine. Don’t you worry. He’s strong like his papa.”
“Folks upstairs, Mistuh and Mistress Adams says once we’s in St Augustine, we can get married by a Justice of the Peace. We won’t have no bastard child.”
“Well, that’s a fine idea. Just fine.”
“I’m so tired Annabelle. Think I’ll go sit down and take me a rest. Wake me when the boat comes. All right?”
“You rest now, Benjamin. I’ll take care of things for us.” Violet swiped at tears that flowed without permission.
He trudged back to the far corner and sat down, then leaned his head back and faded into the wall. She dropped her face into her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Strong, protective arms enveloped her.
“You did great, Violet. We got so much information.”
“It’s so tragic. So horrible. They never got to be together. I fed a ghost a bunch of lies.”
“To ease his pain and suffering. Who knows? By talking with him, you may have helped him move on.”
“God, I hope so.” She sniffled and rubbed her wet cheeks on his shirt. “Sorry. We can wash that.”
“Let’s go upstairs and sort through all this information before we forget it. I think he may have helped us connect all the dots.”
“Okay.” Arm in arm they walked up the stairs. “That was pretty monumental, wasn’t it? Me, talking to a ghost. On Halloween, no less.” She shook her head in disbelief.
“Pretty damned incredible. You’re incredible.”
“Aw, thanks.” She cast her eyes down and hid a girlish grin. “Go get your journals. I’ll get mine and my computer. We now have a name and a scandal to look up.”
* * *
Six cups of coffee between them and a whole package of Oreos later, Noah and Violet had pieced together most of the missing facts, thanks to Benjamin. Between what he’d said and the scattered notes littering her living room floor, Benjamin was definitely Noah’s ancestor, and her family had provided him a place to stay on his journey to freedom. Annabelle was the woman he was always looking for, but who never showed. What family was she from? If they could find out, all the puzzle pieces would fit perfectly together.
“Benjamin married a woman when he escaped and planted roots up north. Her name was Sarah, though. Once he left Savannah, he never saw Annabelle again. Or the baby. As far as these journals go, it’s as though Annabelle and her baby are forgotten. There’s a whole branch of this family I’ve yet to discover.”
