October Ghosts (A Southern Romance Monthly)

by Hockenberry, CJ

  "You don't want to?"

  His serious face broke into one of pure joy. "Oh I want to. I've wanted to kiss and make love to you since the moment I saw you in your store. I've never seen any woman fill out a dress the way you do. But it wasn't just that…" he pushed a strand of her hair back from her face and then softly moved the back of his hand against her cheek. "It's just that…you know the rumors about me? About me being gay? Those stories started because after Sarah…I've been less eager to get involved with women. Trust them. Sarah was my first real love and it didn't turn out so great."

  She watched his face, studied his reaction. She continued to smile up at him, hoping the expression gave him the courage to go on. Though what she really wanted to do was remove is shirt and run her hand around that chest of his.

  "I don't take things from people they're not willing to give. I've never struck a woman, and I would never force myself on her. I know I've got this bad-boy reputation but honestly—the only thing I'm bad at is choosing women that won't break my heart."

  "Do you think that's what I'd do to you?"

  "I honestly don't know. You're so damn beautiful and smart and sexy and…well…I just love being near you."

  She moved her hand to capture his in hers and moved it over her heart. "Matt, are you willing to take a chance? I haven't exactly had much success in the romance places in my life either. I'll admit my own loves haven't been to that extreme, but I made mistakes. And it's been a very long time for me too. Kevin's seen more action than I have."

  Matt laughed softly. "I need to know that afterward…you won't feel guilty or bad?"

  "Why are you that bad in bed?"

  His stunned expression made her laugh so she kissed him again, quick but soft. "Matt," she ran her tongue over his lower lips and she felt her own heart quicken when he shivered. "Just be quiet and get naked."

  That simple statement seemed to break the final vestiges of his hesitation. She laughed when he bent down a little and wrapped his arms around her waist. She put her arms around his neck and jumped up into his arms when he straightened. Chloe wrapped her legs around his waist and held on, very aware of his erection against the crotch of her jeans.

  He turned from the kitchen as she planted soft kisses over his forehead and cheeks. "I have no idea where I'm going."

  Chloe kissed his nose. "Straight down the hall, last door on the right."

  Matt turned and managed to get them to her bedroom, even though a few stops along the way turned into marathon kisses. She loved the way he took her lips between his and suckled with the greatest care, then he would plunge his tongue between those lips. She was so wet thinking of him making love to her in the same way, of him taking her folds into his mouth, teasing her clit with his tongue, just before plunging his cock deep inside of her.

  "Hurry," she heard herself say on the last pause before her bedroom. "I want you…" her tone was breathless. Needy. Demanding.

  Once inside her bedroom she climbed down and pulled her hoodie off, then her tee shirt, exposing her bra and bare stomach to him. He stared at her as he put his hands on her shoulders then softly moved them over to her breasts. He was inches from her as he cupped them in his hands. Chloe felt her jeans moisten as he bent down and began laving his tongue over each mound. She reached out and took hold of his shoulders, his thick soft hair in front of her. She inhaled the smell of shampoo and wanted to feel his skin against hers.

  She pulled at his hoodie until she got it off of him, and then she pulled his tee shirt over his head. Chloe gasped. The fit of his tee shirt had only been a tease to the supple, lean muscled man beneath. He was thin, thinner than she usually liked, but he had the sexiest V beneath his belly button she'd ever seen. The man's girdle. That part of their anatomy that brought most of the women she knew to their knees. Including her.

  His chest was mostly bare, with only a few hairs around his nipples. She smiled when he reached around to her back and with a single movement, unfastened her bra. It fell to the floor and he stepped back.

  "My God…you're beautiful."

  She wanted to grab him and throw him on the bed right there. No man had ever said that to her. Most of them wanted the lights out and a quick screw.

  He took her breasts again and this time leaned down to move his tongue round her very excited nipples. The sensation that once made her cringe now made the need between her legs heat up. She wanted to jump on him again. She wanted to feel him against her. She wanted…

  To make love all afternoon.

  It was so nice to want that once again.

  She gasped when he moved his hand from her breast down her stomach to cup his hand just over her wet vagina. He moved is fingers up and down, teasing her against her jeans. So…two could play at that. Chloe reached down and moved her hand over his erection so hard and warm beneath his jeans. He gasped this time and closed his eyes.

  "I want you…" he whispered to her and kissed her neck. He laved his tongue up the contours of her neck and nibbled her ear between his lips. "I don't ever want to stop wanting you."

  He made her feel feminine. Which was something that turned her on even more.

  She pulled her hand away from him and unfastened her jeans. She pushed them down and stepped away, bare before him except for her panties. He didn't waste any time slipping his hands back to her vagina and moved his fingers back and forth. She knew he could feel how wet she was through the thin cotton and he moaned against her.

  Matt pulled the panties to the side and slid his fingers inside. He was careful, gentle, probing ever so lightly as he parted her lips to reveal the small nub of her clit. It felt swollen and so sensitive. Everything felt so good as he moved her juices around her, slipped his fingers inside of her, and then used his thumb to press her clit again, and then again, and again until—

  The orgasm came fast. Faster than she'd ever been able to bring herself. She arched her back as her muscles grabbed hold of his fingers and pulsed with each wave of pleasure. He didn't stop, but continued to move his fingers, only lessoning as her orgasm faded until she opened her eyes and discovered he was holding her in his left arm, his right where she never wanted it to move.

  He was looking down at her with wonder on his face. She reached up and touched his cheek. He moved enough to take her fingers into his mouth and suckle them. In a single movement he bent down and took her into his arms. Matt set her on the bed and stepped back. She removed her panties as he removed his jeans. His erection was a thing of beauty. He was so magnificent as he moved across the bed and rested his body on top of hers.

  He braced himself on his elbows and knees and she knew he didn't want to crush her. They kissed…oh she enjoyed his kisses and could disappear into them. All through school and college she'd always heard from her friends about these guys that could kiss them into an orgasm.

  Now she understood what that meant.

  "Chloe…" he said softly as he moved his sweet mouth to her cheek. "I need you."

  "I want you inside of me," she heard herself say. And she meant it. She really, really meant it.

  He relaxed against her then, and moved his kisses down her neck to her breast, giving each of them equal attention. By the time he moved to her belly button and she realized what he was doing, Chloe knew she was going to come again.

  The moment his tongue sliced between the lips of her vagina she arched her back. The warmth of his tongue against her clit and his gentle probing was too much. She rode the next wave with as much delight as the first but she wanted him inside. She wanted to feel him against her, in her, a part of her. She wanted their union.

  Matt moved up and knelt over her. "I don't have any—"

  "Top drawer."

  He leaned over and pulled the packet from the drawer. "Mmm…ribbed for a woman's pleasure."

  Chloe grinned up at him and took the packet from his hands. "Then it's my pleasure to get it on." She tore it open and eased the latex over his cock. Just looking at it, she knew it was the pe
rfect size and she wanted it in. Now! Once the condom was in place, he eased over her again and pushed himself in just the right place.

  She opened her legs wide and took him in as deep as possible. Chloe watched his face and decided she had to see him come. She must. She wrapped her legs around him tighter and held on he began to thrust. He was timid at first but she reached own and ran her hands over the muscled mounds of his perfect arse. She wanted him to move harder. Faster. She wanted him to—

  And then it happened.

  Something she'd never experienced before.

  She came. He came. The orgasm had snuck up on her! His thrusts, his smell, the push of his cock inside of her, against her sensitive clit, and then the look on his face all brought her back to that wave of joy, of pleasure, of union.

  And when they were finished he remained inside of her, spent, panting, and kissing her once again. "You…are the most incredible woman I've ever met, Chloe Stohl."

  She returned his kisses and ran her hand over his arm. A light film of sweat coated his skin. He was beautiful, and he thought she was beautiful.

  He relaxed beside her, as he finally pulled free. She went to her bathroom and grabbed a towel and a washcloth of warm water. When she returned his eyes were closed so she removed the condom, used the washcloth to clean him and then the towel to dry them both.

  Matt was asleep. He lay like the beautiful prince he was. And when she curled up against him, he took her into his arms and kissed her hair.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Matt's phone woke him, but he didn't know where it was.

  Hang on…he wasn't really sure where he was.

  Someone sighed beside him and he smelled something spicy and sweet. Chloe.

  Memories of their lovemaking brought a broad smile to his lips and he sought her out in the semi-darkness.

  Darkness.

  Crap!

  Sitting up, he looked around for a clock or something, and then got off the bed to find his jeans and his phone. He bumped into something hard with his toe and managed a few colorful metaphors.

  A light came on, illuminating a dresser. "Did you see that?" He said as he took in the Goddess sitting up in the bed. "This piece of furniture jumped out to kick me in the foot."

  Her laughter filled the room as his phone stopped ringing. "Are you okay?"

  "Yeah…just looking for my jeans." He limped around the bed toward the pile of clothing on the other side. There he spotted his jeans and dug his phone out. "Uh oh." Seven missed calls from Margo and three from Phil. "I think I'm late."

  "What time is it?"

  Matt looked past his phone at Chloe. She was so beautiful, sitting up from the tangle of sheets. Her breasts peaked out from her hair. All he wanted to do was jump back into bed with her and explore her body again, and again. But he was getting paid to be at the Barrett House. "It's nearly seven. I was supposed to be there at six. With you."

  "Then I'm getting a shower." She slipped out of the bed and he couldn't help himself. He tossed the phone on the bed and pulled her to him. She was warm and soft against his skin. He looked down at her mounding breasts on his chest and felt himself rise to the occasion once again. Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed another kiss to her lips and she responded, suckling on his tongue as he hesitantly probed her mouth. Her teeth raked across his lower lip and he shuddered at the thought of that mouth covering his entire body.

  "We need a shower," she said in his ear, even as she grabbed his throbbing cock in her hand. "And you need some cold water."

  "But…"

  "We can come back here after the run through. I can make us some dinner and then we can…" she pulled back and looked at him with those beautiful, soulful eyes. "Watch some TV?"

  "Is that code?"

  She kissed his chin. "It can be whatever you want it to be. But right now, I'm getting clean. I don't want to arrive smelling like sex. Call your people and then join me." She kissed him again and pulled at his lower lip as she pulled away. He watched her walk nude into a door across from her bed, amazed at the twitch and wiggle her beautiful heart-shaped bottom made. She was a perfect hourglass, the inspiration for the shape of a guitar.

  Chloe disappeared and he looked down at himself. "You need to control yourself, dude," he muttered as he sat on the bed and picked up the phone.

  Just as he touched the surface to return a call, Margo called in. He answered it. "Yello."

  "Where the hell have you been?!"

  Matt held the phone out from his ear and looked at the bathroom door. It was cracked open and steam billowed out. He wanted to be in that shower with Chloe, soaping up that incredible body. "And have you had a nice evening Margo?"

  "Cut the crap. Where are you?"

  He looked around. "I have no idea. But I like wherever it is. Don't worry. I'll be there in half an hour. Is everything set up?"

  "You were supposed to be here forty-five minutes ago. What the hell's wrong with you? You're never late. Have you talked to Chloe?"

  "Yeah, I've talked to her." He pursed his lips. "She's going to drive us both out there."

  "She's going to drive—" Margo went quiet for a few seconds.

  Matt frowned. "Margo?"

  "You've been with her."

  "Yeah. She was upset at that little recording infringement you did, and I was pissed too. So we left and I've been getting to know her a little better."

  "Getting to know her," Margo's voice took on a slight caustic tone. "Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?"

  "Margo—what's the problem? The real filming isn't until tomorrow. We're just doing a test run and it isn't even completely dark yet."

  "You know we like to have the light for the initial run. Dammit, Matt. Have you told her about Sarah?"

  "Yeah. I did."

  Another pause. "And she's still going through with it."

  He frowned. "Margo…are you okay? I figured you'd be a lot happier. We have the psychic they wanted for the show. But I wasn't kidding when I said I wasn't going in the direction we did last year."

  She didn't answer. He thought he heard her talking to someone else with her hand over the phone. Finally, "Yeah. I'm thrilled. Got some news for you when you get here."

  "Has the crew eaten?"

  "Yeah. We got pizzas brought in. There's a lot left. When you get your dick out of her, you should show up and have some." She disconnected.

  Matt sat in stunned silence as he stared at the phone. Why was Margo so upset? It wasn't that this was new behavior. She always got irritated when he struck up a relationship outside of the show. Not that it happened often…meaning never.

  Mostly because she always discouraged it the moment she caught a whiff of his attraction to someone. He would let his gaze linger a little too long and Margo was there to remind him of Sarah. She was like the sister he never had. And she had always, always, supported him.

  "Matt?"

  He nearly jumped at Chloe's voice. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to stay and make love to her, talk to her, find out all he could about her. And a few minutes before talking to Margo, he was the happiest he'd ever been.

  But in one conversation, everything felt…tainted. It felt…

  "Matt?"

  Her voice was closer and he looked up to see Chloe standing in the doorway. Water dripped from her body, ran in sensual rivulets over her curves. Her wet hair half covered her breasts and accented the beautiful V of her sex. His desire returned and he stood.

  He loved Margo as family. But he'd been with her for so long. Three years since Sarah. Three years since he'd turned his talents from rigging haunted houses to investigating them. In all those years he'd dated very few times, and in every instance, Margo had been there to warn him of the danger.

  Just like she was warning him now.

  But Chloe was different. He knew this down to the core of his soul. And he wanted to be with her. He tossed the phone on the bed and approached Chloe. She opened her arms to him and he encircled her
with his.

  "Everything all right?" She asked him.

  "It is now."

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Everyone was waiting when they arrived back at the Barrett House. Chloe noticed a slight change in Matt's mood. It'd happened after he made that call when she jumped in the shower. She wanted to know what had happened, but she also felt like she wasn't really entitled to pry into his personal life.

  Not now.

  What are you doing?

  Her conscious brain kept asking her that question. Over and over again. She'd known him for maybe twenty-four hours and she'd already slept with him. Wanted to sleep with him. And wanted to do it again. And again. Was she insane? This wasn't the way she usually acted. She was known to be practical and cautious, not just risk her life like that.

  But her instincts had been right. Matt Hunt was incredible in bed. And he was sweet. Like…very sweet. And he worried about her as much as she worried about him. She seemed genuinely concerned that she didn't do anything she didn't want to. And she believed that if she'd said no earlier, he would have backed off, and he would have been nice about that too.

  Phil greeted them as they approached the house and she hung back, not just because of the look Margo shot her, but because she felt that pressure around the house again. That overwhelming feeling of danger.

  "Well nice of you to strand me here with such a lovely bitch for company."

  Kevin's voice brought her out of her thoughts as she stood just outside the barrier of lights. She turned and faced his less than approving look and instantly felt bad. "Oh crap. I'm sorry Kev. Matt was so mad and then Margo was up in our faces with that camera—"

  Her best friend reached out and put a hand on her arm. His eyes widened and then he gave her a smile to match. "You had sex."

  Chloe put her hand over his mouth and yanked him into a copse of trees. "Sshh…did you know you're loud?"

  "You tell me that a lot. But I'm right, aren't I? 'Cause you know that Margo was all upset when the two of you disappeared."

  "But she filmed us and wasn't supposed to."