The Haunted

by J. A. Templeton

I had never had a problem with putting worms on the hook, and now was no exception. I surprised myself with how simple it was, remembering my grandpa’s technique. Kade even looked impressed.

  I stood up, swung the pole over my shoulder, cast out…and completely overshot the river.

  So much for showing off.

  Although Kade tried not to laugh, he did, and I laughed right along with him, especially when my line snagged the brush on the opposite side of the bank.

  “Let me help you with that,” he said, standing behind me, the front of his body flush against the back of mine. Warmth spread like wildfire through my veins.

  I glanced over my shoulder at him, and he grinned, deep dimples and all.

  He took the pole from my hand, and with a few sharp tugs, had the line free. He handed the rod back to me, and I immediately missed the contact.

  I reeled in the line and tried casting again, this time hitting the river and letting the line float downstream a little before I started reeling in the slack.

  “Nicely done,” Kade said, a look of pride on his face.

  I sat back down beside him, watching as he effortlessly cast his line into the center of the river, letting it drift down a ways before reeling in.

  The sun came through the clouds and started to warm up fast. Despite the fact my feet were submerged in cold water, sweat beaded on my forehead. I started to take my shirt off but thought better of it.

  “Take off your shirt. Take off both, if you like. Honestly, I won’t mind.” His smoldering grin heated my blood.

  It seemed silly not to take off my shirt, especially when I was sweating. The scars from cutting were on the inside of my elbow, so I’d just have to be careful how I held my arm. And if he asked, then I’d just have to come clean, because I wasn’t going to lie.

  I slid the plaid shirt off and he helped. He set it behind us at the same time my pole jumped. I came to my feet and lifted up on the pole. I felt a snag, and hoped I had a fish on. I reeled it in, trying to keep my excitement at bay.

  The fish wasn’t large, but I was elated to be the first one to catch something. Kade grinned like crazy as he helped me take the slippery trout off the hook, which was one thing I had a tough time doing with it moving so much.

  He carefully pulled the hook out of its mouth and tossed it back into the water a second later.

  I frowned at him. “What did you do that for?”

  “We’re just catching and releasing.”

  “So you fish just for the sport of it?”

  “Something like that,” he said laughing.

  I leaned my head against Kade’s shoulder, forgetting about my pole until I heard it screech against the pier as the water dragged along.

  Kade was quick, though. He reached down, snatched it from the water, and handed it back to me.

  I baited the hook and cast again, and we both sat back down on the dock, his hand resting on my thigh.

  “Maddy wanted to come today.”

  I smiled. “She cracks me up.”

  “She’s a riot sometimes…but then she has moments where she’s such a little shit.”

  “I suppose I understand why she’s that way. She hasn’t had the easiest life. She’s lucky she has your family.”

  He nodded. “Honestly, there are times she gets on my nerves…but I try to remember myself at her age. And like you said, she hasn’t had the easiest life.”

  “Seems like she gets on Cait’s nerves, too.”

  “I think all siblings get on each other’s nerves. I’m sure you and your brother do the same.”

  “Definitely.”

  “I think Cait likes your brother.”

  “I think Shane is having the time of his life being the new guy in town.”

  “And what about you, Riley—do you like being the new girl? Having every guy in school want you?” I could see the teasing glimmer in his eye…but I swore I recognized jealousy too.

  What a strange thing to say. I didn’t get the feeling that any one guy thought I was special. Aside from Johan, who had spent a little time with me this summer, no guys were knocking on my door or blowing up my phone.

  “I’m not exactly the guy magnet you seem to think I am.”

  “You could have fooled me. Aaron Johnson can’t keep his eyes off you, I understand.”

  Was the football star actually jealous of a band geek? The very thought made me smile inwardly.

  He gave me a confidence I didn’t realize I’d had before.

  He kissed my forehead. “Aaron is a broken man now that you’re taken.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, okay.”

  “I’m glad you came to Braemar, Riley,” he said, his voice turning serious. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  Once again he’d said the exact words Ian had said to me.

  “I’m glad I’m here, too, and I’m glad I met you.”

  The afternoon sun started beating down on us, and Kade peeled his shirt off and then unbuttoned his pants.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, my heart picking up speed as I checked out his six-pack abs, the deep V, and the dark happy trail, or what I’d heard Megan refer to as the “stairway to heaven” that disappeared into the waistband of his boxer briefs.

  “It’s too bloody hot to fish.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You just said that because I caught one and you didn’t.”

  He picked me up and acted like he was going to toss me in the water. Instead, he kissed me and slowly set me back on my feet. We kissed for a long time, until he pulled away. “Let’s get in the water.”

  His pants were off a second later, and he stood in his boxer briefs.

  I wondered if he was going to go au natural, when he dove into the water.

  I scanned the area to make sure we were alone, and I slid off my pants first, and then hurried with my shirt. Thankfully I wore my best black bra and hot pink boy-cut panties.

  Kade came up for air just then. He flipped his hair back and my stomach clenched. He was so beautiful…high cheekbones, water spiking off long lashes, and beautiful blue eyes that smoldered. He didn’t even pretend not to check me out…his gaze slowly gliding down my body.

  I jumped in, the cold water stealing the breath from my lungs for a few seconds.

  Kade swam toward me and I went into his arms as he pulled me close for a kiss. We swam for a while and I followed him to the river’s edge. My legs slid around his waist and he moaned, his hands cupping my bottom. There was that dark, heavy-lidded look to his eyes that had the blood pumping hard through my veins.

  I scanned the area. “What if someone sees us?”

  “Did you notice the private property signs when we came in?”

  I hadn’t been paying any attention.

  “My family owns this land. No one is allowed in but us.”

  “What if your family drops by?”

  His fingers unhooked my bra. My pulse skittered. I’d never been naked in front of anyone before.

  “Is this why you brought me here?” I asked, keeping my voice even.

  The words stopped him cold. “No, I thought maybe we could tick off one of those never have I ever questions though.”

  My virginity? I thought, and then realized he was talking about skinny-dipping.

  He reached down, and a second later he lifted his boxers in his hand and tossed them on the shore.

  Kade lifted a brow.

  Summoning every ounce of courage I had, I slid my bra and panties off and threw them toward the bank.

  Chapter 20

  We skinny-dipped for a while, until our skin was pruned. Kade stepped out of the water to the bank to get our underwear, and I know I shouldn’t have stared but I couldn’t help it.

  No wonder he was so confident.

  He flashed a smile as he waded back in, and tossed me my bra and undies.

  “Follow me,” he said, swimming toward a large, flat rock. He pulled himself up and put his hand out for me. It was the perfect size to catch some rays,
just big enough for both of us. We lay on our backs, hand in hand, eyes closed. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so at peace.

  Feeling like I was being watched, I cracked an eye open and found Kade watching me. The sides of his mouth lifted in a smile that made my blood turn warm.

  I rolled onto my side, and rested my hand on his chest. The pulse in his neck fluttered. He lifted his head, kissed me, and slowly eased me onto my back, his strong body covering mine.

  A hot ache rushed through my belly. My fingers splayed over the hard muscles of his back, and over the high curve of his butt. The Celtic cross necklace fell at my throat, and he stared into my eyes. “Do you feel what you do to me?” he whispered, brushing the hair off my forehead with gentle fingers.

  I nodded. My heartbeat was a roar in my ears.

  “I’ve waited for you for forever, Riley. Do you know that?”

  The words were sweet and sincere. I nodded and he smiled softly, before kissing my forehead, then my nose, my lips, my neck…and lower still.

  A myriad of emotions rushed through me at the new sensations I was experiencing. Heaven on earth. That’s what I felt in every touch. In every kiss.

  He was gentle, and I could tell he struggled to stay in control. I could see the need in his eyes, feel it in his touch…and I felt that same desire inside me as my body came to life.

  “Are you sure?” he whispered against my lips as he settled between my thighs.

  Staring into his blue eyes, I smiled. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  ***

  Kade’s cell phone rang on the dock.

  A minute later it went off again. Then my phone rang. On it went for several minutes until he sighed under his breath. “Seriously?”

  We’d been laying in the sun, cuddled together after making love, and I didn’t want the moment to end. Apparently someone else had other plans.

  “I better get that, just in case it’s Miss Akin.” I sat up, reaching for my panties and bra, and sliding them on.

  “I’ll get it,” he said, stepping into his boxer briefs. He kissed me before he slid into the water, and swam in strong strokes to the dock.

  I was shocked by the feelings raging inside me, at the utter contentment and happiness I felt. Never could I have imagined feeling this way, this strongly, so soon after meeting Kade. I smiled, already reliving the moments, knowing I’d relive this day for the rest of my life.

  He lifted himself up onto the dock effortlessly, his boxer briefs clinging to his high, firm butt. My eyes widened when I recognized the tell-tale signs of my fingernail marks across his shoulders.

  Sitting on the dock, he reached into his jeans pocket. He glanced at me in disbelief. “I have five voice messages.”

  Five. That made me nervous.

  “I don’t recognize the number.” He dialed and listened. “Every single one of them is static.”

  Static?

  Fear rippled along my spine.

  Oh my God…Laria.

  I immediately eased myself into the water and swam toward the dock. I was more of a side swimmer than a breaststroke or crawl-stroke kind of girl. My parents had sent me to swim lessons when I was little, but for whatever reason, swimming wasn’t my forte. I managed, but that was about it.

  I was thirty feet away from Kade when I felt her.

  I swam faster, and had an urgent, almost overwhelming need to get to safety.

  Something brushed my right leg.

  I gasped, taking in a mouthful of water. My fingers got caught up in something stringy…like weeds. Or no, was that—hair?

  A hand grasped tight to my ankle, and I was abruptly pulled under the water and dragged quickly away from the dock.

  I opened my eyes. Laria’s face was inches from mine, her long hair floating around her. I tried to get away from her, but her grip on me was too strong. Her hands encircled both my wrists and she tried to pull me deeper under the water.

  I heard Kade yell my name, followed by the sound of him diving into the water. Seconds later he was beside me, lifting me up so my head was above the water. “Hold on to my shoulders.”

  I did as he asked, holding on for dear life as he swam back to the dock.

  Kade helped push me up and onto the dock, and then he was beside me, brushing my hair away from my face.

  “Riley, are you okay?”

  I nodded, unable to believe what had just happened. Laria had tried to kill me, and in front of someone else. In fact, she would have succeeded if Kade hadn’t have dove in to save me.

  “What happened? You were there one second, and the current must have gotten a hold of you.”

  I could see him grappling with the questions, given the fact he’d lived here all his life and probably never encountered a current strong enough to drag a swimmer downstream.

  “I don’t know what happened,” I said, uncomfortable when his gaze shifted over my body and lingered on the scars on my ankle—the place where I had cut the most and left the most damage. I made no effort to hide them. “I felt like something got a hold of me and pulled me downstream.” It sounded crazy, but it was the truth.

  His brows furrowed like he was still trying to understand. That, or he was trying to understand the scars on my body.

  He swallowed hard. “I shouldn’t have checked my phone. I’m sorry,” he said, putting his arm around me and holding me tight. “I should have made sure you were out of the water first.”

  “I’m fine,” I said, settling against him while I scanned the water.

  Never in my life could I have imagined that ghosts could be so vengeful. I shuddered. I would never be able to go in the water again without waiting for Laria to pull me down.

  I heard a scraping noise come from underneath me. “I should check on Miss Akin,” I said, coming to my feet, ready to be as far away from the river as possible.

  “Don’t you want to dry off first?”

  I used my plaid shirt to dry the droplets off my body, and then slid my jeans on and my T-shirt, trying not to look at the cracks between the planks of wood. Why did I have the feeling Laria was still here, still lingering? Just waiting. Had she been here the entire time, even while Kade and I had been making love?

  Probably.

  Kade dressed quickly and grabbed our fishing poles.

  I heard scraping again and made the mistake of looking down between the wooden slats. I swallowed a scream. Laria’s dark eyes peered back at me.

  “Let’s go,” I said, and Kade nodded. He took hold of my hand.

  I felt him watching me the entire way to the car. The lighthearted feeling of the afternoon had quickly turned, and I couldn’t hide the fear I was experiencing. I was already starting to sleep with my bathroom light on. Tonight I doubted I would sleep at all.

  “You okay?” Kade asked as he pulled out onto the main highway.

  I nodded. “Thanks, I had fun.”

  “Except for almost drowning.” He raked his hands through his dark hair. “I’m so sorry, Riley.”

  “It’s not your fault, and I didn’t almost drown. I just drank a little more water than I should have,” I said, hoping to lighten the mood.

  “I shouldn’t have left you out there alone.”

  His fingers tightened around mine, and I kissed his cheek. I could see the relief in his face as he smiled. A smile that faded as fast as it had come. “Your nose is bleeding.”

  I lifted my hand to my face and my finger came back with blood.

  Not again.

  It’s like someone turned a faucet on, and I had no choice but to use my plaid shirt as a tissue.

  I could feel Kade’s growing panic. “You don’t think the nosebleed has anything to do from taking on too much water, do you?”

  “No, I had a nosebleed the other night, too. It’s probably just allergy related.”

  “You should see a doctor.” His thumb brushed along mine, and I smiled, comforted by his concern. “We could drop by the clinic in town.”

  “Kade, I’m fine.” />
  By the time we pulled into the inn driveway, the nosebleed had stopped.

  I invited Kade to stay for a while. Shane was on the computer in Dad’s study.

  “Hey,” I said. “Where’s Dad and Miss Akin?”

  “Helping clean up at Anne Marie’s,” Shane said, too into whatever he was reading to look at us. “Dad just called and said they’d be home in an hour or two.”

  “I’ll be upstairs.”

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he said, finally glancing at us. One side of his mouth lifted in a smirk before he turned back to the computer.

  As Kade and I walked up the stairs, I wondered if I should have checked my room first. Just to see if Laria had been there and made a statement as she was so good at doing.

  I turned the doorknob and released the breath I’d been holding.

  The room looked just like I’d left it.

  Thank God.

  Kade walked around the room, taking in everything. “It’s just as I thought it would be,” he said, stopping at the window. “Too bad you can’t see my room from here. We could come up with our own Morse Code using lights.”

  I smiled.

  Turning toward me, his gaze shifted to something over my shoulder.

  “Is that Mount Hood?”

  My eyes widened. He was talking about the charcoal drawing I’d made when I was fourteen. My mom had entered it in a contest and it had won first place. “Yes. How did you know?”

  His brows furrowed. “I don’t know. I guess I must have seen it on the Internet or something.”

  Actually, it wasn’t so strange since Ian had commented about the very same picture.

  “Could I draw you?”

  “Like right now?” he asked, scratching his jaw.

  “Yes, right now.”

  “All right, I’m down for it.” He clapped his hands together. “Where do you want me?”

  “The chair,” I said.

  “Clothed or naked?” He maintained a straight face for all of three seconds before flashing a wolfish smile.

  “Clothing optional,” I said, envisioning Miss A or my dad walking in to find Kade in the altogether. Not a good scenario. “Maybe just lose the shirt.”

  He reached behind his head, and yanked his shirt off, leaving his hair nice and disheveled—like he’d just woken up.