The Good, The Bad and The Ghostly ((Paranromal Western Romance))

by Keta Diablo

  With her fingers still locked in his, she struggled with how to maintain a professional image and appear friendly enough to gain his trust. The line already seemed blurred.

  Why?

  Shoving aside her misgivings, she followed her instinct. "If I’m to call you by your first name, you should call me, Ruth or Oliva."

  A wide grin formed on his lips. He raised her hand to his mouth. "Ruth, then, and thank you for allowing me such liberties." He kissed the back of her hand before releasing it.

  The sizzle of desire rushing through her had her turning quickly for the stairs. "I, huh, wouldn’t mind freshening up a bit before you give me the grand tour of the house. I’m a little dusty from the trip here."

  Her hat shifted as if caught by an invisible force and was lifted from her head. She turned with, "What the—"

  Konnor dropped it on one of the pegs nailed to the hallway’s wall. "We’ll simply set this here along with your coat, so you don’t have to go upstairs to retrieve them whenever you’re ready to step back outside."

  Not generally concerned with how she looked, she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Was she a complete mess? Her trip from Omaha had taken most of the day. Did she look worn and haggard?

  She must. The wind and the exercise had played havoc with her energy level. With only her breakfast to tide her over, she’d struggled to put one foot in front of the other while on the road to Konnor’s place. If he hadn’t walked out to help her with the bags, she wasn’t certain she would have made it without collapsing at his feet once she got here. "Good idea."

  Following his example, she tugged off her gloves, shoved them in her pockets.

  After he had hung up his coat, he helped her with hers. His large presence shifted behind her, sending a wash of need through her. Then his hands closed over the heavy leather, bringing with it the smell of fresh hay and his unique masculine scent. He lifted the cured hide from her shoulders and set it on a peg next to his. "There we go. Now, we can head upstairs."

  He stepped closer and laid a hand on her lower back to guide her to the stairs. His blistering nudge sliced through her, reminding her of the endless months she’d endured without a lover’s touch.

  Her knees wobbled, and she stumbled.

  "Whoa, sweetheart." Konnor caught her around the waist and held her steady. His impressive form, the perfect anchor to hold her up, had her leaning into him. The sudden contact with his firm body didn’t inspire strength. Instead, she fought the hunger to melt against him.

  Somehow, he must have realized her inability to stand. Because one minute, she stood before him, the next he’d swept her up in his embrace. "My, but you are a tiny thing."

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and worked to clear her vision while her head still spun in circles. "What are you doing?"

  "Carrying you upstairs. A pint-sized woman like you must be exhausted from your trip. What time did you start out?" He walked up the stairs without giving her a chance to demand that he release her.

  Her gaze narrowed in on the strong column of his neck. The word determined joined the stubborn tag she’d used to describe him. Nonetheless, she appreciated his assistance. The ache in her feet eased, and she snuggled closer, letting his strength revive hers. Still the man was being awful forward. She needed to remind him she expected to be treated as a professional, not his lover. "I’m not exactly sure when the train left Omaha, they were running late."

  "Omaha?" He paused outside a doorway and released her legs. Her body swung against his. He tightened his hold on her waist and drew her into his chest. "That means you’ve been traveling all day."

  "Yes, after I got to Shelton. I managed to get a ride with a couple who let me off about two or three miles down the road from your house." She recalled the older man and his wife. They had encouraged her to go home with them and pay a visit to Konnor tomorrow after she’d given herself an opportunity to rest. She smiled. "Mr. and Mrs. Stout. They said they didn’t live too far from here."

  "Yes, they have a place near my parents." He continued to examine her. A frown formed on his mouth and brow, each leveling out into a straight line. "And I’m sure they stopped by there to tell them I have a visitor. Which means, we might have a problem when they find out you’re staying here alone with me."

  "Why? I’m here on assignment." Ruth had run into this situation before and understood how her bunking at a client’s home inspired rumors. "It’s not like anything is going on between us. I’m a respected agent."

  He squeezed her tighter against his chest and lowered his head. His eyes alight with desire, he whispered against her lips, "Wrong. One look and I was smitten. Now, holding you in my arms, I’m ready—"

  The words evaporated between them when he covered her mouth with his.

  My, oh, my, but the man could kiss.

  Chapter Two

  "Man, that’s one dreadfully pretty woman. Where did you find her?" Henry held out a glass of water to Konnor the moment he stepped into the kitchen.

  Stifling the desire to put his fist through a wall, he worked to calm down and stop berating himself for stepping over the line with Ruth. He should never have kissed her, even if she did taste like pure honey.

  Yes, she hadn’t yelled at him. After submitting to his kiss, she had simply walked into his guest bedroom and shut the door in his face.

  He felt for certain she’d be leaving. No woman would allow a complete stranger to take such liberties.

  Taking his anger with himself out on the young man, Konnor grabbed the glass. "And when exactly did you see Miss Wilson?"

  Henry shuffled backward. "I saw her around the corner of the house when I was heading home. But then, I couldn’t leave."

  "Why not?"

  "Well, I figured you might want me to be close by. Maybe act as a chaperone or something, so she doesn’t hogtie you into marrying her."

  Konnor set the full glass of water on the kitchen table next to a bowl of apples. "I’m not a young buck like you. I can have a woman visit without taking advantage of the situation. Now, skedaddle."

  "Are you sure? Because I don’t mind staying a while longer if you need me to." Henry edged along the counter to the back door and pointed to the table. "I also cut up some meat and set out the biscuits you made this morning."

  "Thanks. Now get. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow." Konnor waved the boy out of the house and surveyed the food. With the table set with plates and silver, they wouldn’t have to wait to eat.

  Nevertheless, what would Ruth think? Would she be happy with a cold meal? Or should he heat something else up?

  The footsteps out in the dining room alerted him to her appearance in the doorway. He turned and noted her sleek curves displayed to perfection in a blue cotton dress. The high collar circled her neck and then spread open, revealing a small patch of her chest. A line of buttons traveled down the front of her bodice to her hips. Below, she wore a matching skirt with extra material that swept up to form a bustle.

  "Are you hungry? If you want, you can have a quick snack now, and after I show you the house, I’ll make something else." He pulled out a chair from the small table that hugged the wall adjacent to the door.

  "That’s very kind of you but you don’t have to go to so much trouble." She strolled forward and lifted the water he’d set down. "This is what I’m thirsty for."

  Chugging the fluid, she drank half before lowering the glass. "Thank you. I was bone dry. I carry a canteen with me at all times, but I didn’t want to stop and dig it out of my luggage."

  "I guess your job takes you off the beaten path." He wondered what else she consistently carried with her.

  She smiled and sat down in the chair he offered. "I’ve had to become very self-reliant. The agency sends me wherever I’m needed. Luckily, though, I can turn down any assignment I don’t want."

  He sank into the place at the end of the table and grabbed a biscuit from the plate in front of him. Did she have no family, no one to take care of
her? "Why did you become a ghost detective?"

  A small chuckle broke from her lips. "First, I have the ability to talk to restless spirits. Second, I’m willing to let it be known that I can help them."

  He shuttered, uncertain if he’d consider that a good thing. After all, some might call her crazy for even suggesting she had such a bizarre skill. "Yes, but it must mean you are constantly on the road."

  She forked some meat onto her plate and selected a piece of bread. "That’s not such a disadvantage as it may seem. I’ve seen most of the country and made friends in a number of states. I also make good money and support myself."

  "I assume that means you have no one on which to depend?" He noted the slight stiffening of her shoulders and patted her arm. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried into your business."

  "You’re not the first. Most people are curious after meeting me. I’m not the standard young woman who stays at home, marries the hardworking boy next door, and plans to have a dozen kids." She shrugged and toyed with her food. "I chose instead to leave and follow my own path."

  Unable to envision any father letting his daughter strike out on her own, Konnor queried, "Why?"

  She set down her fork without taking a bite and picked up her glass. "Like I said not everyone has the skill to communicate with the dead. Some find it downright strange."

  Suddenly, he realized how people must treat her, especially those who were unfamiliar with her unique qualifications. Glancing down at the table, he questioned himself. Did he think of her as a freak of nature?

  After all, she claimed to talk to ghosts.

  He searched through his memory and recalled his grandmother predicting the outcome of future events. She’d proven her ability several times, and no one doubted her skill. Did it mean she was crazy? No. They all thought of her as being gifted. Then why had people turned against Ruth?

  How could anyone not be proud of her?

  "I guess that means you don’t see your family much?" He examined her face, trying his best to read her expression. A small smile touched her lips, and she lifted a bite of meat. "I only have a sister still alive and I haven’t seen her in years."

  Seeing as he’d probably already built an impenetrable wall between them with his actions and his probing inquiries, he blurted out the question that had been plaguing him since she’d walked downstairs. "So what would it take to get you to stay with me?"

  * * *

  Ruth gagged on the piece of meat she had hoped to swallow. Had she heard him correctly? "I, uh...."

  She grabbed her water and drank deeply, using it to help unclog the pathway in her throat. Her mind racing with possible answers, she glanced at the concerned expression on Konnor’s face.

  "Are you all right?" He leaned forward as if ready to slap her on the back or come to her aid if she should need him to help her.

  After drawing air deep into her lungs, she lowered her glass and wiped an unsteady hand across her mouth. "I’m fine. You just caught me off guard with your question."

  "Why, because I said straight out that I like you and plan to get to know you better?" He grinned and laid his hand on her arm. "It may seem to you that this is coming from out of the blue, but I’m past the age of beating around the bush."

  He captured her hand and positioned it in the center of his. The warmth engulfed Ruth, reminding her how wonderful it felt to be in his arms. "The woman I asked to marry me bailed after two days in my home. Personally, now that I’ve met you, I’m glad she did."

  "Wait, what? If that’s the case, why did you ask her to be your wife?" Ruth squeezed his hand and placed her other one on top of his when he refused to release his grip.

  He shrugged. "I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life alone. When my brother introduced us, he said she’d be the perfect wife for me. After a few days, I let him and her convince me that we could build a future together. Then she came for a visit and—"

  He ran his free hand across the back of his neck. "I was cordial, but I could see right away she’d never be able to live here."

  "Did you scare her off?" Ruth wondered if he somehow devised a way to make Wilhelmina think a wayward soul was after her.

  "No, I planned to give her a few days to decide she didn’t enjoy the place. Then I intended to talk to her and convince her we had made a mistake." He shook his head and drew her hand up to his lips. "She said a ghost told her to skedaddle and bolted before I could convince her to leave. I must say I’m happy she dreamed up the story because she brought me you."

  "And what happens when I uncover your resident spirit?" Ruth didn’t believe for a minute he’d find her abnormality of talking to the dead something he could live with.

  He grinned and kissed her palm. Tingles of awareness caused goosebumps to form on her skin. "I’ll give the ghost a great big thanks for scaring off Wilhelmina."

  Skeptical, Ruth tugged her hand free. Her stomach rumbled, and she dug into her food. "Good, then once I’ve finished eating you can give me a tour of the house."

  "Gladly." He smiled and spread out his arms. "This, if you haven’t guessed, is the kitchen."

  She couldn’t hold back a small chuckle. "You don’t say?"

  "I have breakfast, lunch, and supper, right here at this table." He lifted his fork. "I only use the dining room when I’m having a big crowd, usually during the holidays when my family comes over."

  Already seeing a problem with them getting together, she stifled her assumption that they’d take exception to him marrying a ghost hunter. "I corresponded with your brother. Do you have any other siblings?"

  "A younger sister." He continued eagerly, "My mom and dad are both alive and live not too far from here. I have a few aunts and uncles scattered about with a handful of cousins, not a huge crowd but rowdy when we all get together."

  She glanced around the room, remembering what his brother had told her about their partnership. He believed the spirit was one of the prior owners of the house. "Why don’t you tell me why you bought this place?"

  "Barton told you he thinks the ghost is the unfriendly hermit that lived here before we bought the place, right?" Konnor paused in eating his food.

  She nodded, remembering the brief conversation and noted the similarities between the two men, both tall with brown hair and eyes. Barton’s size, however, didn’t affect her the same way. He had a businesslike presence and hadn’t stood close enough to make her feel weak and very feminine. Konnor had her swooning whenever he came near.

  Relaxing in his chair, Konnor picked at his food. "Mr. Clevemore wasn’t very social and didn’t like the noise young’uns make, but he wasn’t crazy or out to ruin anyone’s life. He merely liked his peace and quiet."

  "So how did you come to buy it?"

  "We worked out a deal where I split the profits of the crops with him if he’d let me work his land. After a few years, he decided he wanted to sell and move closer to his son in Kansas. Barton and I decided to buy the place together." Konnor set down his fork and shoved his plate to the center of the table. "We paid him the money, and he was ready to go when his son arrived. That night he went to bed and never woke up. He died in his sleep."

  "Doesn’t sound like he has a reason to haunt the place." She glanced at the table and other items in the kitchen. "Did most of the furnishings in the house belong to him or did you bring in other stuff?"

  "A little of both. His son didn’t want to cart all his things back to Kansas, so he sold what he could. I bought some items, but I also had some furnishings that my grandparents left me." He leaned forward and nabbed an apple from the bowl on the table. "Would you like a bite for dessert?"

  Pleased by the suggestion, she eased back her chair and stood. The meal hadn’t been fancy, but it had more than satisfied her hunger. "Thank you. While you’re cutting that up, I’ll start the dishes."

  He sliced the apple in half and quartered each piece, creating smaller chunks with each cut. "Don’t bother. This was only a snack to tide us over. Once
I’ve shown you around the house, I thought I’d head out to the barn and bed down the horses for the night. While I’m out there, you can relax by the fire until I’m done. Then I’ll fix us something else to eat when I come inside."

  Surprised by how he aimed to eat again in an hour or two, she gathered the plates and utensils, forming a pyramid of dirty dished in front of her. "I doubt I’ll be hungry later. Why don’t you head outside, and I’ll roam through the house on my own?"

  "But I was looking forward to showing you my bedroom." He popped a wedge of apple into his mouth and chewed. The wicked glimmer in his brown eyes told her he was teasing.

  At least, she pretended that was his intention and smothered the excitement the idea inspired. Suddenly, a different thought occurred to her. "Was Wilhelmina in your bedroom?"

  He dropped his knife on the table and sprang to his feet. His hand captured her forearm, and he pulled her close. "If she was, I wasn’t in there with her. I treated her with respect and never stepped over the line, not once."

  Ruth set her palms on the hard wall of his chest and eased them over the rough fabric of his shirt. His alluring warmth set her heart racing. She toyed with a button and stared at his mouth. "Does that mean you plan to do the same with me?"

  The hands he’d dropped to her waist shifted. One drew her deeper into his embrace while the other nudged her chin up with a knuckle until their eyes met. His searing gaze lit a fire, heating her core and arousing every cell in her body.

  "No. The gentleman in me heads south whenever you enter the room. All I can think about is getting my hands on you." He sprayed his palms over her back and tugged her deeper against his chest. "I want you in a way I’ve never wanted a woman before, under me screaming while I make you completely mine."

  She gasped. "But you don’t even know me."

  "You’re wrong. Some instinct inside me knew the moment we met you belong to me. Now, all I need to do is convince you of that fact." He dropped his mouth over hers. His kisses were gentle and sweet one moment, demanding and urgent the next.