She held on to the steering wheel and took a deep breath. “Before I left I promised my friend Annice that I’d have coffee with her today after work at Full o’ Beans in town. She’ll be waiting for me.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No, it’s best not. I’m not ready for her to meet you yet. She won’t be as easy to fool as my mother. She’ll ask lots more questions and we have to have some reasonable answers worked out before she does.” She twined her fingers into his on her lap. “I’ll come back in an hour or so.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Seven
“You mean you actually saw a ghost?” Annice’s voice matched the “pull the other one” expression on her face. She was the legal assistant to one of the foremost lawyers in town and wore a tailored suit, albeit with a very short skirt, that showed off her great legs. She pushed her leather satchel on an empty chair.
“I think so.” Jane hoped that the footage on the video recorder was good enough to convince the law firm there was something there and poor enough to prevent anyone identifying the person in the image. “There was definitely something on the video.”
“This I have to see.”
Jane shook her head. “It belongs to the firm. I have to give it to them first.” Besides, she had to check it out herself before anyone else saw it.
“So tell me what happened. You set up camp, right?”
Jane gave an outline of her time at the Newland mansion, omitting the part about Pierce and his stepmother, about taking a flying leap toward Pierce. She also left out all the details about making love with a resurrected ghost. Without all the dramatic and spooky bits it was a pretty boring account.
“So what was it? On the video? Were you scared out of your wits?”
“I only saw a faint shape, just a flicker of movement. I couldn’t tell what it might be. No I wasn’t scared.” Sitting in a bright, busy coffee shop she began to wonder if her adventure had really happened.
“Were there noises, things thrown around?”
“That’s poltergeists.”
“Whatever.” Annice took another sip of her iced chai latte. “Take me out there.”
“What?”
“You still have the keys, don’t you?”
Jane had foolishly confided that she wouldn’t return the camera and the keys until Friday morning. She nodded.
“If you can’t show me the film at least you can take me where it’s supposed to have happened.”
“What’s the point? You don’t believe me.”
“Darn right I don’t believe you. I know how fanciful you can get. You were hallucinating, being all alone and everything. The only way to convince you there’s nothing there is to go back again. Who knows,” she said with a sly smile as she licked some foam from her stir stick, “you might convince me if the ghost decides to appear.” She made a woo-woo gesture in the air with the stick.
“Annice—” Jane paused. There was no way she could tell her what really happened.
“If you won’t take me I’ll go on my own. There has to be a way to break in.” She looked at Jane, seeming to sense that she was winning. “We’ll go tonight.”
Jane opened her mouth to protest then shrugged. “There’s something else.”
“What? Extraterrestrials?”
“I met someone while I was away.”
Even Annice was shocked into momentary silence. She made a “more, more” gesture with one hand.
“He happened to come by the mansion while I was there.”
“He? Happened?”
“Well, he wanted to see the old house. We got to talking.” She felt the heat rise in her face. “I gave him a ride back into town.” She prayed that Annice wouldn’t ask how he had got to the house in the first place. “I’m meeting him later.”
“Well, you certainly had an interesting couple of days. Ghosts and hunks.” She shot Jane a glance. “I’m assuming he is a hunk.”
Jane nodded. “You could say that.” She caught a movement by the door of the coffee shop and stared, transfixed. Annice turned to look at what had caught her attention. Pierce shouldered his way through the customers and stood by the counter, scanning the tables.
Annice turned back to Jane. “My oh my,” she said. “Is that him?”
Jane could only nod wordlessly as Pierce caught her eye and began to stride toward their table. As he drew closer, she had ample time to congratulate herself on the choice of clothes. His jeans hugged his slim hips. His shirt clung to wide shoulders and tapered nicely to his waist and the wide leather belt. He moved easily and purposefully, a triumphant grin on his lips.
“That,” Annice whispered, “is a hunk.”
A half-hour later, Annice pushed her empty cup away and stood. “So it’s settled. We’ll go out just before it gets dark.”
Jane nodded weakly. She’d argued with her friend but Annice had grown more pigheaded the more she heard why she shouldn’t go.
Pierce got to his feet. “We’ll pick you up at nine,” he said. “It’s a beautiful house. You’ll like it.”
“Just a quick visit to prove there’s no such thing as a ghost.”
Pierce nodded, his face serious. “You’re right.”
Annice swung her purse strap onto her shoulder. “You guys,” she said. “If your video’s any good, you could sell it as another Blair Witch Project. See you later.”
Jane watched her leave. Pierce remained standing.
“I thought you were going to wait for me,” she said.
“I was bored and decided to try to find my own way around. I did it!”
“You sure did.”
“Now can we go back to the motel?” he asked, running one fingertip along her bare arm.
Jane pushed back her chair, trying to ignore the ripple of fire that snaked along her arm and right to her core. “We shouldn’t be going back to the house.”
“Hey, she would have argued all day if we’d let her. I’ve got other things in mind for my time. Let’s go.” He took her hand and led her out to the street.
Jane unlocked the car. She should pinch herself to make sure she was awake and not dreaming this fantasy. But the man beside her was solid flesh, warm and very much alive. He wanted to take her back to the motel and the bed that waited there because he wanted to make love to her again. And she was following willingly, even eagerly.
Pierce opened the door of the motel room, his blood already pounding in his head and behind the solid zipper of these newfangled pants she had found for him. He seized her in his arms, hearing her little gasp, half pleasure, half surprise. Holding her tight against him he kicked the door closed, narrowing his eyes in the dimness. The extraordinary places he’d seen in the few hours since he’d been alive again were making his head spin. There was so much to take in. He’d told her he was here for good and that’s what he believed. But he couldn’t help wondering if it all could be snatched away from him in the blink of an eye. He’d told the truth when he’d said there were not many ghosts who were touched strongly enough that they came back to the world.
A transient ghost had once told him that there had to be a bond between the rescuer and the phantom but he was hard pressed to see what bond existed between him and Jane before she’d barreled into him. Maybe it was something to do with a future link. That idea appealed.
For sure there was a bond now. True, he’d spent four decades without feeling a woman in his arms and he’d been hungry with a raw, biting hunger. That first time they’d come together had been pure carnal instinct and natural humanity but now it was more.
He felt the length of her body against him and kissed the top of her head. He loved the way she fit so neatly under his chin. He loved the way the curve of her body pressed against his hardness. “This is where you belong,” he whispered. “Close to me.”
She set her hands on his shoulders. Little darts of electricity seemed to tease his muscles. A deep ache clamped on his groin.
He fe
lt her shiver. His hands smoothed her back, feeling the structure of her body, the firmness of her spine, the swell of her hips. It was unbelievable. He’d known her such a short time. He breathed in her scent and savored her softness, her warmth against him. He was starting to think this should last forever.
He might love the feel of her, of her skin, her face, her breasts, her lips, but he also savored the sound of her voice as it caught in her throat. He treasured the glint of excitement in her eyes that seemed to set a spark to his male ego, provoking a pulsing, desperate arousal that must be satisfied.
The insatiable drumming in his groin threatened to take over his brain. A mist floated over his eyes and he could see nothing clearly, could only feel. His mouth found hers and he tasted the sweetness, sensed the fragility of her bones. All he wanted was to lie over her, to feel her yield as she had done before, letting him into her, taking him deep inside her, making murmurs of desire and contentment.
He pulled her shirt up and let his fingertips flutter against the muscles of her back.
She pulled her mouth from his. “I want you,” she whispered, meeting his eyes, echoing his own thoughts, making his heart leap.
He stepped back and ripped at his shirt. “I think you said that once before. And my answer’s the same—not half as much as I want you.”
Suddenly they were both moving, shedding clothing until they were naked. He stretched out his arms for her but she did not move into them. She stood, feet slightly apart, letting him gaze his fill at her breasts, her waist, the flare of her hips, the soft curls concealing her mound. With one fingertip, he traced the line of a blue vein in her breast to where it met her nipple. The brown bud puckered and stood out. He smiled. “Nice,” he whispered.
She shuddered but still did not move.
He dropped to his knees and ran his hands up her legs. He felt the slight tremor in her muscles and his cock hardened even more. He seized her wrists and held her firm as he pleasured her with his mouth and tongue. The world faded. Every thought was gone, save for the silky warmth of her skin under his fingertips. He touched the tip of his tongue to the sensitive spot between her legs and she quivered again and moaned. The insides of her thighs were moist with her juice. He sucked the nub of her clit between his lips and held her a prisoner of his mouth and hands. She arched her spine and threw back her head, widening her stance to give him more access to her dark, soft places.
He released her hands and grasped the mounds of her buttocks, still sucking on her clit. He felt her hands on his head, her fingers in his hair, pulling him even tighter against her.
This woman filled him with wild, wanton ideas of what he would like to do to her and at the same time made him think of gentleness, loving-kindness and sweetness.
She uttered another sound deep in her throat and he tasted another rush of creamy liquid. He dug his fingers into the crease between her cheeks and at the same time released the tender flesh of her clit from his mouth. She groaned again and he blew delicately onto her heat, following it with a featherlike caress with his tongue. As if he had touched a match to a tinderbox, she exploded, the orgasm pushing her vulva against his mouth again, making her legs shake and her whole frame tremble. He held her on her feet while the storm swept over her until she sagged over him, spent and weak.
He stood and swept her into his arms and turned toward the bed. She clung to him, her face pressed to his chest, one arm draped over his shoulder.
In the small room, it was a bare two strides to the bed. He fell with her onto the tangled sheets, already scented with their lovemaking.
She snaked the fingers of one hand between his legs, cupping his balls, moving gently, kneading him while she stroked him just enough to bring him to the edge. This time her eyes stayed on him as she inflicted exquisite torture, watching the fleeting expressions on his face as his desire grew and his penis swelled. At last she lay back and spread her legs for him in silent invitation. He felt her damp softness against his hot flesh and slid into her warm sheath with a deep sigh of pleasure. He was big enough to fill her completely and he felt her muscles tighten to hold him. Jane seized his hair with two hands and snaked her legs around his hips, driving him yet deeper into her. The tip of his cock pressed against the wall of her womb and he erupted into fire.
Jane had drifted off into a light doze. She came to with her mouth dry as the desert sand. She needed water. Pierce appeared to be asleep. Not surprising considering all the extra energy he’d been using for the past couple of days. Quietly she slid out of his arms and took a glass from the tiny bathroom. Propping her behind against the dresser as she sipped the tepid liquid, she looked at the man in her bed. Well not exactly her bed but close enough.
He’d passed a couple of tests already. Annice was drop-dead gorgeous and he’d not even given her a second glance. One temptation down, two thousand more to go. And he’d made a great impression on her mother.
But there was still the plan to return to the mansion. What if Pierce had got it wrong and his stepmother had remained there, haunting away and looking for some unsuspecting mortal to bring her back? She was a murderer, even if she’d gotten away with it for a while. That prompted another question—for how long? When did she die? Mental note to look up the death certificate.
One more thing to add to the list.
Jane finished the glass of water and began to look for her discarded garments. She retrieved her bra and panties from under the tangle of bedclothes but her jeans and shirt were scattered near the door. Her clothes bundled in her arms, she slipped into the bathroom again for a quick shower. Her movements must have roused Pierce because when she emerged he was wide awake, his head propped on one hand.
He sat up in the bed, a picture of warm golden skin, smooth muscles and tousled hair. Jane couldn’t believe that such a body had been hers, all hers, and she stared, transfixed by the hard beauty of him.
“What is it?”
She felt herself blush and dipped her head to towel her hair. “You look good.”
Her head was covered and her voice muffled but she heard the bed creak as he moved. Even with the damp towel over her face she knew when he came close. The heat from his body vibrated around her. He drew the towel from her hair and threw it on the floor.
“What did you say?” The corner of his mouth ticked up in a tiny grin. “Tell me.”
“I said you look good.”
“Good enough to eat?”
“You could say that.” God, that treacherous pulse between her legs was beating its insistent rhythm again.
“I’ll hold you to it.” He plonked a kiss on her mouth. “I’ll take a shower first.”
Oh boy! She looked at her watch. It was already six. They should grab something to eat. Even if she couldn’t swallow a thing, Pierce was certain to be hungry again. Then they would meet Annice and get this next challenge over with. Sometime soon they had to look at the video and get their story straight for the law firm. Not to mention finding a way to let Jane’s mother know her daughter might be spending nights away from home. Jane bit her lip as she stepped into her pants.
Pierce came out of the shower in a waft of steam and pine-scented soap.
“Boy, that is wonderful. All that hot water at the turn of a switch.” He looked at her. “What’s up?”
She’d never known anyone who was so sensitive to her unspoken feelings. She sighed. “Nothing really. I was just thinking about my mom.”
“What about her?” Pierce dried his back and began to dress. He knew she had something on her mind and he’d dropped the bantering, sexy talk of just a few minutes before.
She dragged a comb through her hair. “I live at home,” she began.
“Right.” He pulled on his shirt.
She sat on the one chair so thoughtfully provided. “I told you it’s a cheap and easy way to pay off my student loans.”
“That’s why you wanted the money.”
“Right.” She hesitated. “Look, can we find something to
eat and we can talk about it?”
“Fine by me.”
They slipped into the benches on opposite sides of a booth in a busy diner. Jane ordered iced tea and a muffin. Pierce took chicken fried steak and a baked potato.
Once the ordering was out of the way Pierce took her hand across the table. “So tell me what’s on your mind.”
“I’ll try to make it short.” She gave his fingers an answering squeeze. “I took my teaching qualifications and then a Master’s in Fine Arts including some courses in Art Therapy. I love working with kids through their drawings and paintings and I’m establishing a nice working relationship with a couple of educational psychologists. Maybe one day I’ll build up to having enough referrals to work at it full time.” She sipped her iced water. “So I want to save money and the fee from the lawyers will help there but I also know my mom is lonely. While I was away at college she rattled around in the big house where my brother and I grew up. My dad died five years ago.”
She looked up at Pierce. His face was serious. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you. It’s a good arrangement for both of us for now, although it can’t go on forever. She should move. We both should move. She worries about me when I go out.” Jane sighed. “It’s like being seventeen again.”
Pierce fixed her with his dark gaze. “Are you building up to tell me you don’t want to spend a night with me?”
“God no. I want to spend a night, lots of nights with you, more than anything I’ve ever wanted. But I’m not sure how to…”
“Why not just tell her?”
“That’s what I should do. I was planning on moving out soon to my own apartment.”
The waitress came with the food and Pierce gave her the benefit of one of his smiles. The woman almost melted into a puddle on the spot and drifted away, a dazed look on her face.
He picked up his knife and fork. “There you go, then.”
“I suppose.” Jane sighed again. Pierce didn’t know her mother.
They met Annice as they had arranged in a shopping mall on the edge of town. The place was deserted and Annice’s car sat under a lamp standard in the exact center of the lot. The automatic lighting had come on but struggled against the dying glow from the sun. As Jane drew up alongside, Annice sprang out of her shiny Mustang and clicked the remote to lock the doors.
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