Ghost's Treasure

by Cheyenne Meadows

  "Dang that was close."

  Ghost wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side. "We'll be just fine here. If things go sour, there's always the basement."

  "With a secret tunnel exit?" She blinked up at him coyly.

  "Perhaps."

  She wiggled closer, and he savored the moment of rightness in his world. Not since Lindsay had he simply sat on the couch cuddling with a woman. He'd forgotten how relaxing and wonderful the fleeting niceties in life could be.

  Josie sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. "Why me?"

  He looked down at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

  "Why me? Of all women you could spend your free time with, why me? After all, I would have placed bets you were ready to be done with me a few days ago."

  Ghost considered her question for a long moment. "I'll admit at first, I didn't care for the job."

  "Then?"

  "Then I began to see the true you. Not just another troublesome woman."

  The corners of her mouth curled up. "Oh, I can be troublesome."

  He snorted, leaned over, and planted a kiss to her crown. "Definitely, but in a different way. You didn't ask for evil to crop up all around. Besides, you did the right thing returning the jewels. Most people would have unloaded them as soon as possible for a huge profit."

  "They weren't mine to sell."

  That's what he appreciated about Josie. She spoke the truth and carried goodness even though the rest of society had allowed their morals to slip. He knew where he stood with her, never worried she'd take what he told her and twist the information for blackmail. His continued survival teetered on secrecy. Her knowledge of some basic parts of his life could be enough to get them both killed. Yet she seemed to understand the dangers and respected his lines drawn in the sand.

  Definitely rare.

  She took the moment to arch her neck, peering up into his face. Lowering his head, he melded his lips over hers, lazily licking her bottom lip until she opened wide enough to allow him entrance. Not waiting for a second invitation, he dipped his tongue inside, flicking over hers, and seeking another taste from her depths.

  Josie squirmed, pressing closer, until she grunted in frustration. He pulled back long enough to watch her straddle his hips, yank the bottom of his shirt over his head, then toss the unwanted garment aside.

  He grinned wryly. "Need something?"

  "I want to touch you, feel the warmth of your skin. Run my fingers over the muscles." She leaned forward to lave his neck, running the tip of her tongue from bottom to top, pausing at his chin in order to stare down at him. "You're yummy."

  Holy shit. He sucked in a deep breath and struggled with an immediate arousal so powerful, he feared he'd come in his pants. With her perfect rear tucked against his lap, the junction of her thighs brushing against his granite hard cock, and her delicate tongue licking him like a favorite ice cream treat, he didn't know how long he'd last.

  The flood gates on his libido surged open. He took her mouth hard, leaving no area untouched. She met him with fiery need, feeding the raging inferno overcoming his senses. Nothing else mattered except getting closer, tasting her, touching her in ways he'd only dreamed about.

  Sliding his hand under her shirt, he trailed his fingers over her flat stomach, then up to mold one bra-clad breast, weighing and learning the feel. Her low moan challenged his barely leashed control. Leaving her mouth, he placed wet kisses along her jawline, down her neck, and over to her ear. Taking her earlobe between his teeth, he nipped, then licked the area. His other hand joined the first, sneaking beneath the cotton material to relish the soft flesh underneath. Josie, in turn, found his nipples, rubbing them until they tightened. His cock jumped in response.

  His phone rang, interrupting their play. With a mixture of relief and regret, he waited for Josie to shift to the side before digging his phone from the holder on his belt. "Yeah."

  "Ghost. Want another job?" Night's voice came across strong and clear despite the storm.

  "What kind of job?"

  "A bit of travel. Probably a week or so total time in order to knock out a string of bad guys."

  He glanced at Josie who had risen from the couch and wandered closer to the front window to watch the rain. "When and where?"

  "Tomorrow at dawn. Let's meet at the Northside Gym."

  "Will do." He clicked off.

  "You have to leave?"

  "In the morning."

  Her aggressiveness had taken him by surprise, fueled his fire. Yet now set him back on his heels. Sure, he'd been with other women since Lindsay, all one-night stands whose faces and names blurred together. Always careful, he ensured no pregnancy occurred as he released stress and enjoyed the distraction for what it was. A few hours of decadent, meaningless sex.

  He wanted more with Josie. Much more.

  Josie was different from the other women who temporarily warmed his bed. He enjoyed her, craved her, yet wasn't quite sure about taking this large leap in their relationship. Sex with a woman like her meant commitment. Marriage. Family. He grimaced at the thought. Perhaps one day, but not now. Not when he still thought of life as day by day and he'd only just discovered his bold attempt to bury all emotions failed. Instead of ignoring them, he needed to find a way to work through the rest of the pain, to calculate a way to close his circle. To truly put his past and Lindsay behind him before he could look ahead to a prosperous future.

  She wandered back over, plopping down next to him, her face full of worry and apology. "I rushed things, didn't I?"

  "Yeah. We both did."

  "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." She met his gaze. "I've never been like that before."

  Reaching out, he linked his fingers with hers, pulling her hand up for a quick caress of his lips. "I'm glad you want me. Don't get me wrong. I just can't, in good conscience, take you right now."

  She bit her bottom lip and nodded slowly.

  He kissed her soft lips. "Don't think for a minute I don't want you."

  She found her feet enthralling.

  "I… we need to take this slow."

  "How slow?" Her chin lifted.

  "Slow enough for us to both realize it's truly what we want. I have some issues to work through, and I know you're still getting comfortable with me." He squeezed her fingers and sucked in a bracing breath. "I never thought I'd even consider another relationship with a woman after Lindsay. It's difficult."

  She rubbed his shoulder. "I understand. She has your heart. How can you give it to someone else when you aren't in possession of it?"

  Talk about hitting the nail on the head. "Exactly."

  They fell silent, each in their own thoughts. Josie broke the quietness. "Tell me this. Will your heart ever be free?"

  He stared at her for a long moment. "I'm not sure."

  "Okay." She paused for a couple of seconds. "If it becomes free, will I have a chance with you?"

  "As I see it, you're the only one with a possibility." He spoke the truth.

  "Good enough." She pecked him on the cheek. "Then, listen up, Mr Navy SEAL. I'm not about to give up on you."

  He soaked up her words. "I'm glad." Checking out the window, he noted the rain had slackened enormously.

  Josie followed his line of vision. "Looks like it's about time to take me home. You have an early morning at work, and I have a week's worth of laundry waiting." She stood up and tugged on their still clasped hands. "Not to mention I need time to dream naughty dreams with you as the main character."

  He shook his head as amusement flared. Leave it to Josie to lighten the mood with an off-the-wall and probably absolutely true statement. "Are you going to share these fantasies with me?"

  She grinned wickedly. "Maybe."

  Chapter 35

  "How's Josie?"

  Ghost glanced up at Lark who had swiveled around to address him. All eyes in the SUV turned to him. Even Loco, who presently drove them toward their destination, glanced at him through the rear
view mirror.

  Purposely, he chose the very back seat to be apart from the group. They seemed like good people, but he wasn't much for chit chat and definitely didn't want to become the center of attention due to his new social life. Now, thanks to Lark, the very thing he tried to avoid seemed to be happening.

  "Josie? Who's Josie?" Spoon asked from the middle seat, right next to the little troublemaker with a sly grin planted on her face.

  "You have a girlfriend, and you didn't bother to tell us? I'm hurt." Cale gripped his chest as if in mortal pain.

  "She's the woman he protected for a couple of weeks recently," Lark tossed out with a gleam in her eye.

  If she didn't shut her mouth, she'd be his next victim. He muttered under his breath and tried to ignore the budding conversation.

  "She's still alive?" Night asked from the shotgun position.

  Ghost snorted. "Of course she's still alive."

  The leader of the band shot him a wry smile. "Never thought otherwise, buddy."

  Ghost flipped him off.

  "What's she look like? Come on. Spill." Spoon angled himself around to be able to see Ghost without giving himself whiplash.

  Puffing out a breath, Ghost relented. Marginally. "She's a pretty little blonde who stumbled across some rare jewels. In her quest to find out what they were, she led some wolves to her front door. I watched over her for a while until the FBI corralled the bad guys. End of story."

  Lark nodded. "She's definitely pretty. An Olympic biathlon competitor, too. Smart and witty. I really like her."

  "You found yourself a professional athlete?" Cale spun around from beside Spoon and leveled an expression of surprise at Ghost. "Damn. How'd you get so lucky?"

  "She must be arrogant, being an Olympian and all," Spoon concluded.

  "Not at all. She's down to earth." Ghost wiggled in his seat, uncomfortable with all the scrutiny, yet he didn't want them beleaguering Josie. Not after everything she'd been through and put up with. She deserved better.

  "Babysitting, huh? That's a tough job. Was she clingy and jumping at every little thing?" Loco asked.

  Why again did I volunteer to come along on this mission? Ghost grappled with his patience. "She did just fine. Took out a tango all by herself. Stood up to the pressure well."

  The men blinked at him. "Why did she have to shoot the guy herself?" Cale arched an eyebrow.

  Of all the Wind Warriors, Cale understood him the best. Both were SEALs in their past lives and had suffered through their women, though for totally opposite reasons. "Four hired guns showed up at the cabin. I was hunting when the leader flushed Josie. She followed my directions, found a nest, and nailed him." He didn't bother to add that he also unloaded on the man.

  Loco whistled. "Sounds like the kind of woman I want to meet."

  Ghost frowned.

  "You've got your own woman. Oakley's an angel." Spoon smacked his best buddy. "You don't need to be meeting other women."

  "I don't know. Oakley's quite the looker. She might get tired of this overgrown ape and go searching for someone a bit higher on the evolutionary scale," Cale said with a smirk on his face.

  "Hey! Look who's talking. You're the one growing love handles and a pot belly," Loco fired back.

  Everyone looked at Cale. Ghost glanced at the former SEAL and bit back a grin. The man didn't carry any more fat than he did. Everyone knew it, but that didn't stop the Marine in the bunch from yanking Cale's chain.

  "You need your eyes checked, Loco." Lark reached around Spoon and patted Cale's belly through the layers of protective Kevlar. "Fit as a fiddle."

  Cale winked at her.

  "Lark?"

  "Hmmm?"

  Night met her gaze. "Want to explain why you called me earlier this week and all I could hear was kissing, heavy breathing, and some hardcore, rough and tumble mattress dancing?"

  "What? I didn't call you."

  "Wanna bet? I've got it recorded." Night pulled out his phone, punched a button, and held up the device for all to hear. Sure enough the sounds of obvious hot and heavy sex carried through the vehicle.

  Everyone stared at Lark. The little blonde actually blushed. "It must have been an accident. I certainly didn't call you as a prank or intend for you to listen in. Good grief."

  "Lark has a new fetish? Performing for others?" Spoon teased until she smacked him in the chest.

  "Knock it off, Neanderthal. I hear eunuchs have many uses."

  "Riley wouldn't like that."

  "I read if a man needs his balls surgically removed, they can replace them with fake balls," Loco tossed out.

  "What the hell? Fake balls?"

  "What are they made out of?"

  "Is that another fetish to go along with Lark's wanting voyeurs to her kinkiness?"

  She sat up straight and pinned each man with her stern gaze. "I suggest you forget all about this topic before I make an appointment for each of you to get your own artificial nuts."

  The guys chuckled and smiled from ear to ear.

  "Turn the recording back on. I want to hear more about Lark screaming in the heat of passion." Loco smirked at her through the rearview mirror.

  She flipped him off. "Pervert."

  Ghost relaxed back in his seat, his lips twitching at the turn of events. In all honesty, the group reminded him of his brothers in arms in the SEALs. They bickered and bantered all the time, but when things got rough, he wanted them watching his back. He trusted no one more. The Wind Warriors might be a motley crew of former special ops and one little retired Army cheerleader, but they had the same adhesive bond. He found himself grinning as the men harassed Lark and she gave it back with gusto. Her spitfire attitude reminded him of Josie.

  The SUV fell silent for a long moment as all eyes turned back to him. He stared back. "What?"

  "You're smiling, bro," Loco pointed out from his vantage point through the rearview mirror.

  Ghost rolled his eyes. "Yeah, so?"

  "So, it's good to see." Night nodded.

  "He's got a pretty smile, don't you think?" Spoon added, earning a thump from Lark. "Umph."

  "Be nice. I think he's got a delightful smile." She beamed at him.

  Ghost leaned forward. "One more word out of you and I'll personally strap you on the luggage rack to ride the rest of the way."

  Lark's eyes widened dramatically before she grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Now, now. Don't get your panties in a wad. I would hate to have to call Josie and tell her you're going all cranky butt again."

  Ghost bit back a groan. "Ryan should have strangled you the last time he threatened."

  "He can't. He loves me too much. Besides, I'm the favorite, and the rest of the family would be devastated."

  "Uh huh." Ghost settled back in his seat.

  "Boss? Need me to pull over and prepare the luggage rack for an extra-large package?" Loco asked.

  Night glanced back at Lark. "How close is the next rest stop? I think we might need some good strong rope to tie her down."

  "Oh, she'll love that. I hear she's all into bondage stuff. Handcuffs, ropes. You name it." Spoon jerked away from Lark's sharp elbow.

  "I am not, you heathen." Lark crossed her arms over her chest and harrumphed.

  Stretching his legs out as much as he could in the small cramped backseat, Ghost relaxed and watched the entertainment. Before he would've ignored all the childish prodding. Now, he sat back, watched with interest, and enjoyed the show. Just like old times. Better times.

  Chapter 36

  The ringing of a cell phone broke through the silence on the second floor of the library. Quickly, Josie dug into her pocket, pulled the device out, and answered. "Hello?"

  "Josie?"

  "Ghost!" Several pairs of eyes stared at her as she exclaimed in excitement. Standing, she made a beeline for one of the study rooms nearby. "How are you? Everything okay?"

  "Yeah. No holes in my hide, no ER. No nasties, either."

  She smiled recalling the same words spouted back
weeks ago.

  "Almost home now. Just wondering if you wanted to get something to eat after work."

  She checked her watch. Four forty-five. Fifteen minutes and she'd be free for the day. Opening her mouth to answer, she paused at a sudden thought. Poor guy had to be exhausted after being gone for two weeks straight. Sleep seemed to be a rare commodity when faced with battles. As much as she wanted to go out with him, she had to consider his needs first.

  "I've got an even better idea. Why don't you head to your house? Do what you need to do. I'll pick up some Italian for dinner and bring it out."

  He answered immediately. "Sounds good to me. How long?"

  "I'll be out of here at five. Give me time to round up the food. Let's call it five thirty?"

  "Deal."

  "Great. I'll see you soon, then." She waited until the other end went dead, then clicked off.

  Stepping back out into the main area, she headed directly to her desk. Time to shut down for the day, call in an order at her favorite restaurant for carry out, then go spend the evening with Ghost. Her day just got one hundred percent better.

  * * * *

  No sooner did he open the front door than she threw herself in his arms. "I missed you."

  He returned her embrace, grabbed the precariously swinging bag of food, and kissed her forehead. "I missed you, too." Releasing her, he gestured for her to enter and shut the door in her wake.

  She reclaimed the food and carried the overfilled containers directly to the kitchen. "I hope you're hungry. I got lots."

  "I could use a hearty meal." He followed her in, his eyes sparking for a split second.

  She grinned at the sign of emotion. Each tiny step thrilled her and solidified her hope he'd fully embrace happiness in the near future. Dutifully pulling out their meal, she soon plopped down across the table from him, watching as he shoveled food in with obvious hunger. "I'll cook for you this weekend. Something really special to celebrate your return."

  He glanced up and met her gaze. "I was going to ask you about this weekend. You're off for Memorial Day, right?"

  "Yep. All three days."

  Wrapping his fingers around his cup of soda, he sucked deeply on the straw. "I wanted to visit Lindsay's grave Saturday. Been needing to for a while, just didn't have the guts, I guess." He set the drink back down. "I thought about it a lot this past couple of weeks, realize that I have to go there, say my piece, in order to complete my circle."