Memphis grinned at my air quotes until he looked past my shoulder. His eyes got large like Alli Cat’s did late at night when I watched television. She loved to freak me out by making me think a ghost, or the grim reaper, was behind me.
“Don’t do that,” I told him.
“Um, I think I know why Maegan is suddenly unavailable. Did she tell you who we were meeting?”
My heart sank. I knew without looking who had arrived and made Memphis’s eyes widen. I turned and looked anyway. Why, Mae? Let it go. “She said a few guys are coming to look at the wiring, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning. She assured me that the realtor, Becker, would also be on site to make sure nothing was overlooked. She didn’t tell me that he would be here.”
Memphis snorted. “He’s not Lord Voldemort, Milo. You can say his name.” Memphis’s eyes got bigger and bigger, which told me that Andy was approaching his car. I would not let him see me rattled. Some might call me vain, but I was glad I had dabbled a little concealer under my eyes to cover the garish, purple bags from not getting enough sleep. I didn’t want Andy to see that he’d gotten the best of me.
I opened the door and climbed out of Memphis’s car then plastered a fake grin on my face and boldly met Andy’s gaze. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” I said calmly.
Andy’s wry smile said that he saw right through my bullshit. He didn’t stop walking until he nearly had me pinned against the car. “I could say the same for you, but I’m not disappointed.”
I expected things to be awkward between us the next time we met, and I wasn’t wrong. It was just a completely different kind of awkward, as in the sporting-a-hard-on-in-broad-daylight-with-no-means-of-relieving-it kind. Andy knew it. I’m sure it was written all over my face, and if not, it was hard to miss the erection that was weeping in my pants for him to put us out of our misery.
“W-w-what’s going on?” I asked. Where had the disappointment I saw last night disappeared to? He resembled the cockier Andy Mason I’d fallen for all those years ago instead of the wounded, mysterious man who returned to me—well, Blissville. I hated to admit it, but I missed the swagger. It appealed to my baser needs and made me want to fuck like an animal.
Andy’s sly grin spread because he knew it too. “I’m here to do your sister a favor. This home is her dream, and I want it to come true.” Andy reached out and rubbed my bottom lip. “Why are you here, Milo?”
“This home is Maegan’s dream, and I want it to come true,” I repeated, sounding almost as breathy as Peach.
“We’re finally in agreement on something,” Andy said.
“Hey, Andy,” Memphis said cheerfully.
Andy looked away so he could greet Memphis over the top of the car. “How’s it going, cutie?” Cutie? I had the insane urge to kick him in the balls. “I’m surprised you agreed to come back here. These Miracle twins seem to get you into a lot of trouble.”
“I live for trouble,” Memphis said suggestively.
Yeah, he was living dangerously talking to my man like that. My man? Oh, hell no. “Listen, do you two need a private minute? I could go wait for Becker and the other guys on the front porch.”
“Memphis,” Andy said, “could you give me a minute with Milo?”
“You got it.” Memphis took off so fast I could almost hear the air move.
“Cutie?” I asked when we were alone.
“He’s fucking adorable, and you know it. In fact, I thought maybe the two of you had something going on for a while after he first moved here. You seemed to have your heads bent together a lot and kind of existed in a bubble that didn’t include anyone other than Maegan.”
“There’s only ever been friendship between us,” I said. A week ago, I would’ve had a witty comeback, but I was exhausted from circling around him for two damn years. I was done running and playing games.
“Because you were interested in someone else?” Andy pushed.
My pulse pounded in my neck, but I’d come too far to back down. “Yes.”
Andy grinned smugly.
“And because Memphis is drawn to bad guys. He likes the edgy, love-them-and-leave-them types. I’m many things, but not that.”
“You loved and left me,” Andy said.
“I think you know it wasn’t that cut and dry, Andy.” In the expanse of less than a minute, our conversation took a nosedive into deeper waters than either of us had intended.
Andy leaned forward until his mouth was against my ear. My hands moved on their own volition to grip his waist. It felt natural and right. Andy’s hot breath ghosted across the sensitive shell of my ear. I closed my eyes and bit my lip to keep myself from whimpering out loud. I wanted him so fucking bad.
“I tell you what,” Andy whispered. “You’re not the only one with questions. You tell me why you gave up on us so easily, and I’ll tell you why I stayed away.” He pulled back and looked into my eyes. “Wouldn’t you say that’s fair?”
Any other time I would agree, but I didn’t want to rehash that time again—not even for Andy. It was just too painful. I saw in Andy’s eyes that he understood the struggle. Maybe I was wrong to push him to tell me why he stayed away, but my heart insisted on hearing the truth, even if it hurt me. It was the only way I could trust him enough to move forward.
The sound of other vehicles pulling up diverted Andy’s attention. “This conversation isn’t over,” Andy said. Or maybe not. “Are you truly okay with going inside?”
“If Maegan really wants to move here, then I have no choice.”
“It looks like everyone else is here except Uncle Paul,” Andy said. “Let’s go inside and get started.”
Andy only introduced Chris and Mike to Memphis and me, since it seemed like Becker already knew the electrician and plumber. Becker unlocked the door, and we all stepped inside, some of us were a little more nervous than the others.
“Is this house really haunted?” Mike asked, sounding hopeful.
“I can’t say for sure, but I’ve never heard or seen anything unusual,” Becker said, grinning big enough for the chandelier in the formal entrance hall to glint off his teeth.
“Don’t be trying to sell us a Ford Pinto when we are expecting a Cadillac,” I told him. After all, realtors were salespeople first.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Do you guys want the guided tour, or do you just want to wander around?”
“Sorry I’m late,” said a familiar voice behind me.
“You’re not Uncle Paul,” I heard Andy say, as he walked past me to greet the newcomer. Fuck, was that appreciation I heard in his voice? If I turned around, would I catch him raking his eyes over Simon Novak from his curly brown hair to his feet? Yeah, Simon was big and brawny—just the way I liked them.
“Uncle Paul couldn’t make it, so he sent me. Is that okay?”
“Sure. You must be the nephew he mentioned last night,” Andy said.
“Oh man, was he trying to set us up on a date?” Date? They both called the man Uncle Paul. Didn’t that make them cousins? Gross. “He means well, but it’s so embarrassing. I—” His words cut off suddenly. Dread pooled in my gut when I suspected it was because Simon spotted me. “Milo, is that you? I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
I turned slowly and pasted a friendly smile on my face. “Hello, Simon. How are you?”
“Better now.” Simon walked straight to me and kissed me on the cheek, not caring who was standing around us. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but—”
“I don’t mean to interrupt this charming reunion of hearts, but can we get started?” Andy asked snidely. I smiled inwardly at his jealous tone, more so that he didn’t bother to hide it. I thought that was a step forward until I looked in his eyes and saw anger and disgust.
“Yeah, sorry,” Simon replied, sounding embarrassed. To Becker he asked, “Which way to the furnace?”
“Um,” Becker said, looking back and forth between Andy and me like he was watching a tennis match. “How about I show you, Simon?�
�
“Sounds good, my man. Lead the way.”
“Does this house have fuses or breakers?” Mike asked.
“Breakers,” Becker answered. “The electrical system looks to have been updated in the last fifteen to twenty years. The panel is in the same room with the furnace and hot water heaters. Both of you can come with us.”
“Deal.” The men scurried as fast as they could to avoid the inevitable showdown between Andy and me.
I don’t know what Memphis ended up doing because I was too busy following Andy up the wide, curving staircase to the second floor. It seemed like Andy didn’t want to discuss what just happened. He’d rather jump to conclusions like he did with Tucker than talk to me about it. Well, too fucking bad. I got angrier and angrier with every step I stomped on.
When Andy reached the second floor, he began looking at the ceiling. I suspected he was searching for water damage but realized I was wrong when he opened a door to reveal a narrow set of wooden steps. “Aha.”
“Why are you going up there?” I asked, anger replacing my fear.
“It’s just an attic, Milo. The roof is one of the most important parts of a house. I want to make sure it’s not leaking. If it is, that’s a huge expense to replace the shingles.” He was all business again, and I hated that more than his judgment minutes before. At least when he was judging me, it showed he cared one way or the other.
“I’m not going up there,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Yes, I’m aware I sounded like a pouting, five-year-old princess instead of the thirty-year-old princess I was. The lights above the steps went out as if to prove that I was right about the space being creepy as fuck. “See.”
Andy pulled out a flashlight from his toolbelt. “See.” Then he put it beneath his chin and clicked it on, highlighting parts of his face while others were cast in shadows. His sexy face took on a ghostly appearance. “Boo!” he yelled loud enough to make me jump. Then the jackass laughed and boldly trudged up the steps.
I couldn’t be outdone, so I caught up to him by the time he reached the landing or else I’d lose the light when he turned to ascend the next set of steps. I missed a step and crashed headlong into his ass, almost taking him down too. “Careful, Milo. Damn.”
“Sorry.”
When Andy reached the top of the steps, he found a light switch on the wall. Only one socket had a bulb in it, so it wasn’t bright enough for Andy to see anything besides trunks and trunks of stuff stacked everywhere.
I turned my head slightly to the left and saw the outline of a woman’s silhouette out of the corner of my eyes. “Ghost!” I yelled, then dove behind Andy.
“Where?” Andy asked, turning in circles and swinging his flashlight to illuminate every corner of the dark, dusty space. “That?” he asked.
I peeked around his broad back and ducked my head under his armpit to see. In the center of the flashlight beam was one of those old-fashioned wire mannequins they used to hang dresses on. In fact, the mannequin sported a flowing, white dress that looked like something a woman wore in the eighteen hundreds. Of course, the white color of the gown in contrast to the dark space gave it a ghostly appearance.
“Seriously, Milo? I nearly pissed myself over a mannequin.”
“You almost jizzed yourself earlier.”
“Don’t pretend I didn’t feel your hard-on pressing up against mine, Milo.”
“True, but that wasn’t what I was referring to.”
“Then what the fuck are you talking about?” Andy asked, sounding angry all over again.
“Simon!”
“You want to talk about Simon, Milo? We’ll talk about Simon.”
“Fine, I’m going first. Since when does your uncle want to fix you up with your cousin? What kind of fuckery is this?”
“Paul isn’t my biological uncle,” Andy said. “He and my dad are best friends. Uncle was an honorary title I gave him when I was a kid.”
“Oh.” Yeah, that took the wind right out of my sails. “Are you going to take Simon on a date?”
“Should I, Milo? Is he good in bed?”
I gasped dramatically, of course. “Are you slut shaming me?”
“Are you acting slutty?”
“And if I was?” I demanded to know.
Silence. “You make me fucking crazy, Milo.”
“That makes two of us.” I realized what I said. “Wait. I meant that you make me crazy too. So crazy that I can’t even think. You rob me of my ability to snark.”
“You act as if that’s a talent,” Andy scoffed.
“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, bitch.”
“You sure do have a type, don’t you?”
“Excuse me? Are we back to Simon again?”
“We never left Simon, Milo. You try to divert the topic with your fake outrage.”
“I don’t fake anything, Andy. I didn’t like your tone that implied I let any swinging dick have a crack at my ass.”
“Just the swinging big ones.”
“The thing with Simon happened before you returned home.” His eyes narrowed suspiciously, which made me even madder, if that were possible. “It’s fine if you don’t believe me, Andy, but I find it amazing that you have the balls to be pissed about my sex life, or lack thereof. What about Mr. Wednesday night? Want to tell me who you’ve been fucking these past two years?” Andy grimaced and looked away. “People in this town talk, so yeah, I know all about it. You’re such a hypocrite. I’m out of here,” I said, pivoting on my heels. Although I’m not sure how I spoke at all with that lump of regret lodged in my throat.
“Here, take my flashlight.”
“Shove it up your ass.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket, slid my thumb up the screen, and clicked on the flashlight. “Got it covered.” My anger propelled me down the narrow, sketchy steps. When I rounded the landing, I stared at the bottom of the steps in shock. The door was closed, and I knew I’d left it open when I followed Andy up into the attic.
I didn’t panic until I reached the bottom step and twisted the knob. Nothing. It didn’t turn at all. “Fuck!” I yelled.
“What’s wrong?” Andy called down the steps.
“The damn door is stuck.”
“Why’d you shut it?” I heard the heavy sounds of Andy’s boots tromping down the steps.
“I didn’t shut it.” The narrow stairwell wasn’t wide enough for both of us, so I turned the knob and banged on the door with my fist. “Come on, you guys. This isn’t funny.”
“Move,” Andy said, nudging me out of the way when he reached the door. He tried to turn the doorknob and didn’t have any better luck than I did. Andy jerked and shoved the knob, hoping to break it loose, but it didn’t work. “That knob worked just fine when we came upstairs.”
“Well, fuck. I thought it would open beneath your magic touch,” I said sarcastically. “I didn’t think to try the doorknob.”
“That mouth of yours is going to get you in a lot of trouble, Milo.”
“With who?”
I might as well have waved a red blanket in front of a bull. I found myself pinned between the jammed door and an angry, sexy beast of a man. Andy cradled my head firmly but not painfully and smashed his lips against mine. This was an angry kiss hot enough to singe my perfect eyebrows. I dropped my phone and slid one hand in his hair while I snuck one beneath the hem of his shirt to touch the hot skin at the small of his back just above his toolbelt. It was the place I wanted to rest my heels and urge him to fuck me faster and deeper.
Andy’s hands were just as busy. One still held my neck while the other slid beneath the waistband of my jeans to tease my ass crack through my underwear. “We need less clothes,” Andy growled against my lips before he switched the angle of his mouth and came back in for more.
I was ready to push him onto the steps and—
The door suddenly opened behind me, and I tumbled backward. Somehow, Andy was able to pull his hand out of my pants and twist our bodies so that he was the one who
landed hard on the floor, cushioning my fall.
“Oh, sorry,” Memphis said. “I thought when I heard you holler ‘fuck’ that you were in some kind of trouble, or maybe getting ready to kill each other. I didn’t know you were literally fucking.”
“We weren’t fucking,” Andy and I both said at the same time. Yet, was the word we left unspoken.
I reluctantly stood up and dusted myself off, while Andy got to his feet a little slower.
“How’d you open the door?” I asked Memphis.
“I twisted the knob.”
“Impossible,” Andy said in disbelief. “That doorknob wasn’t turning, which is how we got locked in when Milo shut the door.”
“I. Didn’t. Shut. The. Door.”
“Then how did it get shut? Magic? The ghost did it! Oh, wait! That was a mannequin.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Fuck no, Encyclopedia Brown.”
“Hey, that was a great book series,” Memphis said defensively. “Seriously, guys, there’s nothing wrong with the doorknob.” Memphis reached out and twisted the knob on the outside to show that it worked fine.
Andy reached around to the inside and demonstrated that it didn’t budge.
“Fuck!” I said. “I bet they kept someone locked up there.”
“Knock it off, or you’ll work yourself up again,” Andy said mildly. “I’m going back up there to complete my inspection. Don’t shut the door again. Unless you want to follow me and finish what we started,” he said with a playful wink before he headed back up the steps.
“If you didn’t shut the door then who did?” Memphis asked. “Do you smell that?”
I sniffed the air and caught the faintest whiff of pipe tobacco. My eyes got as big as saucers before I hightailed it down the steps and out to the front porch. “It really is haunted,” I told Memphis when he caught up to me. “That ghost locked me in the attic with Andy.”
“Uh huh. Seems to me the ghost did you a favor.”
The jury was still out on that one. My heart raced from fear, but my body burned with need, lust, and excitement. I was fast approaching the point of no return, and I was no closer to finding out what happened to Andy than I was two years ago.
This Time Around Page 7