The very hot, decadent happenings.
Cheeks hot, she glanced up to find Lori waiting patiently. Forcing her wayward thoughts aside, she parked in the garage and got out, walking up onto the veranda to unlock the front door while Lori closed the garage.
“Hi girls,” a deep voice greeted them from the other side of the fence.
Glancing over, Ali saw Matt standing next to his car.
“Hey, Matt,” she called back.
“Hi.” Lori came up behind Ali.
“You all right, Ali?” he asked.
Holy cow, that hadn’t taken long. “Fine. It was all a huge exaggeration.”
“You mean you didn’t get slammed down on the car bonnet and cuffed?” The shadows might hide his face, but it couldn’t hide the laughter lacing his words.
“No, I didn’t.” Sheesh!
A snort of laughter came from behind her and she jabbed her elbow back sharply, rewarded by a muffled ‘oofff!’ from her sister when she made contact with her midriff.
“Hey now,” Matt said lightly, “Don’t go bashing your lovely sister just because you’ve joined the criminal elements of the town. That would make me have to come over and rescue her.”
“The only reason I’m not coming over there to hit you, Matt, is because you’re new to town and I try to be nice to my neighbours.” Ali shoved the key into the security screen. “That gives you a couple of leniency cards, but you’ve just used one, so that leaves you only one more chance before you’re on my shit list.”
“Bu if your sister still likes me that would cancel it out, right?” Leaning one arm on top of the car door, Matt’s teeth were a white flash in the shadows when he smiled widely. “And you still like me, don’t you, Lori?”
Ali didn’t have to look over her shoulder to know that Lori was blushing madly. She could practically feel the heat searing her back.
“Sure,” Lori managed to reply.
“Then that’s all that matters.” He raised one hand. “I gotta go, girls. Have a good night.” He got into the car.
Turning back to the door, Ali smirked at Lori. “So, you like Matt, huh?”
“Don’t be juvenile.” Lori cleared her throat. “Can you please open the door? I can hear Minx meowing.”
“Minx always meows at the sound of us.” Unlocking the wooden door, Ali waited until Lori walked inside before following, re-locking both doors behind them. “Now come on, Lori, you know you think Matt is cute.”
“He’s okay.” Her sister headed into the kitchen.
“He’s a hunk. And you like him.”
Placing the bag on the kitchen bench, Lori picked up Minx and handed her to Ali. “He’s okay. You like him, too.” Taking a tin of food from the pantry, she emptied the contents into Minx’s bowl.
“But he doesn’t make me blush.” Grinning, Ali placed Minx down beside the food dish.
“I’m not blushing.”
“Your cheeks look like you went wild with rouge.”
“As red as yours must have been when you got hauled out of your car and handcuffed?”
Ali thought for a moment. “Touché. How about we forget the whole thing and eat?”
“Good idea.”
The food was good, as usual, but Ali didn’t totally relax, wondering if Ghost would come across, but tea time came and went and he didn’t appear. She only relaxed when she was ready for bed and he still hadn’t come knocking on the door. No doubt he’d taken the hint earlier. One thing he did well was read people, he’d have known as soon as she reversed out of the driveway that she was avoiding him. It certainly didn’t mean he’d let her have her way, but he was giving her breathing space. Until it suited him.
She’d take whatever reprieve she could while it lasted, which she knew wouldn’t be for long. Damn it.
Determinedly focussing on reading, she lay in bed with a mystery book, but while she managed to keep any troubling at thoughts at bay, once she was asleep it was a whole other story.
Her dreams were full of hot kisses, warm skin, close contact and a sensuality that had her waking in the early dawn with an unaccustomed warmth between her thighs and a yearning for the subject of her dreams.
Ghost.
Which was just sick. The man was like a brother to her, a buddy, a mate.
Regardless of what her head said, her body had other ideas. There was one way to deal with that and the sun was just brimming the horizon when the cold spray from the shower had her squealing. At least it succeeded in taking her mind off the man.
By the time she walked into the reception area of the motel, she had managed to gain control of herself and her wayward thoughts. Stashing her bag in the little cupboard in the manager’s room which was right behind reception, she had just sat down behind the reception desk when in walked Vic, the motel manager.
“’Morning, Ali.” Leaning against the desk, he wiped his hands through his well-oiled hair, a definite ‘ewww’ factor as far as Ali was concerned.
“Hi, Vic.” She pulled up the computer page showing the bookings for the day. “How are you?”
“Oh fine, fine. I thought we should have a little chat.”
“Sure. What about?”
“So, I hear you’re after my job.”
Crap on a stick.
Chapter 5
Ali Mackay was avoiding him, but it ended tonight.
Standing at the window of his writing room, Ghost took a swallow from the can of Coke and studied the house next door. Lori came out of the back door with Minx at her feet and he watched with a fond smile as they walked into the garden. She waited patiently for Minx to do her slow exploration before settling on doing her business amongst the azalea bushes, a fact that would have made Ghost’s gardener wince.
Kind of like he winced when Abraham came sauntering out of the covered fern garden at the side of the house with a long piece of fern clenched between his teeth. Abraham and gardener would eye each other off before Abraham trotted up to the back door, his tail held high, and drag the hapless fern frond through the cat flap into the house.
It was kind of funny to watch. Ali thought it was hilarious. Then again, Ali shared Ghost’s sense of humour, so they often laughed at the same things.
She wasn’t laughing now, however, and neither was he, because the truth was he didn’t know what was going on, he just knew he didn’t want the friendship he had with Ali to be lost. It couldn’t be the same, either, but the thought of losing it altogether made his gut clench.
It was a mess.
But it had also been hot, hotter than any encounter he’d ever had with a woman. Even now a flash of heat went through him to pool low in his loins at just the memory of Ali at his mercy, her lush curves against him, her soft body taking his invasion, her little whimpers of pleasure so sexy. If he closed his eyes he could just about picture that night, the scent of her, the feel, the sensation. The pure, carnal heat that even now started to surge upwards at just the recollection.
Watching Minx walk slowly back to Lori, he leaned against the window frame and frowned. Shit, nothing was very clear right now. Honest to God, he didn’t know whether he was Arthur or Martha, he was all over the place with his thoughts and emotions. About the only good thing that had come out of it was that he’d been able to bury his frustrations in his book. It was the only time he could keep Ali from his thoughts.
He’d made good headway with that book, another chapter or so and it would be finished. At least his agent would be thrilled.
Just like Ghost would be thrilled if he could figure out what to do about Ali and himself. One thing he did know, though, was that avoiding the issue like Ali was wont to do didn’t solve anything.
And he didn’t like Ali avoiding him full stop.
Picking up Minx, Lori nuzzled the old cat and took her back inside. Ghost watched Mort chasing a butterfly amongst the daisies in the back garden bed of his own yard and shook his head. Not once in all his five years had Mort ever caught a butterfly and he wasn’t like
ly to do so now, but he never gave up. Looked like his furry kid took after him.
Grinning, Ghost walked back to the computer and immersed himself in the book. Ali wouldn’t be home for a couple of more hours and Lori would have left for work by then, ensuring a private conversation. Meanwhile, he’d be productive while he waited.
Apart from rescuing Millie from a pile of books she’d tipped over and nearly buried herself under, and soothing Mauve’s hurt feelings when Max jumped on her elegant blue tail and tried to wrestle it like a snake, Ghost kept focussed on the computer.
Right up until he heard Ali’s car enter the driveway.
Saving the manuscript, he hurried to the window and peered out. Yep, there was Ali coming out of the garage, her luxurious hair up in a neat topknot, her uniform of pale purple shirt and darker purple pants and jacket hugging her curves, detailing that hour glass figure, all big breasts and hips and nipped in waist, that lush derrière so soft and pressing against his groin, his fingers biting deep in the lush flesh and –
Holy Hannah! Ghost jerked back from that erotically diverting memory to the realisation that he had a bit of a boner. How the hell had that happened? He’d only been thinking of Ali and…yeah, Ali. Ali Mackay. His problem.
Maybe he’d have a quick shower before he dealt with that particular problem. A cold one. It wouldn’t do to face Ali while he sported a stiffy in his jeans. Not classy.
A quick shower cooled off the heat and by the time he jumped the back fence, knowing she’d be on the lookout for him through the front window, he felt more like himself. It helped that he had their spare emergency key in his pocket just in case she’d decided to lock all the doors and refused to let him in to talk. A quick peek through the gap in the back of the garage door revealed that Lori’s car was gone.
Ali was alone in the house.
Satisfaction filled Ghost. She could kick and yell all she wanted, there’d be no interruptions to interfere with their face-off. Now, how to handle it. Heavy? No. Maybe light-hearted, friendly. Mates. Yeah, he’d go for the light touch first, the heavy as the alternative.
A test of the doorknob proved the back security screen was unlocked, so without bothering to knock, he opened it and walked into the kitchen. “Honey, I’m home!”
There was dead silence for several seconds before Ali came storming through the door leading into the hallway. “What the hell, Ghost? How dare you just walk into my house?”
Looked like the friendly approach wasn’t going to work. As always when in angry mode, her defences were up. But man, did she look good. Almost instantly his eyes were drawn to her, and certainly not in a friendly way. Jesus, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes flashed, and her shirt was hanging loose over her pants and half unbuttoned. He could see her cleavage, and what a cleavage. He’d never noticed that cleavage before, but he sure as hell did now.
Heh.
“Ghost!” she snapped.
His gaze wandered back up to her face. “Ali.”
“What the hell gives you the right to walk into my house?”
“I always walk into your house.” Pulling himself together, he stuck his hands into his pockets and rocked back and forth in his sneakers. “We need to have a little chat.”
“About what?”
As if she didn’t know. Now her cheeks were pink with embarrassment rather than anger, her gaze shyly dipping. Never before had Ali been shy around him, it was cute. She’d also brain him if he dared to say that aloud.
However, this wasn’t the time to follow that little train of thought, there were other more pressing matters. “You know perfectly well what.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Wrong.”
Defensively, she folded her arms. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“We have to.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Yes, we do.” He took a step closer.
“Forget about it.”
“I can’t.” He watched her lashes lower, covering her eyes. “You can’t.”
“I’m trying.”
“It won’t work.”
“I’ve pretty much forgotten about it already.”
“Ali, stop mucking around.”
“I’m not.” Taking a deep breath, she raised her gaze to look at him almost desperately. “Nothing happened, we can just pretend nothing happened, all right?”
Oh boy, she wasn’t taking this well. He wasn’t surprised. She’d never taken anything well of which she didn’t have control. But that wasn’t going to roll now. No way. “You can’t deny what happened between us.”
“Watch me.”
“We had sex,” he said bluntly. “Now what are we going to do about it?”
There it was, out in the open. The silence in the kitchen lengthened as he watched her. He hadn’t realised it would be so interesting.
Her face paled right before red flooded her cheeks. Her gaze darted around the room before settling fleetingly on him and darting off again. Her mouth opened, closed, and opened again before she moistened them with the tip of her tongue.
Oddly, that little sight drew his attention right to those plump lips. They’d tasted so sweet and he had the sudden urge to lick them, to reacquaint himself with them. To savour them, slide his tongue across the silken skin before slipping past to feast on the honeyed depths of her mouth, to-
The knock on the door jerked him back to awareness and he realised he’d actually begun to walk slowly across the room towards her. Jesus, he didn’t even remember doing that, when had that happened?
Relief more than evident on her face, Ali ordered in a trembling voice, “Be gone when I get back. I mean it, Ty.” Swinging around on her heel, she left the kitchen.
Both annoyed and bemused, Ghost frowned. Damn it, he had to get a grip on himself. Maybe he shouldn’t have fronted her up just yet. Maybe he shouldn’t have come over without her sister at least being in close vicinity, then perhaps he wouldn’t have got lost in the sight of Ali simply licking her lips. Maybe he should have had a colder shower.
He really needed to get a grip.
Voices drifted back to him, one Ali’s and the other…He scowled suddenly. Was that Chris’s voice?
Striding through the kitchen, he stopped just in the doorway leading into the hallway to listen. Bloody hell, it was Chris’s voice! That mangy cur was at her front door!
Peering around the corner, his eyes narrowed. Ali had her back to him but he could see Chris standing on the veranda with a huge bunch of flowers in his hand which he was trying to give to Ali. Stubbornly, she kept her hands down and shook her head, arguing with him.
He dares to come here? After what I told him just the other night? Ghost saw red. Swinging into the hallway, he stormed to the front door, gratified to see the alarmed light in Chris’s eyes when he registered Ghost’s presence bearing down.
“I didn’t know you had company,” Chris said uneasily.
“I don’t,” Ali replied tartly.
“She does,” Ghost growled, coming to a stop right behind her. “What the bloody hell are you doing here?”
Annoyed, Ali looked back at him over her shoulder. “I told you to leave.”
Chris looked from her to Ghost.
Ghost glared back at him. “You heard her.”
“I wasn’t talking to Chris,” Ali snapped.
“I was.” Stepping up beside her, Ghost put one arm in front of her and simply pushed her back behind him while narrowing his eyes at Chris. “I told you the last time, Smith, to never go near Ali again.”
“I’m here to apologise,” Chris replied warily.
“Too damned bad,” Ghost retorted.
Ali tried to step back up beside him but he trapped her behind him by simply standing right in front of the doorway.
“Damn it, Ghost!” She shoved at him.
Ignoring her, he kept his attention on Chris. “You hurt her the other night and I won’t tolerate it. I told you that then and it still sta
nds today. Stay away from Ali.”
“Alissa.” Chris tried to see her from where she was trying to get around Ghost.
“Damn it, Ghost!” she repeated heatedly, tugging at the back of his shirt. “I can answer for myself!”
“Alissa, is everything okay?” Chris asked tentatively, his gaze flicking from her to Ghost and back again.
Ghost noticed he didn’t actually attempt to try and pull him out of the way. Probably worried Ghost would bust his perfect nose. In fact, he wouldn’t be wrong. If he tried to get between Ali and him, Chris would be blowing his nose from the other side of his head.
When Chris stepped to the side to try and see Ali behind him, Ghost took a threatening step forward, hands fisting. “Get off this property, Smith, I -”
As soon as Ali pushed past him, he realised he’d made a mistake in moving. He made a grab for her arm but she neatly sidestepped him, deliberately shoving in front of him so that she was between the two men. “Ali-”
“Shut it.”
There was obviously no way she was going to obey – as if she really would anyway – so Ghost glowered at Chris. “Leave before I show you the way to your car the hard way. Now.”
Taking a step back, Chris looked at Ali, a question clear on his face, right along with uncertainty.
Ghost was disgusted. A real man who truly wanted to make amends wouldn’t be worried about pissing off another man. Regardless of the consequences, Ghost would walk through hot coals to see his woman.
Then Ali did the unthinkable. After giving him a challenging glare, she turned back to Chris and gave him a tight smile. Then she took the flowers from him.
She took the bloody flowers!
“Thank you.” Anger still throbbed in her voice but she was obviously trying for a pleasant note. “They’re beautiful.”
No bloody way! No bloody way had she just taken that dickhead’s flowers, not after what he’d done to her!
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