Love & Ghosts: Crescent City Ghost Tours

by Pulkinen, Carrie

  “More than I should.”

  She took the string of paperclips from Emily’s hands and unlinked the chain. “So, give him a chance. What have you got to lose?”

  “You’re right. I’m being too cautious. I need to stop overthinking it.” As if on cue, her phone buzzed in her pocket. A message from Sean lit up the screen. “He wants to walk me home tonight.”

  “Type yes and hit send before you think of a reason to say no.”

  Overthinking things had always been a problem of hers. Whenever she was able to turn off her brain and just be with him, magical things happened. She needed to throw caution to the wind, and it needed to happen now. “I’ll do better than that.” She clicked the call button and pressed the phone to her ear.

  Sean answered on the first ring. “Uh-oh. Is this the phone call to let me down easy? You already have a hot date tonight?” The smile behind his voice was evident, but a hint of uncertainty tinged his pitch.

  “That all depends on you.”

  “Oh?”

  What was she doing? They already had a date scheduled for tomorrow. She shouldn’t be asking him for another one tonight. Don’t overthink it. “Would you be interested in stopping somewhere on the way home and grabbing a bite to eat? I haven’t been to the grocery store in a while, and I’m basically out of food.” Stop talking and let him answer. “But if you already have dinner plans, I understand.” She pressed her fingers to her lips to keep herself from babbling anymore.

  Silence hung on the phone, and her racing heart sank into her stomach. Oh, god, what had she done? Things were going fine with him taking the lead. Maybe he was one of those guys who got offended if a girl asked him out. He did seem a little old-fashioned when it came to dating, what with all those dancing and manners classes he took as a kid. Old-fashioned was fine; she enjoyed his charm. But if he couldn’t let her take the lead every now and then, it was better to find out now.

  He inhaled deeply, the sound of his breath sending a shiver up her neck. “I would love that.” His voice was thick. Deeper than usual, and so sexy the phone nearly dropped from her trembling fingers. “Is there anywhere particular you want to go?”

  “Umm.” She cleared her throat. Holy moly, if the man could get her this worked up over the phone, she was a goner. “Anywhere is fine. I’m not picky.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you at seven.”

  She ended the call, and the phone slipped from her sweaty hand. Catching it before it hit the floor, she shoved it into her pocket and took a deep breath. Not thinking was definitely the way to go with this. Everything about them seemed to click together and fall into place if she’d let it happen naturally.

  No more worrying. No more second-guessing. She’d come to New Orleans to start a new, exciting life, and from now on, that was how she planned to live.

  * * *

  Sean pulled up to the clinic as Emily stepped through the door. She wore navy pants, a light blue sweater, and a smile that lit up the entire parking lot. As she walked toward him, she pulled the chopsticks from her hair, and it spiraled down, spilling over her shoulders like red satin. Dear lord, the woman was sexy.

  He slid out of the car and met her at the sidewalk. “Hey, beautiful. How was your day?”

  “Good. Kinda slow, which was good because I—”

  Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed his lips to hers. He couldn’t help himself. She smelled like springtime with a faint hint of antiseptic, and he couldn’t get enough of her. Trailing kisses across her jaw, he nuzzled into her neck and breathed in her intoxicating scent. “Sorry, you were saying it was good that your day was slow?”

  “Hmm?” She rested her head on his shoulder and inhaled deeply. “Oh, yeah. I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m exhausted.”

  He took her hand and led her to the passenger side of the car. “Then let me drive you to dinner, and I’ll get you home right after.”

  “Okay. But there’s no rush.”

  He climbed into the driver’s seat, pulled onto Burgundy Street, and headed deeper into the French Quarter. Emily blew a breath into her hands and rubbed them together.

  He closed his hand around her frigid fingers. “Are you cold?”

  “Yeah. I just got a chill. I don’t know why.” She rubbed the back of her neck with her other hand, and the coldness crept toward him.

  He cranked up the heater, but it wouldn’t help. The temperature drop wasn’t due to the weather; a spirit had entered the car. The coldness was the entity gathering energy from the air around them, sucking the heat from the cabin. He clamped down on his channel, blocking the ghost from making contact. He wanted to tell it to leave, but he wasn’t about to speak to a spirit in front of Emily.

  The blonde woman’s essence floated in the air, tingling his senses as the spirit tried to make contact. She was getting stronger, liked he’d asked her to do, but she’d have to wait. He was with Emily now, and she deserved all of his attention. The spirit must have realized his unwillingness to communicate, because the buzzing energy he’d felt a moment ago dissipated, the warmth returning to the car.

  Emily stopped rubbing her neck and relaxed her shoulders. “That was weird. My fatigue must be affecting my nervous system.”

  Weird indeed. But strange because she noticed the presence of the spirit before he did. The question was whether or not she really knew what it was. “Are you too tired for dinner? I can take you home.”

  “No, no. I’m fine. It was just a chill. I want to have dinner with you.” She smiled and squeezed his hand. “Where are we going?”

  He pulled into a parking lot and hurried around the car to open the door for her. “I know you love Maury’s hot dogs, and I’m not trying to steal away any customers from him, but I think you’re going to like this place.”

  They rounded the corner, and he motioned toward the blue two-story building with yellow windows and pink shutters. Dat Dog was his go-to restaurant for delicious food and great atmosphere. When he found out Emily liked hot dogs possibly as much as he did, he knew he’d have to bring her to his favorite restaurant.

  “Wow. It’s bright.” She eyed the building skeptically. Strings of lights wound around the pink wrought iron railing of the second-floor gallery, and a neon sign glowed over the entrance. “Dat Dog?”

  “They serve gourmet hot dogs. Way better than anything you’ll find in a roadside stand.”

  “Nothing’s better than Maury’s.”

  “Give it a try? I think you’ll be surprised.” He led her across the street and into the restaurant. The pink and blue color palette from the outside spilled over into the inside, giving the entire establishment a cheerful atmosphere. It was impossible not to have a good time inside a place like this.

  She stared up at the chalkboard hanging behind the counter. “That’s quite an impressive menu.”

  “What would you say to an alligator sausage topped with crawfish etouffee?”

  “I would say, ‘Shut up and get in my mouth.’ Are you kidding? Gimme.”

  “And you have to wash it all down with a beer.”

  “Of course you do.”

  Oh, yeah. This was a woman after his heart. He ordered two of each of his favorites, and they sat in a bright pink booth by a window. Emily tossed her hair behind her shoulders and used both hands to pick up the massive hot dog. She took a bite and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she chewed.

  A soft mmm resonated from her throat as her lids fluttered open, and she returned the food to her plate. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

  Christ, this woman could turn dinner into foreplay. Did she have any idea how much she turned him on? “Oh, I am. But watching you enjoy the food is much more fun.”

  A flush of pink spread across her cheeks. “Don’t tell Maury I cheated on him.”

  “Your secret’s safe with me.”

  After dinner, he drove her home and walked her up the steps to her apartment door. The same buzzing spirit energy raised the hairs on the back of his neck,
but he shut it out. This ghost was going to have to work on her timing.

  Emily slid her key in the lock and turned to face him. “Thank you for having dinner with me.”

  “My pleasure.” He stepped toward her and cupped her cheek in his hand.

  She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, covering his hand with her own. Inhaling a deep breath, she opened her eyes and fixed him with a determined gaze. “You should kiss me now.”

  “That will also be my pleasure.” He pressed his lips to hers, intending to pull away after a gentle kiss. But she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her supple body to his. She held him tight, parting her lips and slipping her velvet tongue out to brush with his.

  Heat pooled in his groin, and he glided his fingers into her hair, reveling in the passion of their kiss. God, it felt good to want someone again. She broke from his mouth to trail her lips across his jaw, down his neck, and up to his ear. “Do you want to come inside?”

  Hell yes, he did. He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her just far enough away to see into her eyes. They sparkled with passion and mischief, and he could have taken her right there on the landing if they weren’t so close to the street. “Do you want me to come inside?”

  Her tongue slipped out to moisten her lips, and his knees nearly buckled beneath him. She slid her hands down his chest and hooked a finger in the waistband of his jeans, pulling him toward her. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you to.”

  She reached behind her, opened the door, and pulled him through the threshold. Kicking the door shut, she pressed him against it and turned the lock. Her hungry gaze traveled up and down his body as she slipped her hands beneath his shirt. The feel of her soft fingers against his skin had his core tightening, his entire body aching to feel her close to him, on him, with him.

  “I want you, Sean.”

  He wanted to answer. To say he wanted her too. But hearing those words from her lips rendered him incapable of speech. He slid his hands down the small of her back, cupping her ass and pulling her close, trailing kisses up one side of her neck and down the other. He didn’t just want this woman. He needed her.

  She undid the buttons on his shirt and gently slid it down his injured arms, dropping it on the floor. With a playful smile, she pressed her lips to each bicep and rested her hands against his chest. “All better now?”

  “I don’t know. I think I might still need a nurse to take care of me.” He reached for the hem of her sweater and tugged it over her head. Good lord, she was beautiful. He ran his hands over her light blue satin bra, cupping her full breasts in his palms. Her breathing shallowed, and her heart pounded against his fingers.

  “That can be arranged.” Her voice was breathless, her gaze heavy, and when she popped the button on his jeans, he couldn’t help himself. He had to have her.

  “Bedroom?”

  “This way.” She tugged him into the room and unhooked her bra, sliding the straps over her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor.

  He took a breast in each hand and lowered his mouth to taste her. Her nipple hardened under his tongue as she sucked in a little gasp of breath. With trembling hands, she unbuttoned her pants and slipped them off. The only thing that stood between him and all the pleasure she had to offer was a thin piece of pale blue satin, and that was about to be removed. But…

  “Oh, hell.” He released her breasts and slid his hands to her hips.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes for a long blink, trying to tame the raging inferno threatening to burn him alive. “I don’t have a condom.”

  “Oh.” Her gaze never left his as she roamed her hands over his body, touching him in places he hadn’t been touched in years, making him feel things he’d wondered if he’d ever feel again.

  “I’m on birth control.” She slid a hand down his stomach and rubbed his arousal through his jeans.

  A shudder of electricity shot through his core. “Are you sure? We could wait.” Please be sure.

  “I can’t wait.”

  She worked his jeans over his hips, and he kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his pants. Pulling down his underwear, she wrapped her hand around his dick and gave it a stroke. His entire body trembled. He groaned and pulled her to him, roaming his hands over her delicate curves, dipping his head to trail kisses along her neck.

  She tightened her grip. “I need you inside me, Sean.”

  That was all she had to say. He slipped her panties off and laid her on the bed, crawling on top of her and settling his hips between her legs. Every nerve in his body fired on overdrive. His skin tingled with her touch, his heart pounding an erratic rhythm as the significance of the moment sank in. He’d been telling himself he was ready to move on for over a year, and he hadn’t done a thing about it. But this was it. Right here. Right now. He put the past completely behind him and looked into the eyes of his future.

  Pressing his tip against her opening, he took her mouth in a passionate kiss, tangling his tongue with hers. When a soft whimper escaped her lips, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

  He pushed inside her, her wet warmth squeezing him, sending an electric current buzzing through his body. He wanted to go slow. To take his time making love to her, but the sense of urgency overwhelmed him. She rocked her hips, gripping at his back and trailing her lips across his shoulders. His speed increased, and when she tightened around him and threw her head back, calling out his name, he lost it.

  His orgasm ripped through his body, a raging fire burning him to cinders, Emily raising him from the ashes again. His Emily. Her chest rose and fell beneath him with her heavy breaths as she clung to him and buried her face in his neck.

  He lay there for a moment, breathing in her delicious scent, basking in the afterglow of making love to the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. The first woman he’d wanted in years. Her breathing slowed, and she finally released her grip, trailing her fingers up and down his back. He rose onto his elbows and gazed into her sapphire eyes. Her crimson hair fanned out around her like a flame. Like the fire she lit inside him. He kissed her lips, her forehead, her cheek, and he slid off her, pulling her into his arms.

  As they lay there on top of the covers with her head nestled against his chest and his arms wrapped around her, he fought to keep his eyes open. She hadn’t said a word since they’d made love, and her slow, rhythmic breathing made him think she might have fallen asleep. He kissed the top of her head, and she finally moved to look at him.

  “I’m not sure what the protocol is in a situation like this. But if you’d like to stay the night with me, you’re welcome to.” Long lashes fringed her crystal blue eyes as she blinked, but he couldn’t read her expression. She seemed so serious, her eyes tight with concern or regret, he wasn’t sure which.

  A strand of hair fell across her face, and he tucked it behind her ear. “What do you want me to do?” He held his breath as he awaited her answer.

  She pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. What he would have given to be able to read her thoughts at that moment. Had they gone too far too fast? Did she regret what they’d done?

  Her gaze softened, and a tiny smile curved her pink lips. “I want you to stay.”

  He hugged her tight. “As you wish.”

  She let out a giggle and sat up, all the concern draining from her expression as she stroked his chest.

  He took her hand and kissed it. “I was afraid you were going to ask me to leave.”

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to stay.”

  “Are you kidding? Spend the night naked with the most beautiful woman in New Orleans? Only an idiot would say no to that opportunity.”

  She bit her bottom lip and cut her gaze over to her nightstand. “I have to do something though. You might think it’s crazy.” She picked up a container of white powder and poured some into her hand. “I have nightmares—bad nightmares, but salt keeps them away
. I pour it around my bed.”

  He arched an eyebrow. Salt was known for blocking spirit energy, yet she claimed she didn’t believe in ghosts. “What kind of nightmares?”

  She visibly shivered. “I’d rather not talk about it. I wasn’t even sure if I should ask you to stay because of this, but…what the hell. You’d find out eventually.”

  “Okay. We don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to.”

  She examined the salt in her hand and chewed her bottom lip. “You don’t think I’m weird?”

  He sat up and wrapped his arms around her. “Sleep is important. Whatever you need to do to get a good night’s rest, do it. I don’t think you’re weird.”

  She slid her feet to the floor and poured a ring around the bed. “It keeps the negative energy out so I can sleep.”

  “I understand.” But did she? He had a feeling she believed in a lot more than she was letting on, but he wouldn’t push her to explain. Not yet. At least now he’d be guaranteed a spirit-free slumber too.

  She set the salt container on the nightstand and pulled back the blankets. They slipped beneath them, and she snuggled into his side. She was warm and soft, and she fit so perfectly next to him, like an interlocking puzzle piece, her head resting on his chest, her arm draped across his body.

  The soft glow of a streetlight crept in through the window, casting the dark room in a bluish haze. Her hair smelled like flowers with a hint of vanilla, and he couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be than lying here, wrapped in her sweet warmth.

  He tried to stay present in the moment, but his mind swirled with questions. For someone so adamant about the nonexistence of spirits, Emily was awfully willing to suggest outside energy could affect her dreams. What was she hiding? How bad could the bad experience she’d mentioned have been? Surely he could get her to share something. Any tidbit of information to help him understand her better.

  “When you say the salt blocks out negative energy, what kind of energy do you mean?”

  Her only response was the soft sound of her breath as she slept on his shoulder. Oh, well. He could ask her another time. If this relationship kept heading in the direction it was going, he’d have plenty of chances to talk to her about her fear of spirits. He couldn’t get enough of Emily Rollins, and he planned to do everything in his power to keep her by his side. He’d been intent on teaching Buttercup to learn to live again, but it seemed he was the one who’d needed the lesson.