Love & Ghosts: Crescent City Ghost Tours

by Pulkinen, Carrie

  The sheets rustled as he got out of bed. “Are you there now?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  She put the phone down and ran a hand across the box. Oh no. She’d told him she’d get rid of it. Snatching it off the counter, she hurried to her bedroom and put it on a shelf in the back of her closet. She set the key beside it and closed the closet door.

  * * *

  Sean found Emily sitting on the top step outside her apartment door. Tear stains streaked her face, and as she raised her gaze to meet his, his heart gave a squeeze.

  “Are you okay?” He knelt on a step in front of her and clutched her shoulders.

  She held a butterfly statue in one hand and a piece of the wing in the other. “It’s broken.”

  “We can fix it. Come on.” He pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. “What did the police say?”

  “I must’ve forgotten to lock my door when I left this evening.” She sobbed into his shoulder.

  “Let’s go inside.” He pulled her through the door and stopped in the entryway. The entire living room looked like a war zone. Everything she owned was scattered about the floor, lying in pieces everywhere. Even the sofa was flipped onto its back.

  She sobbed harder. He held her tighter.

  “I’m sorry, Sean. You were the first person I thought to call. Trish went home with Josh, and I don’t have any family here.”

  “Hey.” He ran his fingers through her hair and gazed into her sad eyes. “Don’t apologize. I want to be the first person you think to call in a situation like this.”

  Though this situation didn’t appear to be vandalism. The way her things were tossed about and the furniture flipped over, this looked more like a poltergeist than the work of vandals. He closed his eyes and opened his senses, sifting through the air for spirit energy. He felt a slight tingle, the leftovers of whatever had turned her apartment upside down, but nothing fresh. The spirit had zapped all its energy doing this, and that was a sign it wasn’t very powerful. She should be able to banish it, if he could get her to say the words.

  “Whoever did this isn’t allowed to do it again.” His own words wouldn’t work against the spirit, though. Emily needed to say it herself. “Say that out loud for me. Maybe it’ll help you feel empowered.”

  She giggled and wiped her eyes. “You think so?”

  “I know so. Say it for me. Please?”

  She pulled from his embrace and stumbled. He caught her by the arm, and she giggled again.

  “How much have you had to drink?”

  “Too much.” She rubbed her temples.

  “Say it for me.”

  “Whoever did this isn’t allowed to do it again.”

  “Louder. Say it like you mean it.”

  She laughed and shouted, “Whoever did this isn’t allowed to do it again.”

  “There. Don’t you feel better now?”

  “Sure. I think I should go to bed now. Wanna come?” She linked her hands behind his neck and trailed kisses up to his ear.

  “As tempting as that sounds, sweetheart, I’d rather have you when you’ll remember it.”

  She poked her bottom lip out. “Okay. Suit yourself.” She turned and headed for the bedroom.

  “Hold on.” He caught her by the hand. “You’re coming home with me tonight.”

  “But my bed is right here.”

  “I’ll feel safer with you at my place. Just for tonight.” Her words probably worked to stop the poltergeist from doing this again, but just in case it was vandals, he preferred to keep her close.

  * * *

  Sunlight painted the back of Emily’s eyelids red, and an aching in her temples spread all the way to her forehead. She squeezed her eyes shut harder, hoping when she opened them, the events of last night would have only been a dream.

  She opened one eye. Then the other. As the room came into focus, her heart sank. It wasn’t a dream. She lay there alone in Sean’s soft bed, the sheets cold where he should have lain. Oh, god. What had she done last night? She scooted to a sitting position and rubbed her head. She needed to think, to gather all the scattered thoughts and put the pieces of last night back together in her mind.

  She’d gone out with Trish, had too much to drink, gone home, and… Her apartment. The mess. Oh, no. And she’d called Sean, and he’d seen her in her drunken stupor and brought her home with him. What did he think of her now?

  Her overnight bag lay on the floor beside the bed, so she rummaged through it. At least she’d been coherent enough to pack a decent change of clothes. Her shirt smelled like sweat and alcohol, and she could only imagine her breath was ten times worse. She tiptoed to the bathroom for a shower before she faced Sean.

  She avoided looking in the mirror as she ran the hot water, but she couldn’t help but smile at the toothbrush—her toothbrush—sitting in the holder next to his. Hopefully he’d still want her to keep it there.

  With her hair washed and teeth brushed, she pulled on her jeans and long-sleeve t-shirt and padded into the kitchen. Sean sat at the breakfast table, sipping a cup of coffee and looking at something on his phone. He’d combed his hair, and he wore jeans and a light blue button-up shirt. He’d obviously been up for a while.

  She cringed as he raised his gaze to meet hers, expecting to see anger or disgust in his eyes. Instead, they held sympathy, and the corner of his mouth quirked into an adorable grin.

  “Good morning, sunshine. How’s your head?” He reached for the coffee pot and poured her a mug.

  “It’s been better.”

  “Here.” He put a muffin on a plate along with two white tablets and set it on the table. “Food, coffee, and Tylenol: the trifecta of hangover remedies.”

  “Thanks.” She lowered herself into the chair and nibbled on the muffin. “I’m sorry about last night.”

  “Nothing to apologize for.”

  “Thanks for taking care of me.”

  “Thanks for thinking to call me.” He reached across the table and tucked her damp hair behind her ear. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  She forced a smile and swallowed the pills. “I woke up without any pants on. Did we…?”

  He chuckled. “No. Although you did try several times, and you can be very persuasive.”

  She let out a slow breath. “Thank god.”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “I mean…not that I’m glad we didn’t. I just…don’t remember doing it, so I’d feel bad if we did.”

  “Well, we didn’t. You passed out as soon as your head hit the pillow. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Good.”

  “I did hold you for a while, though.” He traced his fingers down her arm and held her hand. Warmth spread through her body at the idea of him still wanting to be close, even in her condition.

  “Until you elbowed me in the nose and muttered something about a boxing kangaroo. I left you alone after that.” He released her hand and carried his coffee mug to the sink.

  The blood drained from her face. “Oh, god. I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”

  He pressed a hand to his nose. “I’ll survive.”

  “I understand if you don’t want to see me again. I was a wreck last night.”

  “Whoa now. Where’d that come from?” He furrowed his brow and crossed to the table in two long strides. “You needed someone, and I was happy to be there for you. I will always be there for you.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her forehead.

  “Really?”

  “Really. But be honest with me. Do you think it was vandals last night?”

  She stiffened. “It had to be.” She couldn’t let a thought about the alternative slip into her mind.

  “Okay. I’ve got to work this afternoon, so let’s get you home and get your place cleaned up. Are you okay to go back?”

  “Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”

  * * *

  Sean set the last photo frame on the table by Emily’s front door. She seeme
d convinced by the police report that vandals had ransacked her apartment. He didn’t see any reason to upset her with his own theory. He’d tried several times to reach out to any spirits that might be lurking in the corners of her apartment, but he’d found nothing. If anything was there, it was either really good at hiding, or Emily telling it not to bother her anymore last night had the desired effect.

  Either way, the salt she kept around her bed would keep her safe from spirits at night. The locks on her door should keep her safe from anything else. “You’ve got two deadbolts and a chain. Make sure they’re all engaged when you’re home.”

  She smiled and gave him a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m serious. Are you sure you’ll feel safe here alone?”

  She picked up the broken butterfly statue. “I’m sure. Will you look in that drawer? I think I have a tube of superglue.”

  He rummaged through the drawer, gave her the container, and turned her hand over to see her tattoo. “It’s an exact match.”

  She slid from his grasp and glued the figurine together. “Yes, it is.”

  “You must really like this particular butterfly.”

  “I do.”

  “Why?”

  She took a deep breath and let go of the wing. The glue held it in place. “I’m not ready to talk about it, Sean.”

  “You can trust me, you know?”

  “I know. But it’s not a happy story, and I don’t talk about it much. Give me a little time, okay?”

  “Take all the time you need, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sean stood on the steps of the St. Louis Cathedral, shaking hands and saying goodbye to his customers. He’d given the ghost tour so many times, he seemed to run on autopilot, and now he focused his attention on the crowd, looking for Emily. Two weeks had passed since their first “official” date. They’d had ten dates more since then, and he’d lost count of how many romps between the sheets, but he still couldn’t get enough of her. She was starting to spend more time at his house than in her own apartment, and that was fine with him. He liked having her around. His house actually felt like a home when she was there.

  He spotted her shiny red hair in the mass of tourists and bounded down the steps to meet her. Sweeping her into his arms, he spun in a circle and planted a possessive kiss on her lips. The curves of her body conformed to every angle of his like they were built as two parts of the same whole.

  She slid her hands down his back and slipped her fingers into his pockets. “I missed you too.” The soft moonlight glinting her eyes gave them a mischievous sparkle.

  “You sure you’re up for this tonight? My crew takes laser tag very seriously.”

  She nipped his earlobe between her teeth, sending shivers running down his limbs. “I think I can handle it.” Her lips brushed against his ear as she spoke, and she gave his ass a squeeze, pressing her hips into his.

  “Good god, woman, you drive me crazy. Why don’t we go home and play tag between the sheets instead?”

  She laughed and pulled away. “We’ll have time for that after. Besides, I want to get to know your friends.”

  “Okay. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  They met Sydney, Eric, and Jason in front of Polly’s Funhouse and Arcade just in time for their half-hour reservation. He made the introductions, and Syd gave him that knowing smile that meant she knew something he didn’t want to know. She’d made good on her promise of keeping her premonitions to herself for years now, but ever since he started dating Emily, he knew she’d seen something. And by the huge grin on her face, he could only assume it was something good. Still, he wasn’t about to ask. She only saw glimpses of what could happen. Things could change. Or they couldn’t. He’d learned that the hard way.

  Jason greeted Emily with a handshake, but Eric took her hand and pressed his lips to her fingers. “It’s nice to see you again, Emily.”

  She blushed and cut her gaze to Sean before looking at Eric. “Hi. I’m sorry I ditched your tour. It was nothing personal.”

  “No worries.” He flashed a grin and hung on to her hand way longer than necessary. Eric was a flirt by nature, and he seemed to have a way with the ladies. But not this lady.

  Sean pulled her to his side, out of Eric’s grasp, and cleared his throat. “Let’s get this game started.”

  “Since we’ve got an uneven number, are we going every man for himself?” Jason asked.

  “Or how about girls against boys?” Sydney suggested.

  Jason laughed and stood between Eric and Sean. “Three against two? You won’t stand a chance.”

  “What do you say, Emily?” She linked her arm through hers. “Want to show these boys how to fight like girls?”

  Emily grinned and caught Sean’s gaze. “Let’s do it.”

  He straightened his spine and grinned back. She already fit in with his friends, and she was up for a challenge. He loved this woman more every day. “You better muscle up, Buttercup. We don’t take prisoners.”

  “Bring it.”

  By the time they finished the game, Sean was panting with exhaustion. The guys had their asses handed to them by a couple of girls. He knew Sydney was good at laser tag, but he’d have sworn Emily had some kind of commando training the way she dodged his shots and landed her own with precision.

  They headed to the bar next door and ordered a round of beers. He slid into the seat next to her and draped his arm around her shoulders. The ease with which they fit together never ceased to amaze him.

  “She’s a keeper,” Syd whispered in his ear.

  He clenched his teeth and lowered his voice. “I don’t want to know what you saw.”

  She smiled and shrugged. “I’m just saying I like her. That’s all.” She sauntered around the table and slid into the chair on the other side of Emily.

  “What’s your secret?” he said to Emily. “How’d you get so good at laser tag?”

  She lifted a shoulder and wiped the condensation off her beer. “I used to play paintball with my sister in high school.”

  “I’d like to meet your sister sometime.”

  She flashed a half-smile and clinked her bottle against Sydney’s, turning her back to him. “We make a good team, don’t we?”

  Sydney smiled. “We sure do.”

  What an odd reaction. Did she have a strained relationship with her sister? Add another item to the list of mysteries he needed to investigate about Emily. She had secrets, but he had a feeling he was close to figuring them out. She’d become so much more open and relaxed with him over the last few weeks. It was a slow row, but he was earning her trust.

  “Who’s up for a game of pool?” Eric held two cue sticks in his hand.

  “Count me in.” Sean kissed Emily on the cheek and followed Eric to the table. As Eric racked the balls, Sean leaned on his cue and watched Emily talk with Sydney. The way she smiled and laughed reminded him of the night they met at the masquerade. It was that same playful smile and musical laugh that had attracted him to her in the first place. And his feelings for her grew stronger and stronger with each passing day.

  * * *

  The view of Sean’s backside as he bent over the pool table sent Emily’s heart racing. Who’d have thought after nearly a month of knowing him, she’d still get this worked up just looking at him? She sipped her beer and smiled as he caught her eye.

  “I’m glad he found you.” Sydney’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. “We were worried about him for a while.” She absently rubbed her tattooed arm, and Emily couldn’t help but notice the intricate sleeve extending from beneath her shirt down to her wrist. A beautifully detailed pocket watch adorned the underside of her forearm, with a chain wrapping around her elbow and leading up to what appeared to be the bottom half of the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.

  She was tempted to ask about the tattoo but refrained for fear of Sydney asking about hers in return. Instead, she focused on her comment about S
ean. “Who’s we?”

  “His friends. His mom, especially. I don’t know how much he’s told you, but he hasn’t dated much.”

  “Since Courtney.”

  “Yeah.”

  “He said he’s been on three dates.”

  Sydney laughed. “And those were just to appease his mom and her incessant nagging. Madeline wants grandchildren so bad she can taste it. It’s nice he finally found someone.”

  “Oh.” She picked at the label on her beer bottle.

  “Not someone to have babies with. I mean…someone who makes him happy. I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right.”

  “It’s okay. I like children.” The thought had crossed her mind more than once about filling all those empty rooms in his house.

  Sydney tightened her lips as if fighting off a smile. “Of course you do.”

  What a strange thing to say. Emily was about to ask her what she meant when a tall red-headed woman stumbled toward Sean. Her brunette friend tried to grab her hand, but she flung herself toward him, and he caught her around the waist before she face-planted into the pool table.

  “It’s my birthday, Sean. I want a kiss.” She grabbed him around the neck and planted her hot pink lips on his.

  Emily was on her feet and marching toward them before she realized she was moving. Heat burned from her chest down to her stomach, and her hands instinctively clenched into fists. Sean’s eyes widened as he gripped the woman’s shoulders and pried her lips away from his face.

  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” The woman stumbled in her stilettos, and her friend caught her by the arm.

  He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, leaving a hot pink trail of lipstick marring his skin. Emily clutched his bicep and put a possessive hand on his chest.

  “He’s taken.” She didn’t recognize the venom in her own voice, but the jealousy burning inside was definitely hers.

  Sean wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Paisley, this is my girlfriend, Emily.”