Reed had noted, however, that the spell book he’d followed to brew up the concoction was old, not to mention a poor translation from the original Latin text. In short, it was a risk. After attending to Callie, the chemist planned to contact Storm Rivington, a fellow paranormal investigator based in Oxford, England, to find out if there was a better translation of the potion book available. Meanwhile, Justin was on his own.
The potion and Reed’s note had helped put Justin a little more at ease, something he was thankful for as he drew in a lungful of cool evening air as he pulled into Rosewood’s long, winding driveway. The day had been beyond stressful and Justin was thankful for any small favors he could get at the moment.
Parking the car around back by the carriage house so no one driving by would see it, Justin slowly made his way up the flagstone path that led from the carriage house to the sweeping curved back porch of Rosewood. He hated that he had to hide, but he also had to be practical. Earlier in the day, Mia had sent a memo to the staff, announcing that the deal with Alternate Reality was close to being finalized. After everything that had happened with the Finegolds, Justin didn’t want to be the one to risk the deal by being caught in a compromising situation again.
He’d spotted at least two photographers trailing him when he’d first left Altoona, but he had been able to lose them on the area’s back roads, taking sharp curves far faster than he wanted to, but knowing it was the best way to ditch the pesky reporters. The last thing he needed or wanted was the tabloid press printing stories that he was sleeping with ghosts or some other kind of nonsense. That might kill off the AR deal for good.
Deciding not to dwell on what might happen if he was caught at Rosewood tonight, he instead concentrated what he did want - to be with Rose. Justin knew this all-consuming desire was beginning to border on becoming a sickness or, worse yet, an obsession, but he couldn’t help himself. She was all he thought about.
A gust of wind blew a small pile of dead leaves around his feet and immediately, Justin was teased by the hint of a memory. He stopped in the middle of the backyard and looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of whatever had tickled his mind. He saw nothing of obvious note, though he instinctively knew the back gardens had looked better when he was alive.
Annoyed, Justin knew he should let the hint of memory go, but he found that he couldn’t. Suddenly, he wanted to know as much as he could about his life as James Morgan. Perhaps if he simply opened his mind to the possibilities, he would find a way to help Rose. At the moment it was the best, not to mention the only, plan he could devise.
Relaxing his shoulders, Justin allowed his mind to wander. He let the scent of the night air fill his lungs and allowed the gentle evening breeze to caress his skin. In the distance, he could hear insects coming alive for the night while something moved in the underbrush. His investigative instincts told him to run and chase after whatever he was hearing. Instead, Justin fought his natural inclinations and simply allowed himself to be in the moment. It worked.
Once more, his vision shifted and he saw the immense yard as it had once been – covered with ornate gardens and a gazebo. To his left there had been two ornamental ponds fed by a spring. At some point, the ponds had been filled in and the spring redirected because in the present, they were long gone, only the faint shadows of where they had once been remaining in the dirt. Justin was suddenly overcome by a burning desire to have the spring rerouted once more and the ponds recreated to compliment the one still in existence outside the library’s French doors.
Shaking his head, he realized how foolish he was. He didn’t live here anymore; he no longer owned the house or the land. Sophia Hamlin did and even if it turned out that she didn’t want the house, she wasn’t in any condition to sell it to him at the moment. It was too crazy to even dream about.
His vision clearing and the snippet of the past lost in his memory again, he turned to continue into the house when he saw Rose floating towards him. She’d changed from her usual pale pink dress into a pale yellow sundress, accented by a large picture hat adorned with matching ribbons, as well as gloves, sandals and pearls. She looked like a quintessential 1950s housewife, something she had obviously never been.
“Do you like my new look?” Rose asked, twirling around in front of him when he reached her.
Justin licked his lips as he studied her. He did, indeed, like her look. In fact, she looked so good that he wanted to strip her naked and take her right there on back lawn. However, he knew he shouldn’t. He also didn’t know if he could. Maybe ghost sex only worked in enchanted houses, not on their lawns. He wasn’t really sure and there hadn’t been much information available on the subject, even online. He’d looked. Then again, Rose was outside, so maybe she had more ability to roam than he thought.
“How did you learn to dress like that?” he finally asked, still studying her. “And how are you out here?”
She laughed, a light and lovely sound that shook the last vestiges of tiredness from Justin’s bones and chased away his headache. “I watch television, silly goose. I am, after all, a thoroughly modern ghost.”
“I see.” And he really did. Twice now, Ghosts, Inc. personnel had stopped by the house only to find Rose watching television from an easy chair in the living room. He hadn’t realized she watched television and had said as much the next time he saw her.
She’d informed him that, as an intelligent ghost in a modern world, she’d needed to stay informed about the world around her. She had watched only the news at first, but then, when the days had become endless and she couldn’t find any new books to read, she’d taken to watching TV for entertainment. She also knew how to use a computer and could surf the internet like a pro.
“As for how I’m out here, I can travel up to a hundred yards from the house on my own.” She smiled at that. “I’m not sure why and I rarely go outside because I have no reason to do so. Tonight though, I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did just that,” he told her, backing her up the walk until her back was against one of the pillars that supported the porch roof. “Now what?”
She grinned at him, a wicked look that Justin didn’t know if he’d seen before. “Now I want you to do what you did this morning, only harder and more of it.”
“You mean like this?” Justin leaned down and licked Rose’s neck while his hands caressed her shoulders as he worked his way down to her breasts.
The familiar icy hot sensations roared across his nerves and he could feel her ghostly form begin to take on the more traditional human weight he remembered from that morning. The same transformation had occurred earlier when they’d been about to have sex, and although Justin couldn’t explain it, he wasn’t about to question it, either.
“Yessssss,” Rose moaned deep in her throat, her hands tugging at the hem of Justin’s shirt so she could free it from his jeans.
Her fingers caressed the well-defined abs of his stomach and Justin’s skin felt as if it was on fire. He’d never experienced anything so deliciously exotic and relished the sensation. Delving lower, she reached into the waistband of his jeans and stroked his erection. It was like hot velvet in her palm and though she knew it was merely a ghostly facsimile of the real thing, Rose cherished the sensation. If that was all she could get, she would gladly take it. She was so greedy for the feel of him that she didn’t care.
Justin rained down kisses across her neck and collar bone, nipping and biting as he went. If she’d had human skin, Rose knew his love bites would be easily visible for all to see. He’d done that once when she was alive. Her mother had been mortified, but Rose hadn’t cared.
“I need you, Justin,” she whispered in his ear and magically, her dress disappeared so that she was naked before him, wearing only her heeled sandals.
Stepping back, Justin shed his own clothes quickly. Then he paused to admire Rose’s body. “You are the most perfect woman I’ve ever seen,” he told her honestly. “There could never be anyone else for me.”
> Rose leaned back against the porch pillar and raised one arm over her head, making herself appear as wanton as she felt.
“Take me.” She offered Justin her body. “Let me feel you inside me.”
With a growl, Justin was on her, kissing and caressing every bit of skin he could reach. Rose writhed beneath him. She was momentarily shocked when he lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist, but as soon as he pushed himself inside her, all other thoughts flew from her head.
She rode Justin hard as he thrust into her, their bodies now slick with mingled pleasure. This was how it had been the night they had conceived their child. No words, just bodies, the sound of skin slapping skin and Rose knew that, were she able at the moment, she would conceive another child when he came inside her.
She felt Justin pause and she reached back to pinch his ass. “Don’t stop,” she commanded. She was on the verge of coming and she knew he was as well.
“Don’t worry, honey,” he told her as he nipped at her ear lobe. “I’m just repositioning.”
Justin moved them around so that he now stood on the stone steps that led down from the porch. While her back was still resting against the porch pillar, he was now higher up so he could take her at a better angle.
When he started pumping into her again, Rose could now feel him deeper inside her than before. The sensations were nearly overwhelming and she started to buck against him.
“That’s it, Rosie,” he ground out, his rock hard cock still pistoning in and out of her. “Come for me, baby.”
Rose felt her inner muscles tighten and she tried to hold herself back but it was no use. She convulsed around him as waves of orgasm swept over her again and again. Moments later, Rose felt Justin spill himself inside of her, his seed shooting deep into her.
In that one moment, her heart ached, knowing that had she been human, their coupling would have created a new life within her.
As her breathing slowed, Justin lowered her back to her feet on the porch steps.
“That was quite a welcome,” he told her, resting his forehead against hers. “I think I kind of like that.”
Collecting herself enough to grin back at him, Rose offered up a saucy smile to hide the pain that had settled deep into her heart. “Come to see me more often and we can do that whenever you like.”
Chapter Fourteen
After gathering up his clothes, though not bothering to put on more than his jeans, Justin followed Rose, who was once again wearing the yellow sundress, into the house. In his mind, there was no reason to redress because they were going to end up in bed again anyway. Rose, however, informed him that she liked to have at least some sense of decorum, even if she was a ghost.
Once they were seated in the living room, Justin brought Rose up to date on everything that had happened since he’d left her, including telling her about his other two lives as William and Paul. He also told her that, though Callie had been injured as a result of the memory transfer, Elliott assured him that she would recover. On his way to Blue Spring, he’d called the physician himself, just to be sure.
It hadn’t felt right leaving Callie without seeing her, even though Mia had insisted, something Rose agreed with wholeheartedly.
“I hate the thought that she risked her life for us,” Rose said as she curled up next to Justin on the couch.
“There wasn’t any other way,” he reminded her, reaching out to stroke her hair. Even though he couldn’t feel the silken strands any longer, his fingers seemed to have a stored memory and he imagined how soft it would feel. “I was pretty messed up after I reabsorbed my memories. According to Tim, no one should have really been around me. Without Callie, though, I don’t think I’d have remembered anything. I need to tell her that.”
“And you will. When she’s better.” Idly, Rose toyed with Justin’s fingers. “So what next?”
He blew out a breath and snuggled deeper into the couch. “I don’t know. My past lives don’t tell me anything. You’re not in either of them so I’m not sure how much help they’ll be. I guess we can look around here some more, but…”
“Oh, wait!” Rose sat up so abruptly that she pushed Justin aside. “My grandfather wanted to talk to you. I was so excited to see you that I forgot!” And she truly had. Once Rose had seen Justin coming up the back walkway, her grandfather’s promise of help had completely slipped from her mind.
“I thought your grandfather didn’t like me.” Justin pushed himself up on his elbows so he could watch Rose bounce across the room, straightening up pillows and smoothing down her dress in anticipation of her grandfather’s arrival
Rose looked away from the glass-fronted corner cupboard she’d been using to arrange her hair and Justin had to resist the urge to remind her that she was a ghost. All she had to do was imagine her hair perfect and it would be. “He didn’t like James, though I still don’t know why” she reminded him. “I don’t think he dislikes you personally.”
“She’s right, boy. It’s nothing personal.”
Justin jumped and let out an exasperated gasp as the old ghost materialized before him. “Ben, I thought I asked you not to do that.”
He pushed himself up into a sitting position as Rose came back to sit beside him. Justin had been quite comfortable with Rose on the couch and was planning on “ravishing” her again, to use her words. The last thing he wanted or needed was her grandfather’s ghost spending the evening with them. For his part, Ben gave a small sound of disgust and limped over to slump into a nearby chair.
“Did you hurt yourself?” Rose was frowning and she looked at her grandfather with a worried glance.
He waved a hand in the air. “It’s nothing serious.”
“I didn’t think ghosts could get hurt.” Justin said. The last few days had challenged just about every belief in ghosts he’d ever had.
“You don’t think I just sit around all day, waiting for you to need something, do you?” Ben asked, the irritation clear in his voice. “I don’t. I have other duties, you know.”
“I didn’t know.” Justin pursed his lips, trying to process this new information. If Ben could be hurt, chances were Rose could be too. He didn’t like that idea very much.
Ben, however, clearly wasn’t there to discuss his injuries. “Well, I do. There’s more to my life than just you two.” He glanced fondly at his granddaughter. “But I’d drop anything for Rosie here.”
She smiled warmly at him. “I know, Grandpa.”
“So Rose said you have some information,” Justin cut in, now anxious be rid of Ben so his evening’s plans for Rose could proceed.
Ben, knowing exactly what Justin had planned for the evening, settled more comfortably into his chair, indicating he wasn’t going anywhere just yet. He might know what was planned, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. “I do. But before we get to that, I think we need to have a little chat.” Glancing at Rose he inclined his head. “Rosie, honey, why don’t you go freshen up or something. Justin and I have something to discuss in private.”
It was clear that Rose didn’t care for that idea at all and was a little nervous about what her cranky grandfather might say. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“It’ll be okay,” Justin assured her, giving her a bright smile, though inside he was more than a little nervous. If Ben was so inclined, he could seriously hurt Justin, though it was unlikely, if for no other reason than it would upset Rose.
Unswayed, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Why don’t I believe that?”
“Rosie girl, I won’t do anything,” Ben said reprovingly. “You know me better than that.”
“I know you didn’t like James,” she countered. However, she also saw that neither Justin nor her grandfather would be swayed. “Ten minutes,” she finally said. “If you don’t call for me, I’m coming to find you.”
Ben nodded. “Understood.”
With that, Rose disappeared into the flash of light that was quickly becoming familiar to Justin.
> Once satisfied she was gone, Justin turned to Ben. “You wanted to talk. So let’s talk.”
Ben regarded Justin carefully, then rose and floated to stand in front of him. “I want to say I don’t like you much,” Ben began, “but seeing as how you’re not exactly James, it feels a bit wrong of me to say so.”
“But I’m James reincarnated.” For Justin, there was now no shying away from the issue.
“You are,” Ben agreed. “And to be sure, I didn’t much care for that man. My Rosie was infatuated with him and he knew it. Used it to his advantage when she went to him against our wishes.”
Looking away, Justin nodded. “I know. I saw those images the last time I passed out. I used women. I used Rose, too. I’m not proud of that, but I’m not sure how James felt about it.” He shrugged. “Probably justified, I suppose. But the person I am today doesn’t like it. The women I’m with know the score.”
“Like Merri Finegold.” Ben’s voice was surprisingly steady as he talked about Justin’s former would-be lover.
“You know about her?” Justin was surprised at exactly how much Ben knew about his present life.
The ghost nodded and a look Justin couldn’t quite interpret crossed his face. “I know about her. All the others too. They knew what they were getting into with you; you told them. If they chose not to listen, that was their failure.” Ben was quiet for a moment. “You’re different now. Better. If you’d have been like this back then, maybe Rosie’s daddy and I wouldn’t have objected to you so much.”
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