His eyes questioned her. "I think you should go to bed, Jessi. I worked with David and he's not the gentleman type."
She squinted. "How would you know what a gentleman is?"
"Jessi, you're drunk and he's going to take advantage of you." His hands took hold of her shoulders. "In the morning you'll regret it."
"He will not!" She yanked her arms away from him and turned. The room started to spin and her hands grabbed the countertop. Jon reached out to support her, but she shook him away and walked calmly back to the living room.
David sat on the couch with a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"I hope you don't mind." He raised his drink. "I helped myself to your bar and I made you a Bloody Mary." He pointed to the red drink on the coffee table.
Jessi grinned and took the drink, careful not to spill it. "I put the coffee on, so it should be ready soon."
David patted the seat next to him. "We've got time. Tomorrow we don't have to be at work. Maybe we can spend the time getting to know each other."
Jessi sat down. The room began to spin, causing her to giggle. The realization that he found her attractive made her heart soar. David was pretty good looking, better looking than Ben.
"Okay, you first then," she said as she took a sip of the Bloody Mary. Her eyes popped open. There had to be at least 75% alcohol, and the rest was the Bloody Mary mix.
"Well, I like whiskey." A twinkle formed in his eye as he lifted his drink.
"That's what I figured. What about family, do you have any?"
"Two brothers and a sister who are scattered in various parts of the world."
His body carried a lot of confidence as he sat with his legs spread apart. The lustful gaze he raked over her made her feel like she was naked. Jessi usually turned away from men with that type of look, but the alcohol impaired her judgment.
Jessi smiled and took another sip of the drink. The room was getting a bit hotter than before and she guessed that her face must be red.
"Why don't we go sit out on the deck?" she suggested as she cautiously stood up and waited for the dizziness to subside.
"Good idea, I think there’s almost a full moon tonight and with no clouds." He got up and slowly walked to the patio doors. If he was intoxicated Jessi could not tell. He didn't have any slur in his voice or stumble in his walk, which made her wonder if the drinks he had were less potent than hers.
She turned to walk behind him as Jon materialized in front of her.
"Don't go with him, Jessi."
"Go away," she slurred as she stared into his brown eyes. Even being drunk she could see something in them. Something she couldn't quite understand.
"What's that?" David asked from the deck.
"I was talking to my stomach, it's hungry." She forced out a laugh. "I'm going to go into the kitchen and grab a snack for us."
David peered in and smiled. "Ok, don't be too long, darlin’." He drawled as he went to sit down in one of the lounge chairs.
Jessi walked around Jon and headed to the kitchen. Jon followed her. Her glass clattered as she slammed it down on the countertop. She glared at Jon when he walked in the kitchen.
"What is your damn problem, Jon?" Her anger was intense. What made him think that he was her keeper? Why was he protecting her so much?
"He's my problem, Jessi." He motioned back to the patio door. "He's drunk and he's going to take advantage of you."
"How would you know that?"
His body glided across the kitchen and stood in front of her. She could see that he was as angry as she was. He walked almost fluid-like, and somehow she could imagine how strong his muscles were to make him walk so flawlessly. What would they feel like under her hands? What would they taste like if she kissed them?
He grabbed her by her arms and locked his gaze with hers. "I was like him. The only thing I cared about was getting laid and bragging to the guys."
"So why aren't you pushing me to him?" Her mind was all confused at what was happening. Why was he telling her this? Why did he seem so irresistibly attractive?
"Because I don't want you to get hurt."
Shocked filled her. Did he care about her? When did that happen? How did that happen?
"I heard about you talking about your divorce. I could hear the pain that you went through. "
Tears filled her eyes when she heard the word divorce. He knew what happened to her and he was protecting her from that pain again. Why?
"I loved him," she whispered. "At least, I thought I did, and now I'm alone. I hate being alone."
He wrapped his arms around her and brought her against him.
"I know, honey."
Her heart could not hold back her feelings. "I need someone to love me for who I am and not try and mold me into someone I'm not."
His fingers touched her chin and he lifted her face and stared into her tear-filled eyes. "Go and tell David you don't feel well and you need sleep. I'll be right behind you, so don't be afraid."
She gently nodded. She wobbled her way out to the deck. She froze when she looked at the scene. It was the picture-perfect portrait of a romantic setting. The moon took over the whole sky as its glowing rays covered the sandy beach. Its image rippled in the water beneath it. The waves hit the shore in a lazy rhythm to add to the serene beauty.
David sat on the lounge chair, his drink on the table next to him. He didn't fit in this romantic scene. Yes, he was attractive, but she didn't think she could give him what he wanted tonight.
"David?"
He turned and smiled. "Where's your snack, darlin’?"
"I, um... I'm not feeling well. So if you don't mind, I'd like to call it a night."
His smile suddenly changed. No longer was it sincere. It was now sinister and it made her skin crawl.
"Maybe there's something I can do to make you better?" He stood up and lazily approached her.
Instinctively, she stepped back. Jon stepped in front to protect her.
Jessi shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. I just need some rest."
"No, darlin’. I can make you better." He jumped closer to her and stopped when he hit Jon.
"Get the hell away from her!" Jon screamed as he pushed David backward.
The sea started to churn behind him and the moon darkened.
David seemed to shake off the invisible push on him like it was something he encountered every day.
"I must have had a bit too much to drink, but that's okay, darlin’ I'm still man enough for you." He cautiously walked again to her. "I can still make sure that you're screaming my name when I ram my cock into you."
"The hell you will!" Jon sent David's drink flying from the table and right into the side of his head.
Jessi stood horrified. Jon was right. David didn't care anything about her, he only wanted his fun with her.
David cursed and peered around. "What the hell?"
Jon looked at the lounge chair and instantly it flew off the patio and right into David, knocking him onto the deck.
Jessi began to shake, terrified at the scene unfolding in front of her. David groaned and angrily pushed the lounge chair away. "Who the hell did that?" He searched the area around him. Getting up, he glared at Jessi. "Who did that, Jessi? You got some lovesick boyfriend hiding? Why doesn't he come out and fight like a man? Or is he not man enough?"
Jonathan clinched his teeth. "Jessi, go into the house."
Her heart started to race. Fear gripped her throat so tightly she couldn't utter a word. Her feet moved like lightning and she ran into the house and closed the patio doors.
"You want me to fight like a man?" Jonathan stretched his arms out toward the dark sky. "Then be prepared for a hell of a fight!"
The sea now had a loud deafening sound as the waves grew stronger and higher.
The table slid across the patio and hit David in the leg, making him stumble. The lounge chair came up again at him. He covered his face as it hit him, throwing him against the patio.
Jessi cover
ed her mouth to stifle her scream as a massive wave come out of the sea and crashed down on the patio, covering both David and Jon. As it receded David was washed off her patio and onto the beach. He lay belly down and rolled over and wiped some of the water off his face. Her patio furniture surrounded him in pieces. The anger of the water was subsiding as the waves slowly returned to their lazy rhythm.
She opened the door and her mouth dropped in utter shock. Jon’s back was to her, but she could feel anger emanating from him as he stared David down.
"He's fine, Jessi. He won't ever come near you again."
Her whole body shook as she walked next to him. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't believe what she had seen. It was surreal.
“How did you…?”
He wrapped his arm around her waist. "My emotions. I found that I can use them to move things. Let's go inside, you need sleep."
Her head bobbed and her body was numb with shock. Jon slowly led her inside of the house, keeping his arm around her waist. When she got to the stairs she stopped. Her body began to shake uncontrollably and her legs gave away.
Jon bent down and lifted her against him. "It's okay, Jessi, you're safe with me."
She began to sob in his arms as he walked upstairs to her bedroom, the same bedroom that was once his. He didn't bother to turn on the lights since the moon was so bright. He gently placed her on the bed. Lying beside her, he pulled her close to him. His arms wrapped around her shaking body.
"I'm sorry." Her voice was soft against his chest.
"For what?" he asked, his chin resting on top of her head.
"For arguing with you. You were right, he did want to sleep with me." Her eyes were swollen as the tears came down. "I feel so stupid."
"Don't you dare say that." He lifted her chin and made her look directly at him. "You're an incredibly smart woman. No man like him deserves you."
"It feels like every man out there is like him. Abigail is wrong. I won't ever find my soul mate."
"Soul mate?"
She buried her head against his chest. "She put a spell on me to help me find my soul mate right before I left New York. She thinks that is why I can see you."
Jon stiffened. "She said that?"
She nodded and then slowly peeked out from his chest. "She told me that she was always right and her spells always worked." She stopped and her eyes widened. "Wait! What if David was my soul mate?"
"No. He. Was. Not." Jon's teeth ground out every word and he tilted Jessi's face up. "He's a man whore, not a soul mate, got it?"
The intense fire in his eyes made Jessi wonder if there was something more in those words. The heat from him made her body quiver. His brown eyes were almost black in the moonlit room. She reached out and ran her fingers through his dark hair. Jessi needed something though, something to hold on to during the rest of her life's journey.
She wiped away her tears. Her body needed warmth and comfort from him. "Kiss me."
"Jessi...I..."
"Shh..." She placed her finger on his lips. "I need you..." She leaned in and captured his lips. He tasted so sweet and warm, like sunshine. She deepened the kiss and a moan escaped from his lips. Her tongue darted in and played a seductive dance as her body plastered itself to his.
He pulled his lips away. "No."
Her eyes fluttered opened. "What?"
"You're drunk, Jessi. I'm not doing this because..." He pushed her tousled dark hair away from her face. "This isn't what you want. You're doing this because you're still raw from your divorce and you have had too much to drink, so you're not thinking straight."
Tears formed in her eyes. He was right. She was acting like a college girl at her first frat party. Getting wasted and then sleeping with the first willing man she found. She propped herself up. "I'm sorry. I...uh...you're right. I..." A wave of nausea hit her and she fell off the bed. She scrambled to her feet and bolted to the bathroom. Jon was there in an instant, holding her hair back as she vomited. Her body heaved out everything it could. Jessi swore she would die from the constant retching. When it finally stopped, her body became a wet noodle, her arm was the only body part preventing her from falling into the toilet. Her hand shook as she pressed the handle to flush the remnants of a disastrous evening.
"Here."
A wet washcloth appeared in front of her and she took it and wiped her mouth.
She handed it back to Jon. "Thanks." She looked up at him. He stood by the sink in the darkness and rinsed the washcloth. "You must think I'm pathetic."
He laughed as he turned off the faucet and handed her the washcloth back. "Nope. I've had nights where I overdid it on the booze and woke up praying to the porcelain god."
The cool washcloth was refreshing as she placed it on her face. She moved it to her neck and stared at Jon in the dim moonlight. Ghost or not, he was gorgeous. Why did the universe taunt her with such a succulent being that she couldn't have? Was it karma? Growing up she was spoiled to no end by everyone. If she wanted a special dress, she got it. New phone, she got it. First car, she got that, too. Is that why she couldn't have Jon?
He bent down and looked into her eyes. "You strong enough to make it back to bed?"
Aw hell. She mentally moaned, knowing there would be no movement of her bed tonight. Taking the rest of her dignity, she stood up. "Yeah, I'll make it." She tossed the washcloth into the sink and stumbled back to the bed. The room spun as her head hit the pillow and she felt Jon cover her with a blanket. His warm body sat down on the bed as she slowly drifted to sleep.
Chapter Nine
The brightly glazed rays of light painted Jessi's face as Jon watched her sleep. The morning had come very quickly, too quickly for him. He didn't want her to awaken since she needed rest to recover from the overdose of alcohol last night. His current existence was still so strange to him. He could walk through and move things around whenever he wanted. Yet he didn't feel hungry, thirsty, or even tired at all. He had an endless supply of energy, except he had limitations on what he could do. Right now, he needed to watch over Jessi as she slept.
He recalled her crying at his gravesite. No one had cried for him at his funeral, not even his own father. Jessi, someone who had known him a few days, had cried over him. Something stirred inside of him, a feeling he never experienced in life. He didn't know what this feeling was, but he knew it had to do with wanting to protect Jessi.
David probably was nursing a hangover along with a back problem and maybe a broken nose. He'd stay out of her way.
Jessi stirred a bit and grabbed the pillow tighter. Jon gazed at her as the sun's rays peeked through the window. The light brushed her long brown hair and caressed her face. When he stared at her lips the memory of their kiss hit him, making his groin harden. He'd love to taste the sweetness again, but if he did he wouldn't be able to stop himself.
Taking his dirty thoughts with him, he rolled off the bed to let her sleep. He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge to survey the food inside. He rummaged around and managed to find some eggs and bacon.
"This I can make." He put the items on the countertop and searched for the frying pan. He recalled seeing it when Jessi unpacked. Too bad he didn't have psychic powers, because they would have come in pretty handy.
He opened one cabinet and moved some pans around when something outside caught his attention. He turned and was blinded by a glistening light in the sand. His eyes squinted, the sun bounced off something small. He walked through the patio doors and onto the sandy beach. Using his anger, he bent down and pulled the object out. The sun's rays bounced off the enraged image of Huitzilopochtli. Jon froze. It was the pendant he’d found the night he was murdered. He stood up, scanned the area and realized this was where he plummeted David with the patio furniture. Had it fallen out of David’s pocket? How had he gotten it?
Jon opened the patio door and locked it behind him. The Aztec god on the pendant stared at him with fiery eyes, as if wanting to curse him for eternity. He gently placed the pend
ant on the island in the kitchen. Jon ran his hand through his hair and tried to remember what he knew about this pendant. He thought of his notes he’d pushed away to the bookcase. Fortunately, he’d moved the notebook before the bookcase was sold. He’d moved it to the northwest corner of the attic. In an instant, he materialized in the attic, walked over to the corner and pulled out the notebook. A moment later he was back in the kitchen where he plopped the notebook on the counter.
Thankfully, all his notes were on paper and not on his phone. He always kept a written copy, in case something happened. That paranoia came in handy. As he thumbed through the notebook he searched for the notes on the pendant. After going through a few pages he found them in the middle. The god on the pendant was Huitzilopochtli, god of sun and war, the most powerful and revered god in the Aztec culture. Over the years he’d studied many types of Aztec legends and relics, and this one was the most fascinating.
"Morning," a groggy voice mumbled.
Jon turned around and found Jessi, still in the same clothes from last night, slowly walking into the kitchen. Her normally pristine straight hair looked like lightning electrocuted it, and dark bags were under her eyes.
"You look wonderful!" He couldn't help but taunt her.
She flipped him off and shuffled to the coffee maker.
Jon beat her to it and pulled out the filter cup for the brewer. "I got this. Go sit down."
A weak smile crossed her face. "Thanks." She shuffled to the bar stool by the island. "What's this?" She picked up the pendant.
Jon put the filter cup into the brewer, placed a mug under it, and pressed the brew button. "I'm surprised I found it. It's a pendant I was studying the night I died."
"Ew!" Jessi dropped the silver pendant on the island and it started to roll off the island.
Jon's quick hands tackled the artifact before it fell off the edge. "Careful! It's hundreds of years old!"
"You said you were holding it when you were killed!"
"No, I said I was studying it. I didn't have it in my hands when I was killed. I put the pendant in a small box I had. It was on top of a box with bones."
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