“It would be, but I’m not alone.”
“I don’t see anyone else.”
“I have Kassa.” He grinned. “And now I have you.”
Something about the way he said the words put her off. “How is it that I can see you now?”
He shrugged. “You accepted it.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Did you write ‘believe’ on the back of that picture?”
“Maybe.” Mischief fit him too good for her peace of mind.
“You made me think I was going crazy.”
He stood and put his hands over hers. “I needed you to see me.” The sincerity in his voice and tone touched her heart in a way she didn’t expect. He wore a shroud of loneliness, and she wanted to ease that pain.
“Did you have a chance to cross over?”
“Cross over?” Some of the light died in his eyes. “I had a chance.”
“What happened?”
“Did you know the dead have to relive their last moments on this Earth in order to cross? It’s part of the rules.”
“Rules?”
He touched the article. “For the dead, reliving those last moments can be pure agony.”
Her parents had relived their deaths to cross? “Why do you have to do that?” She couldn’t hide the horror at the thought of them going through that again.
“Most are unaware of the transition. They pass into the afterlife without a break between their death and the corridor. If I had died quickly, it would have been the same, but I was crushed. It took me a long time to die.” The air around them grew ice cold. “A very long time.”
She pulled her hand from beneath his and touched his face. He nuzzled her palm and a soft moan came from deep in his chest. She marveled at the warmth of his skin. “I’m sorry.” Her heart ached for him. “You were so young.”
He pressed a kiss to her wrist. “I’ve forgotten how good it feels to be touched like this.”
She wanted to be bold, wanted to trace those lips with her thumb and lean in and kiss him. She fingered the chain of her grandmother’s locket with her other hand.
“What is this?” He took the trinket from her grasp and let it rest in his palm. “You touch this when you’re upset or afraid.”
She licked her lips and turned her face away from him, letting her hand fall away from his cheek. The delicate piece appeared even daintier against the broad expanse of his dark skin. “Do I?”
“Always.” He flipped it open and music filled the room. “Dance with me.” Travis’ fingers brushed her collarbone. The locket settled against her once more.
He held out his hands and she let him guide her to the middle of the room. His arm came around her waist and he tucked her hand against him.
If she looked hard enough she could see through his body to the wall behind him. She swallowed and lifted her gaze to his. “I didn’t know ghosts like to dance.”
“I liked doing it when I was alive. I’ve missed it too.” He easily led and she followed smoothly, as if they had done this a hundred times before.
“What else do you miss?” She winced the moment the question came out of her mouth, and glanced down at the necklace hanging against her chest. “Never mind, don’t answer that. It was a terrible question.” She pulled away and snapped the locket shut. “You must think I’m such a jerk.”
He held her against him when she would have stepped away. “You’re doing it again.”
She stopped fidgeting with the chain the moment he said it.
“It must mean a lot to you.”
She held it up between them. “It was my grandmother’s. She gave it to me before she passed on.”
He touched her chin and something in his expression captivated her. “You must have loved her very much to hang on to it like this.”
“I did, but how do you know so much about me?”
“You couldn’t see me, but I was there.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You were?”
His arms tightened around her, preventing her from moving away. She allowed it. “How long?”
He said nothing and she flicked her attention back to his face. “Travis?”
His expression was hard to read. “Long enough to know you cry at night. That your nightmares tear apart your peace.” He reached up and tucked stray hair behind her ear.
She swallowed and her stomach did a little flip at his words.
“You love the sun and dancing by yourself when you think no one is watching.” His grin was wicked. “You are adorable in the mornings when you just wake up.”
“I haven’t been here for very long. How do you know these things?”
He put his forehead to hers. It was a solid weight, warm and comforting. “What is time to a ghost?”
“I don’t understand.”
The locket flipped open on its own and she blinked as music spilled out between them. “Life is made up of moments like this one.” He gently nuzzled her cheek. “Don’t think.”
With a finger under her chin, he tilted her mouth up to his, teasing it open with light caresses. The first taste reminded her of fresh rain. He cupped her face and softly nibbled on her lower lip. Goose bumps rose on her skin. She gave in to the feel of his kiss and the power of his hands. Butterfly sensations erupted in her chest and tension built in her lower stomach. He sucked gently and she moaned. Yes.
She reached for him and he pulled away, trapping her hands against his chest. His mouth lifted in a slow smile and the intensity of his gaze seared her to the core. “Hold still.” He brushed his lips across hers. “Close your eyes and no matter what you feel, don’t move.”
His husky demand thrilled her. She nodded and allowed her lids to drift closed. His lips coasted over hers in soft whispers while his hands cupped her face again. She could feel his heart under her palms. Ghosts have a heartbeat?
He slid his mouth along hers, tilting her head and deepening the kiss. She moaned and kissed him back, forgetting everything but the way he tasted.
Pleasure arced through her body. Liquid heat pooled in her core and she hissed. “Hold still. If you move, I’ll lose control.”
His gruff words tore something loose inside her and she sucked in a breath. Fuck, that’s sexy. Her body trembled.
“Open.” His thumb brushed her lower lip, and she willingly did as he demanded.
His tongue stroked inside her mouth, teasing hers with the barest caress. She dug her fingers into his chest. Melody wanted more. She wanted him to lose control. He teased again and she dragged him against her. The rebel in her needed to see how far she could push him. She captured his tongue and sucked on it, loving the way he tasted.
A growl erupted from his throat and his kiss became wild. He devoured her, stole her breath and replaced it with his own. She raked her nails down his chest to his stomach where muscles bunched and flexed at her touch.
Cool air rushed around them, lifting her hair. She whimpered in surprise.
“Shhh. It’s just me.” He walked them backward. “I want to feel everything.” He slid his mouth along her chin. “Taste everything.”
The bend of her knees hit something and she fell back with a cry. Her eyes came open. He followed her down, covering her body. Travis gripped Melody’s hair and stared at her like a man starved. “Let me. Please.” He rocked his hips against her and she moaned. Travis gripped her jeans, pulling her against him until the hard ridge of his cock pressed against her heat. “Let me.” His voice was ragged.
She ground against him. “Yes.”
Melody arched her neck while he kissed along her face and shoulders. She shivered and watched him move down her body with practiced ease. Lust coiled inside her. She dug her nails into his scalp and he growled against her, capturing her wrists and pinning them above her head. “Don’t move.”
Melody whimpered, but complied. Fingernails scraped lightly against her inner arms, leaving shivers in their wake. His lips kissed and teased her neck while he cupped her breast, running a thumb over the ni
pple. Sparks of pleasure coursed through her and she tried to lift her arms, desperate to feel him.
He growled against her. “Leave them.” The dark command sizzled her to the core. Travis kissed his way across her collarbone.
“I want to touch you.”
“Not yet.” Her clothes were no barrier as his hot mouth covered her nipple, licking and sucking, leaving the skin wet from his tongue.
“Travis, please I…” His fingers brushed the soft folds of her pussy. The words died in her throat. He dipped into her wet heat and rubbed her clit in slow, agonizing circles. She could only moan as his dark head moved down her body. He kissed his way along her ribs to her waist, pausing briefly to dip into her navel. Melody’s stomach tightened and his tongue speared the tiny cavern. The warm, wet feel of it thrusting in and out, keeping time with the finger in her pussy, sent stabs of pleasure through her entire body.
His palm pressed against her mound while his finger teased.
Travis’ teeth scraped against her hip and nibbled down. She inhaled and froze with the first touch of his warm breath on her wet folds.
“Look at me, Melody.” She opened her eyes. Travis’ gaze burned with lust and hunger. Her stomach flipped in a rush of excitement and he lowered his mouth.
Melody cried out with the first swipe of his tongue. It took everything she had not to move her arms. He flattened his tongue and licked her again. Oh God, she wouldn’t survive this. He pushed her legs open with his broad shoulders and sucked her clit into his mouth.
His tongue flicked and licked against the tight nub. Fire raced through her and her breathing grew choppy. Sweat dampened her skin as she hung on the brink of losing control.
Her inner walls clenched and she tried to pull him closer with her thighs. He wrapped his arms under her legs and tugged her forward until his tongue was buried deep inside her. A harsh cry ripped from her.
“Please, Travis.” His face buried between her thighs made her body tremble.
He looked up at her and swiped his tongue against her clit. His fingers slipped inside and forced a moan from her. They twisted and flicked. “Please what?”
“I need…” The word ended in a soft cry when his thumb pressed against her clit.
He came up and pressed his upper thigh against his hand. She wrapped her legs around his, tugging her body closer and growling her irritation when her hands kept her just shy of what she wanted.
Travis nipped at her throat. Her scent mixed with his and she rubbed her cheek against his temple.
“You’re so tight.” The intensity of his words drove her to distraction and he touched his nose to hers. “I can taste you everywhere, Melody.”
“Please, stop teasing.” Pressure built at the base of her spine.
“Who’s teasing? You just have to say the word.” He kissed her and she arched, desperate to touch him.
A loud chime erupted through the attic and Melody jerked.
“Fuck.” Travis stopped moving and tucked her head against his throat.
“What is that?”
“Doorbell.”
“Maybe they’ll go away.” Melody shifted beneath him, drawing his attention back to her face. “They’ll go away.”
He bent down to kiss her and the chime rang three more times. “It’s Kassa.” He pulled his fingers from her body and she nearly cried from the loss.
“She can go away.” Melody pleaded with him in desperation. She was so damn close she wanted to scream.
“You know she has a key, right?” Amusement darkened his eyes. He rolled off her and stared up at the ceiling.
Melody ran her hands over her face and made a noise of frustration.
He threw his forearm across his face and ran a palm over his jean-covered erection. Melody sat up and frowned down at him. The sound of the door scraping open kept her from doing anything else. She lifted his arm.
“Five minutes. She never stays longer than five minutes.”
“No worries, sweetheart. I’ll be right here.” His grin was slow and sexy. She hesitated and he reached up, tugging her against him. His mouth came over hers with a possessiveness that curled her toes. He let her go with a slide of his lips. “Hurry back.”
She nodded and ran down the attic steps in a haze.
Kassa never stayed for long. It would be a breeze.
And how the hell her clothes were still on after what Travis did to her was a mystery she couldn’t worry over right now.
Chapter Four
Melody reached the bottom of the stairs and barely missed colliding with Kassa. The normally smiling woman was obviously worried and frazzled. The near collision didn’t seem to faze her. “Hey, Melody.”
“What’s wrong?”
Kassa shook her head without focusing on her. “Nothing.” She walked into the kitchen, searching for something. “Have you noticed anything strange?”
Melody trailed behind her. Making out with a ghost wasn’t exactly on the list of normal. “That’s an understatement. I see ghosts.”
Kassa jerked her attention to her and Melody saw something she didn’t expect. Panic. It was there in the expression on her face. “You can see him? Has anything else happened?”
Melody yanked her head in surprise. “Uh no. Why would you think that?”
Kassa moved closer and touched her arm. “Do you remember anything from the fire?”
“No. I’ve been trying not to think about it.”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed. “Lemons?”
Melody blinked. “What?”
Kassa pointed to the floor. “You picked lemons?” There was wonder in her voice.
She waved it off. “I was going to make lemonade.”
Kassa beamed. “Perfect. I never learned how to make it. You’ll have to show me.”
Melody gaped at the other woman and her gaze flicked to the ceiling and back. Travis was waiting. “Umm.”
“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Kassa knelt by the basket and picked up the lemons that had tumbled out. “I’ve only had the powdered stuff.”
Melody closed her mouth and tilted her head. “You’ve never had fresh lemonade?”
“Nope.” She hauled the basket up.
“My mom taught me when I was little so I’d stop pestering her for Coke all day long.”
“That’s cool.” She dropped the basket on the counter and set a lemon on the cutting board.
Melody stared at the woman. There was something seriously odd going on in that girl’s head. “You’re going to start cutting them now?”
“Yep. I figure why wait. Life’s too short.” She waved the small knife in the air and Melody backed out of range, just in case she sent it flying. “It must have been nice making lemonade with your mom.”
“It was. She was very busy during the day, so most of our time together was at night.”
The scent of fresh lemon spilled into the air with the first slice. This was obviously important to Kassa. Melody walked to the cabinet and pulled down a small saucepan. She filled it with water and thought about Travis. “I’m going to run to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” She shut off the water.
“No.” The knife speared the board with finality. Kassa glared down at the lemon she was butchering. Blood spilled out on the wooden surface. She’d cut her finger. “Son of a bitch, that stings.”
Melody swallowed and stepped forward, grabbing a cloth while carefully holding the woman’s knife-wielding hand. “Okay. Let’s get this cleaned up.”
Kassa’s beautiful eyes were full of unshed tears. “I’m sorry.”
“You have no reason to apologize. There’s lemon in the cut so let’s take care of it, okay?” Kassa dropped the knife and Melody wrapped the cloth around her finger. The cut was deep but not bad enough for stitches. Melody pulled her over to the sink and held her hand under cold water. “Kassa.” She shook the woman’s hand to get her attention. “What is it?”
“I have to see Travis.”
Melody glanced at her. �
��What? Why?” The woman wasn’t making any sense. “You can see him?” Her throat was tight and her heart ached.
Kassa blinked. “Yes.”
“You must be very close.”
Kassa’s lips lifted in a slow smile. “I’ve never been closer to anyone in my life.”
Melody jerked as though she were slapped. “The last place I saw him was in the attic.”
Kassa held her hand under the water. “Do you have any bandages?”
“Sure. Let me go upstairs and grab one.” It would give her a chance to tell Travis she was going to be awhile. She snatched a dishtowel and wiped her hands as she turned away. Something drew her to the windows, but she couldn’t see anything out of place. A chill ran down her neck and she took the stairs two at a time to get away from the feeling.
She reached the attic and jerked to a stop. Travis was nowhere to be found. “Travis?” Her voice was eerie in the still room. She ran a hand down her face and sighed. “If you’re there, Kassa’s looking for you and she’s acting strange. What’s going on?” She nibbled on her lower lip.
When no answer came, Melody turned and trudged back down the steps to the bathroom. It took a minute to find the ancient first-aid kit and some hydrogen peroxide. She waited for cool air to touch her skin or the strange feeling of being watched, but everything was abysmally normal. She glanced in the mirror and made a face. Who would have thought Melody St. Claire would be asking for a haunting? She sighed and walked down to the first floor. “Kassa, I tried to get his attention, but he didn’t answer.” She strode into the kitchen and tossed the first-aid tin on the abandoned island. The lemon still remained on the cutting board and the knife was in the sink, but Kassa wasn’t there.
“Kassa?” she yelled and looked out the back window. Nothing. She heard the distinct sound of a car starting.
Melody turned on her heel and dashed to the entryway. The door was unlocked. She jerked it open and watched the car back out of the driveway. Kassa. What the hell was that all about? She slammed the door shut and locked it, annoyed. “Travis?” she called and roamed through the house. In ten minutes, she was worried. By twenty she was damn near livid, though she couldn’t understand why. She didn’t own the man, ghost, whatever. He was welcome to go with Kassa. It was not jealousy burning a hole in her heart. Who am I kidding?
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