A Little Bit Haunted

by Melody Summers

  Walker was dripping rain, his broad shoulders wrapped in a heavy leather jacket. Only the fact that I knew I’d get soaked kept me from flinging myself at him. I motioned him inside and held a finger to my lips, pointing towards the living room. Even though Shelly slept like a rock, I didn’t want to take any chances. When Walker nodded, I took his hand and together we tiptoed up the stairs.

  “Don’t you have a flashlight?” he whispered.

  “Yeah, but I don’t know where Mom put them.”

  He followed me without a word until we were in my room and I closed the door behind us. When I turned around Walker was standing directly in front of me, so close that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. Never taking his eyes from mine, he slid out of his jacket and tossed it onto my bed.

  On a purely intellectual level I’d known what I was doing when I told him to come over. Actually having him standing there in my bedroom turned out to be a little bit scary. My heart was pounding so loudly that I was surprised we couldn’t hear it over the thunder. I still had my phone in my hand, and from its faint light I could just make out Walker’s teasing grin.

  He took a step forward, and I automatically took one back only to find myself trapped against the door. Surely he had to be able to hear my heart slamming against my ribs? If he did he ignored it. One hand lifted up to stroke my cheek and tuck a straying lock of hair behind my ear, and I quivered as his fingertips slid against my skin.

  “I missed you today,” Walker murmured.

  He bent forward, his breath tickling against my ear until I was trembling from head to toe. I think I moaned a little, because the ache of wanting him to hold me was consuming me from the inside out. His lips teased against my neck, sending goose bumps racing across my skin.

  “I didn’t want to let the day go by without seeing you.”

  But London had been at his house earlier. This was bad. I should have pushed him away, should have made him explain that. But I didn’t. I wanted his arms around me too badly to do anything but lean into him.

  “I missed you, too,” I admitted.

  “Prove it.”

  His whispered words were a dare that I was not going to refuse. With a soft sigh of contentment I pressed against him and slid my arms up around his neck. His big hands were warm against my skin as they slid down my bare arms before settling on my waist. My phone slipped forgotten from my fingers and without its light it was too dark to see Walker’s face, but I didn’t need to see to kiss him. My lips already knew exactly what they were doing, and my blood sang as his mouth landed on mine to kiss the terrors of the night and storm away.

  Walker drew back when our lungs began to burn for air. Or at least I was completely breathless. Even so, I wasn’t ready to stop and I whimpered in the back of my throat at the loss of his lips. My phone was lying face down on the floor, and my fingers were twisted in the fabric of his shirt where I’d tried to pull us even closer. With a low laugh, Walker gave me a playful squeeze.

  “I guess you really did miss me.”

  I smiled up at him. “A little.”

  He took my hands and pulled me over to sit on the bed, then slid his arm around my waist. It felt so natural to lean against him and let my head fall against his shoulder. So perfect. But being me, I couldn’t just let it lie.

  “Walker?”

  “Hm?”

  “Why me?”

  His arm squeezed my waist. “That’s a silly question.”

  “Seriously. You can have anyone you want. Why me?”

  “Because you’re a good person. You love that fuzzy soccer ball you call a cat. Because you were nice to Molly and became her friend, despite all that stuff they say about her at school. Because you were nice to me one day when I needed it. And because when you smile it rocks my whole world.”

  “Really?”

  “When I brought Kiki home that first day you were moving in and you smiled at me, I felt like my heart had gotten body slammed by a linebacker. You took my breath away, girl.”

  Euphoria sent swarms of butterflies swirling around my tummy.

  His arm squeezed me again. “Turns out you’re a pretty good kisser, too.”

  I flushed, glad he couldn’t see me in the darkness. “Let me know when I’m better than London.”

  Walker made a dismissive noise. “You’re already better. London only ever thinks of herself, and it comes through in her kisses. It’s all about her. But you? You let go and lose yourself in our kisses so it’s all about us.”

  My heart did a flip then fluttered like the butterflies in my stomach. That was the sweetest thing I’d ever heard in my life, like something out of a movie, and Walker Dean had just said it to me. Just then I didn’t care if he was playing me. I only wanted for him to kiss me again.

  “I’d still like some more practice.”

  There was a huff of laughter in the darkness and then his hands cupped the sides of my face, tilting my mouth up so he could give me what I wanted. Soft and tender, his lips were gentle on mine as we settled together. After a few moments his fingers curled around the back of my neck and I tipped my head back a little because I wanted more. With a low moan Walker pulled me closer, and what had been warm and sweet turned sizzling.

  Tingles like hot electricity scorched through me, and the fireworks came back bigger and brighter than before. In the thrilling intensity of it I forgot all about London and the storm and other silly things like breathing, giving myself up completely to the passion which crackled between us like an out of control forest fire.

  We were panting when our lips eventually parted, but Walker didn’t pull away. He held me tightly with his lips just a fraction of an inch away from mine.

  “Delaney,” he groaned, his voice a low rumble that I felt in my bones. “I should have kissed you a long time ago.”

  “You weren’t tired of your harem, yet.”

  “I think you might have been able to change my mind.”

  Happiness swelled inside me in bright, giddy bubbles, and I leaned forward to kiss him again and make sure his mind stayed changed. In that moment, all was right with my world.

  Light flared around us and at first I thought it was more lightning, but it was the house lights coming back on. Walker’s forehead sank against mine and for a moment he held me as though he never intended to let go, but then he released his hold and stood up.

  “I should go. If your sister woke up and found me in here with you…”

  “Yeah. I wouldn’t live to graduate.”

  “Then I’d better get out of here. I plan on kissing you a lot more, and I can’t do that if your parents kill both of us.”

  I went downstairs first to make sure that Shelly was still asleep. She hadn’t so much as stirred, and I saw Walker out with one last, steamy kiss that left my knees so wobbly I could barely make it back up to my room.

  I glanced out of my window towards his house with a sigh of longing. All of the warnings I’d gotten from Molly and my own heart had been useless. I was completely head over heels for Walker.

  When I woke up the next morning there was a text waiting for me, and my heart began to pound as I stared at my phone.

  Walker: Good morning, beautiful

  Walker: Look out your window

  Burning with curiosity, I slid across my bed and pulled aside the curtains. Arranged on the sill outside was a row of brightly colored miniature flashlights. For a minute all I could do was stare at them. I was up on the second floor. How had he gotten them up there? I looked around and decided that it was just possible to reach the sill by standing on one of the branches of the oak tree. Even with Walker’s height and reach it would have been a stretch, though, and more than a little dangerous with the bark all wet and slippery from the rain. What in the world had possessed him to do it? I turned back to my phone.

  Me: Thx! That was the sweetest thing ever

  I waited a few minutes for an answer, but the rumbling in my stomach soon drove me downstairs to find some breakfa
st. I had a mouth full of cereal when my phone finally dinged. Thinking it might be Walker my heart went all fluttery, but I settled back down to earth when I saw the text.

  Molly: Going to Corpus today to do some shopping. Want to come?

  I hesitated only a moment. Mom and Dad were both home and wouldn’t need me to babysit Shelly again until that night.

  Me: Sure

  Molly: Pick you up in half an hour

  Since she still just had her learner’s permit, her mom drove.

  “That storm last night was just awful,” Molly said. “I was in the middle of a game when the power went out and got killed.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Yeah. We need to get a generator or something.”

  Her mom laughed. “Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”

  Molly made a face. “I would have called you, but my phone was dead. I can never remember to charge it.”

  “Well, at least the power wasn’t out for long.”

  My mind wandered through memories of kissing Walker in the dark. Mmm. It had been out just long enough.

  Molly’s mom dropped us off at a GameStop while she went next door to shop for shoes. As soon as we stepped inside, Molly turned to me and gave me a long, measuring look.

  “And just what was Walker doing over at your house while the power was out?” she asked archly.

  “Um, what?” I stammered.

  “I saw him leaving right after the lights came back on, Delaney.”

  The way my face was burning it must have been neon red. “Did you see him kiss me, too?”

  Her jaw dropped. “He kissed you?”

  Heads turned towards us around the store in response to her squeal. Biting my lip, I grabbed her arm and dragged her to a part of the store that was deserted.

  “What is going on, Delaney?”

  “Walker and I sort of have a thing going.”

  Her eyebrows climbed towards the ceiling. “A thing?”

  In a low voice I quickly recounted the story of the two nights I’d spent over at his house, how we’d talked long into the night and watched movies until I fell asleep. And I confessed to the kissing.

  “You’re serious,” she breathed, her eyes wide in disbelief. “O. M. G. You and Walker…”

  I squeezed her arm. “Do not tell anyone, Molly. We both know he’s going to get bored and move on the way he always does, and I don’t want everyone talking about me like one of his other girls.”

  “Who would I tell?” she asked, but then understanding dawned and her mouth formed an O of surprise. “You haven’t told your friends.”

  “My other friends. No, I haven’t told them. There’s no way they’d believe me. And I don’t know what to tell them anyway.”

  She shook her head, still trying to take it in. “What are you going to do?”

  “Enjoy it while it lasts? I can’t let it go, even though I know it’s the smart thing to do. I’m completely crazy about the boy. I just can’t do it.”

  “Yeah, I get it,” she responded with a sad little sigh. “I know you’ve got other friends that you’ve known longer, but if you need me, I’m here.”

  “Thanks.”

  “And if he dumps you, well, playing games where you can shoot bad guys in the face can be very therapeutic.”

  I choked on my gum and then wheezed out a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  It was late afternoon when we got in, and I still hadn’t heard from Walker. I was beginning to worry. Had he gotten in a wreck or something? Was he in the ICU all smashed up and hooked to a million machines to keep him alive? It wasn’t until after dinner that my phone dinged with a message from him.

  Walker: Sorry no time to chat today

  Walker: Putting up fence at my uncle’s ranch

  Walker: Buzz you when I get home

  I was disappointed, but at least he wasn’t hurt and hadn’t spent the day at the beach with London and her perfect, tanned body and her tiny little bikini. It didn’t stop me from being anxious, though. I wanted him to get home so we could talk. I wanted to hear the sound of his voice, wanted to feel his soft lips on mine all hot and passionate while he kissed me.

  I dropped my phone with a sigh. How pathetic could I get? I was going to be a total basket case by the time he dumped me.

  My phone dinged with another text and I snatched it up again.

  Dannika: 2 more days and HOME!

  Me: Can’t wait!

  Ugh. I wanted my friends back, but how was I going to tell them what had happened? How was I going to explain why I’d kept them in the dark?

  Me: What’s going on with BOYS?

  Dannika: Going 2 rodeo with them 2nite

  I felt a twinge of envy. Those rodeos were a blast.

  Me: Have fun. Try not to step in poop.

  Dannika: LOL! I won’t. I’ll be in the bleachers

  Dannika: Allison is with barrel/bull rider though

  Dannika: Following him around like a puppy

  Me: Maybe she’ll get lucky

  Dannika: He’s got every girl in the county after him

  Dannika: Don’t think he wants to do anything but have fun

  Dannika: Probably a lot more fun than she’s ready for

  Me: Keep an eye on her then!

  Dannika: Don’t worry. Got 2 go get dressed. Love U!!!

  Me: Love you too. Wish I was there

  But I didn’t, really. As much as I enjoyed those trips to her grandmother’s, I would have traded it all for just one minute in Walker’s arms.

  I was almost ready to fall asleep when my phone dinged.

  Walker: Hello, beautiful

  My stomach exploded with warm, fluttery butterflies.

  Me: Flattery will get you nowhere

  Oh, that was such a lie.

  Walker: I guess I’m out of luck then

  Walker: Without flattery I don’t have much left

  Was he fishing for compliments? I’d give him one.

  Me: You’re nice. You’ve got that going for you

  Walker: NICE??????

  Me: You brought Kiki home

  Me: You made friends with Molly

  Me: And I saw you mowing that lady’s yard

  Walker: It was all temporary insanity?

  Me: So be nice to me, or I’ll tell everyone what a sweet guy you are and totally ruin your reputation

  Walker: You wouldn’t!

  Me: Are you willing to take that chance?

  Walker: LOL. Nope. I’d better just keep you happy

  Me: That’s pretty easy to do

  Walker: If you can come over I’ll get right to work on that

  Me: Give it an hour or so?

  Mom was in bed already, but I wanted to give her enough time to make sure she was asleep before I snuck out.

  Walker: OK. Need to get a shower anyway

  Me: See you soon

  Walker: Not soon enough Laney

  I couldn’t help the thrill that ran through me. He kept calling me beautiful. Now he was calling me Laney. We were texting, and I was seeing him—a lot. It was like having a real boyfriend. And this was Walker. He didn’t do these things. Except that he was, with me. It was like a dream come true, even if I still had a few little nagging doubts lurking in the corners of my mind.

  I didn’t need a shower, but I did take my hair out of its ponytail and put on a little makeup. I wanted to make myself as kissable as possible.

  When I was pretty sure that Mom was asleep, I went downstairs. Silently as I could, I went down the hall and checked her room. The light was off, so the coast was clear. I probably broke world speed records getting next door.

  “Walker?” I called out as I stepped through the gate.

  I squeaked as his hands grabbed my waist and he swung me up high off the ground before setting me gently back on my feet again. There was only time to snatch one quick breath before his lips landed on mine and swept me away in a blaze of hungry passion.

  “I can’t get enough of that,” he
whispered against my lips some time later.

  “Me, either. So where were you today?”

  “My uncle has a ranch north of Mathis, and he had to replace a bunch of fence after some drunk drove a truck through it and tore it all up. It was kind of old anyway, so he decided to go ahead and redo that whole section. I’ve got to go back first thing in the morning, and I’ll probably spend the night tomorrow so we can get an early start after that and get it finished.”

  His lips wandered against mine, his arms hugging me closer. “I had to come back tonight to see you, though. I was having Delaney withdrawals.”

  There wasn’t a girl in school who wouldn’t have traded an arm to hear those words coming from Walker Dean.

  “I thought about you all day,” I told him.

  “Really?” he asked with a grin. “And just what were you thinking?”

  “About how much I wanted you to kiss me again.”

  “I’m glad I came through for you. Now, are you up for a little adventure?”

  “What kind of adventure?”

  “I was thinking we could go down to the beach for a while.”

  I hadn’t been to the beach at night since Allison’s birthday party when she turned twelve. “Sounds like fun.”

  “Good.”

  Taking my hand, he led me around to the front of the house where his truck was parked. He opened the door of the truck, but before I could climb in he lifted me up onto the seat. Wow! Those mornings of lifting weights had definitely paid off.

  As soon as he got in I slid over to sit closer to him. I still couldn’t believe I was sneaking out with him to go to the beach in the middle of the night. My parents would have kittens if they ever found out, and Dannika and Allison were going to completely freak when I got around to telling them. Assuming they believed a word I said.

  At that time of night the streets were mostly empty, and Walker drove to avoid the red lights so that it was only about ten minutes before he was pulling off the road and onto a deserted strip of beach. He killed the engine and the night swept in around us.

  “Wait,” he said.

  When he opened my door and lifted me out to set me on my feet on the powdery sand I made a show of pouting at him, although secretly I was pleased. Mom and Dad were always telling me how important it was to find a boy who was polite and respected me.