Chapter Nine #2
His stare burned a hole into my back as I headed for the store, but I refused to look at him after that.
I got what I needed and returned home. I went back to my letters, preparing the final few so that I could include money and demand he take Maude on a proper romantic getaway.
Since I couldn’t exactly book a vacation for him, this was the next best.
The cuties seemed less vibrant as I laid down on my bed, their light flickering unhappily. I stared at them, grateful to have the sweet cold and hot wisps while Ferguson made his new home at Felix’s with Mr. Pugsworth and his squirrel nemesis.
“I’ll be okay, guys,” I whispered to them. “I had a really good life after Felix and Mary welcomed me into their home. I don’t think I could’ve asked for anything better. It sucks, but I’m glad I got what I got, you know?”
They bounced and moved over my face as if to wipe away the tears that I couldn’t stop crying. I hadn’t cried this much since Mary died. But I knew the next time I did, it was because I’d lost Felix. And in a way, I had.
“If Mary’s death taught me anything, it’s that sometimes we just don’t get long enough with the people we love.
But as the ones they leave behind, we carry all their memories.
So that’s what I did…” My gaze went to the letters, throat seizing with so much sadness it nearly crippled my next words.
“I left him with all of our best memories.”
My phone went off, and I peered at the screen in question. The email that came in was from a literary agent. She was impressed and wanted another couple chapters of my story. I smiled and put my phone down again, content that my writing was good enough to get interest.
That would have to be enough.
Closing my eyes, I prepared myself for a day of goodbyes.
Ghost was waiting on the couch when I woke, dressed a little peculiarly for him. He was in the usual jeans, but something was off. He’d worn a dress shirt and jacket. It was a much cleaner look than the typical t-shirt he preferred to wear.
His white hair had been swept back with gel, only little bits falling around his eyes.
Then I noticed they weren’t red anymore.
They were more of a whisky color. It felt…
odd. His red eyes were such a huge part of him, it made me a bit sad not to see them on the last day I got to be with him.
But I didn’t want to be rude and bring attention to the changes, so I went about my routine.
“Want some coffee?” I asked, turning my head and startling when his face was already next to me, his body nearly curling over mine from behind.
His gaze jerked over to me, and I lost my breath. “If you make it, I’ll have it.”
I wasn’t sure why that made me so happy to hear, but I nodded. “And some eggs?”
He peered down at the saucepan I’d gotten out of the cabinet and started to cook eggs on. My heart pounded as his body pressed against mine. He took another step closer, but I tried to remind myself that Ghost clearly didn’t have any spatial awareness.
He was always too close and doing weird things like feeding me or eating out of my hand or staring at me like he was reading my mind. It was just the way he was. He didn’t mean anything by it. He hadn’t lived like us humans. I repeated this in my head over and over until my heart believed it.
“Hmm,” he rumbled.
His eyes found mine again as he reached out and took the hand holding the spatula. I sucked in a sharp breath, far too aware of everything he did. My mantra hadn’t worked at all. I was putty in his hands, and he didn’t even know it.
He watched me closely, and when my pulse kicked up and heat filled my cheeks, that elusive smile made a grand reappearance.
Maybe he did know what he did to me. Holy hell. My whole body was in chaos at the sight of that smile. He never smiled, but now I’d seen it twice in less than a day. I didn’t have any clue what that meant.
I’d basically told him to leave after he’d saved me from a group of demons and angels looking to kill me. But the significance of my looming death and the supernatural enemies bent on making it happen somehow didn’t compare to the smile slanting his mouth right now.
He didn’t speak, just helped me cook in silence. And I, the dumb woman who apparently didn’t know a lick about sexy situations despite the horde of novels I read, acted like a total noob at relationships and let him do whatever the fuck he wanted.
His smile grew as I struggled to plate our breakfast, and before I could grab mine, he stole both and went to the couch where I usually ate. I didn’t have a table. It seemed pointless when it was just me, myself, and I.
His eyes tracked me as I made my way over, and when I went to grab my plate, he pulled it out of reach. I glared at him, having already played this game with him once.
“Ghost,” I snarled. “I only have today left—”
A forkful of eggs was already at my mouth, and the gorgeous jerk at the other end of it just watched, waiting.
“I’m not letting you feed me today,” I told him, but the eggs stayed where they were.
I was stubborn, but apparently not as stubborn as this Horseman. He’d wait as long as it took for me to eat it.
I leaned forward and snagged the bite with a glare at him. His lips twitched, and he tried to go for another forkful, but I was already ahead of him. I stole the other fork and lifted a bite to his mouth.
Ha! Take that, you stubborn jerk.
But unlike me, he didn’t hesitate or argue. He leaned forward, keeping his pretty eyes on me, and took every bit of it into his mouth. My own mouth fell open, and again, his lips slid up in the world’s briefest smile.
Was he…teasing me?
I blinked. He blinked. We both blinked before my brows went down in a scowl.
“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?” I demanded.
And then he laughed. The sound was so foreign I nearly came out of my skin. It was husky and rich and it made my insides turn to goo.
I’d gone completely still, while his shoulders shook and he brought another bite of egg up to my mouth. I glared at it, and that only seemed to make him laugh harder. I was both honored and pissed off that it was me who’d roused this new side of him.
But it hurt to think that today was the last day I’d get to see him at all. His laughter faded after catching the shift in my expression. Then his head canted as I got to my feet.
My throat was burning fiercely as I snatched my purse. I heard him follow me out, but I didn’t look at him. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. I’d cry if I did, and I didn’t want his pity or for him to think I’d changed my mind. I hadn’t. I’d meant every word I said to him last night.
It was still early, but I made my way to Dolci Caldi. I needed to see Felix. I wanted to spend every minute of today with him. And I needed to find a way to leave the box in his home before…
I blinked back tears as Ghost caught up with me, his sharp stare catching the sadness ready to spill down my cheeks. But he didn’t speak, and neither did I. It was only until I made it inside and Clara gasped that I looked at him.
Because she wasn’t looking at me.
She was looking at him.