Spirits (Spirits Series Book 1) (23 page)

“Finished and dang I’m good.” She says handing me a mirror.

“I’d say. I look…”

“Sultry, seductive,
smokin’ hot,” She giggles.

“I was going to say pretty but I like those better.”

“Get dressed then we’ll add the finishing touch, lip gloss. Gotta have kissable lips.” She plunders through the bag picking out the one’s she likes as I dress. “What about your hair?”

“I don’t know
, I don’t want to keep him waiting much longer.” I say pulling on my top.

“Easy fix.” She grabs the blow dryer, mousse, and hairspray from the cabinet. “This will only take a minute. Flip your head over.”

I do as I’m told and she starts putting the products in my hair, pulling at my roots and hitting them with heat. “Alright look at me.”  Again I obey, she sweeps my bangs and reaches for the hairspray, “Don’t go around any fires.” She instructs. I swear she’s going to use the whole can. I hope I don’t look like I stepped off the cover of an 80’s Cosmopolitan magazine. She adds more mousse, scrunching and blow-drying it then loads it with more hairspray. Yep, definitely avoiding fires or anyone smoking, my hair would go up in flames in seconds.

“Have a look.” She says stepping back and smiling satisfied.

Honestly I’m afraid to but I do it anyway.  “Holy crap Kay, you’re awesome!”

“I know.” She says confidently, “Oh I almost forgot,” she hands me the lip gloss, “apply and reapply periodically. Have fun.”

“I’m going to try. See you when I get back?”

“Most likely.”

“Good, stay out of trouble.”

“Me, get into trouble?”
She looks at me innocently then disappears.

     I take a calming breath before opening the door to my room. I’m assuming Blake is in there after Kay’s comment, unless she saw him in Drew’s bathroom… Oh she better not have! He spins in the chair to face me once I close the door catching his attention.  A smile parts his full lips, “You look astonishing.”

“Thanks. You look pretty darn good yourself.” I say trying and failing at not staring at him in his khaki shorts, fitted black v-neck tee and flip-flops. He looks so yummy! Okay, control.

“I must admit your room is
girlier than I expected.” He says glancing around.

“Is your testosterone level dropping as well?”

He whips his head back to me confused, “What?”

“Sorry, it was Drew’s first comment when he saw it.”

He chuckles, “Oh. No it’s not. I just thought it would be…”

“Darker?” I purse my lips.

“Could you help me pull my foot out of my mouth?”

I smile, “It’s alright
. If it makes you feel better mom picked all this out. I would have gone more… dramatic.”

“You can tell a lot about a person from the contents of their room.”

“Really, so what do you think you’ve learned about me?”

“You like to read.”

I nod.

“You’re an artist.”

“You looked through my sketch pad?”

“No, but I’d like to.”

“Next time, maybe.”

“You write, and no I didn’t read any of your stuff.”

I nod thankful that he respects my privacy.

“You like music. Yes, I did go through your
ipod.”

“I don’t mind. Do you like music?”

“Very much, I play the guitar.”

“Cool, you have to play for me.”

“Next time, maybe.” He grins.

“So it’s like that?” I cross my arms.

He laughs pulling me to him, “I’m teasing, when you come to my house I’ll give you a private concert.”

“I’m going to hold you to it.”

“I keep my word.”

“Are you ready to go?” I ask looking away from him. I don’t think we should stay in here much longer. Him holding me close, and um he smells so good. I glance back at him, settle on his lips, way to inviting. My pulse starts to race as I imagine what it would be like to press mine against his.

He tilts my chin up, “I think that’s a good idea temptress,” he glances to my bed, “I sometimes have an issue with self control.”

“Yeah, we should go.” I force myself to step away. I’m beginning to have one myself thanks to him. “I’m going to let my mom know we’re leaving.”

“I’ll go with you.” He says following behind me.

     “Mom, we’re heading out.” I yell so she can hear me.  She and Noah are at the far corner of the yard
so I stop at the bottom step, “Mom!”

They turn; Noah drops the bag of mulch once he sees me.

“Have fun sweetie!” Mom waves smiling.

Noah sets his jaw and glares at Blake.

“Thanks, we will. Bye Noah.”

He cuts his eyes to
me and grins, “I’ll see you later.”

I’d expect nothing less. “Yep.”

     Blake is silent on the way to his car. I can’t stop glancing at him nervously, he wants to say something, he keeps biting at his lip and looking at me then away. I don’t think he cares for Noah and I believe the feeling is mutual. What I don’t know is why Noah has a problem with him. I get it from Blake’s point of view, the cute ghost guy lives with his possible girlfriend but Noah and I are just friends certainly he understands that. Anyway it’s not like Noah considers me as anything more than that. Blake throws his stuff in the trunk while I get in.

     “You’re awful quiet.” I look over at him as he pulls out of the driveway. I can’t take the silence any longer.

“I’m just thinking.”

“About?”

“Well since we are free to speak now, Noah.”

I knew it. “What about him?”

“If he’s a ghost how can he be like he was? I though he was some dude, a live one.”

“I’m not sure, he hasn’t told me, but Kadence can do it to.”

“I thought she was your friend from back home?”

“Yes, she died last year and I’ve been stuck with her ever since. The moment we moved down here though things began to change.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“About the craziness going on at the house?”

“Well that to, but I meant your gift.”

I nod my head, “Drew. Do you consider it a gift?”

“I’m not sure yet, it’s annoying at times, Carson,” he stops and grunts avoiding looking at me.

“Carson what?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me, I’m going to find out sooner or later anyway.”

“Fine,” he glances at me, “but it stays between us.”

“Of course.”

“Carson deals with it much better but he’s had longer to adjust.”

“He sees them?”

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Since birth I suppose but it’s not something he tells everyone so if he does clue you in pretend to be surprised.”

It’s all starting to make sense, his comments, the reason he took me to the cemetery… “Does he know about me?”

“Yes, he saw you talking to Abigail last Saturday and ran straight home to tell me.”

“Why hasn’t he said anything about it to me?”

“I don’t know. Honestly I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to tell you, it’s nice to know that there are others like us instead of feeling like the only freaks.”

“I agree, I was so worried what you where going to think when you found out.”

“Would you have told me had I not said something first?”

“Eventually, when I thought it wouldn’t scare you away.”

“It would take a lot more than that.” He says looking at me seriously once we’ve stopped.

“You barely know me.”

“I know you’re more than just a pretty face,” his gaze trails down, “and an amazing body.” He leans closer, my heart stammers, “I want to know you better.”

“I’m an open book now seeing as you know my secret.”

The corner of his lip slips up and he peaks a brow, “So you’ll answer all of my questions honestly?”

“Yes, won’t you?”

“Of course,” he says reaching across me, his face inches from mine, “we’ll start over dinner.” He pulls the door handle and smiles.

I’m relieved a bit now, I thought he was moving in for a kiss and though it’s been at the forefront of my thoughts all day I’ve decided I’m not kissing him or Carson. Well not for a little while. I just hope my brain and lips get on the same page. My body doesn’t always do what my brain tells it to, hence my clumsiness. “Okay,” my voice barely works. It’s difficult at times to do anything when he’s this close and looking at me like that. Get out of the car and stop staring at him like a dolt, I instruct myself, and for Pete’s sake don’t fall!

     While I love the historic district, I wish we would have gone somewhere different. “What if we run into Abigail?” Or one of the other spirits realizes we can see them and crash our first date?

“I avoid her area.”

“So she stays close to her house?”

“Yeah, it’s like she’s confined to that block.”

“Good to know and the other spirits?”

“Some, though I’ve come across a few that don’t acknowledge me.”

“They’re unintelligent.”

“Well that’s not very nice.” He grins.

“No I mean they are not really here, it’s left over from the past.”

“You know a decent amount about this stuff?”

“I’m no expert but I’ve done my share of research. It’s the reason I want to major in psychology, be a psychiatrist. Think of all those people deemed crazy because they see and or hear what others don’t believe in. I mean I’m sure there are plenty of them that are actually insane, but think of the others that are like us there. Being stuck in the loony bin is no fun.”

He cuts his eyes to me, “You speak from experience?”

“Yes, I had the misfortune of staying in one for a few days.”

“Why?”

“They thought I tried to off myself, which I didn’t, sure I get stressed and depressed but it’s not that bad.”

“So what happened?”

“I was attacked, by a demon,” A chill runs up my spine and I shiver, “I’ve tried to forget.”

“A demon, really?”

I nod.

“How do you know? Not that I’m doubting you, I’m just curious.”

“They are pure evil, you can feel it. Everything changes when they are near and you get this overwhelming urge to flee.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I was scared stiff, literally, I’d never come across one before.”

“I’m sorry, about your experience. Are you alright now?”

“I dreamed about her a couple of nights ago, it was the first time in a couple of years. I can’t help but think she was communicating with me.”

“What did she say?”

“Basically, she’s coming for me. I’m scared Blake.”

He pulls me to a stop, “She won’t hurt you again, not as long as I have something to do about it.”

“I doubt she’ll come when others are around. She knows I’m afraid and she eats it up.”

“I hate the thought but do you think Noah would help you out?”

“I’m not sure, maybe. I haven’t figured him out yet.”

He nods and pulls me around the corner, “I will talk to him.” He bites at his lip and shakes his head remaining silent.

“What?”

“Let’s go in and order then I’ll explain.”

I was so focused on him I wasn’t paying attention to our surroundings. “Sushi? Have you been talking to Carson?”

“Huh?”

“I told him this was my favorite thing to eat.”

He laughs, “Carson wouldn’t have told, even if I had asked I wouldn’t have taken him for his word. I’d be to afraid he’d tell me something you hate so I’d look like an idiot.”

“So you just took your chances?”

“
I figured you’d at least try it and if you ended up disliking it they have other things. Or I’d take you some where else.” He says opening the door for me.

     There are so many people waiting to be seated. I groan inwardly, Noah worked us like slaves, my breakfast was gone hours ago and I hate waiting. I swear if they give us one of those buzzing things I’m going to throw it at them! Blake pulls me along with him to the hostess’ stand, “Reservations for Blake, party of two.”

“Right this way.” She says.

He plans ahead? Definitely getting points for that! To be fair so did Carson. But this is sushi, my most favorite food. But Carson’s was a picnic on the beach,
sort of romantic minus all the people, which he had no control over. But Blake, Ugh I’m not having this argument with myself right now!

Blake nods as we pass a table of his peers I assume. I can’t help but feel
exposed as they look me over, judging whether or not to accept me into their click. Thankfully ginger skank, I mean Olivia, is not one of them.  I don’t look forward to another run in with her but I know it’s going to happen, I just hope Daelynn is with me.  Speaking of Dae, she didn’t give me a history lesson or should I say spill the dirty details.  I want to know what happened between Carson and Olivia… I think.  I’m sure Blake knows however I doubt it’s a topic I should bring up.  Carson related conversations are off limits.