Kiss And Dwell (24 page)

He sat back in the chair, stretched his legs out in front of him and attempted
to look casual. No way would he let her know that she
’
d managed to do what no
other woman had ever done. Make Ryan
Chappelle
want to throttle her. She wanted
to do more; he could sense it. But she didn
’
t want it enough to let it happen
.

In other words, she really was determined to fix him up. Fine. He
’
d meet this
Celeste, but he still had no intention of heading into that light. He simply
hadn
’
t
“
lived
”
enough yet, and he wasn
’
t calling in his chips early if he could
help it. That was what had happened to his folks. He wanted more. Ryan ignored
the fact that wanting more was what had ended his life in the first place.

Monique tilted her head as though she were following his train of thought. Then
again, maybe she was, because she didn
’
t ask any additional questions about his
inability to ejaculate and moved right on to the next item on her agenda.

“
I haven
’
t seen her, but Celeste is beautiful, according to
Dax
. And she
’
s got a
good heart. She stayed in the middle to help a young girl cross over. The little
girl is
Dax
’
s
current assignment,
”
Monique explained.

Ryan blinked. For some reason, he
’
d thought Monique planned to teach him how to
love with a breathing woman. Celeste was a spirit? But her being a spirit would
make sense, due to the fact that breathing women only pictured Ryan in their
minds, and only when they were asleep. Yeah, a spirit was better.
“
I haven
’
t
seen her in the middle.
”

Monique tucked the comforter beneath her arms and shimmied up in the bed.
“
I
never thought of that. Do you usually see ghosts that are in the middle?
”
she
asked with undeniable curiosity.

Ryan took a deep breath, then let it out. She really was trying to help him,
even if it meant sending him away before he got everything he wanted tonight
.

Plus she had given him his first orgasm in fourteen months that wasn
’
t
self-induced. Hard to stay mad at her after that.
“
I
’
ve seen a couple,
”
he said
.

“
Not many. Most aren
’
t in the middle long, if at all. Evidently, most spirits
see the light right off the bat and head on over.
”

“
But you haven
’
t met a ghost named Celeste?
”
Monique asked.

“
No. I guess you
’
re wanting me to change that, though, right?
”

“
I know you don
’
t want to cross,
”
she said softly,
“
But I don
’
t think you
’
ve
really thought about the alternative. If you don
’
t cross by next Sunday, you
’
ll
be in the middle forever, like it or not. And it would be my fault.
”
She shook
her head.
“
I
’
d never be able to live with myself if I didn
’
t help you.
”

“
And you think you can teach me how to love—in a week—a woman I
’
ve never even
met before?
”

Her lower lip trembled slightly before she answered.
“
I have to try. But in all
honesty, I
’
m not sure I can, either. I don
’
t know how to teach someone to love,
Ryan. I
’
ve never been in love. I
’
ve dated lots, but I
’
ve never told a guy those
three words, never even felt the desire to. Sex is great, but love seems scary.
”

Then she grinned, and he wanted to kiss her. So he let his thoughts wander…

Monique emitted a soft moan and put her fingertips to her mouth.
“
Ryan.
”

“
Yes.
”

“
I don
’
t think we should do anything else tonight.
”

“
But you liked it,
”
he said confidently.

She laughed.
“
Yes, but I
’
m serious. We need to talk about you meeting Celeste.
”

Well, at least she admitted she liked it, wanted it. That was a start.
“
Okay
.

But I don
’
t see how meeting her will automatically put me in the
‘
falling in
love with her
’
category. It
’
s highly unlikely, given no other female ever put me
there.
”
He smiled.
“
I kind of prided myself on the fact, when I was breathing.
”

“
Love-
’
em-and-leave-
’
em kind of guy, huh?
”
she teased.

“
At least I left them happy.
”

Monique
’
s laugh was more robust this time, rolling from her stomach and echoing
off the ceiling.
“
You
’
re too much, Ryan
Chappelle
.
”

“
Thank you, ma
’
am,
”
he said and winked.
“
Now, go ahead and tell me how to find
this Celeste spirit, and I
’
ll go meet her. But that
’
s as much as I
’
m promising
tonight.
”

“
She
’
s in Pensacola. Do you need an address?
”

He smirked.
“
Nope, I just need a general direction. Spirits tend to stand out to
fellow spirits. I
’
ll sense her location, go and have a meet-and-greet. That work
for you?
”

“
For starters. I
’
d like to talk to you again tomorrow night, about how your
‘
meet-and-greet
’
went and what to do next,
”
she said, as though teaching a class
and assigning homework.

“
What to do next? You mean to fall in love with this woman I haven
’
t met?
”

“
Yes.
”

Ryan knew his chances of meeting this spirit and falling head over heels were
slim to nil, given that he
’
d never lost his heart before, and all the other
parts of his anatomy were zeroed in on the sexy woman in the pink
nightie
, but
he didn
’
t want to argue. And he had told Monique he
’
d do his part.
“
Okay. I
’
ll
come back tomorrow night and discuss the potential of learning to love the
spirit lady. But only on one condition.
”

Monique cleared her throat, cheeks flushed slightly. She knew what he
’
d ask, but
she wasn
’
t about to admit it.
“
What condition?
”

“
That tomorrow night, we do this touching thing again, but as a joint
participation.
”

“
But—
”
she started.

“
Take it or leave it.
”

“
Fine. But if I
’
m willing to do that, then you
’
ve got to be willing to follow
through with the next step for learning to love.
”

“
The next step? Do you even have a next step?
”
he asked.

Her cheeks grew even redder.
“
Not yet. But I will by tomorrow night.
”

Ryan laughed. Damn, she was cute.
“
Fine. I
’
ll go see Celeste, then tomorrow
night we
’
ll have our touching session, and then I
’
ll learn about this as-of-yet
nonexistent next step. It
’
s a deal, ma
’
am.
”
Then, before she could protest, he
mentally kissed her lips, taking great effort to heat her up thoroughly before
he left. Her soft gasp when the kiss ended told him everything he needed to
know. Tonight,
MoniqueVicknair
would dream of him. And tomorrow night, she
’
d
have him.

Nan’s back hurt
with every movement, her neck had a crick in it that she didn
’
t
think came from sleeping wrong and pains radiated from muscles she hadn
’
t known
existed. She
’
d slept late, which wasn
’
t good, since the family had planned to
spend the majority of Sunday working on the roof, but she simply hadn
’
t been
able to crawl out of bed when her alarm went off at six. Heaven help her, she
’
d
nearly be thankful when she had to go back to teaching in a couple of weeks
.

Even trying to interest ninth graders in the Second World War would be a welcome
reprieve from her daily worrying over saving the house. And maybe if she stopped
worrying, things would fall into place. The Parish President would call off his
attempt to destroy their home, the family would miraculously find a way to make
all of the improvements that Nan had promised the Historical Society, and then
said Historical Society would grant them the funds they needed for full
restoration, without requiring them to turn her beloved plantation into some
kind of modern freak museum, complete with Grandma Adeline
’
s spirit, six mediums
and a revolving door for ghosts.

She finally made it to the bottom of the stairs, and amazingly learned that the
sorest muscles on her body were the ones composing her butt. Great. Edging
toward the kitchen, she prayed that she hadn
’
t taken all of the ibuprofen
yesterday and silently cursed herself for not programming the coffeemaker to
start automatically. Lord knew she needed a cup, or twelve, pronto.

Pushing the swinging wooden door, she entered the kitchen and smelled heaven, in
the form of chicory and caffeine. Then she saw the source of her salvation and
managed a smile.
“
Monique. Thank you for making coffee.
”

Her cousin had been so focused on the notepad in front of her that she hadn
’
t
heard Nan enter. Now she raised her head, took one look at Nan and gasped
.

“
Nanette, you look like hell.
”

“
And good morning to you, too,
”
Nan said.

Within fifteen seconds, she was sitting beside Monique at the table with a hot
cup of coffee in one hand and the Advil bottle in the other. Remembering
yesterday
’
s battle with the bottle, she extended it toward Monique.

Monique put her pen down, took the bottle and twisted off the cap.
“
Think you
may have overdone it a bit yesterday?
”
she asked, handing Nan the pills.

Nanette chased two with a hot swallow of coffee. She squinted as the scalding
liquid made its way to her stomach, then took another breath and another
much-needed sip.
“
We have one more weekend to get that roof fixed. I go back to
school in a couple of weeks.
Dax
has gone to the beach. Gage and Tristan are
both scheduled to work the next six days straight, and you
’
re asking me if I
overdid it yesterday? Shoot, I didn
’
t do enough.
”

Monique sighed loudly.
“
I
’
m off work tomorrow, so I can help all day then. And I
plan to help today as well, but nobody has shown up yet.
”

“
That
’
s because it
’
s just you and me. The homeless shelter called
Jenee
last
night to see if she could come help today, since they were shorthanded again.
”

Nan took a big gulp of coffee.
“
She offered to stay, but really, until we get
more tiles, there isn
’
t a whole lot we can do, and
Jenee
can
’
t climb up on the
roof anyway without getting squeamish.
”