My Way to Hell (20 page)

And the screwing just kept on coming. “Because I’m a ghost,” she said, fighting the deflation her heart felt.

“That and we don’t know how long you’ll be here on this plane.”

“And you’re afraid you’ll be so much fabulous I won’t be able to get over you when I go back. That I’ll spend the rest of my eternity mourning you while I ignore personal hygiene and wear dark clothing?” She’d laced it with a hint of her usual sarcasm to ward off the truth to her words.

Kellen stared at her for a moment, deep and penetrating. “No. I’m worried, if we do this, I won’t be able to get over
you
.”

There weren’t many moments she could recall, in all the time she’d been around, that words escaped her. Yet at this very particular moment, when she was finally hearing what she’d spent pathetic night after pathetic night longing for, she was suddenly in the red with her word-bank account.

Kellen’s declaration, such a severe contrast to the heated words they’d snarled at each other over the years, was almost too much. The crash of her heart, the catch of her breath, the rush of her pulse didn’t help facilitate communication.

His dark eyebrows rose. “You’re surprised.”

Like that word even remotely defined how she felt about his confession. She fell instantly into the mode she was most comfortable with. Defensive and catty. “If this is just about getting into my Victoria’s Secrets, it’s not necessary. I don’t need pretty words and promises. As you so enjoy telling me, I’ve been to the rodeo. I know how to ride the horse without getting thrown off. You don’t need to woo me all right and proper.” Because it would only haunt her for eternity. If he just wanted to get it on, honesty would be premium right now.

“I’m not making promises, Marcella. I’m stating facts.”

Damn him and his sincerity. “Or feeding me a line of crap so you can get in my panties when you know full well you won’t have to eat those words because I can’t stick around to make you.”

Leaning toward her, he brushed her nose with his lips. “Don’t be hostile. It’s not how you really feel about me.”

She swatted him away, ignoring the desire to sever all communication via her mouth plastered to his. “Do you find it at all coincidental that this revelation’s occurring while you have a very noticeable condition pressed against my thigh?”

“I see your skepticism,” he offered magnanimously while repositioning himself against her so they were clear on why she was skeptical.

“Good, then how about we don’t talk feelings anymore? It won’t change what will eventually happen to me. It might just make it worse. I’ve had enough of worse. How about you?”

“I just want my thoughts on the subject clear.”

She made a bold move by reaching down between them and pressing the heel of her hand to the cause of her buttload of skepticism. “So I won’t think you’re the kind of man who’s capable of a one-night stand?”

Running a thumb along her jaw, he whispered, gravelly and low, “No, so you won’t think I’m capable of a one-night stand with
you
.”

When his finger traced her lower lip, she grew skittish, afraid now that the barriers between them were tumbling down, she’d never be able to survive it. “So you’re capable of a one-night stand with someone else?”

“I’ve had my share of encounters—not all just one-night, no, but there were a couple.” He placed a light kiss on her forehead, leaving his lips there to linger against her skin. The security that represented, the overwhelming bliss it brought her soul, frightened her.

Kellen had just been a sexual fantasy. Or so she’d thought. The mistake she’d made was believing that was her
only
fantasy where he was concerned. She’d thought leaving behind his rock-hard abs and teacherlike, sexy appeal were all she’d mourn.

Yet, lying here, circled in his embrace, the warmth of his breath on her skin was so intimate, it physically hurt.

Freaking out was in order.

“Kellen?”

His lips moved against her forehead. “Yes?”

“Snap out of it, right now!” She gave a shove to his chest to dislodge him from her. He didn’t budge.

“Is this the part where you freak out as a defense mechanism against my admission of like? Before you do that, I just want you to know, it’s perfectly natural. I read in a medical journal that some react—”

“Psst!” She put her fingers to his lips. “I don’t want a scientific explanation for why I’m freaking out. I just want a good, old-fashioned shot at it. Now get off of me. This can only lead to bad feelings. What would Delaney say? Omigod. She’d be so hacked off if I slept with you. She’s my best friend. Best friends don’t sleep with each other’s brothers. Ever. Now move.”

“Delaney has no say in what I do. I’m an adult.”

“Yeah. That’s not what you were saying when she was crying over me and my predicament, pansy-ass.”

He smiled down at her, infuriatingly so. “I can promise you, she won’t cry if we sleep together.”

No, but I might
. Because as of late, if producing tears was a job, she’d be head crier. “We shouldn’t do this. It’ll only make everything worse. Sex shouldn’t be our primary focus. Helping Carlos should.”

“He doesn’t need our help right now. He’s safe at home.”

“Spoken like a man whose little head has the reins.”

Kellen yawned then grinned. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Marcella Acosta so rattled. I like it. It makes me feel a little superior.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, “As if you didn’t always feel that way.”

Pushing off from her, leaving her lying on the couch sprawled out like a fish out of water, he grinned again. “You’re right. I behaved badly. I suck. Now, I’m going to suck while I sleep. I have to open the store early tomorrow. I say we go to bed. I’ll keep your side of the bed warm. No pressure. We can just snuggle. I’d bet that appeals to the girl in you.” Turning on his heel, his sudden change in direction obviously amusing him, judging by the grin on his smug face, he headed for the bedroom.

Just snuggle . . . she snorted to herself.

Spite kept her ass on the couch for a long time after Kellen had turned off the light.

Curiosity made her waffle.

She consoled herself with the notion that she’d done the right thing by turning him down. Call it crazy, but after her demonic life of excess, living day to day on mostly impulse and her selfish need to gather material things by the ton, the only thing she had done right was that she’d done right by Delaney. That was one line, no matter the coup, she would try not to cross. Delaney wouldn’t want Kellen involved with her. She’d want someone who was innocent, earthy, tofu-loving. Sweet, considerate. Not some hard-assed demon jaded by decades of the demonic high life.

But that wasn’t bringing her the kind of comfort his arms had.

Maybe, if she just slipped in beside him while he was sound asleep, he’d never know she was there. She didn’t sleep anyway; if he woke up, she’d slip back out.

Floating to the bedroom, she passed through the wall and hovered at the end of his bed. He’d been true to his word. He’d saved the other half of the bed for her.

Clenching her eyes, she pushed the doubts that plagued her to a dark closet in her mind. There’d be plenty of time for her misgivings to eat a hole in her heart when she was back on Chez Drab.

For now, impulse clutched her, dragging her to the other side of the bed. Climbing in beside him, Marcella lay down next to the man who’d been the object of her desire for years and closed her eyes, realizing Kellen was no longer just a desirable object.

He was a man she wanted to snuggle with.

Preposterous.

The shift of the covers made her lips twitch when Kellen lifted them, tucking them around her shoulders, and rolled into her, wrapping a strong arm around her waist.

Making her smile.

 

 

 

“Marcelllaaa.”

A wet nose buried itself in her neck. Blech. Maybe choosing not to sleep with Kellen hadn’t been so whacked after all. Swatting at the intrusion, she fought to rediscover this place of apparent rest she hadn’t been able to find since she’d become a ghost.

A snort, low and grunting, tickled her eardrum, as did a tongue, slimy and warm. In retrospect, that she’d passed up this kind of sexual prowess brought only relief that she hadn’t allowed herself to become carried away last night. The morality police cheered in her head.
Way. To. Go!

A heavy weight settled on her chest and began licking her cheek. Breath, not unlike that of a Dumpster, wafted beneath her nose. God in all his mercy. How had she missed the stench of Kellen’s breath last night?

“I know you’re in this bed, Marcella, and I just want you to know, I’m supportive of this—this—afterlife love connection with my brother. I know you’ve always thought I’d be against it because you were a demon. You know, the whole Hell thing, but I don’t feel that way at all. I know, despite your—your displays of va-va-voomishness, and all the airs you put on, that you’re a good person. And I know you hate that I know that. And, omigod, I’m so glad the two of you are getting along that I’m all weepy. Now all we need to do is get you earthbound again so you can marry Kellen and make babies,” a voice, not unpleasant or unfamiliar, whispered, rushed and rambling, in her ear. “So get up, ghost, because I have some exciting news.”

Married
. She heard nothing else but that word. A filthy word if there ever was one. She’d been married, and now, he was dead. Maybe married wasn’t a skill in her wheelhouse. Her eyes shot open to find her best friend almost staring at her, but missing her mark by just a half inch to the right of her face. “Delaney?”

Kellen sat up with a rumble, dragging the covers off her.

Marcella looked down. Delaney’s dog, the one with the BeDazzled diaper, burrowed into her chest, making himself a comfy place to settle. She couldn’t remember what number he was. Delaney didn’t have names for her dogs, only numbers. Whatever his number, it was up, as far as she was concerned. Though, clearly he could see her, and touch her, and he liked her boobs as much as Kellen had. She gave him a narrow-eyed gaze. “Get off of me, you beast. I don’t have much of a dress left. I definitely don’t want it to smell like dog,” she growled.

He growled back, sinking his BeDazzled butt further into her chest.

She raised her eyes to Kellen. “Help.”

His sleepy, rumpled, sexy self reached over, lifting the dog to settle him by his side.

Delaney eyed the two of them from the end of the bed with a fond gaze that made Marcella squirm. “So—I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I’m guessing you’ve, ah, made nice,” she teased with a smile, crossing her arms over her chest, allowing the flowing fabric of her shirtsleeves to drape over her belly.

“It’s not what you think, D,” Kellen said, running a hand through his tousled hair. “And how did you know Marcella was here anyway?”

She pointed to dog number 222, or whatever. “They’re otherworldly sensitive, remember? And whether Marcella liked it or not, they adored her. Especially if she had panty hose on. Besides, her perfume’s everywhere. Now both of you get up. I have some exciting news.”

“News?” Marcella asked.

Kellen stretched, his toned muscles flexing and rippling beneath copper skin. “Marcella wants to know what news.”

Delaney gave him a smugly arrogant look. “I know how to get her earthbound again.”

Now Marcella sat up. “That’s impossible. There is no way to come back from the dead unless you’re a demon or a vampire. Period.”

Kellen eyed her. “You know vampires?”

“If only you knew who I know,” she said dryly.

“Both of you pay attention. Marcella
can
become earthbound again.”

Marcella was stunned. But it was impossible.

“How?” Kellen demanded with a gruff bark. His sudden interest brought back their conversation from last night, leaving Marcella more skittish than ever.

Delaney gave him a hesitant glance as though she were reconsidering sharing her thoughts, but then her face changed and she went for it in a rush of words. “Well, here’s the thing, and this is just on the fly. It might need tweaking—revisions—something. So I was on my way over here to see how you two were getting along, because, well, you don’t get along. Imagine my surprise when I found you not only in the same zip code, but in the
same bed.
Never mind, that’s neither here nor there. I stopped to get some coffee on the way, and while I waited, I was counting my blessings and then I remembered what happened with Clyde. So here’s what we have to do. We have to find a freshly dead body. Now, before the two of you balk, give me a minute. Marcella’s basically just a soul, wandering free. If we found someone who’s dead, like maybe only a minute or two, just long enough so we can be sure that person’s soul has crossed over, she could technically jump into the body and inhabit it.” She finished with another smug smile, obviously rather pleased with her solution.

Marcella’s mouth fell open. “Have the burbs given her brain damage? Maybe it’s hanging out with all those housewives and their whole-food organic bullshit. I’ve always told her it’s okay to have cow every once in a while to keep your immune system strong.”

“I think it’s too much
Ghost Whisperer
,” he muttered out of the side of his delicious mouth.

“She’s insane.”

Delaney caught Kellen’s eyes. “She’s calling me insane, isn’t she?”

“She is and so am I.”

Delaney’s hands fluttered in the air. “Don’t you see this could work? Clyde did it. He got back into his body just as it left this Earth!”

Marcella shook her curls with a fierce bob of her head. “Tell her that, while I love her, I’m not afraid to also tell her she needs to stop sucking on all those weeds she’s so fond of. They’ve addled her brain. The hell I’m getting into some poor dead person’s body.”