Charon's Crossing (A Paranormal Romantic Suspense Novel) (32 page)

"It's the simple truth."

"He will. You'll see! He loves me."

Matthew shook his head. "Female logic," he said with a condescending smirk. "It makes no more sense in this century than it did in the last."

"Kathryn?" Jason gave an uneasy laugh. "What's going on? Who are you talking to?"

Kathryn swept the tip of her tongue over her lips. "Look, Jason, I know this is going to come as a shock, but..." She gave a hopeless shrug. "Just turn around."

"Turn around?"

"Yes," she said impatiently. "Just turn around and... and look."

Jason turned. He looked. Then he smiled uncertainly.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"What are you supposed to... Dammit, Jason!" Kathryn stabbed a finger in Matthew's direction. "At this piece of work, naturally! What else would I ask you to look at?"

"What piece of work? The wall?"

"No! Of course not. Look at this," she said, balling her hand into a fist and pummeling Matthew's shoulder. "This, Jason. This!"

"Ouch." Matthew frowned and rubbed the spot she'd punched. "Take it easy, will you? I may not be made of flesh and blood, but that hurts."

"Well?" Kathryn demanded. "What do you see, Jason?"

"A flight of steps? A banister? A newel post?" Jason cleared his throat. "What am I supposed to be looking St? Darling, are you all right?"

Matthew snickered. He strolled back to the steps, sat down on the bottom one, and stretched out his long legs.

"Darling," he said mockingly, "are you all right?"

Kathryn shot him a furious look before swinging towards Jason.

"Try," she insisted. "Just stare at those steps and—and concentrate."

Jason stared fixedly at the staircase. Matthew smiled, leaned back on his elbows, and waited.

"Uh, maybe you could give me a hint..."

Kathryn rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Never mind."

"Kathryn, if you'd just tell me what you think I ought to be..."

"A mouse," she said wearily. "I mean, I thought I saw a mouse..." Her eyes flashed as Matthew chuckled. "Actually, what I saw was a rat. A big one, with a long tail and twitchy whiskers."

Jason repressed a shudder. "Rats? I hate the damned things."

"The feeling," Matthew said pleasantly, "is mutual."

"How could you do this?" Kathryn hissed.

"Make myself visible only to you?" Matthew shrugged. "I told you, sweetheart, I have no idea." He grinned. "A trick of the trade, I suppose."

"Darling?"

"Don't laugh at me," Kathryn said furiously. "And don't call me that!"

"I'm not laughing," Jason said carefully. "And I won't call you darling, if you don't like it."

Kathryn swung around. Jason was looking at her as if she'd grown two heads.

"No," she said quickly, "I didn't mean..."

"Kathryn, have you been ill? Too much sun, maybe? You're not used to it, you know."

"No, I haven't been ill."

"Are you sure? Your mother said..."

He broke off in midsentence, but it was too late.

"You spoke to Beverly?"

"Well, yes. I was concerned, darling, when I couldn't reach you and you hadn't phoned."

"So you called Beverly?"

"Is that so terrible? She was concerned too. She said you hadn't called her, either."

"Of course I hadn't called her! Why would I? If we talk to each other once a month, it's a lot."

"Still, she was worried about you being all alone down here."

"Well, there was nothing to worry about." Kathryn glared at him as she tossed her hair back from her face. "As you can see, I'm fine."

"Very fine," Jason said softly. He reached out and cupped her face in his hands. "Deliciously fine."

Matthew groaned. "Spare me," he muttered. "Must I really listen to this?"

Kathryn stamped her foot. "Will you shut up?"

Jason's hands fell to his sides. "If that's how you feel," he said coldly, "I'll turn around and go back to New York."

"A fine idea," Matthew said, rising to his feet.

"A terrible idea," Kathryn said quickly. Slowly and deliberately, she put her arms around Jason's neck. "I'm not ill and I haven't had too much sun, but I have been without you for far too long. The last thing I'd want is for you to leave me now." She smiled, leaned forward, and pressed her mouth to his. "You see?"

Jason hesitated. Then he drew her tightly to him and kissed her back. She shut her eyes and did her best to let the moment carry her away, but it didn't work. Whatever she was supposed to feel—passion, excitement, arousal—-just wasn't there.

But how could it be? She wasn't alone with Jason. They were embracing with an amused audience of one watching every move.

"Relax, darling," Matthew said softly. "You're like wood in his arms."

Kathryn's eyes closed more tightly.

"No little sighs, no sounds coming from the back of your throat as they do when I kiss you."

She linked her fingers tightly at the nape of Jason's neck.

Matthew's voice turned husky. "Did you know that your skin warms whenever we kiss, and that you rub ever so gently against me?"

A strangled sound rose in Kathryn's throat. She pushed free of Jason's embrace, her face flaming.

"You—you have to let me catch my breath," she said.

Jason, eyes still dark with passion, reached out for her.

"I like you better when you're breathless," he said with a little laugh.

"I know, but—but let's get your things upstairs. Elvira will be here before we know it."

"Who?"

"The woman who's helping me clean the place."

Jason sighed and picked up his overnight bag. "Well, I'm glad to hear you've got someone giving you a hand, Kathryn. This place is a mess."

"It was, but we've made lots of progress."

"No wonder you've got rats."

Kathryn's shoulders stiffened. "It's old, but—"

"Have you called in an exterminator?"

"An exterminator?"

"To kill the rats." He put his arm around her shoulders. "The last thing you want to do is share a house with vermin."

"I couldn't have put it better myself," Kathryn said, giving Matthew a cool look. "Come on, let me show you to your room."

Jason kissed her forehead. "Our room, you mean."

That wasn't what she'd meant at all, but she changed her mind when she caught the look of thunderous disapproval that had replaced Matthew's smirking grin.

"Of course, darling," she purred. "Where else would you sleep but in our room?"

Smiling sweetly, she led Jason up the stairs.

* * *

Darling?

Had Kathryn really called that man with the professional smile and the effeminate shudder, darling?

Was she really going to take him to her bedroom?

And was she going to walk straight through him to do it?

"Hey," Matthew said, jumping back just in time to keep the pallid popinjay from marching over his feet. "Dammit, Kathryn, what do you think you're doing?"

She looked back over her shoulder and gave him a smile that dripped acid. Then she looked up at the man beside her, her eyes as filled with adoration as a spaniel's as they climbed the rest of the steps and turned down the hall.

Matthew sat down on the bottom step, his expression grim.

Would she really let that man make love to her? It was clear that she'd felt nothing in his embrace. Any fool would know that. Any fool but the estimable Jason, apparently. Either he hadn't noticed that the woman in his arms had responded with all the ardor of a statue or he just hadn't cared.

Not that Matthew cared, either. Why should he? Kathryn could take whom she wished to her bed, she could make love to a hundred men if that was her desire...

Matthew shot to his feet.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, and strode up the stairs and into Kathryn's bedroom.

She must have expected him, for she didn't even blink when he came through the wall and straddled a chair with an air of nonchalance he only wished he felt.

"You can have the bottom drawer of the armoire," she said to Jason. "If you need to hang things up, just shove my—"

"I can't believe it!"

Jason was still standing in the doorway, staring around the room.

Kathryn smiled. She'd put in some time here in the last few days. The windows, most of them still the originals, sparkled. The drapes had been taken down, brushed and re-hung. The armoire, polished to within an inch of its life, shone, and she'd hung some small paintings on the walls.

"I know," she said proudly. "Incredible, isn't it?"

"Is this really where you've been sleeping?"

"Well, except for a couple of nights at the begin—"

"This room is dilapidated!"

Kathryn blanched. "I know it looks a bit shabby."

"Shabby's hardly the right word."

It was true. Charon's Crossing needed a lot more than soap and water to make it presentable. So why did it irritate her to hear Jason say what she already knew?

"I admit, it's not the Plaza," she said with a tight smile, "but it's the best I can offer."

Matthew chuckled. "He's probably worried about the rats."

Kathryn gave him a murderous glare. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I don't think it's ridiculous at all," Jason said stiffly. "Maybe it sounds foolish to you, Kathryn, but—"

"No! I mean, I wasn't..." Kathryn chewed on her lip. This was impossible. "Look, why don't you put your stuff away while I go down and make us some lunch?"

The expression on Jason's face changed. "I have a better idea." He reached out and pulled her into his arms. "Why don't we say a proper hello and then I'll take you out for lunch?"

"It's a nice thought," she said, slipping out of his embrace, "but I'm not even sure there are any decent restaurants on the island."

"You could always take him down to the cove," Matthew said thoughtfully. "Pack a picnic lunch, sit in the sand. This hour of the day, there's bound to be a couple of dozen sand crabs scuttling about. A man who loves the sight of rats will probably love the sight of sand crabs."

Jason's hand stroked up and down her spine. "So we'll skip lunch," he murmured.

"But I already skipped breakfast," Kathryn said, lying through her teeth. "Besides, don't you want to find out whether or not I can cook?"

"I'd rather find out other things."

"Jason." She put her hands lightly against his chest. "What's the rush? We have the whole weekend ahead of us."

Jason sighed and leaned his forehead against hers.

"You're right. I didn't mean to come on to you the minute I saw you, darling, it's just that you look so gorgeous and I've missed you so much..." He sighed again. "You go put up that coffee while I unpack, okay?"

Kathryn smiled. "Okay."

Jason let go of her and began unbuttoning his shirt. "I could use a shower, too, if that's all right."

"Sure. It's right down the hall, and you'll find clean towels in the linen closet next door."

"Terrific." He began shrugging off his shirt, revealing a hairless chest. It was a nice chest, as chests went, but compared to Matthew's...

Kathryn blushed, flashed Jason a quick smile, and fled.

* * *

She had driven into town early that morning, to lay in groceries for Jason's weekend visit. And it was a good thing she had. At least the refrigerator and pantry were stocked.

That was something to be grateful for.

She had the kitchen to herself, too. Matthew wasn't lurking in any of the corners.

That was another thing to be grateful for.

Kathryn raised her eyes to the ceiling. On the other hand, that only meant Matthew was probably still in the bedroom. What was he doing up there? Spying on Jason? Making the bed levitate?

The idea was preposterous. He'd never pulled any tricks like that on her. Still, she couldn't help smiling.

Poor Jason, she thought as she opened the refrigerator and took out a head of lettuce and some tomatoes. He was upset already, what with the condition of the house and her offhand remark about rats. Her smile broadened as she sliced the end off one of the tomatoes and popped it into her mouth.

If he looked up and saw what looked like a whirlwind of light making its way across the room, he'd probably leap out of his shoes.

She bit back a giggle. It was probably just as well Jason couldn't see Matthew. It would be bad enough if he ever found himself face to face with a guy who looked like he was on his way to a costume ball but if he found he could see through him...

"Who is he?"

This time, at least, she didn't scream, though she couldn't keep from giving a little jump and dropping the knife she'd been using onto the floor.