Ghost for Sale (7 page)

“Have you forgotten?” His fingers were locked behind his head as he leaned back in the chair.

“Forgot what?” I guess I had.

“Wherever you go, I go. We’re linked.” He stretched out his legs and crossed his ankles.

The look on my face must have given away my lack of enthusiasm.

“I won’t get in the way. Besides, you need a chaperone.”

A sigh started in my belly and escaped my lips. “Liam, this is the twenty-first century. Women don’t go out with chaperones anymore. Do you recall seeing any chaperones last night?”

“Hadn’t really given it much thought.” He shrugged.

“Well, trust me. They don’t. Besides, it’s not like I’m a virgin or anything.” Jeez, I was even lying about my virginal state to a ghost. For the life of me I didn’t know why I’d brought it up, except for the fact I wasn’t about to admit to a guy I’d never been tempted. It was just not cool to be a virgin in the circles I ran in, but I doubted if that was the case in Liam’s world. I should have never mentioned it, and wished I hadn’t, but it was too late.

I wondered if it would be any different with Patrick? I knew instinctively it would be with Liam, if he were flesh and blood instead of ectoplasm.

His breath caught, and he looked like I’d sucker punched him. My throat thickened. His fingers tightened on the ends of the chair.

“Are you a virgin then?” I asked rudely, going on the offensive.

“That’s different. I’m a man.” He lifted his chin, an affronted expression on his countenance.

“Oh, please.”

“It’s different.” He placed one arm over the other and hooked them across his chest, his chin raised, lips tight.

“Not today, it’s not.” I crossed my bare legs. His glance followed the movement before he looked away. A trail of red climbed up his collar, then flooded his face. Intriguing
.
“I told you, women don’t need to marry for sex. If they’re involved in a relationship, it’s a perfectly normal outcome.” Well for most
.
I did a mental squirm
.
“Or if they want a one night stand, that’s okay too.”

“One night stand?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“You know, if you’re attracted to someone and don’t want any strings attached.” My role of worldly sophistication, and the smugness that accompanied it, lasted for ten seconds.

“And what kind of relationships do
you
form?”

He sized me up. Disappointment flickered in his eyes, quickly masked.

“None of your business.”

“You’re right. Of course it isn’t.” He disappeared. One moment, he was there and the next he wasn’t.

“Liam?”

“Practicing your lines?” Marcy walked in, a can of soda dangling from her fingers.

Caught. I swallowed down my heart, which felt like it had moved up to my throat. “Hi, I didn’t see you come in.”

“What’s the name of the play?” Marcy sank down in the seat Liam recently vacated.

“Ghost for Sale.” My nerves jumped. Was that a masculine chuckle?

“Never heard of it. And while I think it’s great you’re trying out for a part, I’m off ghosts for a while. So what did Patrick want?” She picked up a fashion magazine and thumbed through it.

“We’re going out tonight.”

“That’s great.” Marcy clapped her hands. She was one of those people who truly enjoyed others good fortune.

“Where are you going?”

“The Grove.”

“Good choice.” She nodded approval before turning her attention back to her magazine. “You’d better get ready.”

The jeweled tabletop-clock on the mantle showed four-forty. “Good grief, it’s nearly five.” I sprinted for the bathroom.

I took a hasty shower that left the room filled with steam and the scent of vanilla.

Figuring out what to wear, I paced inside the walk-in closet, looking for something casual yet sexy.

After tossing a dozen different outfits on the bed and constantly glancing over my shoulder to make sure Liam wasn’t spying on me—though what the difference would be between my underwear and my bikini I had no idea—I decided on an ecru silk top, boxy linen slacks and strappy black-heeled sandals.

My watch with a shopping bag in the middle of the dial showed ten minutes till seven. Better boogie. “Marcy, can I borrow the car?” I called as I trotted out.

“Sure, keys are on the key holder in the kitchen.” She’d switched on the TV, flipping back and forth from watching the jewelry channel to handbags. Sitting cross-legged on the couch, she munched on a bowl of popcorn.

“Thanks.” I blew her a kiss.

“Have fun.” She tossed popcorn into her mouth, her gaze glued to the tube.

The door from the kitchen to the garage opened for me. I was starting to get used to doors opening and closing as I approached. The Corvette’s door swung open and Liam materialized. “You’re a vision.” His water-over-stones voice made my breath hitch. He leaned forward. “And you smell a fair treat.”

“Thank you.” I slid in the car and caught a whiff of cinnamon and tart limes. “You smell a fair treat yourself. I see you’ve got your jacket back on.”

“We’re going out.”

That made sense. “About that, Liam…”

“Hmm?” He reached up and patted the dashboard. “I’m beginning to enjoy automobiles.”

“Of course you are. You’re a man.” I backed the car out.

“Do you think I could drive?” He glanced at me, a hopeful look on his handsome face.

“Not in my lifetime.” An icy shudder ran down my spine. “A car cruising down the road, with no visible driver, as if that wouldn’t draw attention. Not to mention you come from the buggy era. But back to the going out thing.”

“Um-hmm.” Liam now stroked the cream leather seats.

Men. “Liam, listen up.”

“I’m listening.” He reached for the radio.

Forgetting myself, I slapped at his hand and felt a surge of electricity pass straight through me. Short blue currents of light shot up from the dashboard. “Ouch.” I shook my tingling fingers. Now I had his attention.

“I don’t know how this works, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to have physical contact with me.” Regret flickered across his features but disappeared as quickly as it came.

“You got that one right.”

“So what did you want to talk about?”

Finally.
“Would you mind waiting outside? First dates are awkward enough without a ghost monitoring everything I say and do.”

“You need a chaperone. He’s a man. I know what’s going to be on his mind.” His jaw jutted at a stubborn angle.

“He’s hardly going to jump me in a restaurant.”

“You don’t know him. He’s practically a stranger to you.” Disapproval radiated from every inch of his astral form. I’d noticed whenever Liam felt strongly about something his presence became sharper, more defined and he glowed.

I’d pulled into an empty parking space about half a block from The Grove. I faced the passenger seat, speaking to my ghost. “Well, I can’t argue that. But I like him, Liam. At least, I think I do.”

For a moment, Liam looked lost and oddly vulnerable. “I won’t get in your way.”

I leaned toward him but was careful not to touch him. “I like you too, Liam.”

“Unfortunately, I also like you.” He gave a short, rueful laugh before he pulled back. “We better go in.”

I blinked, brought back to the here and now. Those stormy gray eyes could suck me in like a vacuum. He glided out of the car and, after opening my door, headed for the entrance.

There was little light in the dim entryway. The room itself was brighter. A middle-aged woman with graying black hair and kind brown eyes walked toward me, a menu clasped in her hand. “Table for one?”

“I’m meeting someone.”

“Ah, the nice young man in the back I bet.” She stretched her arm and pointed.

Patrick stood beside the table, smiling a welcome.

“Yes, that’s him.”

Liam walked through a few empty chairs as we made our way to the table.

“You look fabulous.” Patrick smiled appreciatively.

“Thank you.” Both he and Liam started to pull out my chair at the same time. Patrick dropped his hands and jumped back. Liam stepped back and slid into one of the vacant chairs at the table. “Sorry.”

“Must be static electricity in the air.” Patrick reached cautiously for my chair. When sparks didn’t fly, he scooted it in.

The waitress took our drink order and moved away.

“So what did you do today?” Patrick leaned forward and crossed his arms on the table. The burgundy Henley he wore showed off a decent tan and well-developed pecs.

“Oh the usual, dinner with the fam.” Calmed the cook down from a ghost sighting
.
“And you?”

“Dinner with the family.” He picked up the tea glass the waitress set on the table and swallowed half its contents. She took our order and walked away.

After she left, I asked, “Who all was there?”

“Just my parents and my sister.”

“You’ve got a sister?”

“At least we have that in common.” Liam spoke in a quiet voice.

“I’m sorry, how thoughtless of me not to have inquired.” The words spilled out before I could stop them. We’d been sitting at the pool and I’d let myself get sidetracked by the phone call instead of asking him about his twin, Anna. Remorse flooded me.

“Not at all, you didn’t know I had a sister.” Patrick gave me a puzzled smile.

“I should have asked last night
.”
I should have asked this afternoon at the pool.

“Don’t be silly.” Patrick laughed.

I discreetly turned my chair so I faced both Liam and Patrick. “I’d like to hear about her.”

“She’s seventeen and driving the boys crazy.” Patrick shook his head and grinned.

“Later,” Liam said.

Whew.
Holding up my end of the conversation would be challenging.

“I think I’ll mingle.” Just like that Liam was gone, at least from our table. My stomach churned as he glided into an empty seat beside two attractive young women.

“Is something wrong?”

The question jolted me back to my companion. “Why do you ask?”

“First you kept staring at the empty chair at our table, now you’re glaring at those two young women a few tables down.” He tipped his head and arched an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a bit distracted.” Before I was forced to say more, the waitress came back with a loaded pizza. The smell of the rich spicy sauce left me weak in the knees.

Hot cheese dripped from the piece I lifted and plopped onto the plate. I laughed and bit in. Patrick followed suit. In between bites, we chatted like old friends. The evening passed quickly. When I noticed the busboys washing down the tables, I checked the time. “Holy cow, it’s already ten o’clock. They’re getting ready to close.” I took a last sip of my soda and stood up.

Patrick drew his wallet out of his back pocket, threw some bills on the table, and did the same. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Okay.”

Liam had been so discreet, I’d actually forgotten about him. He appeared at my elbow. “Time to go?”

I tipped my chin.

As we left the restaurant, Liam and Patrick headed for my car door. I shot Liam a warning look. He rolled his eyes and flew into the passenger seat.

“What a sweet ride.” Patrick rubbed the side of the car with a lover-like caress.

“It’s my cousin’s.” I slid into the seat and rolled the top down.

“Hmm. Maybe I asked out the wrong girl.”

I grimaced, touchy about the subject.

“Just joking.”

“Couldn’t blame you if you weren’t. She’s the heir to the VanLier fortune.” My muscles knotted, but my voice and my features were noncommittal. I hoped.

“Oh, Marcy is that VanLier.” He nodded and leaned on the car. “Money is a great benny. But when it comes to a relationship, that’s all it is, a benny. The minute I saw you, your head thrown back laughing at something someone had said, your eyes bright with life and humor, I knew you were someone I wanted to know better.”

Warmth raced through me. I relaxed into the seat. Patrick was interested in me, not Marcy, not the VanLier fortune, me.

“No response? You weren’t hit with the same bolt of lightning?”

Beneath Patrick’s easy smile, there was a flicker in his eyes and tension in his shoulders.

Liam shifted in his seat.

Geez, I hated an audience.

I cleared my throat. “It’s not that I’m not interested, but I’m not very good with relationships.” There I said it. Mentally, I wiped my brow.

“There’s no push here. Let’s just take it slow and see what develops. Dinner tomorrow night?” He flattened himself against the Vette as a car rolled by.

“Careful!” My mouth went dry as the vehicle missed Patrick, though not by much.

He moved to the sidewalk and leaned in on the passenger side, near Liam’s face. “Tomorrow night?”

Liam glared at him.

“Sure.” His closeness to Liam unnerved me. Patrick angled his body toward me.

I leaned forward, my lips parted.

In the process, his shoulder rubbed against Liam’s and sparks flew.

Liam jumped up, his feet on the seat, his hands fisted.

Patrick leaped backward, rubbed his shoulder, and laughed ruefully. “I don’t know what it is about you. Till tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.” I put the car in gear and pulled into the lane behind a blue minivan, then slowed for a red light. Liam slid down in the seat. He stared straight ahead, a pensive look on his face. I couldn’t gauge his mood. “Do you want to take a drive to the ocean? It’s only about twenty minutes away.”

He smiled and my breath caught in my throat. Time stood still.

The car behind me tooted its horn, snapping me back to reality. The light had turned green. I tapped the pedal and the car shot forward.

In minutes, we’d left town behind. “Thanks for giving us some privacy,” I yelled above the wind that whipped and pulled at my hair.

“Not a problem. It was a very informative evening,” he shouted back.

“How so?” Since the lane was empty, I pushed on the pedal. The Vette leaped forward with a hungry purr.

“I had no idea women spoke so bluntly about sexual matters. Their conversation was bawdier than two sailors. Why they even discussed…” He cleared his throat.

“Yes?” I waited in fascinated silence.

“Never mind.”