A Ghost of a Chance Read online

  She lifted her eyes and said from around a mouth of food, “That was fast. Nerves?”

  Keenan sat down. “Nerves?”

  Swallowing, she dabbed her mouth with the corner of the napkin. “Thought maybe you were crawling out the back window to head for the hills. Sometimes I have that effect on people.”

  Keenan drowned his pancakes in syrup and said, “Not me. There’s just something special about girls who rescue me, a kind of glow.”

  “So, this happens often, does it?”

  Keenan put his elbows on the table, leaning in to get closer to her. His shirt was probably soaking up the syrup, but he didn’t care. “Nope. First time.”

  Her voice turned serious when she shifted her gaze to the food. “Well, I hope that’s true. I’m in big trouble if not…in more ways than one.”

  “I’ll bet you’re in trouble a lot.”

  The quip created an unexpected effect. Isabella’s lips curled down and a visible quiver rushed over her shoulders. “Sometimes,” was all she said.

  Keenan frowned and again touched the back of her hand. “I’m sorry, Is. I was just kidding.”

  Her face melted into a pleasant softness. “It’s nothing. Just have a past with an attitude, that’s all. When I was younger, I got in big trouble and still have to live with it. It haunts me every day of my life. You know what I mean?”

  “Absolutely,” Keenan said, tracing the fine hairs on the back of her fingers. The sensation was sending sparkling needles up both his arms, down his sides, and into his cock. He had never felt like this before. “Something happened to me when I was a kid too, something that changed my life. I won’t bore you with the details.”

  A kind of sharp curiosity lightened her eyes and she put her fork down. She smelled like exotic spices, and the heady scent fell through Keenan’s inhibitions like solvent.

  “I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours,” she whispered.

  He took his hands away and leaned back against the booth seat.

  “You’re kidding, right? Deep, dark secrets are nothing to fool with, young lady. You’d own me outright if I give them up. I’d have to be awful motivated.”

  Keenan picked up his coffee cup to take a sip, wondering if she’d take the bait. He wasn’t going to tell her his real secret, of course. But he was quick on his feet and could come up with something special, if he put his mind to it. He loved this sort of game and Isabella was the perfect player. Obviously, she loved it too, since her eyes were flashing like opals. She sat back and licked her lips. He had never been more jealous of a tongue.

  “All right,” she drawled out slowly, “tell you what, you give me one of your dark secrets, and I’ll give you one of mine. First to chicken out loses, okay?”

  “Let’s make it interesting,” he replied, letting an ember of innuendo warm his voice. “How about a little truth or dare. The first person to fail to answer the question or refuse the dare loses and has to do whatever the winner says. We have to be completely honest. You game?”

  Her jaw moved back and forth, and her lips pursed so close to a pucker Keenan could hardly contain himself. Isabella looked doubtful.

  He allowed a slow knowing smirk to screw up his face before saying, “What? My tough little woman going all girlie on me? Afraid to play with the big boys?”

  She wrinkled her nose at him and picked up her fork. “Deal. But I get to go first. We go until one of us cracks.”

  “Fine by me.” Keenan toyed with his pancakes while Isabella searched for a question.

  Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Truth or dare? Have you ever had a homosexual experience?”

  “Amateur,” he snorted. “Truth. Yes, when I was six. My friend Dave and me, back of the barn on my uncle’s ranch in Montana. We touched each other, screamed, yanked our pants up, and ran in opposite directions. Never talked to each other again.”

  “Did you enjoy it?”

  “Hey, that’s not in the rules.”

  “Sorry. I just got caught up in the moment.”

  “Behave yourself or I’ll call default and show you what a real man does to naughty girls.”

  “Ooo…” she purred, rubbing her arms and exposing her cleavage to its best advantage. “I’m all aquiver. Pig. All right, big boy, your turn.”

  “Well then, truth or dare? Have you ever gone naked in public?”

  “Truth. Yes,” she said without elaborating. Keenan was disappointed, but liked this game more and more. “Truth or dare,” she continued without waiting. “What happened to you when you were a kid that changed your life?”

  That one took him back a bit, but he regained his aplomb instantly. “Truth. I saw a ghost.”

  Apparently, she wasn’t expecting that since she sat back and angled her head to the side, sending him a puzzled stare. “Really? We said we had to be completely honest, you know.”

  “I am.” Keenan took a sip of coffee. He knew the unadorned answer would make her crazy, so he didn’t embellish. Two could play at that game. “Truth or dare? What happened to you that got you into trouble?”

  This time, Isabella didn’t even hesitate. “Dare,” she said firmly.

  Keenan really wanted to know what this incredible woman could have possibly done to get her in so deep she couldn’t recover. After all, she was perfect. There was a kind of injustice when perfect people got in the headlights of bad news. Especially ones this charming.

  “Well?” The coquettish lilt to her voice was playing handball with his heart.

  “Give me a second. I want to savor my victory before delivering the fatal blow.” He knew what he wanted to ask her to do, but it was probably too soon and he didn’t want to lose her. The urge to kiss her was overwhelming. “All right, I dare you to take off your jacket.”

  Apparently, Isabella knew what Keenan really wanted too, since she sniffed, “Wuss,” and gave him a wicked laugh.

  Without preamble, she unzipped her jogging jacket and stripped it off. Underneath was a baby blue running halter that looked tantalizing against her dark skin. Dark mounds of flesh peeked over the top and the deep cleavage was almost black. The exhibition made Keenan’s mountain gorilla instincts come out. He wanted to pound victory against his chest.

  “Wow,” was all he could say.

  “Eyes up here, buddy,” she said pointing.

  Keenan obliged by putting one elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand, and staring into her eyes. “No place I’d rather be.”

  “Oh, my. He’s charming too. My turn, hot shot.” She pushed her lips to one side and closed one eye in concentration. Her face lit up. “Truth or dare? What happened right after you saw that ghost?”

  He knew that was coming and hoped the dare wouldn’t be something that could get him thrown back into jail. He wouldn’t put it past her. Pulling a sigh into his lungs and giving up to the inevitable, he gave her a plaintive, “Dare.”

  A look of pure evil came over her face when she placed her napkin on the table. Standing up, she sidled along the end of the table and leaned against the bench seat. “All you have to do is hold still.”

  Before he could say anything, she was on top of him, straddling his lap, with her arms wrapped around his neck. That heavenly scent clouded out just about everything else. He instinctively placed his arms around her very slim waist and pulled her closer. His cock was doing what it did best when she sat down hard and brought her face within inches of his.

  “Pucker up, big boy.”

  Isabella leaned into him and gently pulled out his upper lip with her teeth. She ran her tongue along it once, shutting down most of his reality receptors. The initial touch of her lips was so soft he could only feel the heat at first. He gladly let her play. Moving slowly, she increased the pressure until she had him in an expertly executed lip lock; it was obvious she had done this before.

  Ecstasy burst through his skull like time-lapse flowers blooming. When her small tongue entered his mouth in search of his teeth, the sweet taste of ma
ple and coffee went straight to his head and the entire restaurant exploded in catcalls, whistles, and overall chaos. He wasn’t one for exhibitionism…and usually avoided it like washing dishes…but at the moment, it didn’t bother him a bit. The only thing in his universe was a pair of delicious lips going to town on his, large hard nipples crushed against his T-shirt, and his cock begging to be let into its new favorite playground. Everything else was a blizzard.

  After what seemed like next week rolled around, she broke the seal, sat back on his lap, and breathed hard. “Wow,” she whispered.

  “Yeah.”

  Their eyes locked and he got lost for good. Having her there in his arms, her hot breath roasting the top of his lip, and her chocolate colored eyes filling his vision, Keenan felt at home. He pulled her close until her chin rested on his right shoulder and held on. Closing his eyes, he let the contentment fall like honey through his senses. It nourished him more deeply than twelve stacks of hotcakes.

  Isabella squeezed him tightly and sat back, touching his cheek with one hot thumb.

  “Now that’s what I call a dare,” she said, beginning to disentangle from his arms. He was having a problem moving them. They dislodged reluctantly.

  “Yeah,” he repeated, not remembering any other words.

  Isabella slid back to her seat opposite him, and the place settled down to a gentle roar, but not until after some very colorful suggestions from the crowd.

  Before the dust settled in his stomach, refills on coffee and Constance appeared simultaneously. Keenan’s love soaked mind had a problem sorting them out for a second. That is until the latter said, “You need t’ get outta here, honey. I think it’s coming t’ kill you.”

  Keenan could feel his smile turn to slush, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he concentrated on smearing butter on his cakes and floating them in more syrup. Fortunately, Isabella’s food was distracting her. Keenan shook his head at Constance when Isabella wasn’t looking. Go away, he mouthed at her.

  “Sorry, child, but you got t’ come with me. There’s something looking for you.”

  Keenan lifted the napkin off his lap and put it on the table. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Isabella. He stood, mustered a wide mouthed grin at her, and headed for the men’s room a second time.

  “You’re walking funny,” she called after him, which elicited additional comments from the crowd. Keenan ignored the advice and made his way through the sea of tables.

  When he got to the john, he locked the door and shouted at Constance, “I can’t believe this! You guys are driving me crazy! Are you out of your mind? This is the first time in probably two years I’ve been on a date and you, of all people, show up to spoil it.”

  Constance screwed up her face and physically bloated with anger. The strain was clear in her voice. “You need to listen t’ me, boy. There’s something after you…it’s coming this way.”

  That put a cork in Keenan’s irritation and he focused in on her. “What do you mean?”

  Constance deflated a bit. “Don’t know what it is, but it’s something bad. And it ain’t that succubus neither. Been watching it for about an hour. Something evil, kid. Something big. It was outside your house for the longest time.” Her eyes changed color. “It’s coming this way. You gotta get out of here.”

  Keenan ran his hand through his hair and a deep rage settled over his exhaustion. “You know what? No. I’m tired of this, Cee. All I ever do is run from this stuff. Forget it. I’m going back to my date and that’s the end of it. It can’t hurt me if I ignore it. I’m tired.” It wasn’t very rational, but it was the best he had at the moment.

  He yanked the door open, threw his hands in his pockets, and headed back to his table, not even looking to see if Constance was following.

  When he got back there, Isabella was licking the syrup off her fork. Her tongue was pink and smooth, like school erasers Keenan had used in his art. Her plate was clean.

  “So,” she said, “too much for you?”

  Keenan pushed his own plate to the edge of the table and folded his hands. “Not on your life. But I gotta ask… haven’t you heard the rumors? I mean, why would you want to go out with someone like me?”

  Isabella brought her eyebrows together in irritation. “Those damn office gossips,” she snarled. “I hate it when people blow something completely out of proportion. So you talk to yourself. You want to know a secret?” she said, leaning into him and putting her hands on top of his. “So do I. Hell, it’s much more productive to talk to yourself than to those idiots, don’t you agree?”

  Keenan chuckled and twined his fingers through hers. “Amen, sister.”

  “Besides…” She fingered a curl on his forehead. “…I like a man who has some idiosyncrasies. I have a few of my own… they like the company.”

  “I gotta warn you,” he said to her seriously, “mine play rough and it can get a little dicey sometimes.”

  That special glare flared again in her eyes. “Ooo.” She lifted her shoulders a fraction and wrinkled her nose. “I like the rough stuff,” she whispered.

  That was when he saw it through the window behind Isabella’s head —a large black cloud rolling down Powell Boulevard. It was so huge it was blocking out the light. Sparks of lightning skimmed off the surface.

  A cold chill ran up Keenan’s back. Probably not a good idea to stay in one place. Constance was right; he had to get out of here. This was a hell of a lot bigger than the succubus and probably much more dangerous.

  “What’s wrong?” Isabella asked. The blush of the conversation made her cheeks glow red.

  “Look,” he said, leaning across the table and squeezing her hand. “I need to leave.”

  The pain that cascaded across her face stabbed him in the heart. “Oh,” she said softly, taking her hands away. “I see.”

  “No, no, no,” he stammered, glancing again at the advancing menace. “Something’s come up.”

  “Yeah,” she said quietly.

  He wasn’t sure if it was the pain in her eyes, the throb that was making his heart sing, or just the exhaustion, but he did something then that he regretted almost instantly.

  Keenan took Isabella’s hands again. “This has nothing to do with you. You’re going to think I’m crazy…hell, I think it myself…but I need to tell you something. I like you. In fact, I really like you and if we’re going to go where I think we’re going to go, I don’t want to keep secrets from you. I’m very serious about how rough it can get. I need you to like me for who I am. No secrets.”

  Isabella tightened the grip on his hand, her face awash with fear and, if he didn’t know any better, exhilaration. “No secrets,” she whispered.

  Keenan looked out the window behind her to check the mass’s proximity to the building. It was just hitting the parking lot. The smell of burning electricity stung his nose and static buzzed against his eardrums. This was going to be bad.

  “Isabella, I see things…” He stopped, searching her eyes and clearing his throat for courage. “Dead things…the dearly departed…people who have…” He hated the stammering but hadn’t told anyone in a long time, so he was out of practice. The creature was almost at the building. “Do you understand? I see ghosts. Lots and lots of ghosts. Every day, all the time. I have since I was thirteen. I talk to them. Hell, they live with me.”

  Isabella slowly extracted her hands from his and stood up. He had seen that expression before, too many times. Tears welled up in Isabella’s eyes. She took a step back from him. Keenan knew that look so well; she thought he was crazy.

  Well, so much for romance. His heart broke.

  Just at that moment, the cloud burst through the windows. Keenan jumped up to yank Isabella out of the way and dived to intercept it before it reached her.

  It was very brave.

  It was also very stupid.

  It hit him like a semi doing a hundred down a hill. Air left his lungs in a rush and he found himself flying. Fortunately, the kitchen wall was ther
e to stop him. The impact took what little was left in his lungs then it all went black.

  When Keenan came to, the cloud…and the girl…were gone. The waitress’ face was close to his when she got him to his feet. Her hands were shaking.

  “What happened?” he demanded, but the words made his head spin.

  “You just jumped into the wall for no reason,” she said, backing away from him as if it were contagious.

  “Where’s the girl?”

  “She left. Ran out the door. Probably to China by now. Sorry, kid, but I think you need some help. How ‘bout I call someone for you?”

  He took his wallet out of his pocket, pulled out a twenty, and pressed it into her hand without saying anything.

  Running out the door, he searched the lot. Isabella’s car was gone.

  Unable to stop it, Keenan fell to his knees, balled his fists until they went numb, and screamed up at the heavens, “Fuck!”

  Chapter Nine

  A Friendly Soul

  When Keenan was ten, he was friends with an older kid named Riley McDougal. Riley was the kind of kid most respectable parents would have slammed the door on if he came along looking for a playmate. He didn’t look threatening; thick glasses magnified his eyes so much it was hard to look at them long. He was tall and willowy with hands two sizes too big. But Riley had a special gift; he could spot trouble blind folded with his ears full of wax. He honed into it like a shark on its next kill.

  For some reason he warmed to Keenan instantly and took him under his tutelage, for a fee, of course. Keenan had no problems giving Riley his lunch money every day; it was the least he could do for all the adventures they shared. Everything from stealing the neighborhood bum’s booze (which Riley always insisted they pour into the gutter for his own good) to coasting down Forty-Seventh and Halsey at about thirty miles per hour on their bikes, usually out into traffic. Truancy picked him up so many times he was on a first name basis with all the officers. The lessons Keenan had learned at this dubious friend’s knee served him very well through life… don’t be afraid to take risks and best friends smack you hard to knock sense into you. Sympathetic friends were worse than useless.