Page 27 of The Ghost and the Graveyard (Knight Games 1)
The corner of his mouth lifted into a lopsided grin, and something inside of me melted. I wanted to run my fingers over the cotton of his shirt and feel the contrast between the soft material and the hard muscles underneath. "It's a date."
I nodded, hyperaware that it was the second time I'd heard those words today.
"You haven't tried your coffee," he said, stepping closer.
I took a deep swig. The coffee itself was slightly bitter, but he'd added my favorite accouterments. "How did you know?" I asked.
"Know what?"
"This is exactly how I take my coffee-cream and sugar with a dash of cinnamon."
"Lucky, I guess. That's how I take mine too."
He was so close to me now, the only thing that kept us from touching was the coffee mug. It radiated a circle of heat that warmed my chest but had nothing to do with the burn working its way down my body under his intense stare. I swallowed another gulp and forced myself to blink to break the connection.
"Can I borrow this mug?" I asked. "I should probably get home. I haven't even unpacked yet."
"Of course. I'll get it back from you later."
"Great. I'll see you then." I backed toward the door.
"Oh, and Grateful," he said with a smile that made my heart skip a beat. "Wear your walking shoes."
Now, I am not the type of girl who usually dates two men at once, but since the ghost was dead, I didn't think he counted as a real date. I mean, he didn't have a body. I was sure this situation wasn't covered in Cosmo's dating guide. So, I felt no guilt whatsoever as I walked out of Rick's door.
I decided I'd keep an open mind about both dates-one with the ghost and one with the graveyard.
I Take The Tour
I finished unpacking my moving box and rummaged through my closet for something to wear. I decided to go with jeans, but I changed out of my comfy ones and into some that fell lower on the hip and were more form-fitting. Then I tossed on a black lace camisole. It showcased just enough cleavage to prove I put some effort into my appearance but with enough support and coverage to be appropriate for a first date.
As I finished my makeup, the phone rang, Michelle calling me back.
"I called as soon as I got your message. What's going on? You sounded frantic."
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Grateful, I'm between classes. Spill the beans!"
"My house is haunted."
Silence. I could hear Michelle breathing but nothing more. Then she broke into laughter. "Very funny. But really, if you want to joke with me, do it when I don't have school. Okay?"
"I'm serious. But, it's all right. Turns out he's a friendly ghost."
"Yeah, okay, hon. Joke's over. Gotta go." The call ended, and Michelle was gone.
Well, what did I expect? It wasn't exactly a believable story. I tossed the phone down on the dresser in frustration. The gadget left a trail as it slid across the dusty wood. Jeez, I desperately needed to clean in here.
With my finger, I wrote myself a note in the filth. Clean me. Good enough. I'd get to it later. Probably. Cleaning wasn't one of my strengths. Along with cooking, it hung out in the domestic skills section in the back of my brain, a heavily cobwebbed compartment I rarely used. As I scooped the phone back up, I checked the time. Almost noon, I skipped down the stairs and snatched the borrowed mug off the counter before dashing out the door and locking it behind me.
I met Rick at his cottage, holding out the mug like the ceramic could shield me from his sexiness. He gave me the killer half smile as he accepted it, then slipped his arm through a picnic basket waiting on the small table near the kitchen and opened the door for me.
"You made lunch?" I asked.
"Of course."
"Can you cook?"
