Call On Me (2 page)

Yep, Ghost was
all muscle. You wouldn’t expect that from a bloke who spent a lot
of his time pecking away on a keyboard for a living, but she also
knew he hit the gym often. Oh, he wasn’t muscle-bound, looking like
a weight lifter, but he had muscles to go with his height that made
for a very mouth-watering body which had many a woman’s eyes
following him.

Ghost’s dark
brown eyes studied her closely. Blonde hair ruffled across his brow
and a long strand escaped the ponytail fastened at his nape to fall
across one broad shoulder. The square jaw was firm as usual, but a
muscle jumped at the corner of his full, yet masculine, lips. He
drew in a deep breath, the nostrils of his straight nose flaring
slightly in disapproval.

Disapproval.
Great.

“Oh, come on.”
She sighed. “Hit me with it.”

“I’d hit you
with something, but it wouldn’t be what you expect.”

“Oh yadda yadda
yadda.” Propping her elbow on the windowsill frame, she dropped her
chin in one hand.

The muscle at
the corner of his mouth gave another tic.

She looked
away. Now that she was safe, disappointment in the evening’s events
flooded her. “Go on. You can’t make it any worse.”

Unclipping the
seatbelt with one hand, Ghost rocked the van a little as he leaned
toward her, his hand coming out to cup her chin and turn her face
to him. She could swear his eyes were like x-rays as they scanned
her face once more, but his tone was a little gentler when he
asked, “Did you get hurt?”

“No, but you
could ask him that.”

“Let me guess,
he’s sporting your handprint on his cheek.”

“Yep.”

His gaze swept
down her body once again before shifting back up to meet hers. “Did
he try to force you?”

“Let’s just say
his suggestion wasn’t met with my approval.”

“Did he touch
you, Ali?” Ghost demanded firmly.

“No, he didn’t.
As if I’d let him, the rude…” As Ghost’s eyes went flinty, Ali said
hurriedly, “No, he didn’t touch me. He suggested I show him
something and he got his face slapped. That’s all.”

“And left you
here on the side of the road.”

“Well,
yes.”

Releasing her
chin, Ghost sat back, one big hand on the steering wheel, the other
hand resting on his thigh. “Did you get out or did he kick you
out?”

“A little of
both,” she hedged.

His thick brows
came down in a frown.

Years of
knowing the man watching her so closely had her sighing again.
Ghost wouldn’t stop demanding answers until he had them all.
Besides, it wasn’t as if it was going to be a secret for long, not
knowing Brian’s loud mouth, and he’d likely embellish it a little.
A lot.

“Okay.” Ali ran
her hand through her hair, dislodging the clip that held it back
from her face. A thick hank fell over her cheek and she tucked it
behind her ears. “He wasn’t really inclined to be friendly after
that.”

Ghost’s eyes
narrowed.

Actually, to be
fair, Brian had said she’d be lucky for any desperate man to touch
her and now he certainly wouldn’t with a ten foot pole. Not that
she was going to tell Ghost that, hell, he’d hunt the man down and
force him to apologise, not to mention she didn’t want to have to
bear the humiliation of repeating the words. Those she’d save to
tell her sister.

“And,” Ali
added, “I refused to drive home with him.”

Ghost just
continued watching her with those all-knowing eyes.

Pursing her
lips, she looked out the side window into the darkness beyond.
Unfortunately, the cabin light reflected his face in the window.
Those eyes continued to bore holes into her head.

The silence
lengthened.

“I’d really
like to go home,” she said primly, folding her hands on top of the
little purse in her lap.

Silence.

“I’m
tired.”

Silence.

That silence
stretched. She cast a sideways glance at him. Yep, he was just
watching her. “What?”

“Did you get
out or did he kick you out?”

“Are we still
on this?” At his continued silence, she heaved an exaggerated sigh
and folded her arms across her chest. “I got out, okay? I told him
where he could stick his suggestion and got out, slammed his door
and flipped him the bird.”

“And he drove
off and left you there.”

“Yes.”

Without another
word, Ghost switched the light off and turned back to the steering
wheel. Checking the road was clear, he indicated and pulled out,
commencing the drive back to town in silence.

Unable to
resist it, Ali looked at him to see a faint smile curving his lips.
“Something funny?”

“You flipped
him the bird.”

“So? I do that
to you all the time.”

“Yeah, but I
expect it.”

Leaning back
against the seat, Ali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Safe
and sound, cocooned in Ghost’s car, his presence beside her strong
and calming, she could finally relax.

“That was a
dumb move, Ali.”

Her eyes popped
open.

“Getting out of
a car in the middle of nowhere.”

Here it came,
the big lecture she expected.

“You date
losers, honey. What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” She
rolled her eyes.

“How many times
are you going to end up in the shit before you start thinking about
who you’re dating?”

“I know who I’m
dating.”

“Losers. There
are men out there a million times better than those you insist on
picking up.”

God knows,
she’d tried. Still was trying, in fact. “You make me sound like a
tart.”

She could hear
the breath he inhaled deeply. It was familiar and she waited, doing
a mental countdown.
Five…four…three…two…one…

“You’re better
than they are, why aren’t you pickier about who you choose?”

She didn’t
bother to reply. They’d had this conversation many times before
over the years.

“Ever since
high school you’ve fallen for the wrong blokes, Ali.” Ghost drew in
another breath, his hand tightening on the steering wheel. “You’re
lucky you haven’t gotten seriously hurt. I’m telling you, one day
you’ll go out with a man you can’t handle and you’ll be sorry. You
need to grow up and stop taking up with any idiot that crosses your
path. Not every handsome face is an indication of a decent
bloke.”

Yeah yeah
yeah
. She rolled her eyes.

“Don’t roll
your eyes at me, missy.”

“You can’t see
me.”

“I know what
you’re doing. You’ve been doing it since the first time I picked
you up after that loser, Paul, left you beside the creek.”

“I was in high
school!”

“And things
haven’t changed.” His gaze raked over her before returning to the
road. “Not even the eye rolling.”

That was true.
Ever since Ali could remember, Ghost had been there for her. One
phone call and he’d pick her up after yet another disastrous date.
One sniffle and he was by her side ready to defend her honour. He’d
been a good friend and as such, he said things to her that she’d
never allow anyone else to say.

“So why didn’t
you call me?” he asked.

“I left the
mobile at home.” Ali winced a little.

Sure
enough…

“Damn it, Ali,
did you leave your brains home tonight as well?” He demanded
angrily.

“It wouldn’t
fit in my purse.” She glared out of the windshield. “And I mean my
mobile, in case you’re going to be smart.”

“You know you
should never go out without your mobile.”

“Are you
finished telling me off?”

“Not by a long
shot.”

“Then you can
just drop me off right now, because I’m not in the mood.”

She felt his
gaze on her even though she refused to look at him. Silence filled
the cab but he didn’t slow down, not that she expected him to. No
matter how angry he was, Ghost would never leave a woman standing
on the side of the road,

As the silence
lengthened, shame crept through Ali. Another common feeling when it
came to these kinds of meetings.

Finally, she
said, “I’m sorry, Ty.”

~*~

There was no
way Ghost could remain angry with Ali, not when she called him by
his real name, Ty. When she called him Ty, it meant she was really
sorry. She might not realise it herself, but years of being her
best friend had made it pretty obvious to him.

Shit. He could
never remain angry with her when she was really sorry. His grip
eased on the steering wheel and he mentally shook his head. Alissa
Mackay was going to be the death of him one day.

He might not be
able to clearly see her face in the cabin but he could hear the
subduedness in her tone. Every smart answer was gone, every eye
roll, everything that was guaranteed to annoy and amuse him,
depending on the situation, which was currently at the annoying
stage.

Sometimes Ali
Mackay was a danger to herself. Ghost rolled his own eyes. Always
had been, always would be. God knew being her friend was a mixture
of good and bad.

“So,” he said
quietly, “want me to find this date of yours and beat him up?”

“Ex-date. And
no, otherwise I’d have to bail you out of gaol again.”

“I was in high
school that time and it was detention.”

“Same
difference.” There was a hint of humour in her voice.

Glad to hear
the fading of sadness, he replied in mock sternness, “You dated a
jerk and I dumped him in the school swimming pool, all for your
honour if you remember correctly.”

“Right in the
middle of the school swimming carnival.” Ali laughed. “Disrupted
the year ten swimming contest in front of everyone, including the
parents.”

“The things I
do for you.” He shook his head, smiling.

Ali slipped her
high heels off and massaged her feet. He just bet she had on red
nail polish. “My hero.”

“Maybe you
should take some joggers on your next date.” Out of the corner of
his eye, he saw her angle her head to frown at him. “Along with
your mobile.”

“Very
funny.”

“Or here’s an
idea, honey. You could go in your car and then you could dump
his
arse on the side of the road.”

“Ha ha.”

Reaching
across, he ruffled her hair. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

She batted his
hand away. “I’m fine. I’m always fine.”

It was on the
tip of his tongue to retort a little sharply, but when she reached
back to tug on his ponytail and say, “My hero,” again, the retort
faded. “Don’t push it.”

She
laughed.

They drove the
remainder of the way into town in companionable silence. Rather
than turning onto the road that led to home, Ghost instead swung
into the parking lot of the late night café.

Ali peered out
the windshield at the café then back at him with raised eyebrows.
“Hungry?”

“Always. Come
on, Ali, get your arse in gear. Let’s get a cuppa before I drop you
off home.”

“Sure.”

While she
slipped her shoes on, he walked around to her door and held it open
for her, shutting and locking it behind her when she jumped out. As
she passed him, the flowery scent she wore drifted through his
senses.

Following her
inside the café, Ghost glanced around to check out who else was
inside. It was quiet at this time of the night, only a few shift
workers and a young teenage couple on a date sat in the booths.

Hand at Ali’s
back, he steered her over to a booth, dropping into the seat
opposite her. Picking up one of the menus, he studied it briefly
before laying it back down on the table.

Ali was still
studying her menu, chewing on the corner of her lush bottom lip as
she did so. The red lipstick she wore made her small, even teeth
appear even whiter.

Honest to God,
he had no idea why Ali ended up dating such losers. She could have
her pick of any decent man. His gaze wandered over her face, a face
as familiar to him as his own. Only she was a hell of a lot
prettier. Oval face, high cheekbones, long eyelashes, lush lips,
and the greenest eyes he’d ever seen. Dark green, the colour made
all the more startling when combined with the red/brown hair
tumbling around her shoulders.

His gaze slid
lower. She wore a low cut blue dress, the bodice cupping her ample
breasts almost lovingly. He could just about imagine a man’s hands
cupping those breasts, and the fact that some loser had probably
tried to cop a feel didn’t sit well. The table hid the rest of her
from sight. No matter, he knew just what she looked like - indented
waist, generously curving hips, an ample bottom that begged to be
stroked, and legs that while plump seemed to go on forever. For a
large woman, Ali had long legs.

He thought she
was just perfect, she had a body a man could hold onto, a waist to
grip, breasts to cup, and a derriere that jiggled a little when she
walked.

Unfortunately,
he knew Ali didn’t think she had a perfect figure, in fact, she was
on a diet every second week. However, her will power wasn’t as good
as her smart tongue and she usually only lasted a few days.

Personally, he
thought she was a nut for worrying so much about her figure. She
was perfect just the way she was and one day some lucky
decent
man would pluck her up and marry her, that is, if she
stopped dating losers long enough to give a decent man a chance.
Not likely to happen anytime soon, so he’d keep an eye on her until
then, just as he’d done all these years.

Ali was almost
a full time job. He grinned.

She glanced up
from her menu. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.”

The menu she
held snapped closed. “Are you laughing at me, Ghost?”

“Honey, when
have I ever laughed at you?”

“How long do
you have?”

“Aw, it’s not
that bad.”