Ghostly Touch (4 page)

              Zula had never been as nervous as she was now, dressing for her date with Connor. She had been schooled by private tutors and spent time abroad as a teenager, but dating hadn’t been a big part of her life. Of course she had met new people during her travels, and she’d done the club scene in a few cities around the world. She’d had one or two casual boyfriends, and sex had always been as natural as taking a shower for her. But somehow, knowing she was about to date the man who was her soul mate, was a different feeling altogether.

             
Connor hadn’t mentioned where he was taking her, and he hadn’t mentioned anything about her family history. When he talked about growing up in Greenfield and playing in the crypt at the cemetery, Zula knew he would have heard the stories about the women who preceded her. He probably had heard the rumors about her as well. She took a deep breath as she stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. Perhaps that was a good sign. He already knew everything about her family, or at least the legend of her family, and wasn’t scared off by any of it.

             
That hadn’t always been the case. She had tried to date a few of the men in town, but the locals had other interests in mind. Most thought she would be their play toy, and others had simply wanted her to cast spells for them. The only ones she dated with any success were those who moved to town recently and hadn’t yet heard about her family.

             
Zula dressed carefully, taking into consideration that a small town like Greenfield had few restaurants to choose from and none would warrant formal wear. She wanted to be ready for anything Connor had in mind, but she wanted to look nice for him as well. That thought made her laugh out loud.

             
“Ridiculous,” she chided herself. “He already likes me or he wouldn’t have asked me out.” She chose low riding jeans with a cute top and sneakers. “There,” she said, looking in the mirror as she brushed her long hair, satisfied she didn’t wear too much make-up, or look like she expected him to take her someplace expensive.

             
“What do you think, Thad? Am I gorgeous?” Thaddeus meowed and rubbed against her leg. Zula laughed at herself. Just then the doorbell sounded and she looked quickly at the clock on her nightstand. “Right on time,” she said. “You be a good boy and I’ll be back later. I’ll see if I can bring you a kitty-bag from the restaurant.”

              Downstairs, Zula smiled when she opened the door. “Come in,” she said.

             
“You look great.” Connor didn’t try to hide the fact he was ogling her.

             
Zula laughed. “So do you.” And she meant it, as she looked him up and down with the same lustful desire. “Now that we’ve checked each other out, where are you taking me?”

             
“Someplace very special,” he said mysteriously and winked.

             
“A surprise. I can’t wait.” Grabbing her purse and a light jacket, Zula followed Connor onto the porch and checked the door handle to make sure it locked.

             
Connor opened the door of his Ford truck for her and helped her climb in. Once he was behind the wheel, he started engine and pulled away from the curb. “I hope you like meatloaf,” he said.

             
“Meatloaf? I haven’t had meatloaf since my mother was alive and I loved hers.”

             
“Great, because it’s what I made for us.”

             
“You cooked?”

             
Connor shrugged and made a left turn. “I’ve lived alone a long time so learning to cook was self-defense. I got really tired of fast food and pizza.”

             
“I’m impressed,” Zula said as Connor wheeled the pick-up into his driveway.

             
“Here we are,” he announced as he slid out of the cab and hurried to open Zula’s door for her.

             
“I didn’t realize we lived so close to one another.”

             
“Everyone in Greenfield lives close to one another.” Connor chuckled, and walked Zula up the porch steps and opened the door of his house.

             
Zula laughed. “I guess we do.”

             
Connor ushered her inside and shut the door behind them. “Home sweet home. Can I get you a glass of wine?”

             
“Yes, that would be nice.”

             
“Just have a seat anywhere and I’ll be right back.”

             
Zula watched him disappear into another room and looked around. The room was comfortable, a little messy with magazines and newspapers covering the coffee table, but, she decided, it all felt very male. Trophies from what she guessed were his high school or college days playing ball sat on the mantel above the fireplace. Various video games and controller units lay about, and a bag of golf clubs stood in one corner. She made herself comfortable on the couch, just as Connor returned with two glasses in one hand and bottle of wine in the other.

             
“Here we go.” He set the glasses on the coffee table, opened the bottle and poured the wine.

             
“Thank you.” Zula accepted the glass, sipped the wine and nodded. “That’s really good.”

             
“Thank you. I make it myself.”

             
“Really? I didn’t know you had so many talents.”

             
Connor laughed. “I don’t know that it’s a talent, but my dad taught me and his dad taught him. It’s a family tradition I guess you could say. I make about twenty bottles a year just for myself, or as gifts for friends.”

“I’m impressed.
” She held up her glass and Connor touched his to it. “Cheers,” they said together.

             
“Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. I made a salad and some potatoes and peas. Please don’t feel as if you have to eat everything or that you’ll hurt my feelings if you don’t like something. I can take it.” Connor laughed and sipped his wine. “How about some music? What do you like?”

             
“Anything but heavy metal,” Zula replied. “I like music a little softer.”

             
“Blues?”

             
“Terrific.”

             
Connor put on a Stevie Ray Vaughn CD and then came to sit close to

Zula. “I wanted to tell you I think you’re beautiful. The first time I saw you I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

              Zula felt her cheeks heat at the compliment and took a drink of wine. “Thank you. You’re pretty easy on the eyes yourself.”

             
“Thank you.” Connor chuckled. “You know I’ve heard the legend of your grandmother all my life, and you of course. But I don’t remember ever seeing you in school. Where were you all those years?”

             
“Don’t believe everything you hear. A lot of the legend is just that. The story got bigger each time it was told. I didn’t attend school here. I had private tutors and spent a couple of years abroad.”

             
“That explains it. So the stories of the women in your family all being witches aren’t true?”

             
“Oh, no.” Zula drank more wine. “Those stories are all true.”

             
Connor chuckled as he looked at her, not knowing if she was joking or not. “Hungry? Supper should be ready.”

             
“Famished,” she replied and drained her glass as they got to their feet. “Oh my, I feel a little lightheaded. That’s some wine you’ve got there.”

             
“It’s about forty proof, which is way above the legal limit on store bought wines, so go easy on it. I don’t want you getting drunk on me.”

             
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Zula said with a laugh and allowed him to lead her to the dining room.

             
His cock felt hard as steel and velvety soft when she straddled him and slid her pussy back and forth along the full length. Her hands splayed flat on his muscular chest for support. Her hair fell in dark, silky waves over both shoulders, swaying back and forth with her movements. His eyes never left hers, as she watched him watching her use him for her own pleasure. His fingers digging into the flesh of her hips felt good as each movement pushed and pulled her clit along his cock. The friction of skin against skin caused heat that rose into her abdomen and settled low, expanding with each thrust of her hips. The ball of heat grew and caused her blood to vibrate in her veins and her skin beaded with perspiration. She dug her nails deeper into his skin the closer she came to an orgasm. She could see his lips move, hear his voice urging her on, urging her to take, and she did. Her pussy slid faster and faster against his rigid dick and her breath came in short, hot gasps until the orgasm ripped through her. She bent forward from the force of the shock wave that gripped her, and buried her face in his chest as spasms continued to rock her. She felt his arms wrap around her, could hear his voice murmuring in her ear and finally, she collapsed on top of him trying to catch her breath.

                                                             
~ * ~

             
Zula woke up bright and early the next day and felt wonderful, the dream of passion still fresh in her mind and her body. She shut her eyes and covered her face with both hands for a moment before sitting up. Her whole purpose for casting the spell for a mate was to stop the dream sex, but her dream lover hadn’t gone anywhere. Of course, the fact that Connor had brought her home at nine o’clock the night before didn’t help matters at all.

Dinner had been wonderful, and much to her surprise Connor was a very good cook. The wine had been excellent even if it went quickly to her head, and she thought the conversation had been great too. They talked and laughed over dinner and then had another glass of wine in the living room. She refused de
ssert, but Connor wolfed down two pieces of apple pie while they chatted. So when he’d looked at his watch and said he would take her home, she was taken aback. He kissed her lightly at her door, said good night and left her standing there with what she was sure could be described as a stunned look on her face.

             
“He didn’t even ask to come inside, Thad. Can you believe it? I don’t know what to make of it. He was a perfect gentleman all night long. I would have let him kiss me just a little more than that peck at the door, but he didn’t even try.” Zula didn’t know whether to be upset by the lack of attention, or to be happy about his chivalrous attitude.

             
“Great-grandmother Zula, you could’ve explained just a little more about that spell while you were here,” Zula said aloud while in the shower. Even if Connor wasn’t meant to be her soul mate, a real
live
playmate wouldn’t be a bad option right now. Zula sighed heavily as she wrapped her hair in a towel and then brushed her teeth.

“Is it too much to ask to get laid by a real man?
” She said in an exasperated tone, but neither Thaddeus nor great-grandma Zula replied.

~ * ~

              Zula’s garage had been converted to a workshop many years ago, and since she had taken over the place a few years ago, she converted the workshop into a holistic health store where she sold herbs she grew herself. She also sold handmade candles, as well as amulets and crystals, dream catchers and silver jewelry. As a licensed masseuse, she had a small area partitioned off in the back where her table was set up along with fragrant and medicinal oils, candles, and a tabletop waterfall set the mood for relaxation.

             
With three massage appointments set for that morning, Zula would have a full day. Her garden provided most of herbs she needed during the year, but by late October, she had started new plants in the greenhouse. There was much work to be done in order to ensure she’d have plenty of herbs throughout the winter months.

             
Zula opened the shop door, flipped the open sign around so it showed through the window, and then raised all the blinds. Weak November sunlight shone through and brightened the room as Zula went about getting ready for the first massage appointment. She put an Enya CD in the player and turned the sound low, and then put flannel sheets on the massage table and lit candles.

             
“Oh!” Zula shrieked as she turned around, hands flying to her throat. “Great-grandma Zula! You scared the life out of me.”

             
“Zula, I can’t stay long, but please be careful. There are more forces at work here than I knew.”

             
“What are you talking about?”

             
“Be careful my dear girl. Your life depends upon it,” great-grandmother Zula said. She reached out to touch Zula, but the hand passed through her and grandma Zula disappeared.

             
Zula stared at the empty space, her mouth open and mind racing. “Grandmother?” She lifted one hand toward the spot where the image of her grandmother had been. The air still warm and Zula could feel the energy left by the older woman’s presence. “If you can hear me, please come back and tell me what you are talking about. I don’t understand.” But only Enya’s haunting voice floated through the room.

             
Just then the door opened, causing the bell to ring and Zula jumped. She took a deep breath and blew it out. With a smile on her face, she went to greet her client. “Hello, Diane. How are you today?”

             
“Wonderful,” the woman replied. “But I’ll be much better after this massage.”

             
Zula smiled. “You go right on in and get undressed. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.” Zula watched as the woman disappeared behind the partition and then hung the,
Back In An Hour
sign in the window and locked the door. With one last look around the shop, she went to start her day.