Incorporeal (10 page)

“
Uh…” Sara glanced at the doorway to make certain there was no one in hearing distance.

“
C’mon, Mr. Mysterioso knocked every brain cell right out of your head. Maybe I should head over to your house and look for them. I can stuff them back in through your ears.”

“
Ewww. That’s gross, Dalton.”

“
Is he there? Because I’d like to have a word with him.” Dalton sounded indignant, but Sara knew she didn’t mean it. Her friend wanted to meet this mystery man.

Sara saw her boss walk past her door. She lowered her voice. “Gotta go. I’ll catch you later and thank you.”

Sara re-wrapped the chocolate book, pressing the lid down over box and setting it beneath her desk, away from the sunlight.

Back to work, Sara. You’ve got to concentrate or you won’t be able to leave early on Friday. Crap. Do I even want to meet with her? I think I’d rather spend the evening with Nathan because I don’t know how much time…”
Her stomach clenched and she sat down, hard, in her chair.

That’s just it, isn’t it? You don’t know how much time he has. He could disappear tomorrow. He could disappear today. He might already be gone
. Sara’s heart began to beat faster.

No, he promised he’ll be there when I get home. He must know, but I can’t be certain. I don’t know how much time we have together and I don’t want it to end. What if I lose him? I love him.

“
Sara, are you all right?”

“
Oh!” She jerked her eyes away from the screen saver on her computer screen. “What?”

“
You look pale, Sara, and you’ve seemed distracted lately. Are you all right?”

Sara tried to compose herself. “Mr. O’Brien, I’m sorry, you startled me. Yes, I’m fine. I… It’s nothing. I haven’t been sleeping well, but really, there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

“
Good. I’m glad to hear it because I need you at the top of your game. Our deadline’s been moved up. I need those graphics by noon tomorrow. Can I count on you?” Her boss crossed his arms and waited for her answer.

Crap
.
No you can’t count on me. I have to get home to see my ghost lover
. “Yes, of course. I can stay late tonight and if you’d like, and have everything ready for you first thing in the morning. I’m nearly done now.”
Bull shit
.
You need another eight hours, minimum, to finish this project. You also need this job, so suck it up.

“
Excellent. I knew I could count on you. Michelle, over in personnel, is working late too, so I’d be happy to arrange some supper for the both of you. A couple salads, maybe? Or a pizza?”

“
Whatever Michelle wants is fine with me. But I might have to run home this afternoon. I, uh, think I left my crock-pot plugged in. It’ll only take me forty minutes or so, to get there and back.”

“
Whatever you need to do, as long as you finish the project.” He waved a hand in her direction. “I’ll be at my son’s Little League game tonight. You have my cell number. If anything comes up, feel free to call. Can’t guarantee I’ll hear the ringer, but you can leave a message.”

“
Okay.” Sara shot him a bright smile. “I better get back to work.” She subtly shifted her mouse, bringing up her current project, waiting for him to leave.
Damn, I don’t think I’ll have time to go home. The rest of the day is gonna be a bitch
.

Chapter Seven

“
Where the hell have you been?” Nathan practically exploded the instant she walked through the door.

“
Working.” Sara hurried to set the gift box and her office laptop down on the dining room table before Nathan could grab something. He looked angry enough to hurl the computer through a window. Christ, the man looked downright dangerous. “Why? What’s the problem?”

“
You didn’t come home. I was afraid. I thought something might have happened.” He stalked right up to her, stopping mere inches from her, deliberately crowding her with his bigger body. “I’m trapped here. I can’t leave. I can’t do anything to help you if…” As fast as he’d moved toward her, he turned and abruptly stormed off, disappearing into the kitchen.

Sara followed after him. “Nathan, wait. Nathan, there was nothing I could do. I had to finish a, a project. What on earth?” She stared, open-mouthed, at the drippy candles on the table, the bottle of wine, half-gone, the bowls of what? She closed her eyes and inhaled.
Beef Bourguignon and fresh-baked bread?
“You can cook?” she squeaked.
For crying out loud,
I sound like a mouse
.

“
Yes, I can cook.” His voice was gruff, but Sara detected the tiniest hint of pride. “I used food stuffs you had here and your book of recipes. This was the best I could do.”

Sara buried her face in her hands. “Oh my god, you cooked for me and I didn’t come home. I didn’t even call, not that you have a phone you can answer, but…” She lifted her head. “I need to sit down.” He pulled a chair up behind her and Sara sat. She dropped her head between her knees. “Nathan,” she mumbled, “I’m a little overwhelmed.”

She sensed that he knelt before her. His hands reached for her, sliding up her thighs. “Are you sick?”

“
Um-hmm.” It was all Sara could manage.

Ghosts can’t cook. Ghosts can’t cook. Ghosts can’t bake fresh bread and make Beef Bourguignon, unless, oh my god, unless he’s secretly the ghost of Julia Child
.

Sara’s shoulders began to shake. She giggled. She couldn’t help it. The situation had become so absurd that there was nothing for it but to giggle.
He cooks, he cleans, he puts away groceries; he fucks like nobody’s business
.

Suddenly she heard a familiar voice say, “Laughter is the best medicine.”

Bolting to her feet, Sara spun in every direction. “Did you hear that? Nathan, did you hear that?”

“
Hear what?” Nathan stood right next to her, his arm about her waist, steadying her.

“
The voice, my father’s voice; please tell me you heard him too.” She stared into Nathan’s eyes, silently pleading with him to say yes.

Nathan shook his head.

Sara shook off his arm. “Oh, so now I can hear ghosts and you can’t? What kind of ghost are you?” Sara looked at him in horror. “You’re not really here at all, are you? This is me, myself and I; this is Sara Wise, going nuts.” Sara ran a shaking hand through her hair. “My mother called me crazy. She had Social Services take me away, lock me up in a mental hospital.”

Sara reached a hand toward Nathan’s cheek, desperate to touch him, yet terrified that regardless of what she might feel beneath her fingers, he was a figment of her imagination. When her palm was a quarter inch from his face, she stopped, holding her body very still.

Sara closed her eyes. “Nathan, tell me I’m not crazy.”

His voice was soft. “Sara Wise, you are not crazy.”

“
How do you know I’m not crazy? If you’re a figment of my imagination, you’ll tell me what I want to hear because I’m telling you what to say.”

“
Sara!” Nathan’s hands gripped her shoulders, hard, squeezing her.

“
Ow!” Sara opened her eyes.
Does your imagination hurt?

Nathan gave her a shake. He barked at her. “Stop this nonsense.”

“
Did you just bark an order at me?”

“
Yes.” He gave her another little shake. “You’re talking nonsense. I’ve never met a woman less crazy than you. Of course you don’t understand this situation. How could you? I don’t understand this situation and I’m the one…”

“
Who’s dead,” Sara finished for him, giggling again.

“
Yes.” Nathan relaxed his grip slightly. “I’m the one who’s dead.” Sara noticed that while his attempt at a reassuring smile appeared comically lopsided, he couldn’t disguise the worry in his eyes.

Sara took a shaky breath. “My father used to tell me, when you feel abnormal, do something normal.”

“
What do you want to do, Sara? Would you like to eat something? I can feed you.” He reached for a spoon as if to illustrate how he would feed her.

She couldn’t help but grin at the mental picture. Studying the kitchen, Sara realized he’d cleaned up after himself. Every countertop was spotless.
A cleaning, cooking, grocery-putting away, sexy incorporeal-corporeal man
. Nathan’s assessment was correct. The situation made no sense, but there wasn’t a damn thing either of them could do about it.

“
Nathan, let’s take a bath together, a nice, long, hot bath.”

Without hesitation, he swept her up in his arms and headed for the stairs. “Ah, I had a similar notion,” he said, and he laughed all the way to the bathroom.

***

Limp, boneless, Sara’s head lolled back against Nathan’s shoulder. Nathan had helped her achieve her goal, distracting her from their odd, inexplicable, supernatural circumstances. What could be more normal than sex, truly excellent, out of this world, mind-blowing sex? With a satisfied sigh, Sara closed her eyes, sinking further back into Nathan’s body, as his hands soaped her sensitive breasts, and other equally sensitive parts.

“
Mmmmmm.”

“
Feels good?”

“
Very.” She rubbed her cheek along Nathan’s wet skin.

“
Would you like to sleep? I can stop if you wish.”

“
Oh no, don’t stop. Keep touching me. I love it when you touch me.” Nathan mumbled a few sentences, his voice vibrating along her back. Sara shifted slightly, pressing even closer. “What did you say?”

Nathan’s hands moved over her without hesitation, but his answer was slow in coming. “I said I love to touch you, Sara. I come alive in your arms.”

Despite his groan of protest, Sara turned her body around until she could look into Nathan’s face. She laid her palm over his heart, thrilled by the steady beat she felt through his muscular chest. “Are you alive, Nathan?”

His hands slipped beneath her hair and he massaged her head. “Yes, I believe so, although my
alive-ness
seems to be limited to your home.” He leaned over to kiss her.

When at last he lifted his lips from hers, Sara asked in a quiet voice, “Do you know why?”

Nathan shook his head.

“
Do you know how?”

“
No, Sara, I don’t.” He pulled her back against him. “Is the water growing too cold for you?”

“
No.” She stretched out her legs; her toes played with his. “The water is fine, but I have another question.”

Nathan slipped his soapy hands down her flanks, running them over her hips. “I don’t suppose I can distract you from your questions?”

Sara was indeed distracted, but she shook her head. “Nice try, but no.”

Nathan wrapped his strong arms around her and drew her hard against him. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he said, “Ask your questions, woman.”

“
Ooh, woman is it? Sexy. I like it.” She wiggled her bottom against him, grinning at his immediate physical response.

“
Ask.” Nathan growled the word.

Despite her reluctance to tackle the subject she wanted to tackle, Sara couldn’t resist a feminine snort. Nathan might be dead, but he was very much a man.
Men haven’t changed over the centuries, have they? All right, Sara, jump right in. Blurt it out. You know you want the answer. Do I? Do I really want the answer?

“
How do you know about my mother?” She asked the question before she could bite it back. Behind her, she felt Nathan sink deeper into the tub.
He doesn’t want to answer me.

“
I did not know your mother, but I saw her on several occasions.”

“
You…you…” Sara began to stutter. “You saw her?” She craned her neck to look back at Nathan.

He nodded.

“
How? Why?” Sara was rocked by his words.

“
I acted as guide for your father. He was pulled from his body suddenly and he, well, he refused to move forward. He insisted upon a guide back to you. I agreed to the assignment.”

“
You agreed? He was pulled away? You were his guide?” The feeling of unreality was creeping back over her.

“
Sara, stop.” Nathan held her tighter. “You’re doing it again. I can feel your fear. You’ve seen the dead all your life. This should come as no great surprise.”

“
I know, yes, of course, I know, but you’re talking about my father, and my, my mother.” Sara ordered her heart to slow down. Nathan was right. Why should this frighten her?
Because it’s damn scary stuff, that’s why.
“Nathan, I’ve never wanted to see the dead, as you call them. I don’t like it. They frighten me.”

“
I know.”

“
Except for my father. I saw him, in the hospital, the mental hospital, when my mother had me committed, and again when I was in foster care. I saw him several times. You brought him to me? It was you who brought him to me?”

“
Yes. The water’s growing cold, Sara. We should get out and dry off.”

“
Nathan, wait.” Sara stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Why did you do this? Why did you agree to bring him to me? What kind of creature are you; that you have to power to do such a thing?”