Wanted: One Ghost (20 page)

He’d wanted to take her in his arms last night at the Old Town Tavern when he’d told the story of Millie and the tavern maid, just to reassure her. He'd noticed the challenging crook of her brow and would have apologized at the tavern but she’d left in a huff. He wasn’t sure but he thought he’d sensed Millie’s perfume, or maybe he’d only hoped to. For his own peace of mind, he wished her well but wanted to forget the past. He had April and hope for a bright future.

He’d chased after April, wanting to put things to right with her about his past indiscretions, but she’d had other plans. Upon entering their boudoir, she had literally attacked his person, stripped him of his clothing, and had her way with him up against the wall—letting him know in no uncertain terms, there would be no other women but her in his bed, or in his bedroom—as long as he lived. He smiled and greeted another passing couple. Oh, he could live very happily with those rules. As inventive and take charge as she was—he wouldn’t need another!

He crossed the street, coming up on the park. His heart kicked up a notch, the tree loomed so foreboding, even though he’d seen it literally every day for hundreds of years. A small gathering near the base of the tree caught his attention. Someone seemed to have taken ill. He couldn’t make out their features in the semi-darkened shadows. He raced towards them, his cloak flying behind him like a raven’s wing, stopping short when two pairs of women’s eyes cast a horrified look at him. His jaw tightened immediately as he saw the third woman lying unconscious across Grandma Dottie’s lap. April’s Aunt Vickie nudged her sister. Their guilt was all the proof he needed.

“Dottie, I think we are in trouble.”

***

“I don’t believe this!” James fumed, pacing in short strides in front of them. “I can’t believe you would risk April’s sanity and possibly her life for what—a peek into my past.” He looked down at April’s prone body. “But then I don’t think it was your suggestion. Did April put you up to this?”

When neither woman responded immediately he already knew the answer. Removing his tricorne hat he threw it to the ground in barely controlled anger. Taking a deep, calming breath he smoothed back his hair, but his anger returned when he looked back down on the pale figure.

“I can’t believe this!” He began to walk away but turned back on his heel. His colonial cape flew about him as he bore down on the women again. Aunt Vickie backed up a bit to avoid his possible attack. He walked straight over to April’s prone figure, bent and lifted her into his arms as if she weighed nothing and walked towards the house.

The women made him leave the room while they removed April’s clothing and prepared her for bed. Pacing the hallway in agitation, James jumped when Virginia bounded out in a fit of fury to rival his own, nearly running into him. But it was her tears that had him taking her in his arms and comforting the proud woman.

Hearing Virginia’s anguish, Dottie came out, exhausted, keeping her eyes averted from his condemning glower. After speaking softly to Virginia, she guided April’s mother to her room, leaving him to deal with Aunt Vickie and an unconscious April.

Cautiously, he walked back into the room. Aunt Vickie had no emotion on her face. Reaching out for his hand and joining all three hands together, she closed her eyes and began to mumble strange words. Unsure what to do, James looked upon his weary angel and tried not to crush his hat in his free hand.

Vickie left shortly thereafter. He stayed by April’s bedside, resting in the chair while she slept fitfully. She finally settled down a little after midnight, and he must’ve fallen asleep because he woke up sore from his neck lolling limply at his chest.

Agonizing over not attending the day’s festivities, both Dottie and Vickie encouraged him to go. Beth was counting on him and today was a full day of activities. He had an early morning walking tour before his tea social event later on in the morning. He would return in between the tea and his afternoon tour to check in on her.

It was a little past twelve in the afternoon when he returned. He’d made a jovial excuse to his tea guests, explaining he had a young lady awaiting his presence and mustn’t keep her waiting. They’d all blushed, called him a ‘cad’ and twittered the way women did, thanking him for attending the tea and hoping to see him soon.

He was still in his traditional clothing, never bothering to change with so much activity, when he returned. Virginia was sitting with April, who was still sleeping, much to their collective worries. James hoped it was just her natural body catching up on her lack of sleep over the past week since meeting up with him. Dottie shoed Virginia out of the room and gave him alone time with her.

The shades were still drawn. It was a beautiful day, sunny and pleasant for November. He walked over and pulled them up as he’d seen April do in the mornings when she’d remembered to lower them. The whole damn room smelled heavily of flowers. Scented gardenia oil helped in stabilizing emotions and objective distancing in a paranormal or psychic situation, according to Aunt Vickie, but it was so powerful it was sickening.

“James, is it really you?” April opened her eyes, blinking through the bright light shining into the room, and looked at him.

“Yes, my heart.” He rushed to her side and took her hand, kissing it tenderly.

She looked bright and healthy as if waking up from nothing but a lovely dream. She closed her eyes and her expression changed with pain-filled emotion. Tears leaked from the tight creases at the corners.

“I thought I’d lost you. Henry was there and Catherine had merged into me—Henry tried to make us watch the execution. I wanted to die too when I saw you…”

“None of that talk.” He scolded but felt like a bloody heel as tears continued to leak from beneath the twin fans of lashes lying against her cheeks. They ran down her face to pool against her pillow. He wiped them with his finger, smoothing them away, but they didn’t stop.

“Why do women use bloody tears against us men? It’s bad enough we feel helpless when dealing with a woman’s emotions.”

She sat up, her eyes flashed open, gleaming with more unshed tears and the nostrils of her pert nose flared. “I watched you die and couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Don’t tell me how I’m supposed to feel!”

“I recall a conversation in which I warned you not to go to the tree. What did I find upon walking back through the park last night? Hmm, would you care to tell me, April Branford?” James mocked with controlled anger. How dare she attack him with her tirade! “I found you unconscious, lying in your grandmother’s lap. I didn’t have to be born yesterday to know exactly what you’d done. Your aunt and grandmother were beside themselves with worry!”

April wiped at her face angrily in retaliation. “I needed to find out the truth, to find clues about your death. Remember, it’s what I do. I just wanted to roam around and see if I could find something to go on about your death. I didn’t expect Catherine to take over my body!”

“What do you mean Catherine took over your body?”

“As soon as I phased into the past, I was immediately met by Catherine. She merged into me, and I witnessed the scene through her eyes. Henry was there, too. He forced her and me to watch your death. He called her a whore and accused her of being the reason you were executed. Something tells me Henry thought the two of you were having an affair.”

“Balderdash! What proof would he have had?” James paced the room trying to come to terms with what April was saying she’d witnessed. “Catherine just jumped into your body?”

“I think it’s the only way she feels she can communicate with me. I don’t know.”

“Did Henry hurt you? Did he do this to you?” He indicated her prone position. “Or was it witnessing my execution?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a little of both.” Her voice was a soft whisper. “I never wanted to watch you hang, James. I only saw a bit. I couldn’t watch all of it, even when Henry forced us to.”

Good. He was glad to know she hadn’t witnessed all of it. She might not be as mentally stable right now if she had.

April got up from the bed, throwing back the counterpane and kicking her legs over the side.

“Where do you think you are going?” he demanded. She’d just recovered from a traumatic incident, and she thought she was going to just prance around?

“I have to go to the bathroom. Besides, it’s afternoon. My deadline is dwindling and thanks to my lack of evidence, if I don’t get something to appease Kenneth Miles, then I’m out of a job. I can’t be lying around all day.”

“You will use the facilities and get back in bed, or by God, I will put you there.” If April wasn’t going to behave rationally, he would make her.

“Whatever.” She ignored him and walked to the bathroom door, waving him off as if he were a pesky fly.

When the toilet flushed and she came back into the bedroom, she began preparing for the day, reaching for a fresh change of clothes. She didn’t say anything, but her casual acceptance of his fury and impatience was annoying.

“I don’t think so.” He grabbed her shirt from her hands and threw it behind him on the floor. “You
will
get back in this bed!” He pointed towards the bed.

“Don’t tell me what to do, James Edward Addison!” she stormed right back. “I have things to do and you’re in my way.”

“I’m not playing games.” He stood right in front of her, hands on his hips. He wasn’t going to budge.

“Neither am I,” April threw back, glaring up at him, her breath coming out in long exhales.

“This is your last warning, April Branford…”

“And what are you going to do if I don’t?” She fumed as she tried to walk past him.

“You need to get back in that bed, or I will put you there.”

“Really? I dare you.” Her saucy smile mixed with a bit of anger delighted his sexual senses.

She was daring him to toss her on the bed? He felt his manhood spring to life as licks of fire danced in her eyes. She was a delightfully sassy lover beneath her cool, professional façade. The other night’s love making against the wall would be but a memory to what he would do to keep her abed.

“Oh, you don’t want to dare me, April love.”

She smiled casually, her hand on her hip. “Why? Do you think you can scare me into submission with your threats? Bring it on, Old Man.”

When she tried to walk around him to retrieve the shirt he’d tossed, James grabbed her against his chest in a quick move and gently but firmly shoved her down onto the big bed.

Bring it on, Old Man?
He would show her with age came experience.

In their combined struggle for dominance they both managed to lose their clothing. Lifting April’s shift, he balled it up and tossed it across the room. His costume came off in bits and pieces by a mixture of his hands and hers. Still, she struggled to get off the bed. Flipping her over he gave her bottom a swift swat.

April squealed and flipped over. James took advantage of her position to lay over her, forcing her down with his demanding, punishing kisses, until her body relaxed beneath his evident desire. His kisses gentled as her tongue dueled with his, taming his dominant side. Tussling and trying desperately to put raw, needy emotion into physical actions they somehow ended up sliding off of the bed onto the hardwood floor with half the bedding tangled around them.

April’s hands untied the ribbon from his hair and grabbing a fistful she urged him to take the lead. He wanted to show her his experience. She wanted to know what James Addison was all about? Well, this was a new side to his old self. He nibbled kisses and bites down her body, taking time to explore and taste every morsel of delicate skin, leaving her panting and flushed.

Her breasts were so delicate and sensitive he couldn’t help but lavish extended amounts of attention on them. Their nipples were ripe like sweet cherries. Her fingernails scratched into his shoulders in her response to his torturous suckling, making him groan as it sent instant fire to his manhood. He had her trapped against his solid form but who had trapped who?

Lifting her hips he continued his quick but thorough exploration of April’s body. Her hips, the softness of her belly, the trimmed juncture of her luscious thighs. He tasted of her sweetness, making sure her body was primed for his assault—touching her warmth and setting her to squirm wildly in his hands.

Her flushed face and chest were a beautiful contrast against her pale perfection. Her green eyes stared up at him from beneath lowered lashes. She was his fantasy, his avenging angel and she held more than his life in her touch—she held his heart.

Burying himself into her warmth in one quick thrust, it was his turn to groan in pleasure. No woman fit him so perfectly. Her body arched off the floor into him as he raised her hips for a deeper penetration before they both moved in a rhythm no amount of time could erase from his memory. Her body tightened and released around him as her hands explored his chest. The sounds of her pants and excited whispers urged him on.

He’d forgotten this was supposed to be her punishment as the pleasure took over. The building of intensity, the soft warmth of her milking him caused a tide of delightful pain to mount. He was so close but wanted to bring her completion first. Giving her all he had exacerbated the situation but she joined in, her body trembling beneath him as he lost all control, clinging to her in the aftermath of feeling alive with her again.

***

April had showered and dressed, waiting for James to return home from his final walking-tour of the day. He wasn’t scheduled to make any appearances tonight so she was excited to have him come back after their heated romp this afternoon.

His threat was well taken. The aggressive way he’d loved her excited her more than it frightened her. He’d stopped in his
assault
of demanding kisses to warn her never to go against his better judgment when it came to her well-being. He’d
driven
the point forcefully as he lifted her onto his body and counseled her on the ways to keep from angering him in the future.

They’d both been made to see the error of her ways when they'd fallen off the bed in a tangled mass of bedding and naked limbs. She’d ended up sated but anguished at his need to leave and attend to his afternoon tour group. Although, James did promise to reinforce her discipline later.

She’d gone downstairs, chipper and alive, offering her help to her Aunt Vickie and Grandma Dottie as they made dinner of ham, green beans, and au gratin potatoes. No one spoke much but the glances and knowing smiles she received from the two women said it all. She supposed they had been a bit loud in their earlier…fights.