Nick caught her, lifted her back into the chair, his eyes frantic. ‘What happened?’
‘Nothing. I…’
He’d want to call Patricia. And then it would be hospitals and brain scans and medication and who knew what else.
No. Just no.
‘I fell over.’ Oh God, that was worse.
He was so close. She could see the flicker of disbelief in his eyes, the way he frowned at her in excruciating detail. He leaned over her, one hand on either arm of the chair as he studied her so there was no way she could escape.
‘What happened?’ he said again, more gently this time, but still painfully insistent. Slowly, carefully. ‘You can tell me. No matter how strange it might seem. I know this place, remember? I live here. I?—’
And there it was again. He lived here. She was about to throw him out of his home. The guilt of it rushed up inside her. And after it came indignation.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, aware of the stubborn tone in her voice. He glanced down. She was still clutching the charm Maeve had made, so tightly that she risked crushing it.
‘You saw something,’ he whispered. It almost felt like an accusation.
‘I saw…’ She stared up into his face and desperately wanted to tell him. To admit it. She hadn’t just seen something. She hadfeltsomething,heardsomething, something hadattackedher… But if she did that, it would make it real. And she was all about challenging superstitious nonsense, about uncovering frauds and revealing truth.
It couldn’t be ghosts. It simply couldn’t be. She had lived her whole life disproving that, over and over again.
If she even suggested it to Gabe and the others she would never live it down.
If it wasn’t her imagination or a hallucination, someone had to be doing this to her, someone who wanted to scare her so much she left Wildewood Hall. And the most obvious candidate for that was Nick Walker.
Alex had lived through a campaign of intimidation once. Just because she had stood up to a terrible man and exposed himfor the monster he was. She was not afraid of Nick. She’d seen monsters in real life. They didn’t have to be supernatural.
The land of the living was more dangerous by far.
Then Nick’s left hand came up to cup the side of her face, his touch so gentle and careful, tender. As if she was something to be treasured and cherished. This man she barely knew.
She ought to flinch back or pull away. She ought to tell him to back off. Accuse him of…of…whatever it was she thought he was doing. Trying to frighten her off, make her doubt her sanity or her belief. She ought to tell him to go to hell.
She did none of those things.
Alex pushed herself up and kissed him. She didn’t know why. She didn’t really know how she found the strength. But she had to do it. It didn’t feel like she had a choice in the matter.
His lips met hers, warm and hungry in a way that made her ache inside. His hand still cradled her face, and she grabbed his shoulder to keep herself upright. His mouth opened to her and Alex pressed on, a desperate and needy kiss, her tongue darting forward to meet his. He knew what he was doing, that was for sure. It was the kiss of a man who knew how to kiss, knew the nuances of pressure and how to use lips, tongue and teeth to devastating effect. Alex gasped into his mouth and was answered by a low rumbling moan in his chest. A sound of need. Perhaps of submission.
She wanted him. Wanted him more than she could ever remember wanting another human being. She pushed him back without releasing him until the backs of his legs were at the edge of the desk and he was forced to sit on it, still kissing her, his hands beginning an exploration of their own now. She pulled at his t-shirt so she could slip her fingers underneath it. His body was tight and superbly muscled, a lean and powerful creature made from hard work. His abs jumped beneath her touch and, moments later, his hands had found the curve of her breast onone side, and of her waist on the other. He pulled her against him and there was no doubting his arousal now. She could feel him through the jeans, hard for her. The shape of it burned against her body, and she moved, pressing closer until he gasped aloud.
And how she wanted him.
Any second now, any moment…
That soft, sibilant laugh rippled through the room, dark and dangerous. Nasty. Someone was laughing at her. At the two of them.
Someone or something.
Alex froze and Nick pulled back, his dark eyes widening in horror. Actual horror. He was almost lying back on the desk and Alex was astride him, ready to pin him down and ride him into oblivion given half the chance. They were still half clothed. Barely. The relevant half, which was a relief.
‘I—’ she began, and stopped because she simply didn’t know what to say. There weren’t any words. This was awful.
‘I should—’ His voice failed him too. He licked his lips and she felt a wild urge to kiss him again. Consume him. Make him hers.
Alex slid off him, trembling with the effort of withdrawing, and the shame of what had just almost happened.
