“We will have that date. I can promise you that.”
His lips descend on mine, and I sigh into the kiss, feeling equal parts exhilaration and relief. I didn’t realize how badly I needed this moment with Nick. Craved it.Him.
My mouth parts, allowing his tongue to sweep across mine in a dance that feels familiar. Perfect.
It ends far too quickly. When he pulls away, I sway on my feet, lightheaded and gooey. Air rushes from my chest, a lightness I haven’t felt in a week washing over me with that kiss.
I didn’t think it would feel like this at forty. Like that first kiss as a teen, on a hot summer night, in the back of a pickup truck, down by the river.
It’s a silly scene I concocted in my head due to the many hours of reading inappropriate books in my youth. Definitely not based on experience. Not that it matters.
This is so much better than I could’ve imagined.
There’s nothing awkward about us like this. At our age, we’re both confident and more than skilled in the art of kissing. My mind wanders down a path that’s not exactly PG, and my face warms to inferno levels.
Nick smirks. “Everything okay?”
I blink several times, the images I had playing on a loop disappearing, leaving me a bit off-kilter. “All good,” I croak.
“After the holiday, we’ll have that date. Okay?” He doesn’t break eye contact with me. “I want more time with you.”
I can’t get words out; I’m too caught up in the moment. I do manage a slight head nod, all while blinking uncontrollably.
He grins. “I need to get some sleep,” he says, barely containing a yawn.
I hand his jacket over, and he slips it on, making his way toward the door before he even has both arms in.
“If you’re not doing anything tomorrow night, you’re welcome to join Ava and I for dinner,” I say. “It won’t be anything too fancy, but I am cooking.”
He turns back around, smiling down at me, placing a hand on my cheek. “I wish I could. My mom might skin me alive if I’m not at family dinner.”
I’m disappointed, but completely understand. This is new. We’re not at the point of family introductions or forgoing our usual holiday plans to be together. That day will hopefully come, but I get that we’re not there yet.
I open the door, and Nick steps out onto the porch step. “Merry Christmas, Lyss.”
I lift onto my tiptoes, placing a kiss on his lips, out in the open for anyone looking to see. “Merry Christmas, Nick.”
Movement just over his shoulder catches my attention, and my breath hitches. I blink a few times, but the figure doesn’t disappear. A young woman, wearing a sparkly red dress with no coat, stands perfectly still, directly across the road from my house. Her long dark hair blows in the breeze, but otherwise, she doesn’t move an inch.
Mrs. Fields was right.
The specter flashes in and out, signaling she’s not just any ghost, but a poltergeist.
The woman is dead, and whatever happened to her was terrible.
Nick’s eyes narrow in on me, and he looks over his shoulder.
“Everything okay?”
I inhale and look away from the woman, back to Nick, forcing a smile.
“Yeah. Fine.”
One eyebrow lifts minutely, alerting me to the fact that Nick isn’t buying my lie, but what am I going to say? There’s a dead woman you can’t see standing behind you? She was likely murdered and wants me to solve her case?
Yes, Alyssa. You actually can say that to him.
I can, but I won’t. Not tonight. Not on Christmas Eve, when he’s tired and so am I. There will be plenty of time for me to open myself to whoever this angry spirit is.
