Page 39 of Haunt Me, Maybe

She was thinking too hard. I could tell by the way her magic kept fluttering and tucking itself back in. She glanced up at me, and away again. That was the fifth time she’d done that. Okay, so there was a little unresolved tension in the room. Was she still embarrassed? I hoped not. I couldn’t wait to have my fingers inside her again. Soon.

“So,” she said, extending the word. “What did last night mean?”

I leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, watching her like she was the only real thing left in this world. In my world.

“Mean how?”

Her ears went pink. “Are we…something now? Or—” She winced. “Can you even be boyfriend-girlfriend with a ghost?”

I laughed before I could stop myself, and it came out easier than it had in years. So that was what this was about.

Aven’s head snapped up, affronted. “I’m serious.”

“I know,” I said, still smiling. “That’s why it’s cute.”

She huffed and folded her arms, settling herself more solidly on the bed. Her glare was stern, but there was a layer of vulnerability behind it that told me what I said next held the power to truly hurt her.

“Please don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Act like last night wasn’t…a big deal.”

Is that what she thought? Last night was one hundred percent a big fucking deal. I pushed off the frame and crossed the room.

“Aven,” I said quietly. “We can be whatever we want. There aren’t rules for this. I don’t know anyone that’s ever...” I shrugged, and my smirk slowly made an appearance. “Been fingered by a ghost before.”

A faint color spread across her cheeks, impossible to ignore. My smirk faded, and I hovered lightly over her, setting my hands flat on the bed. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t push me away.

“If you left last night wondering whether it meant anything to me, then I didn’t do my job.”

“I didn’t mean⁠—”

Dipping down, I placed a quick kiss on her lips, silencing her attempt at backtracking. Her sharp inhale was smothered, and I nibbled her bottom lip before pulling away.

“There’s no excuse, Aven. If you look back on last night and can’t comprehend, with absolute certainty, how honored I am…Then I failed you.” Our faces were separated by an inch, our warm breath mingling. Close enough to see the threads of magic in her eyes, but far enough to also see the way her mouth parted. “I plan on keeping you, Trouble.”

Her smile was faint; there and then gone. A shadow passed over her gaze, blocking whatever joy my words brought her.

“But you can’t keep me,” she said, the words landing heavy between us. “I’m leaving at the end of the month…or sooner if I have to run.”

I hadn’t fully convinced her to stay and fight, but that was okay. I had a plan. Right now, I was more worried about the hopeful way she looked at me, like I would run away with her. A fairytale romance with a prince no one else could see. She knew that wasn’t possible…right?

I tilted my head. “You can’t take me with you.”

It wasn’t a question, but it sprouted a thousand more because she glanced up sharply like my declaration was news to her.

“Can’t I?”

That did it. I barked out another laugh, and she blinked at me like she missed the punchline. Jesus. She really didn’t know.

“You’re serious.” My mouth twitched as I attempted to hold back my incredulous grin.

She lifted her chin. “I am.”

I gestured vaguely at the attic; the slanted ceiling, the window, the bones of the place I’d called home for longer than I was actually alive.

“I’m cursed, Aven. Sunset to sunrise, every night. This attic? I can’t leave it even if I wanted to.”