Page 16 of The Ghost of Christmas Present

“I’m not most men. I wanted you to spend Christmas Eve with me, and Christmas, too, if it was convenient for you.” He remained on his knees, now pulling one up so he could rest his elbow on it and prop his chin in his hand to gaze up at her. “AndI have known you for years, my love. I think if you reflect, you’ve known me for a long time, too. No, not as a person, but as an ideal.”

“Smart, studly, and sexually skillful?” Louisa’s lips parted in a seductive smile that made him wonder why he’d ever bothered to button his trousers.

“Louisa...” he leaned forward and kissed her knee. Kissed her hand. “I could be your Christmas gift, my love. You could find me under your tree in the morning if you wish.”

“I don’t have a spirit bottle thingie. I don’t even know how to use one.”

She’s not rejecting the idea. Her face is worried. My poor treasure, afraid it won’t work.

Mortimer’s heart swelled, or at least, something in the region of his chest seemed to glow.

“I can come to you. I love it up here. I mean, it needs a sink and more facilities to ‘clean up’ if we’re going to keep meeting this way.”

Agreed. Or if you’d like to celebrate Christmas at your home tomorrow—with an actual bed and an actual sink, all you need to do is stop by Jakob Minegold’s house and tell him Mortimer would like him to give you a spirit bottle.”

“Jakob Minegold? He knows about ghosts? Or do you prefer the term unliving Americans?”

“I believeheprefers the term vampire—and he’s Polish.”

“WHAT?” Louisa screeched.

Oh, dear. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that...

Chapter Six

“The town I live in has ghosts. Vampires. Orcs. Minotaurs. That’s okay. It’s all okay. I’ve lived here for four years and nothing bad has happened.”

Louisa clutched the steering wheel, even though the roads weren’t slick and the little town she’d come to love looked like something out of a Christmas card—and she actually felt like celebrating.

She and Mortimer had talked a bit about Pine Ridge and its surprising secret. It was a haven for peaceful paranormal creatures. Three intersecting Ley Lines met under Pine Ridge—and Ley Lines attracted creatures that needed supernatural energy.

Then he made her see stars again—and finally, he made a call to Jakob Minegold and asked if the kindly gentleman (kindly gentlemanvampire?!) could give Louisa the spirit bottle.

And that’s why I’m driving out to meet a vampire after eleven o’clock on Christmas Eve.

So I can wake up with Mortimer by my side on Christmas morning.

Whatever fears she had suddenly fell away, lost in the warm surge that came when she pictured her ghostly lover curled up behind her on her couch, reading together in the glow of her little Christmas tree. He’d smile over her shoulder—and his hand would slip between her legs when she got to a steamy scene.

And God, would she give him one hell of a Merry Christmas—once she learned how her mouth was supposed to navigate ghost cock, anyway.

Jakob Minegold lived past the fancier housing development in town and out by the big White Pines estate, a historic mansion where lots of town functions were held—and if Mortimer was telling the truth, it had its own ghost.

And my brother thought I’d be bored to death when I took this job in a town with the same population as our block in the city...

Mr. Minegold was already waiting by the door, a beautifully wrapped box in his hands. “My favorite librarian!” he exclaimed. “Well. One of them.”

Louisa sidled up to him, trying not to squint and stare.Vampire? This guy? Nah.

But I just boinked a ghost, so... what do I know?

“Hi,” she finally settled on that simple greeting.

“Hello. Happy Christmas, my dear, to you and Mortimer. This bottle has already been prepared. All he has to do is hop in and then—voila! He’s portable.”

Louisa nodded and snatched the box with her fingertips while scolding herself.You sold brownies side by side last year. You sat next to him during the community garden fundraiser. What is wrong with you?

“I don’t bite, my dear,” Minegold winked and smiled. His teeth looked perfectly normal. His skin was deathly pale, but then it had always been that way since she’d known him.

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