Page 36 of Haunted

“Yup.” She grinned, a satisfied look in her eye as she gathered our trash. “We’re gonna get along just fine.”

Keaton: Good morning, beautiful.

Me: 44 444

Keaton: Baby, is that code for something?

“Dammit. Stupid phone,” I grumbled, dialing his number. He answered on the first ring.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. There’s no keypad, so you have to hit the number associated with the letter. You know? Pushing number four twice equals an H and three times gives you an I. Apparently, not today though.”

“Jesus Christ, it’s not 1996. I’m getting you a real phone and putting you on my plan today.”

“The hell you are.”

Was he for real?

“I am,” he demanded.

Snapping the phone closed, I grimaced when it immediately started ringing. Was I being childish? Absolutely, but I didn’t think I was being unreasonable. I wasn’t about to let him run roughshod over my life simply because he had more cents than sense.

The ringing stopped and started up again, except it wasn’t coming from the cheap Walmart device in my hand. I heard footsteps coming down the hall, then my new roommate’s voice outside my room before she knocked.

“Yeah, I’ll try, though I should let your dumbass sweat it out a while longer.”

Opening the door, I was greeted with a mug of coffee being waved in front of my nose by a wide awake and fully dressed Lanie. I took a sip of liquid heaven, motioned her inside, and had to stop myself just shy of moaning when the rich flavors burst on my tongue.

“Have mercy, what kind of beans are these?”

“Good, right? It’s a Costa Rican blend with nuts and caramel. Here.” She pushed her phone into my hand. “K wants to talk to you.”

Lifting it to my ear, I uttered, “Yes?”

“Let me explain, Little Bird,” he rushed. “If something were to happen to you, I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

My blistering temper deflated with the sincerity of his words, the near desperate plea in his voice. Lowering myself to the edge of the bed, reality hit me upside the head like a two-by-four. I’d done it again.Dammit.I was letting past experiences shut off my stubborn mind to the possibility he was being more than a high-handed wealthy man throwing money around.

“You and I…we’re building something special here, baby.”

“It’s too soon,” I argued.

“Bullshit. When it’s right, time doesn’t matter. Stop thinking in terms of what society says is normal. Does this feel wrong to you?”

I shook my head, then realized he couldn’t see me. “No, and that scares me.”

“It scares me too, Henley. I’m in uncharted territory here, which is why you’ll have to give me some leeway when it comes to protecting you.”

“And I assume part of thisleewayincludes a new phone?”

“It’d be helpful.”

Gah! This man would be my undoing.

“If I say yes, I want you to promise me something.”

He didn’t hesitate. “Anything. Just name it.”

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