Sixteen
Kingston
Spendingtime with my pops had been amazing. I was kind of annoyed at both my grandparents for keeping me out of the loop on all the things. It didn’t make sense. Gran had said she wanted to protect me, but Pops admitted that she’d kept me in the dark at his request.
It had devastated her for my mom to turn away from how she’d been raised, and he’d wanted me to walk my own path without the potential of her being disappointed.
Considering I’d devoted my whole life to seeking out the places I’d seen in my dreams and researching the various hauntings and legends of Willowhope, I didn’t get it. Had he been worried that I’d be scared off? I didn’t understand, but I also hadn’t been there when my mom had forsaken all that she’d seen and done for the man she loved.
As I followed Sky into his room, I thought about what my pops had said about the adorable man in front of me. Pops had been hanging around the manor since the first time Jetty had me come over. He’d wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting messedup with the wrong kind of people, and then he’d stayed for the show.
He thought that Mr. Harry bumping heads and training Buck was hilarious, especially once they fell for each other. He was impressed by Chance’s and his mom’s gifts, and by Jetty’s and Marc’s steadfastness.
The person who stole the show for him, though, was Skylar. My pops thought that he was everything I needed in a life partner and a witch. He’d implied that I should pull my head out of my ass and see what was right there in front of me.
I hadn’t dated much, or at all, really, but I’d hooked up before, and I watched Jetty and Chance’s relationship closely. I wasn’t unaware that Sky showed signs of liking me. It was just that I never thought that I’d be able to hold the attention of someone so fun and full of life. I’d expected his interest to move on by now.
Everything had changed now. I’d had no idea this was an inherited gift or that it was possible for me to have someone come with me. I could only imagine what Sky would say about some of the things I saw with my eyes closed and my brain shut off, free to roam whichever way it wanted. Sky jumped into the middle of the bed on the side closest to the door and patted the spot next to him.
Instead of arguing with him, I did what I’d been wanting to do since our enthusiastic hug earlier. I walked over, leaned down, and lifted him up bridal style.
Sky’s eyes widened with shock. “What are you doing?”
“Moving you to the other side. I don’t want you wandering around without me knowing.”
Gingerly, he placed his arm around my shoulders and grinned. “A guy could get used to this.”
His green eyes twinkled up at me, and I said the most honest thing I’d ever said to this man. “I’d be okay with that.”
His grin widened into a full, toothy smile. “Yeah?”
“Absolutely.”
Before I sat him down, he darted up and pressed his soft, pillowy lips to mine, making my heart flutter and my belly swoop, then he jumped out of my arms, lay down, and patted the other side of the mattress in invitation. “Come on, big guy. It’s been a long day for both of us.”
Instead of walking around again, I climbed over the top of him and heard his breath hitch as my larger frame passed over the top of his smaller one. I wanted to drop down on top of him and deepen the peck he’d given me into a real kiss.
Not feeling quite brave enough, I finished crawling over him and dropped down. Once we were lying side by side, I said, “I’ve never slept in bed with another man before.”
“Never? Not even Jetty?”
Turning my head on the pillow, I scrunched my nose. “Ew. No.”
Sky giggled. “Oh, so you’ve never slept with someone you’re interested in or had sex with before? Is that what you mean?”
Someone as extroverted and vivacious as Sky had surely had more boyfriends and lovers than I’d ever even wanted. More for curiosity’s sake than anything, I’d done all the things other guys were getting up to in their early twenties. It didn’t take me long to realize that the enjoyment of the physical release wasn’t worth the discomfort it took for me to get in position to have said tryst or the awkwardness after the final explosion. My one long-term hook-up had been exactly that—a hook-up, and we’d certainly never spent the night together.
“I’ve never been comfortable enough to sleep in bed with another man, honestly.”
Sky’s eyelashes fluttered. “Oh.” He licked his lips, and I followed the motion of his tongue. “But you are with me? Or is this because I’m making you?”
Taking a deep breath, I took a chance I’d never thought I’d have the nerve to take. I opened my arms wide.
He didn’t give me a second to doubt myself, but squished right into my space, tucked his head into the crook of my neck, and clutched at my shirt. “King?” he asked.
Gently, I rested my arm across his waist, setting my hand on his back and pulling him in closer until there wasn’t an inch between us. My heart raced, but I could feel his doing the same thing.
Would this be where he told me that what my pops suspected or what the other ghosts had implied was wrong? Would he friendzone me? Or would he ask me if I wanted to have sex? I wasn’t sure I was ready for that either. But maybe something. I wanted—needed—to feel close to him. Know that he was alive and safe.
