Page 5 of Chasing Ghosts
“I was hoping I could come to you so you could protect me.” She does this little coo thing that makes me wish I had turned back to the room.
I keep my head down and walk quickly by. Maybe Roxie is wrong about Mac being professional and aloof. Maybe he finally found someone he wants to break his rule for. Maybe Ripley really won his heart, and I misjudged her relationship with the producer. Maybe she’s just trying to get that carriage house all to herself. Either way, it’s no business of mine.
I need to remember I’m not here for Mac. I’m here for answers, and the fastest way to them is through research and keeping my focus on what matters.
Chapter Five
Mac
The producer and I are standing outside my room talking about my plan for the next days when we both hear a scream and the door to one of the rooms flies open. I’m about to go find out what is going on when a small body comes flying at me. My arms come up to wrap around the very person I’ve not been able to get off my mind all damn day.
At first, she acts like she doesn’t even realize I have her in my arms, but then she turns big, scared brown eyes up at me. Her little body is shaking and it drives home exactly how tiny she is compared to me. It’s also driven home just how curvy and soft she is.
“What? What happened?”
More people come out of their rooms, and I see Roxie stick her head out of a room right beside the one Cori just ran from.
“What’s going on, guys?” Theo is asking the question everyone wants to know. What the fuck happened, and who do I have to kill?
She looks around at everyone and takes a step back away from me.
“I…I…saw a mouse?”
“A mouse?” She gives me a nod. “It’s not too late to go back. We could use the satellite phone to…”
“No.” She takes another step back from me, her brows furrowing. “I…I’m staying. I…Sorry everyone. Sorry, I bothered you all.”
She looks down at herself and must just realize what she’s wearing because she lets out a little gasp before taking off for her room and leaving all of us standing around trying to figure out what the hell just happened. I doubt very seriously it was a god damned mouse causing all this. It also leaves me trying to talk my body into cooperating after seeing her in the sweet little purple nightgown that barely came to her thighs and flowed around her curves like water.
“Well, there’s our weak link if she’s all messed up over a little mouse.” Ripley stands with her hands on her hips, and for some strange reason, I want to defend her even though I was the person asking her to let me call the ship back.
“Speak for yourself. I see a rat and I’m gonna be doing the same dance.” Roxie is the one speaking up. “And don’t even try to pretend you wouldn’t either, Ripley.”
The girl sticks her tongue out as she wraps herself around Drake.
“She’s probably just trying to get attention.”
I only offer up a frown as I head back into my room and shut the door. I doubt very much she was trying to get attention if thelook on her face when she realized everyone was looking at her was any indication. If she wanted attention from me, why didn’t she ask to stay with me like Ripley did earlier this evening? And why would I have let her?
Speaking of Ripley, I have issues with her. The same girl wrapping herself around Drake now was trying to get me to invite her into my room this afternoon, just as Cori had left hers, which did not make me happy. The last thing I want people to think is that I fuck around or don’t follow my own damned rules.
It surprised Roxie and Theo that I didn’t make a big deal out of Drake taking the carriage house, but it shouldn't have. I want to be with my people, not apart from them. I want to experience what they are experiencing, not just listen to it second hand. I want to create that bond with them so we can build trust and have a safer work environment.
I don’t go to bed until early in the morning, and when I do, I dream of Cori with her soft curves and her soulful eyes. When I wake up, I’m short-tempered and don't have a lot of patience for bull shit. So when I start into the kitchen and hear Roxie and Cori, the bane of my current existence, I can admit I might already be gunning for a confrontation. Then I hear Tray.
“What are you two doing?”
I step into the doorway, but both girls have their attention fully on Tray - and the camera in his hands.
“I don’t...,” Cori holds her hands out in front of her like she’s trying to block the camera.
Laughter greets her, “Please, the camera loves you. You two look amazing.”
That’s it!
“What’s going on here?” I step more fully into the room.
Tray doesn’t even pull the camera from his face; he just turns it my way.
