Page 20 of Ghost on the Shore

“You didn’t ruin anything. I’m kind of honored you shared all of that with me.” I stand up. “But I should probably head out. It’s late and you’ve got class in the morning.”

“Yeah,” she says absently.

“Can I see you this weekend?”

She’s teasing when she asks, “After hearing all that? You still want to see me?”

“Were you trying to scare me off or something? If you were it didn’t work.” She doesn’t answer right away, and I force a smile to mask my disappointment. “If you want to hang out this weekend, call me. I know you’re busy with studying and everything, so no pressure.”

“It’s Frannie’s birthday tomorrow night, so we have a girl’s night planned, but maybe we can meet up for the football game on Saturday?”

“You have tickets to the game?”

“No.” She laughs like I’ve just said something absurd. “I went to the season opener last year and haven’t been inside the stadium since. I was talking about the tailgate parties.”

“Eli mentioned it. I think his sister’s sorority is having something but I want no part of that.”

“You’d skip a party at Delta?” I can tell she’s teasing even before she adds, “Themost exclusive sorority on campus?”

“Happily.”

“Ok, then it’s a date.”

“I’ll be late, though. I’m working with Eli’s dad until around three.”

“Where?”

“Mr. Oliveri is a general contractor. I’m just doing some basic carpentry at one of his project sites.”

“How did you learn to do that?”

“Trial and error.” She winces when I hold up my left hand and show her the spot where I nearly shot clear through my hand with a nail gun. “My father did side work on the weekends. He taught me a lot.”

“That looks like it hurt.”

“I think I was too freaked out to feel actual pain at the time. But I enjoy that sort of hands-on work. And helping out makes me feel like I’m repaying Eli’s parents for all the times I’ve crashed at their house.”

She gets up and comes to where I’m standing. The robe she’s wearing just skims the tops of her thighs and the silky fabric is molding to every curve she possesses. I know it’s better to say goodnight now, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to push that flimsy robe down and off her shoulders.

“I had a good time tonight, Grace.”

“Me too.”

She lifts up on her tip toes and I dip my head down. “You’re making it hard to say goodbye,” I tell her after kissing her. And she is. She’s got her arms laced around my neck again, so I know without even looking that her barely-there robe has ridden up to her ass and I can feel her chest pressed up against mine.

She takes a step back, cheeks flushed and breathing deep. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

Chapter Six

Grace

“Are you up for an adventure this weekend?”

I’m on my bed, smiling as I think back to the steamy adventure we had last weekend. “I’m up for anything.”

“You sure about that?”

“Hmm…Are you talking skydiving or something?”

---