Once Haunted, Twice Shy (The Peyton Clark Series Book 2)

  “So, do you want to eat in here or in your kitchen?” he asked.

  “In here,” I answered, forgetting I had a mouthful of cookie again. “I’m starving, plus, the kitchen isn’t even finished.” Then I gave him a look, even going so far as to arch one eyebrow, inferring that it was his fault.

  He frowned at me, but I noticed a smirk on his face, which made it pretty clear that he knew I was just playing with him. “Well, it’s not like you’ve been askin’ the crew back here to get it finished, have you?”

  I laughed and shook my head. “No, I guess you’re right.” Then I took a deep breath. “If the world doesn’t blow up on Tuesday, let’s plan to resume construction on Wednesday, if that works for you?”

  He smiled and nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.” Then he looked into the larger of the two paper bags. “Well, good thing they gave us plates an’ plastic silverware, so we can eat in here,” he said as he started unloading and arranging the contents of the Chinese food on my narrow bedside table. He handed the box of sweet and sour chicken to me and I took it greedily, sitting down on the end of my bed. I grabbed a fork from the pile he’d set down, and, after folding my legs Indian-style, I dug in. After a few bites, I realized I hadn’t heard a peep from Drake since waking up.

  “Drake? Woo-hoo! Are you there?” I asked him. “Still sleeping?”

  “Non,” came his immediate reply. “I have been awake these last few hours, wondering when you might grace me with your presence. Your mind can be a very lonely place when you aren’t awake, ma minette.”

  “So why didn’t you say anything?” I asked while shoveling an enormous bite of chicken and pineapple on my plastic fork before chomping down on it. “I’ve been up for twenty minutes or so now . . .”

  “Oui, je suis au courant,” he answered. “Yes, I am aware. I simply wanted to allow you some personal time with le barbare.”

  “Well, thanks,” I answered, unable to keep from smiling at hearing his nickname for Ryan. But even though Drake seemed to be trying for humor, I picked up an undercurrent in his tone, which sounded strangely detached. “Is everything okay, Drake?”

  “Oui, I suppose,” he responded but I could tell everything wasn’t okay.

  “What’s the problem?” I pushed.

  “It is not easy for me, ma minette,” he answered. “Experiencing your interactions with this man firsthand and recognizing the way you feel for him . . . It is not an easy situation for me, that’s all. But I suppose the situation is what it is and I, therefore, must force myself to grow accustomed to it. I am attempting as much, mon chaton, though I find it exceedingly difficult.”

  “I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say because he was right, the situation was what it was and I couldn’t help my feelings for Ryan.

  “Would you mind tuning me out, ma minette? I find I need some peace of mind.”

  “Of course,” I answered immediately and then thought the words that would disallow him to overhear or oversee the interactions going on between Ryan and me.

  “Are you talkin’ to Drake?” Ryan asked as I stuffed my face with another massive forkful of Chinese food before I saw he was studying me pointedly.

  I felt myself blush as I realized he just caught me red-handed. “Sorry, I was just making sure Drake was okay,” I answered. “I did disallow him to hear any of this conversation, though. So it’s just you and me at the moment.”

  Ryan nodded, but I couldn’t read his expression. He just seemed guarded somehow, and wearing his poker face. Biting into his almond chicken, he seemed to deliberately take his time chewing it. After he swallowed it, he took a sip of sweet tea before facing me. “Every time you talk to him, you get really quiet. At first, I just thought you might be losin’ your mind or somethin’, but now, I know it’s called multitaskin’. Now I know what to look for.”

  I laughed and shook my head as I sighed. “That’s what I figured you thought—maybe Peyton Clark was going batshit crazy.” I took a deep breath and jabbed another piece of chicken, but suddenly didn’t feel hungry anymore, so I just played with it.

  “You’re not batshit crazy, Peyton,” Ryan responded. “Do you make batshit crazy decisions?” he asked while cocking his head to the side and pretending to consider the question. “Yes. Do you drive me crazy with some of the decisions you make? Absolutely.”

  “But you still love me?” I asked before I could censor myself. Feeling suddenly vulnerable, I shrugged my shoulders right up to my ears.

  He exhaled a long breath, placing his forkful of almond chicken back on the plate, while I felt my heart sink into my belly. “God help me, but I still do.”

  In an instant, the sinking feeling was replaced by elation. “Then you aren’t dumping me because of the whole Drake situation?” I asked hopefully. Plastering a huge grin on my face, I tried to soften him up a bit. “Because, you know, I thought about it, and I don’t think today is a good day to get dumped.”

  Ryan chuckled as he shook his head. “I never know what to expect when it comes to your mouth, Peyton Clark.” I didn’t respond because, once again, my mouth was full of Chinese food. Ryan’s chuckle faded, but the smile stayed on his lips. “As for the Drake situation . . .” He looked down at his half-eaten plate of food. Then, turning to face me again, he said, “Was that what you were talkin’ about when you referred to ‘our situation’ earlier?”

  “Our situation?” I repeated, trying to stall for a little time. “Oh yeah, that’s what I was talking about,” I said, only pretending to remember it.

  Ryan cleared his throat. “As to the whole Drake situation, I won’t lie to you, Pey, I was an’ still am upset that you didn’t tell me about the possession,” he said while rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought we agreed that we were going to be a team.”

  “We are a team, Ryan,” I interrupted. “And I meant it when I promised you I wouldn’t keep anything from you again.”

  He looked at me and nodded. “I’ve been debatin’ with myself about whether or not I want to continue havin’ a relationship with you,” he started, as I felt my stomach drop. “I’ve since realized my feelings for you will never be anythin’ other than romantic. I realized this at Guarda’s. I didn’t want that crazy old woman touchin’ you. I didn’t an’ I still don’t trust her.”

  “I feel the same way,” I admitted, cocking my head to the side as I further considered it. “What bothers me is that no matter how hard I try, I can’t remember what happened when Lovie and I went inside her house.” I took a deep breath. “It’s like that whole part of my memory is missing.”

  Ryan frowned and his eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead. “I asked Lovie as much an’ she couldn’t seem to remember anythin’ either.” He inhaled deeply and sighed. I could tell he was stressed out. “She seems to think y’all are fine though based on the protection spells she performed before you went into Guarda’s.”

  “Well, I hope she’s right.”

  He nodded, somewhat absentmindedly. “Anyway, as to the relationship between you an’ me,” he started again before he sighed. “Lord help me, but I can’t seem to keep away from you, Peyton Clark.”

  “Is that so?” I asked, smiling, as I walked up to him, adding a little sashay. Even though I appeared cool and confident, inside I was shouting “Hallelujah!” I was so glad I hadn’t lost him.

  “Yeah, that’s so,” he answered as his voice grew deep. He took the few steps that separated us and picked up my Chinese food, placing it on the table beside my bed. He tilted my chin up, forcing me to look into his eyes. “Although if you ever keep somethin’ big from me again, I might have to resort to cruel an’ unusual punishment.”

  “Like what?” I asked, taking his bait.

  He chuckled. “I might be forced to . . . seduce the truth out of you.”

  “That doesn’t sound especially cruel or unusual,” I started. “In
fact, I would go so far as to say seduction by Ryan Kelly couldn’t even be categorized as punishment.”

  My giddiness started up from deep inside me and I realized Ryan was about to kiss me. He dropped his head and used one hand to lift my chin up, until his soft lips found mine. When he kissed me, his lips and mouth felt warm, while his tongue seemed eager as it danced with mine. I wrapped my arms around him and stepped onto my tiptoes.

  “I won’t ever keep something from you again, Ryan, I promise,” I whispered, pulling away from him and cupping his cheek, wanting him to realize I was completely serious.

  He smiled and his dimples framed his sumptuous lips. “If you do, there’ll be hell to pay!” he answered, still grinning. “Now on to more important conversations: Are you sure Drake isn’t able to overhear or oversee any of this?”

  I nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. Why?”

  His eyes narrowed as his hand stroked the nape of my neck and he wetted his lower lip with his tongue. I could tell his breathing was coming faster. “Because I intend to make love to you, Peyton, an’ three’s definitely a crowd.”

  My stomach plummeted all the way down to my toes. “But Lovie—” I began to argue, immediately putting the damper on my elation as the image of Lovie knocking on my front door at the worst possible moment suddenly crossed my mind.

  “Isn’t comin’ over until I text her,” Ryan interrupted me. “So we won’t have any interruptions.”

  “Famous last words,” I answered with a laugh, remembering the last time we’d tried to get busy. All the mirrors in Ryan’s house had suddenly started cracking, thanks to the malevolent entity that had followed me there.

  “As far as I’m concerned, nothin’ can stop me from lovin’ you,” Ryan said, and his tone of voice seemed deeper, more determined.

  I swallowed hard and hoped he would keep his promise. But then, all of a sudden, doubt crept into my head. “Um, Ryan, I haven’t been with a man in a very long time,” I started, worrying my lower lip.

  “Shhh,” he said, holding his index finger up to my mouth. “I don’t want you to doubt yourself at all. Not with me, Peyton. You an’ I are too close for that.” He was silent for a few seconds as he just gazed at me. “You’re beautiful . . . even when you chew with your mouth open, I think you’re stunning.” He chuckled and shook his head.

  I smiled up at him just as I realized that we really didn’t have time for sex. Not with Tuesday looming ahead of us like a nightmare. But then again, I figured if Tuesday really would bring the apocalypse, what better time to have sex than now? I mean, what a damned shame it’d be to face the end of my life without ever knowing Ryan intimately . . . “Too much talking!” I declared.

  He chuckled. “Agreed.”

  Stepping away from me, he rested his weight against the side of the bed. His eyes never left mine. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked me up and down. “Take your clothes off for me, Pey,” he said in a deep, gruff voice.

  I felt my nerves shoot through the roof, but I knew better than to stall or argue with him. Instead, I kicked my nervousness in the ass and started unbuttoning my long-sleeved pajama top. “So if you were the one who put me in my jammies, that means you already saw me in my birthday suit,” I announced.

  Ryan shook his head. “I left your bra an’ panties on, smart ass,” he said with a smile. “An’ while I admit it was impossible not to notice your rather shapely backside, especially when you insist on wearin’ a G-string, I behaved myself, just like the Southern gentleman I was raised to be.”

  I didn’t say anything as the pajama top dropped onto the floor and Ryan’s eyes zoned in on my light-pink lace bra. His wolfish leer thrilled me to the core and I responded by sliding the less-than-sexy, gray flannel pajama bottoms down my legs. Stepping out of them, I stood up straight, allowing Ryan’s eyes to travel from my bust to my barely-there pink G-string.

  “You make me think very naughty thoughts,” Ryan confessed as he stood up and approached me. He didn’t wait for any invitation, but gripped the back of my neck and pulled me toward him, thrusting his tongue into my mouth as soon as our lips met. His other hand found one of my breasts, which he started fondling, teasing my hardened nipple through the lace. Releasing my neck, his hand traveled down to my back where he battled with the clasp of my bra for maybe half a second before it released under his deft fingers. The bra straps slipped over my shoulders before Ryan slid it off me altogether.

  “Gorgeous breasts,” he whispered as he bent down onto his knees, taking my left breast into his mouth. He wrapped his hands around my waist and held me in place while he sucked and nipped at my nipple. I ran my hands through his hair and my head rolled back as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensuous feel of his body next to mine.

  His fingers lightly skimmed my skin as he traced the line of my lower back to my bottom and the swell of my derriere, his fingers lingering on my upper thighs. He probed inward until he found the hem of my panties and then moved upward, obviously trying to tease me. When I couldn’t stand it anymore, he intuitively pushed his finger beneath the hem of my panties and started rubbing the firm nub between my legs in slow, fluid motions. I kept growing slicker as the tingling of my arousal spread throughout my pelvis.

  Ryan pulled his finger out and yanked my panties down my thighs, his gaze settling on my lady bits. When he ran his finger down my crease, I moaned loudly and gripped his hair.

  “You are beautiful,” he whispered. He brought his finger down my crease again, this time separating my lips so he had more access to me. I cried out, and my hips began swaying of their own accord.

  Before I could catch my breath, he gripped my waist. Lifting me up and over his head, he pushed me against the wall for support. My bare feet found purchase on top of his shoulders as he splayed my legs wide and gripped either side of my bottom cheeks to keep me suspended against the wall. He glanced up at me with a devilish smile. “I need ta taste you,” he said as if I’d demanded an explanation. Then his tongue was inside me as he moaned and buried his face deeper in me. He licked me and then sucked, driving me mad with ecstasy. Seconds later, I experienced such a blissful release that I screamed out as my legs began to shake uncontrollably. My heartbeat thundered through my body. Just as I started to descend the crest of passion, I felt his large finger tracing my lips before rubbing me from top to bottom. I moaned out when he pushed his finger deep inside me. I bucked against him, but he held me firmly in place. When he pulled his finger out, he added another one before pushing them inside me as I arched against the wall.

  “I need it,” I whimpered, shaking my head, knowing I couldn’t take much more of this teasing. I wanted to feel his body inside mine.

  “Are you ready for me?” he asked in a voice thick with desire.

  “Yes,” I managed as he lowered me down from the wall, his biceps bulging under my weight. He carried me to the bed and deposited me on it gently, never taking his eyes from mine as he pulled his shirt over his head. I was instantly drooling at the amazing view of his tanned and deeply muscled chest. I swallowed hard when he unbuttoned his jeans and pulled his zipper down. His erection proudly burst forth when he removed his boxer shorts and allowed me to savor his perfect nudity.

  “You are breathtaking,” I whispered, my voice filled with awe.

  Leaning down on top of me, he pushed two fingers inside me as I bucked underneath him. He slid them out and pushed them back in again while he situated himself between my legs. “I need to feel all of you, Peyton, bad,” he whispered.

  I just nodded and let him center the head of his penis at my opening. We didn’t break eye contact as he slid into me ever so gently. I had to stretch to accommodate him, and I threw my head back, moaning and arching my back to receive him. He pushed into me deeper while gripping my hips, and lifting my pelvis up so he could enter me even deeper.

  “Oh God,” he groaned. “You feel amazin’.”
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  Speechless, I pushed against him as hard as I could, sliding him as deeply inside me as possible. He pushed me back down against the bed as he sat up, apparently just to get a better view. With his hands kneading my breasts, he began pushing in and out of me. I stared up at his eyes and neither of us broke each other’s gaze.

  I didn’t dare blink because I was afraid I’d miss the look of pure delight in his eyes. He reached down and began touching my sensitive nub as he pushed deep inside me, watching me intently. “I want you to come for me again,” he whispered.

  I smiled, already incredibly close. As the urgency within me began to spiral until I couldn’t handle it anymore, I screamed out at the same time that Ryan started to speed up, thrusting deep inside me with renewed vigor.

  “Do it for me, Ryan,” I crooned into his ear, wrapping my legs around his waist. He smiled down at me before driving into me as deeply as he could. He closed his eyes and moaned, lowering his body on top of mine as I wrapped my arms around him and inhaled the spicy yet clean scent that was so uniquely his.

  “Wow,” he said, smiling at me as he kissed my lips and then pulled away, gazing down at me as he traced my hairline.

  “Wow,” I repeated with a little laugh and then ran my hands through his soft hair.

  Neither of us said anything more for a few seconds as we continued to look at one another, but then Ryan smiled lasciviously. “I’m thinkin’ that after that performance, we might need an encore.”

  Lovie arrived within the hour. When the doorbell rang and Ryan answered it, Lovie had her usual beaming smile while Christopher wore his customary frown. I was surprised to see Christopher with her because he didn’t exactly act like he enjoyed spending time with us. Go figure. Lovie was dressed, as always, in her colorful turban, blouse, and floor-length skirt, while Christopher looked like an escapee from the Sleepy Hollow set. I looked at Ryan, who was dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt, and we smiled in mutual wonder at Christopher’s fashion choices.