Page 28 of Ghost Walk
Grace made an aggravated sound and moved towards the alcove by the window. It was the natural place to fit a mattress. “Is this about where the bed was?”
“Aye.Right there.”
“Of course you rememberthatpart.” It irrationally annoyed her that he’d had sex with Lucinda in this very room. The floor here looked good, though. It had mostly been protected by various beds, so there had probably never been a rug covering it. “Hand me that screwdriver, will you?”
Jamie didn’t move.
It took Grace a second to realize why.
“Crap. I keep forgetting the whole ‘you can’t touchanything’ thing.” She quickly got it from her kit herself. “Sorry about that.”
He ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. “No,I’msorry. It’s my failing, not yours. I’m sorry I can’t help you do this. I’m sorry I’m not really here.”
She blinked at that phrasing. “You are helping and youarehere. Trust me, I spent all night trying to convince myself otherwise, but there’s no denying that you’re standing right in front of me.”
“Or I could still be a brain tumor.”
“You’re way too handsome to be a brain tumor.” She said before she thought better of it. Something about Jamie had her blurting out things she’d normally keep to herself. Like she could just say anything and it would be okay.
Like he made her feel… safe.
Jamie slowly smiled at her. “I like it when you call me handsome.”
Grace self-consciously swept her hair behind her ears. “Well, we both know it’s true.” She muttered, feeling her cheeks heat up under his intense stare.
For some reason her blushes always seemed to fascinate him. He studied her for a long moment and then shook his head. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Robert must be daft to want another woman.”
Grace appreciated that sentiment, even if outrageous flirting was his default setting. “The compliments are pretty, but not necessary.” She knelt by an original section of floor. “And I’m already doing what you want, so there’s no need to badmouth Robert to win points.”
“I’ll badmouth the wanker for fun, then.” Jamie decided good-naturedly. “I wish nothing but curses upon his bland and balding head.” He paused. “And you’re surely not doingeverythingI want, lass. You closed your bedroom door last night.”
“Because you would have watched me get undressed.”
He didn’t even bother to deny that. “I think ya even locked it, which is bloody adorable.”
She made a face, because thathadbeen kind of brainless. “Yeah, I keep forgetting the ‘you can walk right through walls’ thing, too.”
“I like that you forget.” He crouched down so they were at eyelevel. “I like that you see me as a man. I sure as hell see you as a woman.”
“Probably because I’m the first one you’ve talked to in over two hundred years.”
“No. That’s not the reason a’tall.”
Grace cleared her throat and looked away. Since high school she’d been fantasizing about the painting of this pirate and now he was gazing at her like she was the most magical being he’d ever met. It was no wonder she was losing her mind. How was she supposed to think straight when he was so incredibly… Jamie?
“Can we just get back to our crime spree, please?”
Jamie chuckled at the subject change. “You know, I donea think I’ve ever fancied a shy lass before. ‘Tis quite a delightful thing to see you get discomposed.”
“I don’t even think that’s a word anymore.” Grace pried up the floorboards, refusing to be taken in by his Scottish-accented appeal. He’d no doubt honed it on every girl in the Revolution, from Betsy Ross on down. “And I’mnotshy. I’m just cautious around womanizing ghosts.”
“No need to be cautious. It’s not as if I can do much more than talk to you.”
“With you, talking is plenty.”
“Kind of you to say so.”
Grace shot him an exasperated look. “Would you be quiet and let me do this?”
