Page 39 of Haunting Phantom
She takes a deep breath as he presses his forehead against hers, their fingers intertwining, that connection to each other deepening to a point I can’t compete.
She sighs beneath his touch, allowing him to soothe and console her when I’m over here slowly dying.
This feels like a war I’m never going to win, and I don’t know what scares me more. The fact that I’m losing him to her, or that my connection to him is getting weaker every day.
Chapter Fourteen
It’s been almost two weeks since this Autumn bitch has waltzed into my Blakey’s life, and ever since she’s made an appearance, the man’s been hard to reach. They’ve been spending way too much time together.
Now they’re strolling through town like a couple. His hand guides her along, making sure she stays on his right side, so no cars hit her. The only reason they’re even in town is because she wanted to buy something from the store—more sage if I had to guess—and he volunteered to go with her.
The way he looks at her makes me sick. That stupid gleam that sparkles only when she smiles. Or how his smile annoyingly upturns every time she laughs. He’s enamored with her, and it looks like she’s just as enamored with him.
It’s so… ugh.
They lock hands, their arms swinging carelessly between them, neither of them remembering they aren’t alone.
“Fuck this shit,”I snap, moving between them with enough force to break them apart. Phantom stumbles just a tad, but it’s her that falls to her knees, still weak from the séance.
“Autumn, are you okay?” He helps her to her feet, their eyes locking so intensely, it makes it hard to breathe.
She shyly pushes one of her curls behind her ear. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you.”
“You know, you’re trying to look adorable but failing miserably.”
Autumn laughs.
“What’s so funny?” Blake questions.
“Eve. She’s a petty ghost.”
“I think you mean pretty. I’m a pretty ghost. Get it right.”
Blake frowns. “Any idea how to get her to cross over yet?”
Autumn shakes her head. “No, I’m sorry, I wish I did, but her tether to you is stronger than any I’ve seen before.”
They’re swinging hands again, but this time she’s got that stupid barrier up, so red-rovering them apart is not going to happen this time.
“Have you seen a lot of ghosts attach to people?”
“Poltergeists? Sometimes, but usually they just tell me what they want and move into the light. Eve’s different… she’s…”
“Difficult?” he finishes for her.
She chuckles. “And then some.”
“Difficult? I’m the difficult one? You’re the boyfriend stealing tramp who wooed him with her ghost-talking ways.”
Autumn shifts uncomfortably.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Blake questions, gripping her hand a little tighter.
“Every time she gets angry like this, I feel weaker. My tricks for keeping her out of my head are not as easy anymore. She doesn’t like us being together.”
“Well, she doesn’t really get a say…” Blake blurts, the lie rolling off his tongue like a lemon drop. He knows, just as well as I do, that I get a say whether he likes it or not.
Autumn chuckles. “Tell that to her. Pretty sure she’s already picked out China patterns, and is ready to meet you at the aisle,Beetlejuicestyle.”
