Double Dating with the Dead (13 page)

S
elena dragged herself from sleep and fumbled for her cell phone.

“'Lo,” she mumbled.

“It's after nine and you're still in bed,” Paige said. “Late night with Trent?”

Memories of last night's dream came flooding back. Oh, Lord, what a dream. If only Paige knew.

“Did you just call to harass me or was there something you wanted?” She rolled to her back and closed her eyes. It would be so easy to go back to sleep.

“Is he driving you crazy or what? I haven't heard a word out of you. Something is going on.”

“Nothing is going on.” She yawned. It was too damn early in the morning for all these questions.

“Then why do you sound so hung over? As if you haven't been to bed?”

“Can I call you back?” Like after she had a pot of coffee and could fend off Paige's questions.

“Nope, that will only give you time to come up with excuses why you sound as if you haven't had a bit of sleep.”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you can be a real pain in the ass?”

Paige chuckled. “Yeah, you, but that's beside the point. We've always shared everything, so give it up and tell me what's happening.”

“Dreams,” she finally admitted.

“Dreams? What kind of dreams?”

“Wild. Sexual. Unbelievably hot.”

“Yum, sounds like fun. I don't see the problem. I take it Trent is in these dreams?”

“Oh, yeah, but the problem is they seem real. As if we
are
having sex.”

“So you're having safe sex.” Her light laughter trilled across the airwaves. “What's the problem? I mean, you're living out your fantasies at night.”

She sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, resting her elbow on her thigh. “It's great during the dream, but then I wake up and I feel frustrated as hell. It's like watching erotic movies without having sex afterward.”

“The ghost isn't messing with your head, is it? You did say you felt a presence that first day.”

“There are two ghosts.”

“You've connected with them?”

“More than connected. They refuse to show themselves to Trent because they're bored. They're afraid we'll leave.”

“That's it, then. They're playing head games—messing with your dreams.”

“I'm not positive it's them.” She bit her bottom lip. “I mean, Trent is really sexy. I could just be having fantasies. It's not like I haven't had a few in the daytime, although nothing like the ones at night.”

“Ask him if he's been having really vivid dreams.”

She snorted. “Yeah, right. And exactly what should I ask? ‘Hey, Trent, have you been dreaming about having hot sex with me?' Nope, I can't see that happening.”

“Why not? It might solve the problem.”

“Paige! What if he
isn't
having sexual dreams about me? Then he'd know I was having sex dreams involving him, and that isn't going to happen.”

“Maybe you could hint at something that occurred during the dream. What exactly happens in the dream?”

Laughter bubbled out of Selena. This was priceless.

“Are the dreams that good?” Paige asked.

“No, they're that bad.”

“Maybe I need to stay at the hotel. My sex life has been in the toilet lately.” Her sigh was audible. “Seriously, just hint about something that happened during the dream and at least see what his reaction is.”

“Maybe I will. I'd just as soon not let Trent know we've been sort of having sex. After all, he is trying to ruin my career.”

“But he might believe there really are ghosts if you can prove the dreams.”

“He's a man. I doubt that would be enough to convince him.”

“Yeah, you're right about that. But have you at least kissed him?”

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“I knew you wouldn't be able to resist him. Just be careful, okay? Like you said, he is out to ruin your career. The offer is still open for the hex.”

Why would she even think she could hide anything from Paige?

“I'll be careful.”

“Good. Now go drink a gallon of coffee so you can at least be alert around him. And don't fall for his charm.”

Easier said than done. She told Paige goodbye, then just sat on the side of the bed, staring at nothing. If she crawled back under the covers, she probably wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, and if she did go back to sleep, she'd just have more sex dreams.

Hell, she might as well get up and go in search of coffee.

She grabbed a robe and pulled it on before making a quick bathroom run, then stumbled down the stairs.

Had she really worn a dominatrix costume in her dream last night? Good Lord, her fantasies had never gone in that direction…. Okay, maybe a few times.

A delicious shiver spread over her body as she remembered it in vivid detail. The way she'd shredded Trent's clothes with a whip. She'd felt like Cat Woman and Superwoman all rolled into one. Except her damn arm was sore as hell this morning. She flexed and stretched her arm out in front of her. Being in control was damned hard.

But Trent had only let her think she was in control.

She drew in a deep breath. If making love was this good in a dream, how much better could it be when she was awake?

No, she wouldn't think like that. It was dangerous. She had to keep things in perspective. She was having vivid dreams because she was with Trent every day. He was a handsome man, she wouldn't deny that.

But she really had to start reading something sweet and innocent before she went to sleep. Anything to stop the direction her dreams were going. In the light of day, Trent was still the enemy, and she'd still like to keep her job.

And in the light of day, she had to see clearly. Trent and Barbara had been kissing. Selena would like to think Barbara had initiated the kiss, that Trent hadn't been like every other male and fallen for the woman's charm, but it was just a dream.

She nibbled her bottom lip. Then again, maybe her dreams were trying to tell her something. Barbara could've instigated the whole thing. Selena certainly wouldn't put it past her.

She made her way into the kitchen, inhaling the aroma of coffee. Anger aside, it was kind of nice waking up to a pot of coffee. She'd miss it after the two weeks were up. Trent did have a few good qualities.

As she walked to the cabinet, Trent automatically reached in and brought her out a cup. She took it and, as soon as the coffee was ready, waited for him to pour her a cup.

They didn't speak as they carried their coffee to the table, taking a chair across from each other. Not that she was ready to speak to him. After all, he
had
kissed Barbara. Any other woman she might not have cared so much. But Barbara the Bitch? Selena couldn't help being really irritated.

She blew across her coffee before taking a drink. Trent made a mean cup of coffee. She closed her eyes, keeping the cup near her face and inhaling the rich aroma.

“This is good coffee,” she said.

Silence.

“Most women don't like it this strong.”

It made her wonder just how many women woke up in his apartment to the smell of coffee. For some odd reason, she didn't want to know. It was bad enough that she'd acted like she had yesterday after Barbara kissed him.

“I didn't kiss her,” he said as if he'd read her thoughts.

She opened her mouth to tell him she didn't care, but the words didn't come. She sighed instead.

“I know.” And she guessed she did. “Barbara is a bitch.” She looked at him. “Not that it's any of my concern who you kiss.”

“There's something between us. You can't deny it.”

She thought of her dream and smiled. “We have a bad case of lust for each other. Not good when there's a war going on.”

“Truce?”

“Anyone home?” Tye called out.

She breathed a sigh of relief that he'd saved her from answering because she wasn't sure what she would've told Trent. Maybe she was tired of the sexual fantasies she'd been having at night. Maybe she wanted to bring the dreams to life. When he'd kissed her yesterday, Trent had only fueled the fire.

Tye strolled into the kitchen, stopped and glanced between the two of them. “Now, doesn't this look cozy? Kind of like an old married couple.”

Trent frowned. “What are you doing up this early? I thought you were the epitome of the night owl.”

Tye glanced at his watch. “Early? I thought it was late. I haven't been to bed yet.”

“And the reason for your visit?”

Tye sauntered to the coffeepot and poured a cup, grimacing when he took a drink. He dumped in a couple of packets of sugar and stirred. It was their turn to frown when he took a drink.

“Too strong, but better than nothing.” He went to the table and pulled out a chair, tossing the newspaper on the tabletop as he sat. “I take it neither one of you has seen the paper.”

Selena didn't like the speculative look on his face. She glanced down at the open page to see a picture of her, Trent and the hotel. Her eyes widened when she read the headline.

 

HAUNTED HOTEL OR LOVE NEST?
by Barbara Carmichael

 

Selena drew in a sharp breath and leaned closer, but Trent grabbed the newspaper off the table. Oh, no, she wanted to see, too. She jumped out of her chair and hurried to look over his shoulder, scanning the paper along with him.

“That bitch!” Selena stomped her foot.

“That fact has already been established,” Trent said.

“So,” Tye began. “What exactly did this Barbara catch y'all doing?”

His expression was a little too innocent when he looked between them. Heat rose up her face. She opened her mouth, then snapped it closed.

“Selena spilled some water,” Trent said. “Barbara blew everything out of proportion.”

“My column took away some of her space,” Selena chimed in. “She's hated me ever since I went to work at the paper.”

Tye nodded. “Okay. That sounds plausible.” He downed the rest of his coffee and carried the cup to the sink. “I'm going home and crawl between the sheets. I just thought y'all might want to know what this Barbara chick wrote in the paper. Forewarned and all that.”

“Thanks,” Trent told him. “I appreciate you bringing the paper.”

Tye turned at the door and studied them. “A word of advice. When someone asks if there might be more going on than meets the eye, you might try to look a little more innocent.”

He whistled a tune as he left.

Selena hadn't thought she could be more embarrassed, but she'd been wrong. Was their lust that obvious? She looked at Trent.

He didn't look a bit worried about what his brother thought. He didn't seem that concerned about the article, either, other than commenting on the obvious, that Barbara was a bitch.

And why should he be concerned? His books would probably start selling like crazy. What was the saying, even bad publicity was good publicity? Well, she could've done without Barbara's column.

“You probably think this is funny,” she said.

“There's nothing we can do about it. The damage is done.”

“Except you have more PR for your book.”

“True.”

“You admit this doesn't bother you?”

He rose and went to the coffeepot, pouring himself another cup. He held up the glass pot, but she shook her head.

“It's publicity. What can I say?”

“It could be pretty embarrassing for the loser, though.”

He shrugged before he sat across from her again. “But we've known one of us has to lose. There can only be one winner.”

“I'm sorry.”

“For what?”

“That you're going to be publicly embarrassed.”

“You think you can convince me there are ghosts? That Dixie and Wesley exist? That's pretty arrogant of you.”

She shrugged. “When I'm right, I'm right. Wesley and Dixie
do
exist.”

“And they don't want to show themselves because we'll leave?”

She nodded.

“You sure you weren't dropped on your head as a child?”

“Funny.” She crossed her arms in front of her. The man had an attitude problem. But he was cute, even early in the morning. His hair was tousled and he hadn't shaved. She was such a sucker for that
Miami Vice
look.