Grave Possession (Wraith 3) by Angel Lawson Page B

well.”
    “There’s no other way to handle it. At least, that’s what I’ve learned.”
    We walked the next couple of blocks in silence until he said, “Before, we fought this so much, you know. The gift. Meds and therapy. The ghosts.” He glanced over. “Each other.”
    “I know. It isn’t the right way to deal with it. I spent the last year getting it under control, but I admit Hazel shook me a little.”
    “Why?”
    “She’s just so young. She’s so innocent – like Tonya. Even if they know something bad happened to them, they can’t really understand it. I don’t like being the one to tell them.”
    “I thought you did an amazing job,” he said. I cringed at the word “job.” Is that what this is? What was my payment? Huffing ghost energy? That wasn’t going to pay the bills.
    “Thank you for coming to get me. I’m glad you felt comfortable to do that.”
    He stared at his feet and said, “I’m not keeping secrets from you anymore, Jane. Relationship or not, you and I have to work together on this kind of stuff.”
    I bit my bottom lip and nodded. “Night, Connor.”
    “Night.”
    I stood on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around him, in a completely non-romantic hug. I needed to feel the weight of someone’s arms around me. Just to be safe. I tried not to inhale because one whiff of Connor Jacobs and I was a goner.
    “Jane?” he said, not moving away. His eyes softened, quick like he was going to apologize for something, but then he took my face into his hands. He breathed, “Fuck it,” before pressing his lips to mine. He moved slowly but controlled. Very controlled. He tasted the same – like Connor – and I felt my knees buckle and his hands moved to my arms to hold me up.
    Then reality rushed at me, and I pushed him back with both hands.
    “Connor, no,” I said, breaking away.
    Slowly, he released my arms and stepped back. He looked at me under hooded eyes and said, “I didn’t get a chance to kiss you one last time, you know.”
    I touched my lips and thought back to breaking up with him in the detention center. My behavior had been cold and harsh. Rash, but right. “I’m sorry.”
    “I’m not. But you owed me one,” he said, a sly grin forming on his lips. Damn you, Connor Jacobs. “Now, we’re good.”
    My stomach rolled, guilty and exhilarated. I always knew Connor was either an angel or a devil sent here to test me. I’d either just passed or failed. Spinning on my heel, I raced up the steps and into the dorm without looking back. Connor was wrong. We were anything but good.
     

     

Chapter 11
     
    Thanksgiving meal number two took place at Louis’ house. After two helpings of turkey, dressing and dessert on his grandmother’s best china, I could barely button my pants. All I wanted to do was sleep.
    All he wanted to do was make out.
    That worked for me, too.
    Louis’ lips tickled my neck. His hands inched up my shirt and he felt so good. So safe. There’s nothing dangerous here. Just brightness and light. The energy I felt from his skin was pure. Lustful, but pure. Death didn’t follow him.
    Yet.
    With his breath in my ear, it was only a matter of minutes before both our shirts were off and his hips pressed into mine, the thick denim of his jeans rubbing against my cotton pants. His bedroom felt hot, his bed soft, and my body reacted to his every move.
    Louis had his hand on my zipper when we heard a sharp knock on the door.
    He lifted his mouth from mine, “Yeah?”
    “Louis, your grandmother is leaving. Come down and say goodbye.” His mother’s voice fell like a pitcher of cold water over my head.
    “One sec,” he called. Groaning, he rolled to the side and we both straightened up. Louis cupped my chin with his hands and said, “We’ll get some time together before we go back, promise.”
    The odds were against us – or maybe fate? Who knew. Every time we had a second or two together, we took advantage. The perpetual cock-block made me want Louis