quickly set in as I tried to gather my senses. I felt his breath on my shoulder before his lips came down and caressed it. He made his way slowly from one to the other in reverent kisses before he sank his teeth into my neck, covering it with his warm mouth. I was instantly renewed as he caressed my back with his hands and laved me with his tongue. His touch was gentle as I recovered and we both separated slightly away to study each other.
Instantly uncomfortable with the intimacy, I freed myself from our tangled limbs and made my way to the bathroom without looking at him for a reaction. When I exited the hot shower, I checked my emails, seeing I had an hour to spare before I had to head to the office. I opened the door to find my bedroom empty.
I didn’t know if I expected to find him there and now I had my answer.
The man was a ghost.
And now I knew they existed.
The purple bruise on my breast and the soreness between my thighs told me so.
Days later, I was in my office scrolling through my emails. I’d been debating on whether or not to take the time off Nina had urged me to, but I had no idea what I’d do with it. I’d tried to keep my mind off Daniello, but found my hand beneath the sheets every night to the memory of him.
It was that good.
I went through my day as I always did: with precision and without distraction. I had a company to run and being in a dick daze was not an option.
A delivery of solid white roses arrived toward the end of my day, and I immediately threw them out. Before anyone—including my assistant, Ross—had a chance to ask, I made an excuse that they were a thank you from a client.
Irritated, I left work that night looking for an SUV, and finding nothing.
It was clear to me then I didn’t like the situation. I needed order and some control. I had none and I was longing for him. I went to bed that night with my hands firmly planted beneath my pillow.
The sun was unforgiving as I sat on the curb in front of the five and dime, waiting on my father to gather his weekly list at the tractor supply store across the street. I was filthy from head to toe from a day’s worth of cleaning and could feel my throat closing from thirst. I spotted the shiny metal underneath a small patch of grass growing in the crack of the sidewalk and lunged for it. I was met by what felt like a brick wall as my fingers grazed the quarter.
“I saw it first,” the wall replied. “Too slow.”
I shielded my eyes from the sun and audibly whimpered at the loss as I tried to get a good look at the boy who had just barreled over me.
“Give it back,” I shrieked as my thirst outweighed my fear. He was taller than me and I assumed a couple years older. His dark brown hair stuck to the sides of his head in a sweaty heap. I noticed his clothing was tattered, torn, and way too small for him. It was nothing out of the ordinary here. Very few of us sported new clothes, even at the beginning of the school year. I didn’t recognize this boy, though.
“Please,” I pleaded. “I’m thirsty. I’ll buy you a soda, too. They are only fifteen cents. I have five more in my pocket.” The only soda the Lil’ General sold were old, flat cans of Shasta. Even as cheap as they were, it was a rip off.
He shook his head as he stood above me. “Sorry, kid, I have plans for this.”
“It’s just a quarter,” I said, standing in front of him.
“But it’s my quarter now,” he said, taunting me.
“Fine, take it,” I said, dusting off my shorts. He leaned in and I could see the large amount of freckles covering his nose.
“What are you willing to do for it?” he asked playfully, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. “Maybe if you wash my bike I’ll consider it.”
I looked around with a small amount of excitement, but saw no bike. None of my friends had one and I’d never learned how to ride. I don’t know why I thought this boy would be willing to teach me.
“You don’t have a bike,” I said,
Instantly uncomfortable with the intimacy, I freed myself from our tangled limbs and made my way to the bathroom without looking at him for a reaction. When I exited the hot shower, I checked my emails, seeing I had an hour to spare before I had to head to the office. I opened the door to find my bedroom empty.
I didn’t know if I expected to find him there and now I had my answer.
The man was a ghost.
And now I knew they existed.
The purple bruise on my breast and the soreness between my thighs told me so.
Days later, I was in my office scrolling through my emails. I’d been debating on whether or not to take the time off Nina had urged me to, but I had no idea what I’d do with it. I’d tried to keep my mind off Daniello, but found my hand beneath the sheets every night to the memory of him.
It was that good.
I went through my day as I always did: with precision and without distraction. I had a company to run and being in a dick daze was not an option.
A delivery of solid white roses arrived toward the end of my day, and I immediately threw them out. Before anyone—including my assistant, Ross—had a chance to ask, I made an excuse that they were a thank you from a client.
Irritated, I left work that night looking for an SUV, and finding nothing.
It was clear to me then I didn’t like the situation. I needed order and some control. I had none and I was longing for him. I went to bed that night with my hands firmly planted beneath my pillow.
The sun was unforgiving as I sat on the curb in front of the five and dime, waiting on my father to gather his weekly list at the tractor supply store across the street. I was filthy from head to toe from a day’s worth of cleaning and could feel my throat closing from thirst. I spotted the shiny metal underneath a small patch of grass growing in the crack of the sidewalk and lunged for it. I was met by what felt like a brick wall as my fingers grazed the quarter.
“I saw it first,” the wall replied. “Too slow.”
I shielded my eyes from the sun and audibly whimpered at the loss as I tried to get a good look at the boy who had just barreled over me.
“Give it back,” I shrieked as my thirst outweighed my fear. He was taller than me and I assumed a couple years older. His dark brown hair stuck to the sides of his head in a sweaty heap. I noticed his clothing was tattered, torn, and way too small for him. It was nothing out of the ordinary here. Very few of us sported new clothes, even at the beginning of the school year. I didn’t recognize this boy, though.
“Please,” I pleaded. “I’m thirsty. I’ll buy you a soda, too. They are only fifteen cents. I have five more in my pocket.” The only soda the Lil’ General sold were old, flat cans of Shasta. Even as cheap as they were, it was a rip off.
He shook his head as he stood above me. “Sorry, kid, I have plans for this.”
“It’s just a quarter,” I said, standing in front of him.
“But it’s my quarter now,” he said, taunting me.
“Fine, take it,” I said, dusting off my shorts. He leaned in and I could see the large amount of freckles covering his nose.
“What are you willing to do for it?” he asked playfully, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. “Maybe if you wash my bike I’ll consider it.”
I looked around with a small amount of excitement, but saw no bike. None of my friends had one and I’d never learned how to ride. I don’t know why I thought this boy would be willing to teach me.
“You don’t have a bike,” I said,
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