Cass glanced at her watchâanother half an hour until she escaped. Tonight, the store was nearly empty. She didnât get how an 80s boutique stayed in business, but hey, it was Los Angeles. The appeal of the clothing was lost on her, but she didnât have to like it, just sell it.
The Twisted Sister video on the flat screens gave way to âGirls Just Want to Have Funâ and Cass winced. It was the third time since her shift started that sheâd heard that song. She might need to look for a new job. Again.
Immediately, she rejected the idea. Sheâd have to live with the music. She could already claim a dozen former positions and she needed to remain somewhere longer than a few months or weeks.
The only job sheâd managed to stay with for more than a year was the one sheâd held right out of high schoolâvampire hunter. Her lips curved as she imagined the reaction if she added it to her résumé, but the amusement faded quickly. Right, like she could ever admit to that.
Cass looked around, but Genevieve, her coworker, was helping their lone customer. It was going to be a long half hour.
She bent over, tugged her black capri pants below her knees and pulled up the slouch socksâ¦which promptly fell back down. Cass huffed out an impatient breath. Did she really have to dress like it was 1985?
Before she could work up a good mad, the hair on the nape of her neck stood on end. She jerked upright, but it took another moment for her to feel it. The presence.
He was back. This was the first time, though, that heâd shown up while she was working. Sheâd never believed in ghosts. Really. But the last four days had changed her mind.
Before she could decide how to handle his unexpected arrival, he trailed a finger over her bare shoulder where her oversized red sweatshirt fell to expose the strap of the tank top she had on under it. A shiver went through her that had nothing to do with fear.
Why did she have to like his caresses?
And how lame was it that she got heated up by a ghost anyway? When heâd first made his existence known, sheâd been disconcerted. That had changed to rattledâhe shouldnât be able to arouse her, damn it. Now, she could mostly take him in stride. At least until he touched her and made her cells short circuit.
Stepping away, she turned her back on him and fussed with the T-shirts on the rack she faced. Cass felt his heat as he moved behind her and then he kissed her nape. Her nipples tightened and she almost melted as his lips moved along her skin.
She clasped the metal bar, the hangers biting into her palms, and closed her eyes to savor every tingle. The man knew how to use his mouth.
Blood roared in her ears, and while she didnât exactly forget she was at the store, the knowledge didnât stop her from enjoying this. His warmth surrounded her and she wished she could lean back into his body. Okay, she wished he had a body.
He kissed his way over to where her neck met her shoulder, licked farther forward and then nipped at her pulse point. Cass gasped and her knees buckled.
âAre you okay?â Genevieve called.
âFine.â Cassâs voice came out thick and she could feel her face burning. She sidled away from him, and trying to appear nonchalant, headed for the registers.
She was an idiot. Not only was she at work, but he was also a phantom, a wraith. How pathetic was she?
Her sort-of-imaginary boyfriend followed on her heels and she was aware of him with every step she took. Awesome, now he didnât even need to touch her to get her warm. âBack off,â she warned, keeping her voice soft.
The gap between them widened a few steps, and perversely, Cass felt immediate disappointment. She had to start dating again. This was her bodyâs way of telling her that it wasnât normal for a twenty-one-year-old woman to live like a nun. But the idea of her ghost tagging along while she was out with some other guy ⦠Well, talk about weird.
When she was behind the counter, the presence safely on the other side, she looked around. Genevieve was over by the dressing rooms talking with the customer and Cass turned her back to them. âListen,â she whispered, âyou have to go away.â Inspiration struck. âGo to the light. Thatâs what you should do, okay?â
He didnât leave and she sighed. How long would he stick around? It wasnât like a ghost had any reason to haunt her, so eventually heâd drift out of her life.