Ghost Walk

Part 7

The sun coming in from the window hits me straight across my eyes so it's impossible to stay asleep. That turns out to be super lucky, because when I open my eyes the red numbers of the clock sitting on Kai's nightstand tell me it's already half past nine in the morning

"Fuck." I have my Econ class today in less than half an hour, and I know for a fact there's going to be a quiz. I jump out of bed and pull on the clothes from last night. Kai sleeps through the several muffled curses I make as I trip trying to get my jeans back on. His skin glows golden in the morning sunlight, and he looks like some kind of Greek god with his sculpted abs and his perfectly chiseled jaw as he lays there sleeping, the thin blanket draped over him barely covering his junk.

I take a mental snapshot for my spank bank and grab the keys from his jeans pocket to get my stuff from his car. When I step back into the bedroom to return the keys, Kai's still sleeping, but he's turned in bed and pulled more of the blanket over himself.

I bite my lip as I drop the keys onto the nightstand. They make a racket, but Kai barely flinches. "I guess this is goodbye," I say to Kai's sleeping back.

Best dream ever.

I hurry out of the room and down the three flights of stairs, relieved to find my books where I left them on the hood of Kai's car. On the bus ride to the university, I ponder whether it was the right call to leave like that without even waking him up. Should I have woken him? He looked so supremely comfortable sleeping like that.

You should've at least left him your number, a voice in my head admonishes. Do hook-ups leave numbers? I've never had one so I don't know the correct etiquette. And what if he never calls? That'd hurt. Besides, he just got out of a relationship and last night clearly wasn't anything serious. Leaving him my number would be ... presumptuous.

The ache in my chest persists even as I tell myself all this. It lasts all the way through Econ class until the end of the day when I realize I don't have my notepad. The one I need for the article I'm writing tonight. The one I left in my back pocket.

"Really should've left a number," I mutter as it dawns on me where the notepad is.

Though I guess either way the outcome would be the same. My notepad is lying on the floor in Kai's bedroom, and that means I'm going back there tonight. My heart rate picks up at the thought of seeing Kai again. I can't tell if it's trepidation or excitement. Probably a bit of both. 

* * *

I ring the doorbell and hold my breath, hoping Kai will be home to answer.

The person who answers isn't Kai though. It's his cousin/roommate from the tour last night. What was his name again? Right, Damien.

"Hey, can I help you, man?"

"Yeah, hi. Is Kai home?"

Damien's brows furrow. "I'm sorry?"

"I'm a ... friend of Kai's, and—"

"Sorry, it's just. I'm surprised, is all. How do you know him?"

I blink. "From the ghost tour last night. You were there with him, remember?" I try not to turn red. "We uh. We hung out after, and I—"

"Right, I remember you from last night now. But dude. Last night I went to that ghost tour alone. My girlfriend was supposed to go with me but she canceled."

"Oh," I say, because what else can I say?

Damien's eyes are grave as he meets mine squarely. "Look, I don't know who you ran into last night, but my cousin Kai's been dead for two years. So it definitely wasn't him."

My mouth falls open and I blink several more times at him. A chill runs down my spine. Holy fuck. I can't believe... I can't believe that Kai was—

"Don't be a dick, Damien," Kai's voice sounds from somewhere behind Damien. The earnest confusion on Damien's face morphs into glee, and he belly-laughs as he steps aside to let me in.

Kai's standing a few steps away from his bedroom door, wearing basketball shorts and nothing else. Ugh, he looks so good.

"Hey, Hotness," he says, his warm brown eyes raking over me, the touch almost tangible and making me nearly shiver thinking about the last time he looked me head to toe like that.

"Hey." I clear my throat because that word came out kind of hoarse. "Uh. I think I left my notebook here. Sorry to pop in unannounced. Didn't think I'd be met with pure evil when I arrived." I turn a pointed look at Damien.

"Sorry, man. Couldn't help messing with you after Kai told me you saw a ghost last night." He claps my shoulder. "Think of it as payback for making me deal with this mopey ass whining all afternoon about how he should've gotten your number."

"Huh?" I look to Kai, who's avoiding my gaze. He reaches out to shove Damien away.

"Shut up, asshole."

Damien laughs again, then gives me a mock salute and jerks open what I assume is his bedroom door. "I'll give you guys some space."

"You wanted my number?" I ask when Damien's gone.

"I don't know why you're so surprised. Last night was great."

He says it like there's no doubt in his mind it was great for both of us. And yeah, I guess there isn't any reason to doubt that. Last night was hot. But it felt like its own reality, separate from the real world.

"Honestly, I didn't think you'd want to see me again or I would've left my number."

Kai meets my gaze. "I wanted to."

"Oh. Good." I'm grinning so wide I don't know how my face is taking all the pressure. "I've got a paper to write tonight, but maybe if ... I mean, if you wanted to we could hang out tomorrow? Or whatever day we're both free. Get to know each other?"

"Yeah," says Kai slowly. He steps into my space, tilting my chin further up with one finger and brushing a kiss over my lips. "I want to."

—End—