Haunt Me Then: A Ghost Story Read online

  “Economics.”

  “I did management as my major, but I’m still working the same job I had before graduation.”

  Heath smiled. “It takes longer than most people think to really settle into something. I didn’t plan on teaching, not ever, but it just happened. And now I love it.”

  “I’m gonna grab my shoes and go get my bag out of the car. I was gonna have them tow my car to a shop. Think you can drive me into town later?”

  “Sure. I think Alan might be gone two more days.”

  “Shit, I should call him.” He stood and paused, patting his pockets. “Any idea where my phone is?”

  “I think it’s in the study, but I’ll check the hall bathroom, too.”

  James found it in the study, next to his unfinished glass of whiskey. Heath took the glasses to the kitchen while James walked down the winding drive to get his bag from his car. Heath washed the glasses by hand and waited for Malcolm to come back. When he didn’t, Heath dried the glasses and put them back in the liquor cabinet and then sat down to check his email. Once he’d finished that, he checked out the window but saw no sign of James.

  “You had to have heard that,” Heath said out loud to Malcolm.

  That very good-looking young man practically offering to let us use his body so we can have sex? Yes, I did.

  “And?”

  What do you expect me to say?

  “Now? No idea.”

  If you really like him as much as you seem to, maybe it’s not such a good idea.

  “Okay.”

  I do have some pride. I won’t beg you to be with me.

  “It’s odd that you can be so pushy about everything else but not this.”

  Perhaps I’m not as immature and shallow as you think.

  “That’s not fair!”

  I’m in your head almost all the time. You can’t keep your guard up every moment.

  “Stop putting so much meaning into my every little stray thought.”

  I can try.

  “You were in his head last night. Behind my back.”

  Yes.

  “I don’t know how I feel about it.”

  I know how your body felt about it. I know what you like. I’ve watched you with other men, but more importantly, I’ve watched you touch yourself. Been inside your head as you came.

  Heath actually blushed then. “It’s not that I didn’t know that. It’s just that I never gave it that much thought.”

  Because you never took me seriously. I was a one-dimensional entity. Just a horny old perve who died here. Your comic relief.

  “What?”

  You know what I mean. Malcolm sighed. He’s coming back. I’m going to leave you two alone for a bit. Just call if you want me.

  Those last words lingered in Heath’s mind as he went out to help with James’s luggage, only to find the guy had just one bag.

  “I need to feed Snickerdoodle anyway. Why don’t I take you over to Alan’s place and let you put your bag up. Then I can bring you back to your car and we can wait.”

  “That sounds great.”

  They walked over to the garage, and Heath keyed in the code to open the door. As they drove away, he noticed James looking back at the house. Heath didn’t know what was going to happen next, but he braced himself for all the possibilities.

  Chapter Three

  Later that afternoon, Heath sat on Alan’s sun porch with Snickerdoodle in his lap while James talked on the phone with a mechanic outside. James looked worried as he paced the driveway. Heath knew that if James had student loans a new car would likely be out of the question. Even a big repair would cause an upset. If he could afford a week off work, he might not be too bad off, but Heath still worried. It felt odd to worry about someone he’d only known for one day, but they had spent the night together.

  And sucked each other’s cocks.

  He found himself wondering if that would’ve happened naturally if Malcolm hadn’t come up. If Malcolm weren’t haunting Heath’s house to begin with, how might his life be different? Sometimes, he caught himself talking to Malcolm mentally when he was away from home. He’d never told Malcolm about it, but he’d thought about it, so Malcolm probably knew.

  The black and white cat purred and rolled over, licking his belly and then looking up at Heath before slipping off his lap and going over to one of his water dishes. Then he strolled inside after looking at James for a moment. Alan hadn’t had the cat long, so James was a stranger to him. He’d sniffed around James and given a conditional approval before rubbing against Heath’s ankles.

  Heath wondered about Malcolm as he watched James pacing. After bringing James over to Alan’s house, he’d waited with James for the tow truck. Then he’d dropped James back off at his brother’s house and gone into town for groceries. The house had been quiet all day, and he hadn’t tried to talk to Malcolm because he didn’t know what to say.

  He considered what it would be like to love someone he could never touch. They had an intimacy Heath could never have with anyone else, but was that enough? He did care for Malcolm, but he’d never thought of it beyond a very unconventional friendship. He could see himself becoming more and more reclusive, maybe even going crazy. Malcolm had been in that house for over half a century. He didn’t seem crazy, but he was also dead.

  Heath had no idea what he thought about the afterlife beyond now believing in ghosts. He did believe people had souls, but why didn’t everyone become a ghost? Why was Malcolm still around? He’d died of a heart attack. He hadn’t been murdered and certainly didn’t act as if he had unfinished business.

  James slumped down in one of the chairs on the sun porch and gave a long groan.

  “Everything okay?” Heath asked.

  “Yeah. It’s not a major thing, but it will be kind of expensive. It’ll be done tomorrow.”

  “You need any help paying for it? I could spot you until your brother gets home.”

  “Thanks, but I can charge it. I only use credit cards for emergencies, so they’re all clear.”

  “Wow. That is the most impressive thing I’ve ever heard,” Heath said.

  James laughed. “Really? I find that hard to believe.” He leaned back and linked his hands behind his head. “Tell me more about Malcolm.”

  Heath folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not sure where to begin.”

  “You find him attractive?”

  “That’s a weird question. His body is long gone. Rotted and deteriorated. He’s only a spirit now.”

  “Then maybe that part doesn’t matter. If he were inside me, you’d be seeing me,” James said.

  “You been giving this a lot of thought?”

  “Yeah. The more I think about it, he feels a little sad.”

  “Sad?”

  “Don’t you feel it when he’s near?”

  “Now I do, after last night.”

  James angled his head. “Just because someone else found out about him?”

  “No.”

  “Then can you tell me why?”

  Heath swallowed. “He told me he loves me,” he whispered.

  James lowered his gaze. Standing up, he looked into Heath’s eyes and came over to sit beside him. “Really?”

  Heath nodded, feeling his face grow warm.

  “And you’ve had sex in your dreams?”

  Looking away, Heath said, “Yes.”

  “Are you embarrassed?”

  “Of course I am.”

  James touched his arm. “Hey, this is like a movie or something. I’m not making fun of you. It’s really romantic.”

  Heath glanced back at him. “Even if I don’t return his feelings?”

  “You seem kind of worked up. Worried. You sure you don’t?”

  “I don’t know anything anymore.”

  “Okay, that line is always a sign of love. Maybe I don’t know that book you were reading, but this has epic love story written all over it.”

  Heath relaxed and rubbed his hands together. “I tried
talking to him a bit. I’ve been dismissive because he’s not alive. He’s my friend, and I’ve hurt him.”

  James looked off in the direction of Heath’s house. “You want to make it up to him?”

  Heath thought he knew where this was going, but he still asked, “How?”

  James looked back at him. “Let him possess me. Will it hurt me?”

  “No, not if you’re willing and relax. Let him in. It’s like a more intense version of him being in your head.”

  “I’ve never been interested in a threesome, but this intrigues me.” He held both hands up. “If I’m off base, tell me. I’ll forget about it. But for some reason, I can’t forget about him.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Him telling me how to touch you. How to suck you. It was very erotic, but like I said, I could feel how much he cares for you. Maybe if we do this, it will help you both. You can see how you feel about him, and it might offer him some relief. I’d like to do this for him as much as for you.”

  Heath leaned over. “He said you have a kind heart. He was right. And having said that, I’m a little scared because I don’t want to hurt you. Make you feel used. You see what I’m saying?”

  James nodded. “Yeah. But if it’s good for all of us, maybe you won’t have to worry. Maybe … I could … stay.”

  “Stay? For Malcolm?”

  “For all of us. He seemed to like me. You think he’d reject me in time?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “His feelings are for you. Maybe it would be a total disaster, but won’t you regret it if we don’t try?”

  “When you put it like that,” Heath said with a frown before shaking his head. “I don’t know. I might.”

  “You seemed to want me last night,” James said. “That changed because you’re worried about your friend?”

  “No. I thought you were hot right away.” Heath smiled. “And then everything just happened. Malcolm in my head. Then you finding out about him.”

  “Then us sucking each other,” James said softly. “I loved that. And sleeping in your arms.” He reached over and touched Heath’s leg. “Look, I want to sleep with you. If you want, we can do it here in the guest room. But I think I’d like to explore this whole thing with Malcolm.”

  “How about we go out for dinner and see how everything goes?”

  James smiled and nodded. “I’d like that. And I’ll be fine with whatever you decide.”

  Whatever I decide? Heath had no idea what that was going to be.

  * * *

  Heath took another bite of the pie they’d opted to share for dessert. “So what happened when they realized they couldn’t get the drawer open?”

  James smiled. He’d been telling Heath about the guy in the cubicle next to him, who had once sneaked a kitten into the building when he found it on his lunch break. “We knew we all had to come clean. The kitten was meowing and scratching, completely terrified. Everyone on our floor was frantic. Even this one guy who claims he hates cat looked concerned and kept hovering at the edge of the group. We sent someone up to our boss to see if someone had a key to the desk.”

  “And what happened?”

  “She came running in herself with this big wad of keys. Then once the drawer was open she scooped the kitten up and wrapped it up in her sweater. Luke still ended up taking it home and adopting it, but they kind of bonded over that. When she took a different job about two months later, we wondered. And then they were dating openly. No one ever said she’d left because they’d been secretly dating, but it seemed obvious to us.”

  “That’s kind of sweet,” Heath said, putting his fork down and wiping his mouth.

  “Yeah, it is.” James smiled across at him. “I’ve had a really good time tonight.”

  “Me, too. You almost make me miss the city and working with people every day.”

  James shrugged. “You still work with people. You just get to control how much they bother you.”

  Heath laughed. “Yeah, guess so.”

  “And you’ve got Malcolm,” James said softly.

  “Yeah. I do.”

  James sat back after pushing their dessert plate to the side. “He take much interest in your work?”

  “He asks questions at times. Tells me to take a break when I seem frazzled. Like when I’m grading and all. He’ll tell me to quit for a while and go outside. Things like that.”

  The waiter left their check, and James started to pull out his wallet. But Heath held up his hand. “Hey, let me get this. I invited you, after all.”

  “I won’t argue.” James leaned on the table and waited for Heath to put down his credit card. “He really does care about you. A lot.”

  “I know. Been thinking about it this afternoon.”

  “He stayed quiet?”

  Heath nodded as the waiter scooped the little tray up. “Yeah. He does that some days, but today it really felt like he wasn’t there. Kind of bothered me.”

  “But you think everything’s okay?”

  “I think so, yeah. He was giving me space. I’m glad he did.”

  After signing the receipt the waiter brought back, Heath tossed the pen down and shifted on his side of the booth. “You ready to head back? Need to do anything in town?”

  “Nah, not until tomorrow. We can head back.” He hesitated. “Unless you’re not ready yet.”

  Heath found himself staring down at the table cloth. “No, I think I’m ready.” He looked up. “You want to come over, or just be dropped at your brother’s?”

  “I’d like to go back with you. If that’s what you want.”

  Heath took a deep breath. “That sounds nice.”

  Whispering, James said, “Hey, it can be whatever you want it to be. Let’s get away from people who’ll think we’re crazy and talk it over. Okay?”

  Heath nodded and stood up, feeling like he knew what he wanted. However, as they walked out, he knew he wouldn’t truly be sure until he got back home and felt Malcolm’s presence.

  Chapter Four

  Heath could feel Malcolm as he unlocked the door, but the house remained quiet as he and James walked in. He poured each of them a whiskey, and this time he dove right in, knowing he wouldn’t be leaving a half-finished drink tonight. The mixture of nerves and excitement made him restless as they sat down in his study.

  James sipped his drink and sat back. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

  Heath sat across from him and took another sip. After setting his glass aside, he said, “I … think I’m interested. If you are.”

  James sat forward and pushed his glasses up his nose. “In trying? Or in going for it?”

  “We can stop any time you don’t feel comfortable,” Heath said. “I just don’t know how this works.” He looked around the room, though of course he’d never seen Malcolm actually materialize. “Malcolm?”

  “I’m here,” Malcolm said.

  “Tell us what to expect,” Heath said.

  “I’ll be inside James, and he’ll be completely in control.”

  “What about when one of you talks to me?” Heath asked, glancing at James. “How will I know who I’m talking to?”

  “Both of us will hear you, of course, but I’ll let James do the talking,” Malcolm said. “If I want something relayed, he can tell you it’s from me.”

  “Will you be okay?” James asked. “Will it wear you out?”

  “No,” Malcolm said, “I’ll be fine. And it won’t hurt you.”

  James put his drink down, which made Heath grab his and finish it off. James chuckled. “It’s okay, Heath. We can stop if you get uncomfortable, too.”

  Inside Heath’s head, Malcolm’s voice rang out. Heath, are you scared? Tell me the truth. We can go back to what we had.

  Heath replied silently. No, we can’t go back. Yes, I’m scared, but I’m also … excited.

  The air changed as Malcolm sighed. Then get ready for us to make love to you.

  James tilted his head as if listening to
something, and Heath wondered if he did that when Malcolm talked to him. He knew he probably did. James closed his eyes a long time and then slowly opened them. He walked over to the stereo system and looked at the CDs there. Heath waited patiently, wondering if they were talking over choices. He enjoyed sharing Malcolm and this whole experience with someone else, but it was tinged with something he now saw clearly as jealousy. In a way, that made him see how right this was. He did want to be with Malcolm, even if he wasn’t actually in love. He definitely felt as if Malcolm was his.

  James put on a CD and let it begin playing before adjusting the volume. Heath realized after a few chords that it was the soundtrack to one of the more recent Wuthering Heights films. He stared into James’s eyes as the man came over to him slowly, his expression smoldering. James held out one hand.

  “Will you dance with me, Heathcliff?” James asked.

  Heath put his hand into James’s and stood, and then James moved him over to the open space near the windows.

  “He told you my full name?” Heath asked.

  “Yes,” James replied as they began to slow dance in the study, swaying very gently. “He loves your name.” James pressed close so his chin rested on Heath’s shoulder. “He loves lots of things about you.”

  Heath pulled James closer as they danced. James’s hands began to roam up and down Heath’s back. Heath drew in a quick breath a couple of minutes later when James yanked his shirt out of his pants to slide his hands underneath the material. They were pressed very close now, and both of them were hard.

  Heath drew back to look into James’s eyes.

  “It’s still me,” James said, “but he’s here. It’s so hard to describe.” He licked his lips and said, “Please kiss us.”

  Heath obeyed without a thought. He leaned in and locked his mouth to James’s, and the man sighed and opened to him. The kiss grew heated right away as their tongues battled and their hands roamed. Both were gasping when they parted, and Heath knew he was trembling.

  “Malcolm wants to know what you need. He can’t know what you’re thinking without leaving me,” James said.

  “I need … the three of us in my bed.”

  James smiled. “Yes. We want that.”