GhostlyPersuasion Read Free Page B

the bedroom. As soon as she had a clear view of the
four-poster bed she skidded to a stop, stunned by the sight of a strange man
lounging against the headboard.
    “Excuse me, but what are you doing?” Katie demanded.
    The man continued to stare up at the ceiling with his hands
behind his head as if he hadn’t heard her. He appeared to be deep in thought.
    Katie was distracted from her irritation by the sight of his
wide shoulders. Her mouth went dry as she ogled the stranger. Even through the
linen shirt she could see he did more than computer programming or living a
life of luxury. He had a rugged look to him that said he knew how to work with
his hands and his body. Her eyes were drawn to the patch of bare skin exposed
by the open V of his shirt then down to the waistband of his trousers. His tan
pants looked as if they were part of a period costume but fit his long,
muscular legs nicely.
    The way he was lounging on her bed with his legs spread
across the coverlet made her think that he had no plans to leave anytime soon.
    She mentally shook herself back to the situation. There was
a man, although a very masculine and, well, let’s face it, a downright yummy
man, in her room. She didn’t know him and she certainly hadn’t invited him in.
    “Uh, hello?” she said a little louder, trying to position
herself behind the nearest chair, hoping to hide the fact that she was wearing
very few clothes.
    The man didn’t even twitch.
    “Hey! You there.” Katie watched the man closely, looking for
any kind of response but his only response was a slight twitch in one foot.
“Can you hear me?”
    Either the man was deaf or he had earphones in. His
reddish-blond hair was tied back, letting her see there were no cords hanging
down, but it was possible he had a wireless device. She hated to draw attention
to herself given her lack of clothing but didn’t believe she had another option
since her cell phone was sitting on the bedside table right next to the hotel
phone.
    She checked the area around her for something to toss onto
the bed. If she could get the man’s attention she’d simply point out he was in
the wrong room and he needed to leave. There were a few breakable trinkets on
the bookshelf behind her along with, obviously, books. She spotted a small
metal dish within reach. Since she wasn’t sure how valuable any of the items
were, she opted for the item least likely to break.
    The bed was only fifteen or twenty feet away so Katie
figured she could Frisbee the dish onto the bed, maybe even make it land right
next to the man. That should be enough to get his notice.
    “Hey, Mr. Hunky Irishman! You need to get out of my room!”
Katie said in a much louder voice. Still no response.
    Okay. Katie stepped to the side of the tall-backed
chair so she could leverage the dish properly. Here goes nothing.
    The tarnished silver dish sailed across the span and landed
on the foot of the bed as she planned. Thanks to the flat, smooth bottom, the
dish skimmed across the bedspread and into the man lying on the bed.
    Into the man. She blinked mutely.
    Not up next to him.
    Not bounced off.
    Into the man.
    Katie gaped at him, unsure of what she was seeing. He looked
real. He appeared to be corporeal. He didn’t have the hazy, semi-transparent
body that she associated with most spirits. But the dish had passed through
him.
    What the hell was he then?
    As she stared, he turned his head and looked at her. Their
eyes met. Katie’s chest ached at the loneliness she saw in the depths of his
gaze. Before she realized what she was doing she had stepped around the chair
and was moving toward him.
    He sat up suddenly and asked, “You can see me, can’t you?”
    His native accent lent even more appeal to his deep,
baritone voice. Even though she heard the faint echoey sound she associated
with spirits, she had a very physical reaction. This was one of those rare men
she would gladly listen to as he read stereo instructions.
    Katie gave a