Aren’t you so calm and sure of yourself. “Well, Kipp McGowen…” I placed my hands on my hips. “What do you want?”
“She asks the right question.” His gaze traveled toward my breasts before he glanced back to my eyes and smiled seductively. “I’ll wait for you out in the living room to discuss my situation.” He stood up from the chair and headed for the door. Before he exited, he glanced over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow. “You might want to consider putting some clothes on.”
I glanced down, realizing I’d been so caught up with him that I failed to notice I had nothing on. After settling myself last night, I’d been so exhausted I went straight to sleep without dressing—something I’d forgotten until now. How much more can you possibly embarrass yourself?
I stuffed my humiliation away and dressed in jeans and a cotton tee, mumbling obscenities the entire time. Once finished, I drew in a deep breath while I attempted to find the bravery to face him again and made my way out to the living room.
Kipp sat—floated—on the couch with the grin still prevalent on his face. I glared to state I would Ghostbuster his ass if he said a word. “Not discussing what happened. As far as I’m concerned, you imagined it all.” His low chuckle echoed around me as I made my way to the kitchen.
I grabbed an apple out of the ceramic bowl on the marble counter, returned to him and sank down on the couch. “So, how do I get rid of you?”
He ran a hand along his scruffy chin. I hated the urge I had to touch his face myself. I shook my head to erase these thoughts from my mind. Ghost, check. Dead, check. Off the market, double check.
“Did you hear what I said?” he asked.
I blinked. “Sorry, what?”
“I’m a cop with the Memphis Police Department.”
“A cop, huh?” I took a bite of the apple. “Never had one of you before.”
He lowered his hand from his face and stared at me with curious eyes. “So seeing ghosts happens to you often?”
I nodded. “All the time, and I must say, I’m surprised you have figured it all out. Normally when y’all come to me, you’re clueless.”
“It took a while to realize something wasn’t right. But as soon as I talked to people and no one responded, it became pretty clear cut.” He cocked his head. “So, you see and hear dead people?”
“No, I don’t see dead people, I see spirits.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “There’s a difference?”
Stupid sexy ghost! “Of course there’s a difference. If I saw dead people, there’d be bodies, you know, bloody, stiff, blue—that kind of stuff.”
“Lovely image.” He snorted.
I bit into my apple. “You shouldn’t have asked if you didn’t want to know. Besides, you’re a cop, aren’t you used to guts and gore?”
“Touché.” He inclined his head. “Please continue.”
“The ones I see are like you. Who look normal, but are stuck here and need to do something to free them.” I waved whimsically. “And allow them to cross over.”
He stared, focused and intent. “Cross over to where?”
“I would guess heaven.” I shrugged and nibbled my apple again. “I don’t know where you go. All I know is after I help the spirits do whatever they need to do, they up and vanish.”
He shook his head, appearing mystified. “And how long have you been able to see and talk to spirits?” He studied me as if searching for something.
Probably the truth.
“A few days after my seventeenth birthday, I was in a car wreck. I almost died at the scene, but a doctor, who happened to be in the car behind us, worked his magic and saved my life.”
He quieted a moment before he asked, “Have you looked into why you hold such an ability?”
Been there, done that. “Read a couple books on mediums, and from what I learned, when someone dies—or close to it, like I did for a total of ten minutes—once they’re revived, they take part of the…” I hesitated and tried to find the right words. “The place between heaven and Earth with them.”
“And I’m there now?”
“I suspect so.”