CHAPTER 6
Selena was startled awake by a loud pounding. She lifted her head up off the pillow and scrunched up her face. “Eric?” she asked groggily, but he wasn’t around. He must have been in that place he went to when he needed to rest, she thought.
The pounding got louder and she realized it was at her front door. She quickly got up and put on her robe, then headed towards it. “All right, all right! Hold your horses, I’m coming. Sheesh!”
She looked through her peephole and saw the warped face of her friend Rosie.
“Oh my God,” she said and pushed away from the door. What was she doing here?
“Open up, Selena, I know you’re in there! I saw the light dim on the peephole.”
Damn! She’d seen her. Not that she wouldn’t have opened up, but a phone call would have been nice. She felt like the essence of Eric and her love making still lingered.
She took a deep breath, straightened herself as best she could and plastered a smile on her face before she opened the door. “Hi! Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re here.” She went to hug Rosie.
Rosie looked at her with tightened lips, and then pushed herself into the living room, rolling her huge luggage behind her. She then stopped and looked back at Selena, tapping her foot and crossing her arms about her chest.
“What?” Selena asked innocently.
“Do you know why I came?” she asked obviously irritated.
“To visit me?”
“I came because someone refuses to answer her phone! I have called a hundred times and left messages until it didn’t let me leave anymore because your box was full!”
Selena chuckled, little did her friend know that her mailbox hadn’t been the only full box lately.
“I’m sorry, I’ve just had a lot going in… on!” she corrected herself.
“With what? You don’t work.”
“I write!” Well, she planned to start again anyway.
“Whatever, I just needed to see for myself that you were still alive. And since you are, I’ll leave now. Good day.” She started stomping towards the door. For a second Selena considered letting her find somewhere else to stay, knowing that if she stayed there she wouldn’t be able to do what she wanted with Eric.
“Wait!” she called out to her. She wasn’t that selfish that she’d leave her friend all alone in this city, especially when she had cared enough about her to fly down and make sure she was okay. “You’re not leaving. You’re staying here with me.” Selena grabbed her stiff body and pulled her back towards the living room, then took her luggage and rolled it into the bedroom.
Eric was standing in a corner of the room when she walked in. He pointed towards the living room and mouthed, “Who is that?”
“My best friend Rosie,” she mouthed back. He rolled his eyes, clearly not happy about the intrusion. Selena shrugged, what could she do? “She’s my friend,” she whispered and willed him to understand. He nodded and she could see that he really did.
Eric walked up to her and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I understand. You should spend time with her, get some sun. Don’t worry, I’ll be here. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered back before he disappeared.
“Selena? Who are you talking to?” Rosie asked, poking her head into the room.
Startled, she turned around. “Oh, just myself. I actually have a few things I need to do. Why don’t you relax while I get ready and then we can head out. I’ll show you the town and we can have lunch and drinks.”
Rosie agreed and she got to it. Selena loved her friend, she truly did, but she loved Eric more. Her heart was breaking at the thought of going days without seeing him. She could always tell Rosie about Eric, but she doubted she would understand. Really, who would? If someone had told her they had a relationship with a ghost she would have thought they were nuts.
Why were life and death so damned complicated?
“Hey, I was thinking about going to get a massage. Do you want to do a spa day?” Rosie asked as they walked down Bourbon Street.
Here was her chance, Selena thought. It had been a week since Rosie had arrived in New Orleans, and she’d only been able to see Eric twice. And see was all she’d done; he’d appeared behind Rosie and made faces at her that showed how restless he was becoming, too.
“You know, why don’t you go ahead and do that. I actually know of a really good one. While you are there I can take care of some things.”
“Like what?” Rosie asked.
Like her body’s need for Eric’s touch. “Just some stuff I have to do.”
“Oh, come on, Sel, it’ll be fun. When was the last time you were pampered?”
“Um…” How did she get out of it? “It’s just that I have some stuff to take care of and I think you will get bored if you go with me.”
Rosie looked at her and smirked. “If I didn’t know better I would think you were trying to get rid of me.”
Selena put on a show of innocence. “No, of course not! I just don’t think you’ll want to come along.”
“All right then. I’ll make an appointment for myself only. I only hope I don’t get taken advantage of,” Rosie said and gave her a side glance, but Selena wouldn’t budge. She needed Eric in a bad way.
The second they arrived back at the apartment, Selena pulled out the phonebook and found the day spa she had heard great things about.
“Here,” she said handing Rosie the number.
Rosie tightened her lips but took it and made herself an appointment for the following day.
The next day Selena practically shoved her out the door, so desperate was she to be alone. The moment the door closed Eric appeared behind her and pressed her against it, his front to her back.
She sighed at the feel of his body pressed to hers. She could feel his hot breath in her ear as he spoke, “Finally alone. I’ve been dying to touch you.” He reached around her and cupped her full breasts in his large hands.
“Oh God.” She leaned back into him as he massaged them. Now this was the kind of massage she wanted.
He released one breast, lifted her short jean skirt and cupped her mound. He groaned when he discovered her lack of panties. He stroked her and played with her nub using the tip of his finger to draw small circles on her. Selena began to rock in his hand, wanting more. The way he was touching her was torture.
“Please, Eric,” she said with a breathy voice.
“Please Eric what?” he asked, his voice deep and low.
“Please make love to me. I need it.”
He dipped one long finger inside of her and it made her cry out in pleasure. But that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted something much, much bigger. She backed her behind and rubbed up against his erection, letting him know exactly what she needed from him.
“Damn, woman!” He quickly undid the zipper on his jeans and impaled her. As he did, he grabbed her wrists and held her hands up to the wall above her head. “Is this what you wanted?” he asked as he thrust hard into her.
“Yes! Please don’t stop!” she begged. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the intense sensations. Each thrust sent waves of pleasure throughout her entire body, and with each push she felt as if though she would come undone. He bit the nape of her neck in a manner so dominating, claiming her as his, that it sent her over the edge.
He followed her into ecstasy, thrusting so hard she thought he’d push her right through the door, and she loved every second of it.
He breathed into her hair as they stood there, both thinking about moving, but neither actually doing it. He finally released her and she whimpered at the loss of his heat deep inside her.
She stumbled a little and he held her up. “I think we should take this to the bedroom,” she said.
She may have come, but she was definitely not done. They had a whole week to make up for, and Rosie planned on staying for another week. She may not get another chance until she left.
Selena’s legs were spread wide while
she was getting pounded; literally having to hang on to Eric’s shoulders so that she wouldn’t get bumped right off the bed. She and Eric were completely lost to passion for the third time in a row. She knew she would have a terrible limp the next day, but she also knew she would smile every time she thought about why she was achy.
They were in such a lust haze that neither one heard when the front door opened and closed. And neither one realized when Rosie made her way back to the bedroom, but they sure realized it when she entered the room. “Oh my God!” she yelled.
Selena tried to shove Eric back as she struggled to sit up, but there was no need. He’d already vanished.
“What are you doing?” Rosie asked. There was a look of utter shock and horror on her face.
Selena wiped the hair that was stuck to the sweat on her face. “I… you’re home early!” she accused.
“No I’m not! I’ve been gone for three hours. Is this the stuff you had to get done? To play with yourself?”
“No! I wasn’t playing with myself.”
“Well I didn’t see anyone else here.”
“I… God!” Selena threw her arms up. “Just let me get dressed, okay? I’ll explain everything, but just give me a minute.” She scrambled out of the bed and put on her robe. Rosie still stood there, just looking from her to the rumpled sheets on the bed. Selena glared at her and tapped her foot.
“Fine, fine. I’ll be in the living room. I can’t wait to hear how you explain this.”
Selena put her face in her hands and groaned. She was completely mortified. What was worse than getting caught having sex? Getting caught having sex with a ghost that no one can see, that’s what!
She went to the bathroom and washed herself off, then dressed and looked in the mirror. She would have to tell Rosie the truth or she’d think she’d gone completely crazy. Hell, she would probably think so anyway.
“What do you mean your boyfriend’s a ghost?” Rosie asked with an incredulous look on her face.
“Well, I mean that he was alive once, got murdered, and then came back as a ghost. You know, spirit, apparition, phantom. Whatever you want to call it.”
“Okay, that’s it.” Rosie picked up her bag and started riffling through it.
“What are you doing?” Selena asked.
“Well, first I’m going to look up the number to the nearest shrink, then I’m going to call them, and then I’m going to take you there.”
“What! Why? I’m perfectly fine. I… am… not… crazy!” She tried prying the phone out of Rosie’s hand.
“I’m not saying you are! I just think that maybe your mom’s passing, the move or something has really gotten to you. You need help, Sel.” They continued the phone tug-of-war.
“I don’t and I can prove it.” Rosie released the phone and Selena nearly fell backwards off the couch. She glared at her before she set it down on the coffee table.
Rosie crossed her arms in front of her chest. “All right then, prove it.”
“Eric,” Selena called out. “Eric, can you please appear to her and show her I haven’t lost my mind?” They waited a few moments. Nothing. The apartment remained silent. Where was he? “Eric, please!” she called out again, this time her voice broke as she did.
Rosie sighed and placed her hand on Selena’s shoulder sympathetically. “Look, I really think you should talk to somebody. Just give it a try. Maybe you could go back home. I have a spare bedroom you could stay in.”
“I’m not leaving Rosie. I like it here. This is my home, where I belong.”
“With a ghost.”
“Yes.”
“Well I’m not buying it. You’re my friend and I won’t let you go down this path. I’m making you an appointment and you’re going even if I have to drag you by your hair.”
It was obvious that Rosie was not going to relent. “Fine, but if I go and still want to stay, will you let it go?”
“Okay, but I have a feeling you won’t.”
Eric stood and watched as Selena called out to him. He tried with all his might, but just couldn’t appear. He’d drained all of his energy, as it was he could barely maintain his presence in her realm.
He saw the disappointment and hurt in her eyes when she realized he was not going to show himself to her friend.
He let go and allowed the ether to swallow him up. Perhaps it was for the best, he thought. Even if he did show himself to Rosie, she would probably still condemn their relationship.
If Selena could just pretend and get past this week, then her friend would leave happily, and their lives would return to normal. Well, as normal as it could be.