Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(57)

Jack’s head whipped around and up and when Belle’s eyes moved back to the window, the child ghosts were gone.

Jack turned back to her and Belle’s gaze met his. “They were there. I swear. I saw both of them!”

“Myrtle and Lewis,” Jack said and Belle’s mouth dropped open.

“Myrtle and Lewis?” she whispered.

“Who told you the story?” Jack asked.

“The story?” Belle repeated stupidly.

“Was it Yasmin?”

“Yasmin?” Belle parroted again.

His hand came to her jaw. “You can’t let it get to you, love. It’s just a ghost story. They aren’t real.”

“Ghost story?” Belle breathed in horror.

He grinned and she was certain at that point he was definitely mad. Mad enough to be locked up because there was nothing to grin about when there were ghosts haunting his castle.

“Trust me, I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve heard that story dozens of times and I’ve never seen them,” he assured her, still grinning like he thought she was hilarious.

“I just saw them,” Belle told him.

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did.”

He looked over his shoulder and up at the turret again then back at her.

“Are they there now?” he asked and, hesitantly, she glanced up but there were no ghostly children in the window.

“No,” she told him when she was looking at him again.

“Belle –”

It was her turn to talk over him. “I can’t live here when there are ghosts in the castle.”

“Belle –” he said again and this time his tone had changed significantly. It had grown slightly dangerous.

She put her hands on his chest and fisted his shirt in her fingers. “We have to move to the cottage,” she announced then added hysterically, “this instant.”

“Poppet –” he began but she kept talking.

“You can sleep with me,” she blurted then went on. “And you can bring the dogs.”

His arms slid around her and drew her to his body. She could feel his shaking, not with terror, but with laughter.

She tipped her head back to look at him and saw it was true.

He was laughing.

“This isn’t funny!” she screeched.

“It’s hilarious,” he contradicted, still laughing.

“There are ghosts in your house,” she cried. “Child ghosts. There’s nothing creepier than child ghosts. Everyone knows that!” she yelled.

His face dipped close to hers.

“Everyone?” he teased.

“James Bennett, I do not find this amusing!” she was still yelling. Then again, there were ghosts in his castle.

“Well,” he started as one arm dropped, the other one shifted up to wrap around her shoulders and he guided her toward the rug. “That decides it,” he finished and bent to nab the rug before moving her toward the castle.

She looked up at him as they were walking. “Decides what?”

“Considering there are creepy child ghosts haunting the castle, even when I’m not in the mood to sleep with you, if that mood should ever strike me, which, so far, it hasn’t, then I’ll have to sleep with you anyway.” His arm gave her a squeeze. “Protection.”

He was still teasing.

She pulled out of his arm, planted her feet and gave his bicep a light smack, shouting, “This is serious!”

He threw his head back and roared with laughter at the same time his hand shot out and wrapped around the back of her neck, playfully yanking her face first into his chest.

His other arm holding the rug came about her and held her to his shaking with mirth frame.

Even before he’d completely quit laughing, he looked down at her upturned face and said, “I’ll have to have a word with Myrtle and Lewis. They’ve supposedly been around for two hundred years without causing the least harm but I’d prefer it if they wouldn’t appear and scare you silly when I’m kissing you.”

“I do not find you funny,” Belle snapped.

He bent his neck to touch his lips to hers and after he lifted his head, he remarked, “That’s all right, poppet, I do.”

Then he moved to her side, arm still around her shoulders and guided her resistant body to the castle while she muttered, “I’m so pleased you amuse yourself.”

He stopped at the foot of the steps and turned her to his front.

She looked up at him to see his eyes still smiling but his voice was serious when he said, “I’ll not let anything harm you.”

Since he sounded serious, she did too when she told him, “I saw those ghosts, Jack.”

“I believe you,” he replied instantly and she was so relieved he didn’t think she was a raving lunatic, she relaxed into his body as his hand came to her jaw. “I don’t believe in them but I believe you think you saw them. But Belle, even if they do exist, they won’t hurt you and I wouldn’t let them. I promise.”

She just stared at him and made no reply.

“You’re safe in my home. You’ll always be safe in my home,” he told her.

She swallowed because his eyes had lost their smile and had become as serious as his voice.