Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

he’ll just leave me the hell alone.”
Adrian studied Greg’s face. In the yellow glow of the streetlights, the developing bruise stood out deep red on his jaw. The sight made Adrian want to find Harrison and do painful things to him. It was a disturbing impulse, especially since Adrian had never felt the urge to physically hurt someone he didn’t even know.
They made it to the South Road entrance of Winston Hall without incident. Greg stopped at the door and turned to face Adrian. “Thank you. For everything.”
Adrian smiled, blushing. “No problem at all. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“Me too.” Greg glanced sideways and nodded to a couple of girls who thumbed into the dorm. Once the door swung shut behind them, he returned his attention to Adrian. “Would you go out with me?”
Adrian’s heart lurched. “Go out?”
“Yeah.” Greg moved closer, his gaze fixed on Adrian’s face. “You helped me out tonight, Adrian. You didn’t have to, but you did it anyway. I want to show you how much I appreciate that.”
“I know you do. You don’t have to take me out to prove it.”
“How about if I take you out because I like you?”
The soft words made Adrian’s head spin. He leaned against the dorm wall, trying to make the movement look casual. “You do?”
“Yes.” Shoving his hands in his front pockets, Greg hunched his shoulders against a particularly vicious gust of wind. “Look, we got off on the wrong foot on Sunday, and I’d love to start over. I swear I won’t…you know, try anything.”
No matter how hard Adrian tried, he couldn’t find a reason to turn Greg down. And just how sad is it that you were looking for a reason not to go out with a guy you want this badly?
“Okay.” Adrian forced the word out past the mingled excitement and terror clogging his throat. “Sure. I’d love to go out with you.”
Greg beamed. “Awesome. Does Thursday work for you? We get out of haunted house practice early, we could go get changed then head over to Top of the Hill after. I’ll make reservations for seven, that sound okay?”
Adrian mentally rifled through his bank account. Could he afford to splurge on dinner? Would he even be expected to pay for his own meal or would Greg pick up the tab? He felt stupid for not knowing the rules, but he’d never really dated before. He and Christian hadn’t gone on traditional dates, and there’d never been anyone before that. The few times he’d been out after Christian, he and his date had agreed beforehand to each pay their own way. Hopefully Greg wouldn’t hold his lack of knowledge against him.
“Uh, yeah. That sounds great.” Adrian watched from the corner of his eye as a group of three boys entered the dorm, deep in conversation. “Listen, why don’t I come by here and pick you up? My apartment’s off campus and I don’t want you to have to walk there alone in case that crazy bastard’s still stalking you.”
“I’d appreciate that.” Greg’s wide smile mellowed into a softer expression that for reasons Adrian couldn’t understand made his pulse race. “Okay. Well. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at the castle.”
“Yeah. See you then.”
Still watching Adrian’s face, Greg backed the few steps to the door and pressed his thumb to the pad. The green light blinked and the lock clicked. He swung the door open and stopped just inside, the hall light illuminating his profile. “Good night, Adrian.”
Adrian smiled at him. “Good night.”
Once his knees stopped trembling, Adrian pushed away from the wall and began the trek back to his apartment. By the time he got home, the sense-memory of Greg’s body curled against his side had turned the ache in his crotch into a full-blown erection.
He didn’t even bother to strip, just yanked his jeans halfway down and fell backward across the bed. Eyes screwed shut, he jerked off to the mental picture of Greg’s beautiful lips wrapped around his cock, Greg’s naked body spread out beneath him, Greg’s face flushed with orgasm. Adrian clamped his mouth closed and swallowed his cries when he came.
Afterward, he lay panting on the mattress with semen soaking into his sweater and trickling down his side and wondered if his fantasies would ever become reality, or if he’d manage to drive Greg away before they ever got that far.
Don’t think about it. Not yet. At least go on one date before you start worrying about how you’re going to make him hate you.
Adrian snickered. For once, his