Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

wake. “Every time we kiss, it does things to me, and I…I can’t control it. And I don’t like not being in control of myself.”
“Yeah, well, in case you didn’t notice, it ‘does things’ to me too.”
Some of the sharpness had leached out of Greg’s voice, but the sarcasm that remained wasn’t much of an improvement, in Adrian’s opinion. He kept his gaze trained on the Groome Castle tower, just visible through the trees ahead, because he really didn’t want to see the mulish expression he knew would be on Greg’s face right now.
“That’s not exactly what I meant.” Adrian kicked a horse chestnut so hard it bounced off a nearby trashcan and into the street. “But in any case, even if it was nothing but a kiss, why isn’t it enough for you that I don’t feel comfortable kissing like that in public? Why do you have to keep pushing it?”
Silence. Adrian cut a surreptitious glance to his left. Greg caught his gaze and held it, gray eyes glittering in a blank mask of a face. “That’s what you think? That I’m pushing you? Trying to make you do things you don’t want to do? On purpose ?”
“Um. Well.” Adrian tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, stumbled and recovered. He stared at his feet, grateful for the excuse to look at something besides Greg’s eyes. As much as he liked Greg, as much as he enjoyed his company—entirely aside from the physical attraction—he had a knack for twisting Adrian’s words so that even he wasn’t sure what he meant anymore. Biting down on his frustration, Adrian shrugged. “I don’t know, Greg. You tell me. Is that what you’re doing?”
Greg snorted. “See you at the castle.”
He strode off without looking back. Torn between hurt, anger and sheer irritation, Adrian stood there and watched him go.
Once Greg turned the corner onto the gravel road leading to Groome Castle, Adrian started walking again with a sigh. This was how it started when his relationship with Christian went bad. Things had become complicated. Frustrating. Infuriating. They’d started fighting more than talking, they’d stopped listening to each other, and by the time it ended neither had even cared anymore about making the other happy.
Is that already happening to Greg and me? After only two weeks together? Am I already sabotaging it by turning minor annoyances into major problems?
Adrian’s stomach clenched. In spite of the short time they’d been seeing each other, Adrian had grown used to having Greg around. The thought of a day without his company filled Adrian with a terrible desolation.
He reached the corner and made the turn onto the gravel road. Up ahead, Greg swiveled and looked over his shoulder. Their gazes locked for a moment before Greg whipped around again, but Adrian caught the heat—and the hope—in Greg’s expression.
I’m not letting this end , Adrian decided, watching Greg’s golden brown curls twist in a sudden breeze. I’m not going to let my stupid hang-ups ruin this thing with him.
Not when being with Greg made him feel so damn alive .
He started jogging up the road, passing several other students on the way. “Hey, Greg!”
Greg stopped and half-turned. “Yeah?”
“Wait up.”
Greg waited in stony silence, hands in his jacket pockets. Adrian skidded to a halt in front of him, grabbed his face in both hands and kissed him. Greg stiffened, then relaxed. His hands rested on Adrian’s hips, but he let Adrian control the kiss. Adrian was profoundly grateful for that. His powers flared briefly before settling into an easily controlled simmer. Adrian figured sheer nerves had a lot to do with that. He could practically feel everyone watching them. It was horribly uncomfortable, but he ignored it.
You can do this. Just this once. For Greg.
    They drew apart after a couple of minutes. Greg pulled away and smiled up at him. “What brought that on? I thought you didn’t like public kissing.”
“Yeah, well.” He shrugged, feeling somewhat like a zoo animal on display with all the passersby staring at him. “I thought I owed you one.”
Greg’s brows drew together. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, ’cause I do, but why would you think that?”
“Because, I know you wouldn’t deliberately push me into doing anything I wasn’t comfortable with, and I shouldn’t have insinuated that you’d been doing that.” Taking Greg’s hand in his, Adrian wove their fingers together. “I’m sorry, Greg. Forgive me?”
A strange expression fleeted