Double Dating with the Dead by Karen Kelley (best fiction novels to read .txt) 📗

and raised her lips, kissing him full on the mouth. He put his hands on her arms and moved her away from him none too gently.

Barbara’s gaze raised, but she wasn’t looking at him. Damn, he didn’t want to turn around, but he had to see.

Selena stood at the top of the steps, her lips set in a grim line. Before he could say anything, she whirled around and marched in the direction of her room.

Barbara’s soft chuckle drew his attention back to her. Never in his life had he wanted to kill another human being—until now.

“You’re a real bitch.”

She smiled. “Maybe next time you won’t be so quick to dismiss me. It doesn’t pay to take me for granted. I saw what you were thinking when I said I write a gossip column. You dismissed me as fluff, but you underestimated me.”

“No, I had your number right from the start. I just didn’t think you would stoop this low.”

“Oh, honey, I’ll go as low as I have to if it means getting the job done.”

“Yeah, I suspect you wouldn’t mind getting on your knees for just about anyone.” His gaze raked over her. “But, honey, I wouldn’t want that mouth on any part of my body. You can walk the rest of the way to your car by yourself.”

“Bastard!” She spun on her heel and slammed the door as she left.

Barbara seethed for a moment as she stood on the filthy porch. She’d thrown everything she had at Trent. He should’ve been on her side. He was out to ruin Selena, but it looked more like he was screwing her. God, she hated Selena. If it weren’t for her, she’d have twice the column.

“Your scheme didn’t work.”

She jumped, her eyes narrowed on the lanky cowboy. “Where the hell did you come from?” She hadn’t seen him before.

She started to go down the steps, but suddenly stopped and looked at the cowboy. Her gaze moved over him as she speculated. He seemed to be comfortable sitting in the rocker. Maybe he lived nearby. He might be the person she needed to question.

A slow smile curved her lips. They hadn’t beaten her yet.

She thrust her chest forward. Her thirty-six D cups were her best assets, and she’d certainly made use of them over the years. Men loved squeezing them, burying their faces between them.

Whatever it took to get ahead. That was her motto.

“Do you live close by?” she innocently asked as she perched seductively on the railing.

“You could say that. Wesley’s the name, ma’am.” With one finger, he raised the brim of his hat and grinned at her.

He was cute, and the way he was looking at her, she knew he appreciated a real woman. She’d never been ridden by a cowboy before, they always smelled like horses, but there was always a first time for everything. Especially if it meant beating Selena.

“So, what’s the scoop?” She chuckled. “Is the place haunted?” Oh, yeah, she was going to get her story after all. Nothing was going to stop her now.

A woman wearing a hideous red dress trimmed in ugly black ruffles seemed to just appear. “What do you think, sweetie? Is it haunted or not?” She looked straight at Barbara.

This couldn’t be happening. The woman had just…just come out of nowhere. Out of fucking thin air. Her gaze whipped from one to the other. “Where the hell…”

“I’m Dixie. Remember my name, sweetie, and the fact that this is my cowboy and I don’t like it when a woman flirts with my man.” Dixie waltzed over and stood in front of her.

Maybe she seemed to come out of nowhere, but the woman was a real bitch.

That was what she got for paying so much attention to the cowboy. She hadn’t even noticed when this Dixie chick had come up the stairs. No one got the better of her, though.

“Apparently Wesley doesn’t feel the same way,” she taunted. “Why would he be interested in you when I’m here?” She laughed. “You look like you’re ready for Halloween. I mean, look at the way you’re dressed. Your choice of clothes is terrible.”

Damn, she’d never seen anyone glow red before.

“Are we upset?” she asked sweetly.

“Upset?” Dixie asked.

“Now, Dixie, you might want to watch—” Wesley began, only to have his words cut short when Dixie narrowed her eyes at him. He looked apologetically at Barbara. “You’re on your own, honey. I’d just as soon not have to face her anger for the next hundred years. The last haven’t been that much fun.”

“Because you’re the reason we’re dead.”

“I told you it wasn’t my fault.” He came to his feet.

Great, a couple of crazies.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Dixie said.

“Fine.” He vanished.

Barbara’s mouth dropped open. “How the hell did he do that?” she whispered.

Dixie faced her. “We can do anything. We’re ghosts.”

She pushed, and Barbara tumbled backward off her perch on the porch rail. She landed with a thud that was cushioned only by the bushes. She just lay there in the thorny shrub. What is happening? She stared at the woman who claimed to be a ghost.

“Ghosts,” she mumbled. “No such thing.”

The woman disappeared. In the next second she appeared beside her.

“You don’t think I’m real?” She laughed. “Don’t I feel real?” Dixie ran her hand through Barbara.

Shit, crap. Dixie was a ghost. Oh, damn, she had to get out of here. She scrambled out of the bushes, not caring that she could hear the ripping of material.

Ghosts!

The hotel was haunted.

She had to go to the bathroom. But first she had to get to her car…really fast.

“Do you believe me now?”

Dixie was floating beside her as Barbara ran to her car. Barbara’s chest grew tight. She couldn’t breathe as she fumbled inside her purse for her keys.

“Go away!” She didn’t look behind her to see if the ghost left, but opened her door and slid into the driver’s seat.

Her hand shook as she jammed the key into the ignition and started the car. Oh, God,