A pry, A little shy, and a little high

Lauren, as promised, had come to run some tests. However, she spent quite a large portion of the time gushing over Thomas's figure and flirting with him any chance she got. I wasn't worried, Thomas had the romance meter of a rusted car.

He lightly pushed away her wandering hands, I couldn’t blame her. If I had the fraction of confidence she had, I would be pouncing him too. I wiped away some saliva that escaped my mouth while daydreaming.

Thomas looked like he was ready to bolt. Lauren had asked him to remove his shirt. I raised an eyebrow at her audacious behaviour. When she got too close to his crotch area, he stopped her hand in a vice grip.

“Hold on, madam, I think you are straying a little from course.” She had giggled. She called me over. Reaching them both, she grabbed my hand and told me to touch his bared chest.

“What!” Thomas and I both looked mortified as we simultaneously shouted out the question.

“Oh, please, act like the adults you are.” She rolled her eyes. Pointing at me first, she scolded me.

“You are 33 years old, granted your experience in romance is at a negative hundred, but you’re still aged appropriate to do more than just touch a man.” I winced at her delightful way of calling me a spinster.

“And you.” She pointed a painted nail at Thomas, who looked flushed. “You are ancient enough to have learned the ways of this generation by now.”  He made to shake his head, but she grabbed it and shook it herself.

“Honestly, the two of you are the densest when it comes to love.” Thomas and I looked at each other, frowning in confusion. I mean, from my side, it was probably obvious that I liked him, but Thomas was always the same.

“What are you waiting for?” I broke out of my musings and looked at Lauren, who was tapping her feet impatiently. “Touch him already!” Seeing my less than amused face, she rephrased it more politely.

“I need to ask him a few questions on what was so different from my touch versus yours.” I still didn’t think this would help us at all, but did as she asked anyway.

The lean muscle flexed under my touch. Thomas was not overly muscular. His body was just defined where appropriate. No abs, instead a toned stomach. I realised this was the first time I was looking at him without a shirt.

I was pretty sure I wasn’t the first woman to touch him so intimately. As for what happened in the spirit realm, I had no idea if he had some female company there either. I swallowed the jealousy that cropped up. It's best not to think of women I wouldn’t even know personally.

I saw some small scarring around his right ribcage. A stab wound, I’ll likely want to hear the story of. His nipples were a light shade of brown and not pink as I imagined. I gulped at the sudden desire I had to explore more of him. I had forgotten we had an audience who had the knack for sexual exploitations.

Clearing my throat, I stood back up from my crouched position. Once I looked back down at Thomas, I found a red so cherry, covering his, it looked ready to pop.

“Are…are you okay?” I asked hesitantly. Why I whispered, I had no idea. The thought of speaking any louder felt like it would break whatever trance we were in. Unfortunately, Lauren chose that moment to break the silence with a snort. I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance.

Thomas unfortunately returned to himself. Drawing his arms up to cover his chest, much to my irritation. I felt like killing Lauren and bringing her to the underworld with me.

“So, anything different?” Thomas cleared his throat and nodded.

“She feels more human, or what I remember touching a human felt like.” Lauren brought a hand under her chin.

“This is most interesting. Unfortunately, I can’t offer any advice or solutions.” I snorted, already figured that this would be the conclusion. She glared my way and brightened suddenly. I already dreaded what she might say.

“How far did you test this touching thing?” Both Thomas and shrugged our shoulders.

“Just normal touching.” I handed Thomas a glass of water. He seemed agitated.

“Have you slept together yet?” And all the water Thomas had jugged ended up being spat on my face. Lauren guffawed at my wet appearance, and Thomas pale face.

“That won’t happen, I can assure you.” He said it with so much conviction that I would be lying if I said that it didn't hurt my confidence. Lauren stopped laughing and turned serious.

“You know it’s taboo to be with the living, I hope you guys realise this.” We both nodded. It was what had stopped me many times from confessing to him. But with the prognosis I received, I had hope that I might be able to find a loophole.

Unaware of my living status, Lauren continued with the warning.

“Although I’m all for a star-crossed love story, I’d hate you both getting into trouble.” Thomas was buttoning up his shirt with shaking fingers. Her previous insinuation was probably still affecting him.

I turned away from him and told Lauren about us going to visit Elaine. The two women constantly butted heads, but they each respected the other’s talents.

“Good idea, the lady has been living for centuries.” Though witches were an outcasted group because of their disregard of the natural order of dying, Elaine was probably the most respected one.

Her family, like mine, inherited the gifts, but her family was a more traditional one. Once I found out her life story, my opinion of her had changed drastically.

“Hopefully she knows what’s going on.” All three of us sat in silence. Thomas broke the silence.

“Anyone up for some tea?” We nodded, and all headed to the front of the house. The tests were done in the laundry room. While Thomas continued to the kitchen, Lauren and I sat in the living room, sinking into the couches.

“Tell me what’s really going on between the two of you?” I expected this question and sighed. Drawing patterns on my thighs. The jeans I wore were creating a satisfying sensation.

“I think I might like him more than a friend.” I could tell, by her look of surprise, she didn’t think I would admit my feelings for him. I was slowly losing myself, and I wasn’t sure if I felt good about this or not.

“You know it will have to remain a crush and nothing else, right?” It was very unusual for Lauren to be serious, but I suppose in the face of severe punishment, she’d rather try to protect me than make a joke out of the situation.

“I know, I’ve been holding out for years already. What's a few more months.” Laurent frowned.

“What do you mean by that, a few months?” I slipped but cleared my throat.

“I recently met someone who I’ll be seeing regularly, maybe who knows, something might come from it.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. She didn’t need to know said person was a woman or a doctor. She turned devious.

“Will there be any physical action?” I sighed and hummed.

“There just might be.” The thought of getting physicals turning my mood sour. Lauren, not knowing I had filtered the truth, squealed in delight, nearly toppling the couch over.

“That’s more like it! Wait until Lilly hears about this. The girl will have an aneurysm.” She was still squealing when Thomas came in with a tray.

“Dear Lauren, any rowdier, and you’ll break the couch.” She just continued freaking out. Listing of stores she might have to visit to get me some things. I muffled her out. Choosing to think about our upcoming trip.

I was worried about my feelings for the ghost. Would my dying really be enough to be able to be with him. If he even wants to be with me. I was not the most attractive person. I had tan skin, plain coloured eyes, a round nose, and an oval face.

My thick hair was always underneath a scarf, unmaintained.  With zero fashion sense, I wasn’t all that surprised that I got overlooked so many times.

My father likely influenced me in many ways. Without the influence of a mother, I grew up rather boyish. A light tap on my shoulder brought me back to the room. Thomas stretched out a steaming cup of tea. He had added a chocolate cookie to the corner of the saucer.

I smiled faintly and thanked him. Bringing the cup to my lips. The burning liquid somehow helped me relax. We sat in good silence now and then, starting a conversation on random things.

When the clock chimed at eight, Lauren headed home, giving me a kiss and Thomas a very tight hug. Eagerly pushing her breasts against the man. He looked extremely but allowed her to extract herself on her terms.

After she left, Thomas and I released a relieved sigh. We looked at each other laughing. Thomas was the first to say something.

“While I appreciate the people in your life, I must say, you find the world's five percent of oddities.” I chuckled, approving what he said.

“But I’d do anything for them, and they’d do anything for me.” I grew silent, feeling guilty keeping such important news from them. Sensing a change in me, he lightly tapped my forehead. A sign I received as his way of comforting me.

“Is that why you didn’t tell her?” I nodded. He sighed as we turned back inside, closing the door.

“While I get why you are reluctant, you’re not making the separation for them easier.” I understood what he was saying, I did. But I somehow felt a sense of guilt for the hurt I’ll be putting them through.

“I know.” He looked like he wanted to say something else.

“Your dad passed on without warning. Would you not have rather had the chance to know how much time he had left with you?” He let that sink in.

“I’m not saying that this would make things any easier, but would leave less regrets, both for you and the rest that would need to continue living.” I nodded. Grabbing his hand, he became rigid, not used to me initiating physical touch.

“Thanks, I wish you had the chance I have now. Perhaps you would not have had to continue roaming the land of the living.” He relaxed.

“I promise, I’ll make sure you can finally rest in peace.” looking him in the eyes. “Even if it takes my last breath." His breath hitched, and his eyes were filled with an emotion I couldn’t pinpoint. Tightening his hold around my fingers, he nodded.

Reactions such as this always puzzled me, he wasn’t alive, how could his heart beat and his breath hitch? I had posed this question before. The best explanation was muscle memory. Spirits imitated what they used to do while they were alive.

It unfortunately made it harder for me to convince myself that I shouldn’t fall in love with a spirit. But just like now, feeling his pulse through a vein, it made my resolve even weaker.

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