Page 52 of Squad Ghouls

Guests! Nobody panic!

Owain

Isnuck out of my room before the sun was even up and had successfully avoided Ryan most of the day. It had helped that he had slept in until like twelve. I’d woken up feeling almost cold and wishing I’d asked Ryan to sleep with me after we got back from the cliff. I’d wanted to. I was going to.

But I’d chickened out at the last minute. Because that kiss had felt like nothing I’d ever experienced before.

Ryan had held me like I mattered. He held me like I was more than a silly flirt with a good bum. He kissed me like the kiss alone counted as a win, and I’d realised I didn’t want to ruin it. I didn’t want to push for more and prove him wrong.

So I’d hugged him tight in front of my bedroom door and rushed inside before he could say anything.

I dreamt about him again, but this time there were no fingers or cocks or loud moans. Just soft stars twinkling above as strong arms held me close.

Even awake, I was half inside that dream when the sound of gravel crunching ripped me out of Dream Ryan’s arms a little past four o’clock. I hopped out of my chair and rushed to the window.

There was a car pulling up to the B&B. A real, actual, honest-to-god car. Bright blue, scratched on one side, with the rearview mirror on the driver’s side held on with purple duct tape. BUT A CAR.

With people in it.

Presumably.

I hadn’t seen them yet.

They were still sitting inside, clearly taking in the ethereal beauty of this place. It could be quite overwhelming, I’d heard people say. The raging sea, the sharp edge of the ground ending beneath your feet, the threat of an imminent plunge into the abyss softened by the beauty of the scenery.

I decided to let them take it in before they came inside while I gathered the troops.

The troops being…me. And I felt sufficiently gathered, so I just awkwardly hovered near the window until they finally opened the door and stepped outside. A man in his early thirties, by my estimate, short and stocky, with strawberry blond hair and a half-unbuttoned coat stretched over his chest. And a woman around the same age, dark hair braided over one shoulder and a green knit dress flapping in the wind beneath her short jacket.

The man rounded the car and stood next to the woman, huddling close and wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she pointed around herself and said something I couldn’t quite hear. They didn’t seem upset or angry, just slightly surprised, and I chose to believe the surprise was a nice one. I’d make sure they had the best time at this B&B, and they’d go back and tell all their friends about it and in no time I’d have the place absolutely booming with guests and then everyone would stop bothering me about…

“Guests?” Ryan’s voice came from behind me, detonating a landmine on the tracks of my train of thought.

I squeaked as I spun on my heel, feet tangling and sending me careening straight into his chest.

His firm, warm, bare chest. Slightly covered in soft hair. Very biteable, I’d say. Not that I’d tried yet, but I did have some experience with chests and could tell just by looking. And a little touching. A caress, if you will.

I ran my thumb over his right pec, momentarily distracted by how it tensed under my touch.

“Are you having fun?” Ryan asked, knocking me out of my stupor.

“Oh! Bother!” I said, pushing away from his chest and stepping back. “Did not mean to feel you up. Sorry.”

Ryan smirked and grabbed my waist, casually trying to pull me back in. “Did I complain, love? It’s quite nice after you’ve avoided me most of the day. I know I’m irresistible.”

“Irrationally irresistible,” I mumbled to myself. It was a vocal stim at this point. I had to say them when they popped into my brain.

Ryan didn’t roll his eyes at me this time, he chuckled. Which was new. And nice. I was used to people finding my extended presence annoying the longer it went on. The fact that Ryan seemed to be going the other way made my heart a little light and hopeful.

“I’ll be more careful next time not to grope. You just…” I pointed to his delectable torso and let out what could only be called a whimper at the sight of it. He wasn’t too cut, which I actually preferred, but there was enough definition there to make me all dizzy.

“Just what?” he asked, blue eyes sparkling.

I squawked a bit before flapping my hand in front of his body. “All of that is very nice. That’s all.”

“Aww, you like me, love?” Ryan purred.

Yes, my heart answered for me, but I shushed it. Because he obviously wasn’t asking it like that.