Falling Over You, page 9
It was silly for him to even entertain the thought that they would end up together. He was dead and she was alive. It was never going to work, and that was that. He simply couldn't hope for a different result because there wasn't one. She wasn't even single, for crying out loud. Yes, the person she was going to marry was a complete tool, and he couldn't fathom why a woman like Lara would even consider marrying someone like Brett, but this world was crazy.
He was dead for crying out loud, and yet here he was.
Currently, Mike was walking down Broadway, taking in the sights like the tourists that surrounded him. It was always easy to pick out the tourists from residents because the tourists always stopped and stared at New York's significant markers, taking pictures, pointing, while residents went on their way, wherever they were heading. When he was alive and had nothing to do, he would hang back and amuse himself by watching the tourists. If he happened to be with a friend, they would bet money on who was a resident and who wasn't.
Ironically enough, life seemed much more complicated now that he was dead compared to when he was alive.
He had been gone for the past few days, choosing to sleep—because, yes, he did sleep—in Central Park. There was always the option of sleeping in some grand hotel, living the life of a VIP, but Mike liked to immerse himself in the greenery. In fact, he slept near where he had taken Lara when they explored the fallen castle-like structure. Images of the two of them flashed before his eyes, and he felt himself warm at the mere thought of her. If he was being honest, he had never felt this way about anyone before.
He liked her. In fact, Mike was sure that he was on the verge of falling in love with her, dead or not, fiancé or not.
He couldn't help himself.
Then his logic would take over before he took the final step.
"Why can she see me?" he asked himself, and though the street he was on was crowded as it usually was, nobody turned to look at him. "Why can she hear me?" When no one else can, his mind finished. He glanced around, as though Broadway had the answer to these questions. It did for some people, just not for him, it would seem. "Why can she feel me?"
19
Mike finally decided to return on the fourth day sometime in the afternoon when he knew Brett wouldn't be home and Lara would be alone. She was sitting on her couch, watching the Wendy Williams Show and eating what looked to be a small pint of chocolate ice cream. Something inside of him wished that she was wallowing away in misery due to his absence and needed to eat something chocolate in order to assist with her sadness.
That's what women did, right?
Then he realized that that was probably not possible, she probably didn't even notice that he had been gone, and Brett had said something to upset her. That was most likely why she was upset. Not because of him.
Once Mike was back in the house, Lara immediately felt the difference in the atmosphere. However, a part of her was worried that she was just as mistaken as she had been yesterday. When a person missed someone bad enough, their imaginations could take advantage of their rationale, and she thought Mike had returned yesterday when he hadn't. She resisted a good two minutes before deciding to look over her shoulder. Looking over her shoulder was no big deal. It didn't mean anything. She could pretend that she had heard a fly, not that she felt a ghost's presence back in her house, one that she hadn't felt in what felt like forever.
However, when she glanced back, her breath involuntarily left her mouth and she simply stared. Mike was standing there, right before her eyes. His dark hair was messy, as it always was, and he was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and black slacks. His black eyes met hers, locked into them, didn't want to let them go.
What if this was a hallucination? What if he really wasn't standing before her, looking at her that way? What if he...? There was only one way to find out. She pushed into a standing position, refusing to break eye contact. She was afraid that if she even blinked, he would disappear and she would be alone once again. But he still remained when she walked around the couch and stopped directly in front of him. Without thinking, she reached out, her fingers hesitating only slightly. Mike seemed to know what she was about to do and held his breath, waiting to feel the pads of her fingers brush his skin. When they did, he closed his eyes and Lara let out a brilliant smile.
Without warning, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pulling him towards her. His head seemed to fit perfectly in the crook of her neck, and he took advantage of his placement by wrapping his arms tightly around her slender waist and subtly inhaling a deep breath of her hair. God, he had missed her. Why had he left in the first place again?
"Geez, Mike," she murmured against his shoulder, still afraid that if she let go, he might disappear once again. "Don't just leave without telling me. I was worried about you—" Her breath hitched and she realized just how hurt she felt. "I thought that you weren't coming back."
"I'll always come back to you," Mike said, tilting his head up so he could lock eyes with Lara.
"Oh, I'm so glad you're back!" she said with a grin as she laced her fingers through his and dragged him over to the couch. "I've been meaning to go to the beach sometime soon, but since I've been here, the weather has been temperamental. But finally, it's supposed to be in the eighties and I figured that today would be the perfect day. Coming from southern California, I am an expert on beaches and I wanted to see what New York had to offer, and since you're pretty much from here, I was hoping you could show me a good one."
When she looked up at him with those wide green eyes and that puppy-dog face, he knew there was nothing he would deny her, not even the world. His lips curled up when he realized that he was completely fine with such circumstances, and finally nodded his head.
"Okay," he agreed. "I'll take you to the beach. But you should probably get dressed in something more beach-friendly. And don't forget the sunscreen."
In a manner of minutes, Lara was dressed in a golden one-piece bathing suit with the sides cut out. It dipped low in the front, and besides the string that tied the bathing suit together, there was no back. Her legs were covered by a black pair of board shorts, and over her shoulder was a beach bag filled with a towel, sunscreen, snacks, and other things that Mike couldn't see and wasn't sure if he wanted to.
"Took you long enough," he said dryly, giving her a teasing smile. "Come on, let's go, or else parking is going to be a bitch—and don't get me started on how crowded it's going to be. Although, to be honest, not many people here actually like to go to the beach, you know."
"That's, like, blasphemy," Lara said seriously, and Mike chuckled at the look on her face.
"Oh, you are such a California girl, aren't you?" he asked her, and then gestured at her bag. "Here, let me get that for you."
"Well, aren't you the gentleman?" Lara said, though she was reveling in his chivalry. Such a trait in a man was especially hard to come by nowadays, and Lara was happy to see that Mike was one of the few men who had acquired such a trait. So what if he was dead?
Like Mike said, the beach was full. As Lara got out of the car and grabbed the bag, Mike glanced around, trying to find a place for the two of them to reside that wasn't close to a lot of people so she didn't have to keep pretending to be on her cell phone to talk to him. It took a couple of minutes but he found one close to the water and he grabbed her wrist and started to lead her towards the destination before anyone else could grab it. Lara had no idea where he was taking her, but the feeling of his fingers coiled around hers caused her mouth to remain closed just so she could concentrate on the feeling. She had already come to the conclusion that she was in love with Mike, but she couldn't actually do anything about it, and in moments like these, she wanted to take advantage of it.
"Mike!" Lara exclaimed once they reached the place. It was far away enough where she could talk to Mike without feeling like a fool or needing her headset. "This place is perfect!"
"Well, I have been here, you know," he told her, and though he tried not to look into her words, he felt a swell of pride bubble up in his chest.
It took another few moments, but Mike and Lara set up their place, complete with two towels, some snacks, and some beach playthings.
"Mike?" she asked, her voice tentative as she glanced over her shoulder. Mike was wearing a T-shirt and green board shorts. In fact, it was the first time Lara had seen him in a T-shirt. He was really good-looking, she realized. Somewhere inside of her, she couldn't wait for him to take off his shirt and get in the water. Okay, getting off track now. Mike glanced up and met his black eyes with hers, perking his brow, indicating that he wanted to know what she needed. "Do you think, whenever you get a chance, you could put the sunscreen on my back?"
Mike stared at her for a moment, as though he didn't quite hear the question until he walked over to her and sat down behind her. "Uh, sure," he said, his raspy lilt slightly nervous. "Sure, of course." He grabbed the bottle of sunscreen and dabbed some of the white lotion into his hand before hesitating slightly. He was going to touch her back, one of the most intimate places on her body. After a moment, he did, and both felt a sense of rightness with the intimate touch. They would never say this out loud, of course.
"So," he began, trying to start some sort of conversation so things wouldn't be too awkward. "How do you like the beach then? Since you're such an expert and all." His lips curled up into a smile she couldn't see.
"It's nice," she allowed, but it wasn't too certain. "But, to be honest, it's not as beautiful as the Pacific."
"You know," he said, rubbing her shoulders with the lotion. He could feel her lean back into his touch. "You're giving up so much for this guy. Why is that?"
"Compromise," Lara said, and oddly enough, her voice didn't get defensive or accusing. "That's what marriage is about."
"I know I'd never make you give up something that important to you," Mike whispered into her ear, his hot breath causing goosebumps to spring up on her skin.
Lara turned, managing to lock her eyes with his. "I know," she murmured. "But I'm not getting married to you. I'm getting married to Brett."
20
Mike and Lara got home from the beach close to four o'clock. To be honest, Lara didn't think she had ever had so much fun at the beach, even though she preferred California's to New York's. It must have had to do with the company she had, and Mike, though he couldn't be seen by the beach's population, was ridiculously fun to be around. They played all sorts of different games and had a splashing war in the cold water. Although she must have really looked like a loon splashing nothingness and shrieking when what appeared to be a small wave hit her. But if people thought she was odd in any way, no one mentioned it to her, and even if they had, she probably wouldn't have cared.
Then, Mike took off his shirt, and Lara couldn't help but stare. His skin was pale, but she already knew that, and she really didn't care one way or the other. Whatever worked for him, worked for her. It wasn't as though he was ripped, but he was still svelte, and it fit who he was. In fact, Lara thought that just the sight of him without his shirt and with the smile that reached his black eyes caused her to fall more in love with him than she thought possible.
Goodness, she was in love with a ghost, but it didn't seem to matter to her.
When the two finally decided to call it a day, they packed up and headed home. The first thing Lara did upon reaching her house was shower. Though she loved the beach, she hated the feeling of wet sand between her toes. Actually, she hated the feeling of wet sand clinging to her anywhere and she wanted the sand currently littering her body completely removed. She came back downstairs in pajamas, her damp hair into a ponytail, and saw Mike downstairs in the kitchen. She also saw Brett.
For whatever reason, her heart jumped into her throat. "Shit," she muttered under her breath, and when she reached the room, she looked at her fiancé. "Brett, I am so sorry. I know, I know, I should have had dinner and everything ready by the time you got home, but I lost track of time. I decided to go to the beach because the weather—"
Before Lara could continue to explain, Brett's index finger was pressed gently against her lips. "It's okay," he told her. "Actually, I'm glad you didn't have dinner waiting because if you had, my plan would be ruined." He gave her a mysterious smile, and Lara glanced over at Mike, who, oddly enough, refused to meet her eyes. "I want to take you out on a date, Lara. I feel that maybe I haven't been paying much attention to you since you came out here, and for that, I'm sorry. But I thought that I could make it up to you by taking you out. There's dancing there too."
Mike snorted, rolling his black eyes, and though Brett had no idea he was there, Lara did, and she flashed her eyes at him in a warning manner.
"I'd love to go out with you," she agreed. "Just let me get dressed first, okay?"
"You have about an hour before we have to leave," he told her, glancing at his Rolex. "Look gorgeous, okay?"
Forty-eight minutes later, Lara walked down the stairs in a red dress that dipped low in the front and clung to her body almost savagely. On her feet, she was wearing a pair of black high heels that caused her butt to push out one way while her breasts were thrust the other way. High heels were a particularly favorable invention when it came to showing off one's assets. Her hair was down, wavy and natural, and her makeup was bold without being too drastic.
"You look amazing," Brett said as he pulled Lara into a tight hug. "Next time, though, I would love to see the way you look with straight hair."
Mike watched the exchange with an increasing level of jealousy. He was positioned in the corner of the kitchen so if Lara looked over, she would see him, but currently, her focus was on the man she was going to be marrying.
Mike was normally not a jealous man. Whenever a girlfriend tried to make him jealous in order to feel desired, the plan would always backfire because, in Mike's mind, he was over the games and didn't want to be treated like some pawn. He wasn't a macho Alpha male either, which is what a lot of women wanted. However, he also had never met a woman like Lara before, and he couldn't help but be jealous of the man she was marrying, a man who didn't deserve her but thought that he did.
Those were the kind of men women needed to stay away from. If a man thought he deserved a woman, he wasn't worth it. At least, that's what Mike always thought.
He couldn't help himself. When Brett led Lara into the car, Mike decided to follow them, just to see where they were going, just to see if Brett would actually dance with her. He kept the car locked in his sight but hung back a few feet. If Lara turned around and spotted Mike, things probably wouldn't go as planned, and Mike wasn't ready for a confrontation. He just wanted to observe. To see if he was as genuine as Lara thought he was.
The restaurant itself was located in the city, and as Brett promised, not only did it offer fine cuisine, but there was a jazz band playing music that originated in the nineteen twenties, and a hardwood dance floor, a few couples already swaying to the music on the offered space. Brett also wasn't lying when he told Lara he had made reservations for the two. Once they checked into the packed restaurant, a hostess led the couple to a secluded table.
Mike stepped in at that moment and tried to camouflage with the other waiters, hoping Lara wouldn't notice him. He watched them for a good half hour, and when they were waiting for their food, Mike watched as Brett led her to the dance floor.
God, she looked beautiful. What killed him was just how happy she looked being with Brett, being in his arms, dancing with him. If only Mike could hold her like that, if only Mike had the opportunity to dance with her, if only Mike could make her smile in such a way, her eyes to sparkle the way they did.
And Brett?
Brett didn't realize a good thing when he saw it. Yes, he knew Lara was good-looking, but did he know that Lara's favorite color was yellow, and she had thirty-four freckles on her left cheek, while only thirty-two on the right one? Did he know that Lara's favorite show was The Wendy Williams Show and that she loved California more than anything in the world? Did Brett know just how lucky he was?
At that moment, familiar green eyes made contact with his own black eyes, and he knew that he was caught. Mike watched as Lara whispered into Brett's ear and then left his embrace, only to walk over to her table, pulling out her cell phone. She flipped it opened and pretended to talk on it, keeping her eyes on him the whole time.
"Hey Mom," she said into the receiver as she got closer to Mike, who was currently standing in the hallway where payphones and restrooms were. "What are you doing here? Can't you see I'm on a date? You're not invited to the date, Mike. This is between me and Brett, not me and Brett and you."
For whatever reason—it was probably the feeling of the unfamiliar jealousy coursing through his system, Mike felt himself get defensive. "Maybe it's not between you, me, and Brett, but it must be between you, him, and practically every other woman out there!" Mike exclaimed, his brows pushed together. "I mean, I just don't understand, Lara, how anyone could buy into Brett's bullshit when it's quite obvious that he's been checking out every woman here since the two of you arrived!"
"You know what I don't understand?" Lara asked, crossing her arms over her chest, though the action was awkward because she had to balance the phone between her ear and shoulder. She arched a cool brow at him. "Why are you purposefully trying to break us up? We are happy. Why are you doing this?"
"Maybe that's why you can see me," Mike pointed out, and raised a brow to challenge Lara's. "You have heard about guardian angels, haven't you? Maybe I'm here to try and get you away from Brett because he's not right for you. Have you ever thought about that?"
Lara opened her mouth to respond but shut it abruptly. Maybe she hadn't thought of that.
"I don't believe you," she said as though that was that, no more arguing. "I'll even take you to a psychic to prove that you're wrong."
