Free Double Dating with the Dead by Karen Kelley

“You inhaled three of the doughnuts. I figure we’re even.” She whirled back around and waltzed out of the room pretty as you please. His gaze dropped and didn’t rise until she was out of sight.
    She had a nice twist in her walk.
    Trent glanced toward the box. He’d eaten three doughnuts without even realizing it. Damn. He reached into the box and took the last one. If he left it, it would just get hard by morning—that made two of them. Hell, being hard was becoming a chronic condition when he was around her.
    Sticking the pastry in his mouth, he carried his cup to the coffeepot and began fixing it again.
    They were good doughnuts, though. Fresh.
    As soon as the coffee was ready, he filled his cup and made his way back to his room, chewing the last bite. As he passed by the front door, something tugged at him. He went over and opened it.
    The crisp morning air drew him outside to the porch. Although he wasn’t in the country, it almost felt like it. The old hotel was really secluded.
    â€œHey, there,” a friendly voice called out.
    Trent turned. Matilda. He smiled. The woman reminded him of his great-aunt. At least pictures that he’d seen of her. She’d passed away before he was born.
    â€œI hope you don’t mind.” She raised her hand to show him some blue flowers in her hand. “They grow over by the fence. Wild ones. I thought they would look nice on the kitchen table. You don’t care that I picked a few, do you?”
    He smiled. “Take all you want.”
    She beamed back at him. “My Hiram loves the pretty blue color.” She nodded toward the hotel. “Are you planning on opening the place?”
    â€œWe’ll only be here for a couple of weeks.”
    Her smile drooped. “A shame. It would do the old hotel good if a young couple fixed it up and made it liveable again.” She tucked a loose strand of gray hair behind her ear.
    He started to tell her they weren’t a couple, but she began to speak again.
    â€œOh, I think I hear Hiram. He’ll be wanting his breakfast. We’re having sausage gravy, and biscuits as big as your fists. My Hiram is skinny as a rail, but he sure can pack the food in.” She chuckled before disappearing around the corner.
    Trent was still smiling as he went inside, that was, until he met Selena on the stairs.
    â€œWe should probably stick together most of the time. If Dixie or Wesley decide to appear, we’ll need to be together,” she said.
    Spending more time in her company? Perfect. More fodder for his book.
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œWho were you talking to?” she asked.
    â€œOur neighbor. She was stealing flowers.”
    She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. It served only to stretch her shirt taut against her breasts and outline her nipples.
    â€œAnd you didn’t have her arrested?”
    â€œNah, I was afraid they might take you away with her and then you’d claim I’d cheated or something.” He stopped on the staircase when he drew even with her.
    â€œWhat do you mean by that?”
    He let his gaze slide over her. “You really should wear a bra. That top doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Unless you’re trying to seduce me, that is. Is that what you’re doing? Seducing me into believing there are such things as ghosts?”
    She drew in a deep breath.
    He nodded toward her. “That’s exactly what I mean. Damned tempting. Keep it up and you might get your wish.” He continued up the staircase, smiling all the way. Revenge was sweet. She spit and sputtered but no words came out. He expected her to explode any minute.
    â€œI’ll meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes,” he told her.
    There was a distinctive thump. As if she’d just stomped her foot. His grin widened.

Chapter 6
    H e had his nerve. Selena wanted to throw something. Scream at the top of her lungs. Instead she stomped to her room and