Chapter 31

Marcus

SIX MONTHS LATER

"Everyone's in place, Marcus," Erica said in his earpiece. "Let me know when you set off and I'll see you soon!"

Hanging up the phone, Marcus looked up as customers piled onto the new bus, taking their seats. God, he was so nervous. This was the biggest step they had taken so far. Each time, he thought they couldn't do better and then Erica thought up a new idea.

She had been a miracle for him.

As she liked to say, he was the talent, and she was the brains.

After they returned from Alex's place, both he and Erica agreed to throw themselves into the business.

The relaunch had been a roaring success. The addition of actors really brought the tour to life, adding a touch of humanity and extra spooks.

Erica herself had taken on the roles of three separate women from history.

First, it was Agnes, the accused witch who haunted the local tavern, still owned by the family who had accused her. Then she became Rose, the woman who caused the deaths of over a hundred families in the days of the plague. Finally, she took on the role of Jenny, the young woman murdered alongside her lover in the hotel room where they conducted their affair.

The customers loved her. Eventually, she got so good she could become all three women in one night, costumes and all. Given her success, Marcus was keen to add more actors to add some more dramatics to the tour. Erica put the feelers out to the local drama school and a bunch of promising young actors came out, happy for the experience and practice.

The tours had become more popular. They had gone from one show a night with weekends off, to working two tours a night, running specials on weekends. They had employees now, actors stayed on, and college students in need of a part-time role. Every ghost on the tour had a dedicated actor. Marcus loved nothing more than seeing his customers get the scares they sought.

They'd managed to keep their costs low and saved every penny they could, working towards their latest venture - the tour bus.

He never would have had this without her.

With that in mind, and determined to make her proud, he climbed aboard the bus and donned his most dramatic voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the Ghost Rider! At Phantom Footsteps, we dedicate ourselves to showing you the most famous ghosts of our great city.

"I promise you there are scares to be had. This isn't a tour for the faint of heart. We can't guarantee any paranormal activity, but regardless, we'll get your heart racing. Please keep this in mind and stay safe.

"With all that said, my name is Marcus, and I will be your host this evening. Now, if we're all ready, let's go find some ghosts!"

"We did it, we did it, we did it!" Erica launched herself at him, still in her Agnes costume, as she jumped into his arms. He caught her automatically, spinning her around and sharing in her elation.

"We did! This was all you, Erica." He kissed her cheek as she moved her head, catching the corner of her mouth instead. They looked at one another and chuckled as he released her gently, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Seriously, I couldn't have done this without you."

"I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anyone else," she said, grinning from ear to ear. "Never in my life did I imagine this would be my job, but I love every minute. I love doing this with you."

His heart soared at her words, warmth rushing through his veins.

If only she realised what an incredible influence she brought to his world. The past six months had gone by in a blur but in the best possible way. They'd grown closer with every passing day, each other's biggest support during the fallout of their broken marriages.

Now, he could honestly say she was his closest friend, and the one person he couldn't and didn't want to live without.

The growing tension between them was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

"We need to celebrate," he said, glancing over her shoulder as the guys packed up for the night. "We should get everyone together and go to Pilgrims."

"That sounds fun," she replied. "We can go see if the real Agnes is haunting the place tonight."

He grinned at her. "Exactly. Do you want to gather the troops, and I'll lock up?"

Her eyes lingered on his for a moment, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Sure, Marcus. I'll see you in a sec." She kissed his cheek before walking away, looking over her shoulder at him. Out of nowhere, his groin tightened as she bit her lip, his heart giving a hard thump.

Oh, God. She was going to be the death of him.

Pushing his attraction for her to the back of his mind, he focused on the task at hand — locking up their garage and securing their most precious things. He glanced over at the group, who were laughing at something Erica said, observing her from a distance and allowing himself to really see her.

As fantastic as these past six months had been, they had also been some of the hardest of his life. It wasn't easy to want her and not have her. But it was an unspoken rule between them.

Not yet. Not now.

Until she looked at him like that .

Now, she wasn't just Erica, his best friend, but Erica, goddess on earth , and her looks were only part of the package. Her very being was a blessing. She exuded warmth with her friendly and inviting nature. Her quick wit and jovial spirit made her a delight to be around, attracting people towards her effortlessly. She could brighten any room she walked into, drawing attention with her radiance.

Even now, as he watched her interact with the crew, she commanded their attention and they hung on her every word. She had the potential to use that to her advantage, to use people for her own gain, but she was too kind-hearted for that. Too down-to-earth.

He was crazy about her in every way that counted.

"Hey, are you coming or not?" Erica called to him, pulling him out of his head. He chuckled to himself and jogged over to the group, muttering his apologies. Erica curled her arm around his and grinned up at him. "Let's go then."

They must have made some scene as they walked into the tavern not long after. Some of the crew were still in their make-up, but no one seemed to mind much. They found a corner and piled into a booth.

The drinks were flowing, Erica leading the conversation.

"So that's three non-believers, two unsure, and the rest of us in Camp Ghostie. Well, that makes it easier to decide who gets a raise!"

Their small group broke into laughter, conversations splitting off. The energy was electric. Erica sat by his side, some part of her body constantly touching his. Her fingers teased over the back of his hand, intentionally or not, as they listened to the barman recount his experiences with the real Agnes.

"You look quite like her," he said to Erica, looking her up and down. Marcus didn't miss the interest in his eye and moved his arm around her shoulders, staking his claim.

It surprised him how possessive he felt about her. But he couldn't deny the jealousy he felt as he imagined her leaving with the barman.

As each hour ticked by, the group got smaller and smaller, until only Erica and Marcus remained. The barman had moved his attention to another of their actresses who was hanging on to his every word.

The night had flown by in a haze of laughter, flirtations and booze.

Marcus had got completely sloshed, and Erica didn't fare any better. Her eyes were bright and animated, her smile a permanent fixture on her face. The mood was different now, quieter. Erica rested her head on her hand as she leaned her elbow on the table.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," he said, laughing. "You didn't answer my question."

"Ask me again? I don't think I was listening." Her cheeks flushed, her tone amused. God, she was fucking beautiful.

"Rude!" He poked her side playfully. "I said, ‘Is it time to call a cab yet'?"

"In a minute," she said, nodding. "I want to ask you something first."

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Have things changed between us?" The rest of the bar faded away instantly, her words ringing in his head. He was vaguely aware of the barman placing yet another drink in front of them as he focused his attention on Erica. "Because I think they have."

"Changed how?" He asked.

"We keep having these moments," she said, sitting up and taking a drink. "And they're always kinda… hot. And kinda… exciting." She bit her lip. Again. Fuck, what was she doing to him?

"From that very first meeting all those months ago, there's been a spark between us. Unspoken feelings. Unspoken longing …"

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed.

"And aside from that kiss on Christmas day, we've been very careful around each other. Careful not to let our gaze linger too long. Careful not to be too touchy. We've given each other time to heal from our marriages and yet we've been ignoring the easiest way to get over someone."

"And what's that?" He asked, his heart beginning to race.

"Getting under someone else. "

"You don't sound like you'd mind that too much," he teased, trying to stay relaxed.

"I don't," she replied, simply. "But I'd feel pretty foolish if I was out here by myself feeling some kind of way."

He didn't hesitate, didn't think for a second.

Pulling her close, he moved his hands into her hair, letting it fall through his fingers like silk as his lips crashed into hers.

It wasn't a gentle kiss.

Months of holding back, of never allowing himself a second glance, wouldn't allow him to be gentle. But neither was she as she kissed him back with such ferocity, his cock stirred in his pants. She nipped his lip once, and he returned the favour, pulling back after a moment, breathing heavily.

"So, feeling foolish?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No. Feeling horny. I think it's time for that cab, Marcus. Don't keep a girl waiting."