Page 19 of Sky’s Guide To Getting His Man & Banishing Ghosts (The Dreamwalkers #1)

Chapter

Sixteen

Kingston

Spending time with my pops had been amazing. I was kind of annoyed at both my grandparents for keeping me out of the loop on all the things. It didn’t make sense. Gran had said she wanted to protect me, but Pops admitted that she’d kept me in the dark at his request.

It had devastated her for my mom to turn away from how she’d been raised, and he’d wanted me to walk my own path without the potential of her being disappointed.

Considering I’d devoted my whole life to seeking out the places I’d seen in my dreams and researching the various hauntings and legends of Willowhope, I didn’t get it.

Had he been worried that I’d be scared off?

I didn’t understand, but I also hadn’t been there when my mom had forsaken all that she’d seen and done for the man she loved.

As I followed Sky into his room, I thought about what my pops had said about the adorable man in front of me.

Pops had been hanging around the manor since the first time Jetty had me come over.

He’d wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting messed up with the wrong kind of people, and then he’d stayed for the show.

He thought that Mr. Harry bumping heads and training Buck was hilarious, especially once they fell for each other. He was impressed by Chance’s and his mom’s gifts, and by Jetty’s and Marc’s steadfastness.

The person who stole the show for him, though, was Skylar. My pops thought that he was everything I needed in a life partner and a witch. He’d implied that I should pull my head out of my ass and see what was right there in front of me.

I hadn’t dated much, or at all, really, but I’d hooked up before, and I watched Jetty and Chance’s relationship closely.

I wasn’t unaware that Sky showed signs of liking me.

It was just that I never thought that I’d be able to hold the attention of someone so fun and full of life.

I’d expected his interest to move on by now.

Everything had changed now. I’d had no idea this was an inherited gift or that it was possible for me to have someone come with me.

I could only imagine what Sky would say about some of the things I saw with my eyes closed and my brain shut off, free to roam whichever way it wanted.

Sky jumped into the middle of the bed on the side closest to the door and patted the spot next to him.

Instead of arguing with him, I did what I’d been wanting to do since our enthusiastic hug earlier. I walked over, leaned down, and lifted him up bridal style.

Sky’s eyes widened with shock. “What are you doing?”

“Moving you to the other side. I don’t want you wandering around without me knowing.”

Gingerly, he placed his arm around my shoulders and grinned. “A guy could get used to this.”

His green eyes twinkled up at me, and I said the most honest thing I’d ever said to this man. “I’d be okay with that.”

His grin widened into a full, toothy smile. “Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

Before I sat him down, he darted up and pressed his soft, pillowy lips to mine, making my heart flutter and my belly swoop, then he jumped out of my arms, lay down, and patted the other side of the mattress in invitation. “Come on, big guy. It’s been a long day for both of us.”

Instead of walking around again, I climbed over the top of him and heard his breath hitch as my larger frame passed over the top of his smaller one. I wanted to drop down on top of him and deepen the peck he’d given me into a real kiss.

Not feeling quite brave enough, I finished crawling over him and dropped down. Once we were lying side by side, I said, “I’ve never slept in bed with another man before.”

“Never? Not even Jetty?”

Turning my head on the pillow, I scrunched my nose. “ Ew . No.”

Sky giggled. “Oh, so you’ve never slept with someone you’re interested in or had sex with before? Is that what you mean?”

Someone as extroverted and vivacious as Sky had surely had more boyfriends and lovers than I’d ever even wanted.

More for curiosity’s sake than anything, I’d done all the things other guys were getting up to in their early twenties.

It didn’t take me long to realize that the enjoyment of the physical release wasn’t worth the discomfort it took for me to get in position to have said tryst or the awkwardness after the final explosion.

My one long-term hook-up had been exactly that—a hook-up, and we’d certainly never spent the night together.

“I’ve never been comfortable enough to sleep in bed with another man, honestly.”

Sky’s eyelashes fluttered. “Oh.” He licked his lips, and I followed the motion of his tongue. “But you are with me? Or is this because I’m making you?”

Taking a deep breath, I took a chance I’d never thought I’d have the nerve to take. I opened my arms wide.

He didn’t give me a second to doubt myself, but squished right into my space, tucked his head into the crook of my neck, and clutched at my shirt. “King?” he asked.

Gently, I rested my arm across his waist, setting my hand on his back and pulling him in closer until there wasn’t an inch between us. My heart raced, but I could feel his doing the same thing.

Would this be where he told me that what my pops suspected or what the other ghosts had implied was wrong?

Would he friendzone me? Or would he ask me if I wanted to have sex?

I wasn’t sure I was ready for that either.

But maybe something. I wanted—needed—to feel close to him. Know that he was alive and safe.

As much as his texts, calls, and general following me around had been nerve-wracking, I’d been growing more comfortable in his presence.

Since Jetty had brought him up, I’d thought that maybe at some point I’d ask Sky out, but I’d been waiting for Ego, the pop star, to leave. No way I was competing with him.

Now things were so wonky. Why did my gran have to involve him in this before I was ready? Why had they waited so long to tell me? Maybe I’d have felt less like Jetty’s weirdo friend if I’d known that my pops had gone through the same struggles. “Yeah?”

“I love your hugs, so I was wondering if it would be okay if we snuggled all night?”

“Yes,” I said unnecessarily loudly, so I lowered my voice. “I would like that.”

“Me, too. A lot.”

I fell asleep with a smile on my face. Sky was safely in my arms, so maybe I’d get some real sleep tonight.

I stared down at me and Sky in his bed. He shuffled around with the top of his head the only thing peeking out of the covers. I’d never had an out-of-body experience before. Generally, I dream-woke already far away.

Sky lifted up on one elbow and stared down at my face with a little smile playing around his lips. “King?” he whispered. “I’m kind of scared. Will you make me feel better?”

I wanted to call out and let him know I was right here, that he’d have to talk louder, maybe shake me a little, to pull me back into my body so that I could comfort him. I wanted to do that for him.

Confused, I watched my own eyes open, and my large hands reach up, framing his delicate face. Sky nuzzled into one palm. “Sorry to wake you.”

“You can always wake me, Sky. Anything you need. You know that.”

A mischievous grin slid across his face. Reaching up, he stroked one finger down my cheek. I, well, not me, but that version of me, turned his head and kissed the inside of Sky’s wrist.

“I’ve got some ideas,” Sky said as he crawled up and straddled me—him—whatever.

What the fuck?

This made no sense. I was right…

And it hit me. I was inside of Skylar Reign’s dream. Holy goddess! In his sleep, he’d sought me out for—Oh! Buck and Jetty and everyone else who’d insinuated Sky liked me, wanted me, had been right.

I peered into the darkness, watching him roll his hips on top of me, pushing his ? —

Shit! I had to stop this. I couldn’t be here for this. This felt intrusive and creepy on so many levels. It wasn’t fair for me to get inside his head in this way without his knowledge, but what could I do?

I yelled, “Sky! Sky!” at the top of my lungs.

I hoped that somehow, someway, my urgency and energy would disrupt him enough to wake up and let me out of this…

Okay, this wasn’t a nightmare. It was actually sexy as fuck watching him grind—I threw my hands over my eyes.

Voyeuring on my crush and myself while he was in the veil was just wrong. “Sky! Wake up!”

“What? Where am I?” his voice asked from next to me.

Yanking my hands off my eyes, I stared at him, mortified that he’d know what I’d seen. Except, the bed was no longer there, and we were…nowhere. Like in the clouds. Before I had a chance to answer, I blinked once, and we were back.

“What? What’s going on?” I asked groggily as my feet hit solid ground beneath me. Startled, I blinked rapidly, then rubbed my eyes. How was I in the middle of a field? I jumped at the sound of Kingston screaming my name next to me. “King?”

Yanking his hands off his own eyes—which that was weird—he stared at me, mouth dropping open. “Sky?”

He whipped around. “The field,” he mumbled. Then he laughed, sounding a tad hysterical. “Of course, the field!”

While he doubled over next to me, cackling like a hyena, the previous day came back to me in a rush.