Winsgate Drive: The Haunted, #4

By Allie Harrison

Was it a dream? Or was it real?

He visited her at midnight in a dream. He was a stranger yet her lover, whose touch started a fire in her soul. His passion left her yearning for more even after she awoke.

With the morning light, she discovered him at her door, leaving her to question just how much of her midnight fantasy had been a dream.

Kate Mccoy can't resist Jake Casperson. Nor can she resist the passion that flares between them day or night. At the same time, neither of them can escape the dreams. But the dreams soon become a nightmare that is overshadowed by something darker...

A murder that happened seventy years ago. Two young lovers who share Kate and Jake's names.

Can she believe the dreams? Are they real, shared memories of a love cut short by murder?

And if they are, will history repeat itself and make Kate the next victim?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allie Harrison
• Release date: Oct 4, 2018
• ISBN: 9780996904865

Book preview

Prologue

Warmth pressed against her lips and spread through her body.

Kaitlan relaxed against the sensations flowing through her, no longer fighting to awaken. Why wake up when a dream could be so wonderful and real?

Kaitlan.

She couldn’t believe how the whispered sound of her name caused her flesh to tingle and a shiver to slither up her spine. It was like a soft caress to her ears, moving through her body, all the way to her soul.

She sighed, feeling the heat and gentle touch of his lips move down her neck. He paused his feather-light kiss at her pulse, causing it to quicken. He cupped her breast in his hand, and Kaitlan’s breath caught in her throat. Then his light, butterfly kisses found their way to where he teased her nipple with his tongue.

She groaned and felt as if she floated. At the same time, she was certain a bolt of lightning struck her somewhere in the pit of her stomach. Every sense was heightened with his touch. Somehow, he managed to set every cell of her body on fire.

His mouth remained as his hands moved down to explore the rest of her body, touching her, tickling her, driving her insane with want and need as she’d never experienced before. She found herself panting. Yet, at the same time, the need for oxygen didn’t seem as important as his next touch, his next kiss. Both of which she’d die without.

Please, she whispered. Please. She wasn’t even certain what she begged for. She only knew he could give it to her.

You want me? he asked, his voice nothing more than a hard whisper that seemed to come from inside her own mind.

Yes. She had to force the word out. She could barely speak; her throat was so tight. Hell, her entire body was tight. She felt like a rubber band, stretched to the max, ready to snap.

Say you love me, he ordered.

She didn’t hesitate. I love you, Jacob. She had no idea how she knew his name. Nor did she care. At that point, she would have done whatever he asked, said whatever he required. She looked up at him. He was nothing more than a shadow in the dark. Yet, she knew exactly what he looked like; she knew every distinct feature and line of his face. She knew his hair was light brown and his eyes were the color of rich chocolate. She knew she could easily get lost in those eyes. She knew that the intense way he looked at her could make her melt.

You are so beautiful.

Heat moved up her neck to her face. No, I’m not.

Don’t argue with me. He slipped his fingers through her hair. I love your hair cut this way. It makes your curls look like I’ve just done this. He combed his fingers through her hair again, then cupped the back of her head before returning his lips to hers in a hot caress.

His kiss left her breathless. My hair’s been cut like this for a long time… Oh, this is the best dream I’ve ever had.

He chuckled. Hold tight, my love. This is going to be a wild ride.

He slipped inside her and his ride took her to a place she never knew existed. Her legs around him, her arms around him, she barely held on. At the ride’s climax, her world exploded, sending sparks and licking flames through her body.

I didn’t know it could be like this, she admitted.

He kissed her again and held her closer as her breath calmed and the room came back into focus. She felt him move away and she tried to hold him tighter. Don’t leave me.

I can only stay a while, my Kaitlan. But I’ll leave you a rose to show you my love. He held her spooned against him, her back against his chest, his strong arms around her. Never before had she felt so loved, so cherished.

She smiled in her sleep. She could feel every hard, perfect inch of him.

What a dream, she muttered, feeling herself sinking deeper into the dark realms of sleep.

But from somewhere in her dreamland, she heard his voice. It was no dream...

Of course, it was. I don’t know anyone named Jacob.

You’ve known me forever.

She only sighed and snuggled closer against him, letting sleep take her completely. Sometime later, she felt him move off the bed and leave her. She rolled over and forced her eyes open, just long enough to take in the digital clock on the nightstand. It was 5:03 AM, much too early to get up. She let sleep fold her in its clutches again.

1

The morning light in her eyes woke her. Feeling stiff and disoriented, she rolled over and blinked at the clock. 7:34 AM.

Kate McCoy jumped out of bed. She was usually on her way to school by now. There was no time for her shower. She took two steps toward the bathroom and stopped.

Her body was sore. She felt as if she’d run a race all night.

And her nightshirt was gone.

She looked down at her naked body as if she’d never seen herself before. Then she turned back to the bed. Her over-sized, white cotton night shirt that read, Late Night Parties are So Overrated, was in a heap on the floor.

Then the dream flooded her memory, filling her thoughts completely and making her forget all about being late for work. His face flashed through her mind—or at least what she thought his face would look like. No, she was pretty certain she knew every detail despite the fact it was dark and he had been nothing more than a shadow. She remembered how he smelled, all clean man and outdoors and…

Something oddly like paint.

She remembered how his whispered words made her tingle. She remembered the feel of his soft skin over hard muscles, and how his kiss tasted. Even now, the memory of every touch woke the need to be touched again.

What a dream. She ran her fingers through her hair, only to be reminded of the way he’d done the same thing before he cupped the back of her head and held her closer to kiss her. Her dream lover—whoever he was—had been right. It had certainly been a ride. Wild enough to make me lose my night shirt. Damn. All right girl, you’ve got to put your dream lover out of your mind for now. You’ve got kids to teach, and they can’t see you with perky nipples.

She trod into the bathroom. The reflection that stared back at her from the mirror did indeed look wild. The short tawny waves of her hair went in every direction. Her cheeks were flushed and rosy. There were faint dark circles beneath her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept a wink. Her lips were pink and slightly swollen. Of all days to look like this. Damn, but she needed a shower. And there simply was not time.

She brushed her teeth and put on her makeup quicker than the speed of light. She brushed her hair, not that it mattered. It had a mind of its own and nothing she could do to it, short of wash it and blow dry it, was going to change it. Her colleagues were bound to think she’d spent the night in a wind tunnel.

No, she’d spent the night in the arms of a mysterious lover…

Stop. Just stop. She sighed loudly, thinking no matter how many times she told herself to stop thinking about him, it probably wasn’t going to happen. She dressed as fast as humanly possible and headed out the door with a half a bagel in hand. She could drive, but she needed the walk to mentally prepare, so she took off, walking to school at a clipped pace to give herself some energy. Thank goodness it was only three blocks away.

She managed to arrive at school with four minutes to spare. This was not a good start. She needed at least fifteen to ready herself to handle 17 six-year-olds.

Normally, if she had to rush in the morning, the rest of the day was a rush, as well.

Today was no exception to that rule.

She was tired and out of sorts, and her kids were as unruly as she didn’t need them to be, continually trying her patience. Little Marion White spilled her carton of milk at snack time. John Gill broke the lead of his pencil and sharpened it four times until there was very little pencil left. To top things off, it started to rain just before recess, and Kate was forced to keep them in the classroom to play.

Janey Martin and Gwen Paulson fought over a doll and managed to tear the head off it before Kate could intervene. Then, at rest period, when they were all supposed to be lying on their mats listening to the audio book of Charlotte’s Web while Kate took her own break at her desk, Tommy Castle came up to ask if he could go to the wash room. Then he bumped her coffee cup, spilling her entire cup of coffee all over her desk blotter and lesson planner.

Throughout all of this, her dream lover stayed at the top of her thoughts. Frustrated at the way she had to continue to force him away, the bell at the end of the school day could not come quick enough. By the time it finally did, Kate was ready to pull out her hair, and she was glad to see the children go. But, after they were gone, she found herself wishing they hadn’t. For then she was left alone again with her memories of a dream that still felt so real.

You look like you’ve had a rough day.

Kate looked up to find her friend and colleague, Maddie Jackson, standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. If you can’t handle first grade, we’ll have to send you back to kindergarten.

Kate smiled. Now you’re going to tell me that your fourth-graders were a breeze today, too, I guess.

Of course, they were. They always are on Fridays.

Kate shoved ungraded papers and her wet, sticky lesson-plan book into her bag.

Do you want to meet Gabe and me at the Main Line for some supper? They’re having the all-you-can-eat fish special tonight. Maddie shifted her position and leaned against the other side of the frame.

No, thanks, Kate replied. I need some rest.

Maddie flashed her easy smile. Maddie was the first person she’d met when she arrived in Port James the year before to take the offered teaching job. And it had been that easy smile of hers that made Kate feel welcome. They’d become instant friends. Were you up all night again watching an old classic movie on TMC?

Kate picked up her bag and turned to her friend. No. She debated whether or not to share the details of last night’s shady yet erotic events. It was so personal, even if it was just a dream. Maddie, have you ever had a dream so real you were tired when you woke up?

Maddie didn’t reply right away. No, not that I can remember. I have had dreams where I keep waking up. Then I’m tired. But I don’t remember actually being tired because of the dream. Why?

Because I had one. My body even feels sore, like I worked out for two hours without stopping.

Did you run a marathon in your dream? Maddie asked seriously.

No. Heat rose into her face just thinking about it. It was…erotic.

Oh, one of those. Maddie was still serious, which made talking about it easier.

What do you mean ‘one of those’?

"I mean, you’ve been here for over a year and you have not been out with one single guy. Maybe you need some male bonding time, you know dinner? A movie? Some polite conversation? Maybe even some kissing? Sex? Dessert with whipped cream? It wouldn’t hurt you to have a social life."

Kate looked at Maddie. She already felt drained from her previous night’s kissing and sex. Maddie’s words could have been spoken in a different language for all the effect they had on Kate. She was just too tired. And she wasn’t ready. Not yet. But she knew Maddie only wanted the best for her. So, for now, she played along. And just who would I choose for this spectacular event?

Before Maddie could reply, Kate went on. Besides you and I both know the only decent man left around this town was Gabe, and you snatched him up. Now all that’s left are men who are old enough to be my grandfather and men who smell like fish. In most cases, those two qualities are combined.

Maddie laughed. You don’t make this easy.

Oh, I know it isn’t easy.

Maddie grew serious again. I just worry about you and I hate to see you still hurting. How long has it been since you signed the final papers?

I’m not hurting, not anymore. Kate avoided answering the question. I’m just being cautious.

Maddie refused to let it die. Come on, it’s been almost a year since you signed the papers and it was all finalized. And how many months before that did he cheat on you with—

I don’t want to talk about it, Kate interrupted, avoiding Maddie’s gaze and pretending to look at something on her desk. But no matter how much she avoided the subject, it didn’t help even though the only hurt that was left was the pain to her pride at being cheated on. It ate at her like a hungry monster with big, sharp teeth. Hell, the hurt in her heart hadn’t lasted long at all. However, her wounded pride continued to remind her that her husband—now ex-husband—screwed around on her with one of the young, spring-chicken students from the one of the college classes he taught.

I’m sorry to bring it up or make you feel like I’m beating it into the ground. Maddie stepped into the room and closer to Kate. But I’m tired of seeing him hurt you—still. He took so much from you. You worked to pay for his education, and as soon as he didn’t need that anymore, he went after the first skirt he could catch. Don’t let him hurt you anymore. Besides, her grin was back, not all men are alike. And I happen to know a few who don’t smell like fish.

Kate chuckled. You’re right.

Maddie placed a companionable arm around Kate’s shoulders. I know I’m right. I dated a few of them before I hooked Gabe.

I know. When are you meeting him?

Maddie looked up at the clock on the wall. In about ten minutes.

Then you’d better go, or you’ll be late. And I’d hate for him to think it was because of me.

Can I give you a ride home first? Maddie asked. It looks like it could rain again.

Kate shook her head. No, thanks. I have my umbrella. And between the sleepless night and the kids today, I need to walk and clear my head.

Okay, if you insist. Maddie’s voice was filled with reluctance. But listen, if you’re not planning anything for tomorrow, give me a call. We could hit some antique shops or something. Maybe we’ll find some bargains to help fill up that big, old house of yours.

Kate nodded and slung her bag over her shoulder. That’d be great.

They walked out the door together, and Kate locked it behind her.

See you later. Maddie lingered, seeming hesitant to step away and leave her.

But Kate didn’t want her to worry. I’ll call you later. She reached out and gave her friend a quick, reassuring hug. A few moments later, after watching Maddie drive away, Kate was glad to be alone. She took a deep breath of salty air and allowed herself to relax. All day, her heart and mind were up and down, twisting about with thoughts and feelings about the man in her dream. She now regretted telling Maddie about him.

But for the first time all day, she actually allowed her thoughts to focus on the dream. She remembered every touch, every kiss with such detail, as though a movie were playing in her head, as though the dream had been real. She could still hear the sound of her dream lover’s whispered words, of the breathy way he said her name—her full name. She could still smell the musky, enticing scent of