Ghostly Deceptions

By Jill James

Spirit possession made her do it.

There can be no other reason why she had sex with Luke Tremain, the last man on earth she would sleep with. Why else did she enjoy it so much? How could she want to do it again?

Prosecutor Andrea Martin-Stovall has her life in total control like a well-written court brief until the day she doesn't.

Suddenly, she is cutting her hair shorter than it has been in her life, buying a sexy, new wardrobe nothing like her conservative law outfits, and seducing men she doesn't know or remember the next day.

When her life spirals out of her control, she is forced to admit her only solution is Ghost Releasers and their devilishly handsome producer, Luke Tremain.

Can they save her in time, or will her body and mind belong to another?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jill James
• Release date: Aug 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215693087

Jill James

Jill James is a self published author, with books in contemporary, paranormal, and zompoc romance. She didn't start out wanting to be a writer. She wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut, and President of the United States. Along the way, life happened and she realized she could be all those things; between the pages of the books she wrote. She lives in Northern Nevada with her husband, the inspiration for all her romance novel heroes.When she isn't writing, she is reading. She also collects salt and pepper shakers on her vacations.

Book preview

Ghostly Deceptions

(Ghost Releasers, Inc., Book 2)

Jill James

Other Books in Series

Ghostly Intentions

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Jill James Writes

Published by Gray Sweater Press

Copyright © August 2021 by Jill James

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author and all incidents are pure invention.

Cover Art designed by Elaina Lee of For The Muse Design

This book is dedicated to the ghost hunters and ghost believers of the world. Sometimes you have to see the paranormal to believe in the paranormal.

Blurb:

Level-headed lawyer Andrea Martin-Stovall doesn’t believe in the paranormal until she is possessed by Andi, a ghost from the 1920s. Despite her sister’s misadventures with the otherworldly realm, she disbelieves until the ghost takes her body and her mind. Luke Tremaine is a member of the Ghost Releasers team, but he refuses to believe in what he can’t see or feel. When he falls for Andrea, will their love be enough to fight ghostly deceptions?

Contents:

Title Table of Contents Chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Dear Reader Letter Other books by Jill James Author links

Chapter One

Andrea Martin-Stovall didn’t feel like herself today. Hadn’t felt like herself for weeks. An unknown voice rattled around in her head. Something insidious hummed through her veins and crawled over her skin. Her body claustrophobic and not solely her own. She would plan to put her black dress on the hook by the closet door and forget to do it a moment later. Then discover she had put the dress there all along. Weakness filled her muscles. Something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t figure out how it was wrong.

She stared at herself in the steam-fogged bathroom mirror and wondered when she had become a frumpy old hag. Her hair was long and heavy, hanging down her back almost to her waist. With a smile, she picked up the scissors and started cutting her hair off in handfuls. Chunk after chunk fell to the countertop and the floor at her feet. Piles of inky strands surrounded and tickled her toes. Who knew one head could hold so much hair?

When she placed the scissors on the vanity top two feet of glossy dark hair lay in scattered piles and her airy-light strands swung at chin length. For the first time since she’d been a child, straight bangs sat on her forehead above dark brows. Shock filled her, her hands trembling, before that seductive, whispery voice overrode her thoughts. A voice telling her she’d wanted to cut her hair.

Her eyes twinkled as she gazed into the mirror. There you are, Andi, she whispered as she slicked on bright-red lipstick across her lips.

She slid on the red silk dress she’d found buried in the back of the closet. The fabric clung to every curve like it had been sewn on her. No panty lines. She laughed. No panties. Were those her thoughts or someone else’s?

A face familiar to her and not at the same time stared back from the mirror as if another were transposed over her facial features. Her doppelganger smiled and winked. Icy fingers traveled her spine before the other seized control again. Her mind floated as if on painkillers, her thoughts scattered and hard to put to order.

Sitting on a bench at the foot of her bed, she placed red high-heeled shoes on her feet and stood. Her full-length mirror showed a woman ready to party. Perfect.

Her mouth formed a pout as her gaze swept the room. What wasn’t perfect was this house. Tones of black and gray filled the blank white space. She shrugged her shoulders. Nothing she could do about it now. The party was waiting.

Andrea grabbed a small clutch purse off the dresser, knocking a framed picture to the floor. Sparing it a quick glance, she wondered who the two little girls were in the photo behind the shattered glass.

Megan, my sister. A voice whimpered from the depths of her mind. Megan and me. Give me back my body. It’s mine.

She shook her head and ignored it. Andi controlled this body. Andrea had her chance. Now it was time for Andi to live.

Again.

Chapter Two

Luke Tremaine stood talking to Megan Trent, his best friend’s new fiancée, when a hush fell over the ballroom. A rush of feverish whisperings sounded around him as he looked up and across the gleaming expanse of a marble floor. Breath caught in his chest.

Oh, shit, Megan whispered at his side. Mother is going to have a fit.

He had to agree. Andrea Martin-Stovall was a pillar of sexy fire amid a sea of repetitive black-and-white attire, the clothing request of Beverly Martin-Stovall, mother of the bride-to-be. The red dress swayed with the woman’s hips as she strode in their direction, impossibly long legs gliding across the floor with each step. The red fabric rode up her thighs as she moved.

He’d thought Andrea was beautiful before, in a frosty, unattainable way, from the moment he’d met her during the paranormal adventures at Megan’s house. But she’d been a prim and proper ice princess, buttoned down and uptight. Her hair restrained in a bun and her shirts tight against her neck as if her skin had to be hidden at all times. Not his type at all.

This new version of the woman would melt ice in the middle of the frozen tundra. If he’d known she could be like this, he would have hoped for a festive occasion weeks ago, just to see her in that dress. Their mother may not like it, but he enjoyed every revealing inch of it.

She sashayed up and hugged Megan with a few air kisses blown her way. The petite blonde looked confused and wary, as if her sister were a stranger.

Congratulations, Megan, Andrea said, turning and hugging Jack O’Malley. And to you too, handsome.

The husky tones of her voice had Luke begging silently for a hug of his own. The woman didn’t disappoint as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself up against him.

Well, aren’t you delish? Is there going to be music at this shindig? I want to dance.

With you, she whispered, her soft breath tickling his ear.

Megan yanked her sister’s arm from around Luke and pulled her away. We’re just going to freshen up. We’ll be right back, she said to Jack and Luke.

He watched as Megan pulled her sister along. Andrea turned back for a second, smiled and winked at him. He coughed to cover his laugh. He was seeing a whole other side to Ms. Martin-Stovall, stuffy criminal prosecutor. A side he could enjoy learning more about.

Don’t know what Megan thinks she’s going to do about that dress, Jack said, running fingers through his long hair. A little too bright for Beverly to miss.

Where is your mother-in-law-to-be? Taming dragons in the dungeon?

Jack smiled. Catastrophe in the kitchen apparently. Something about not enough champagne or canapes, whatever the hell they are.

Luke glanced around. The alcohol was flowing and didn’t look like it was stopping before the night was through. Obviously, his and the Martin-Stovall idea of not enough champagne were two different things.

Jack elbowed him as a man walked across the room toward them. His security detail followed at a discreet distance, but he didn’t miss the earpieces they wore with the cord running down into their jackets. As he stared, one of the men spoke into his cupped palm.

His mouth dropped open. Isn’t that?

He didn’t get to say more as the man came up to Jack and shook his hand. Congratulations, Mr. O’Malley. Megan is a wonderful young woman, and you are a lucky man. I’ve known Megan and her sister since they were babies.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. I couldn’t agree more. I’m incredibly lucky to have found Megan and to have her say yes.

Please, call me Uncle Joseph. That’s what the girls call me.

Uncle Joseph, you said you weren’t bringing the security detail to my party, Megan said as she hugged the second most powerful man in the free world and stepped back into Jack’s arms.

Sorry about that, Megan, dear, but the president insisted. We all know, what Jimmy wants, Jimmy gets.

Luke faded into the background as the photographers swarmed to get pictures of Jack and Megan, along with Joseph Bradshaw, the vice president of the United States. Andrea hugged Jack’s other side, joined by Beverly and Bernard Martin-Stovall. The older woman sent a glare Andrea’s way that said she’d noticed the dress and promised retribution for the slight to her dress code later.

He couldn’t help but think that these pictures would be plastered all over the state, if not the country. It could only mean bigger and better things for Ghost Releasers. Jack may be the face of the show and the business, but Luke’s ability to rub two nickels together and make a quarter had kept them in the black since they’d started. Back when they needed his ability to find funds for the early years. When no one wanted to spend money on a show about ghosts.

Catching a glimpse of swirling red dress, Luke watched as Andrea strode over to the bar and ordered a drink. In the time it took him to reach the corner of the ballroom, she finished one in a few gulps and was well through her second.

It’s going to be a long evening, you might want to pace yourself, he teased as he came up behind her. The heavy scent of roses wafted off the back of her neck. He sniffed deep and lost himself in the fragrance. He could drown in the luscious scent.

She turned, and her breasts pressed against his chest. But it’s so much better than bathtub gin.

Well, I would hope so since your parents are spending a fortune for this party. I can only imagine what the wedding will be like.

She wrinkled her nose as she polished off her drink and put the glass on the bar. Oh, I’m sure Beverly has every detail already figured out to the last hors d’oeuvre on a tray and Megan’s going-away outfit to the last button.

Your mother isn’t that bad, is she? She just seems a little anal-retentive about things. Some of the most organized people are.

Anal-retentive? Andrea’s brow furrowed as if she were searching her brain for information.

How much had she had to drink tonight? She hadn’t seemed drunk when she got here. Maybe she had been slightly intoxicated to wear the red dress in the face of her mother’s possible anger.

Oh, she said, her face brightening. A lot anal-retentive.

She swung her hair, and the dark glossiness caught the light and reflected blue sparks amid the dense strands. He blinked as it appeared a blue aura surrounded her for a second. A blink and it was gone. He’d been spending too much time watching paranormal investigation footage with the rest of the Ghost Releasers team. He was starting to see shadows and random lights as more than shadows and random lights. Megan’s case had been extreme to the max, but out of the ordinary.

Music started playing and he turned to see Megan and Jack take the floor. They were the center of attention, but the pair only had eyes for each other. Luke swallowed harshly. His parents had looked at each other like that. He shook his head. Life wasn’t a fairy tale. He knew that better than most. There was no damned thing like happily ever after for most people, although he could wish it for his friend. Let Jack have the fairy tale, he’d settle for a warm, luscious woman in his bed from time to time. He didn’t need or want anything more.

Dance with me, Andrea whispered in a husky tone, her arms wrapped around his, her breasts plastered to his arm. Every breath she took moving them against him, sending a spike of pure pleasure to his groin.

He tried to be blasé about it. After all, they would be expected to dance together at the wedding. He was fine until they reached the happy couple’s side, and he took Andrea into his arms.

The tall, shapely woman fit as if she belonged there. Her hand was soft in his. The deep, rich tones of her perfume wafted around him and filled his nostrils. Andrea gazed up at him, her smile saying she liked what she saw. He’d never had that smile directed his way from the stuffy lawyer.

He heaved a welcome sigh. This was so much better than the anger and threatened lawsuits of the past few months. When she put on her lawyer face and lawyer language, Andrea Martin-Stovall was one scary woman. The woman in his arms seemed a whole different person. One he’d like to get to know a whole lot better.

* * *

Andi smiled up at the handsome man as Andrea fought her in her mind. The woman was strong. She’d have to be stronger. They were fighting for this body. For existence. For being. Only one of them would be able to live in the end.

You can’t win. This is my body. My mind.

Oh, yes, I can. I’ve waited too long to have another chance. You’re not taking it away from me.

Luke smiled down at her, and her nipples pebbled and between her thighs dampened. She gasped a sigh and hoped the man would smell her musky desire for him. He pulled her in closer and his hand slid lower on her