The Bone Orchard Read Online Free PDF Page B

mouth.
    “Ambrose?”
    Ambrose grinned lopsidedly. “You should eat that. You’re going to miss the way a good steak tastes.”
    Ezra peered at the meat he’d been abusing with his fork, then back up at Ambrose. “How are you here? I’d thought you’d . . . gone.”
    Ambrose shrugged and glanced around the dining room. It was mostly empty. “No one in the saloon would light my cigarillo.”
    Ezra’s heart stuttered, torn between elation that Ambrose was still here, and sadness because he seemed to be stuck here. “Oh dear.”
    “Indeed.” Ambrose’s grin grew wider. He stuck his finger in the uncut portion of Ezra’s steak, then licked it as if he might be able to taste the meat. He sighed and shook his head at his finger. “Disappointing.”
    Ezra had to hold his linen napkin over his face to keep from laughing out loud.
    “I should have died eating a steak. So. What now? You heading back east?”
    Ezra placed his napkin on the table and nodded. “I was, since the deed is done. But . . . you’re stuck here.”
    “I reckon so.”
    “What will you do?”
    Ambrose lowered his head, sighing heavily. “Practice opening doors. That’s about all I can do.”
    Ezra stared at him, his stomach churning, his heart hurting. “I’ll stay with you. Until you learn, I mean.”
    Ambrose’s head shot up. His pale blue eyes were so beautiful, but there was so much sadness in them. “The living shouldn’t wait for the dead, Ezra.”
    “Yes, well. The dead shouldn’t be sticking his finger in my dinner, either, but here we are.”
    Ambrose rested his chin on his hands, pursing his lips. “I wonder if I could kiss you.”
    Ezra dropped his elbow on the table and missed the edge, lurching forward before righting himself. “Pardon me?” he squeaked.
    “I would very much like to.”
    Ezra could do nothing but stare. When he finally managed to speak, his words came out a choked whisper. “I would very much like you to try.”
    A smile spread across Ambrose’s handsome face. “Best to try that upstairs, or you’ll really look the fool.”
    Ezra could barely contain his grin as they exited the dining room. He held the door to his room open for Ambrose, fighting back the butterflies in his stomach and the nervous little flip-flops of his heart. He liked Ambrose. Really liked him. Ghost or not, he was real and that was all that mattered to Ezra.
    Ambrose turned to him, a wistful expression gracing his face. He removed his hat, holding it in both hands and lowering his head. He struck Ezra as bashful suddenly. Ezra’s nerves dissipated, and he stepped closer, reaching for the hat. His fingers wafted through the brim like smoke.
    “Well that’s troubling,” Ezra murmured.
    Ambrose glanced up, then tossed the hat onto the end of the bed. Dust rose from it when it flopped. Ezra met his gaze, wondering what the heat of his body would have felt like, the warmth of his touch. When they both turned to the bed again, the hat was gone.
    Ambrose grunted. “It’s probably down at the bar, trying to get itself lit.”
    Ezra took Ambrose’s face in both hands even as the man was laughing at his own joke. He kissed him before he could think twice on it.
    He felt the chill of Ambrose’s hands at his waist. Ambrose’s lips were like ice against his, and still it was thrilling. But they pulled apart before that quicksand feeling could start, and when Ezra sighed, his cold breath fogged the air.
    “Interesting.” Ambrose cleared his throat, wiping at his lips. “Burns a might.”
    Ezra held his fingers to his lips. “Frozen,” he said, laughing. Ambrose laughed with him. “We’ll do that again in a moment, as soon as I can feel my mouth.”
    A knock at the door interrupted them. Ezra turned to answer it, motioning for Ambrose not to disappear on him. When he opened the door, two constables were standing there, looking grim.
    Ezra’s heart sank. “What’s happened?”
    “Judge Spicer’s been