Chaste Kiss by Jo Barrett Read Free Book Online Page B

my eyes you will always be the sweet young miss that made my existence bearable. Why should my presence disturb you so?"
    Isabel didn't know exactly how to put it and wasn't sure she wanted to try. The uncomfortable parental tone he often took with her annoyed her to no end.
    Sweet young miss, indeed. He still saw her as a little girl in pigtails, when in truth she was a woman. An unfortunate woman whose childhood crush had changed drastically into a grown woman's desire. Thoughts of stolen kisses and gentle caresses that could never be, yet yearned for just the same were her constant companions.
    If the only thing she could accomplish was to show her ghostly friend how very grown up she was through her appearance, then perhaps her heart wouldn't feel quite so heavy. Isabel knew that William would never see her the way he did in her dreams—as a beautiful, sensual woman—but she hoped to at least alter his view of her as a child. She prayed above all else, however, that she didn't look like Frankenstein's Bride once the bandages came off.
    "Let's just say it's a girl thing,” she said, warmed at his perplexed expression and the deep crease between his thick full brows. “A girl thing” wasn't easily translated.
    "Very well. I shall return when the bed draws me at sunset.” He bowed and vanished.
    After searching the room with her senses, she knew William was gone. Satisfied, she entered the bathroom and faced the mirror.
    "Well, kiddo, this is it,” she mumbled.
    Carefully she peeled the tape and gauze from across her nose, slowly revealing the damage she took when she kissed the windshield. “Wow."
    Turning her head from side to side, she examined the doctor's handiwork. The bridge of her nose seemed to be slightly crooked, but the pug tip was still intact. A broad smile spread across her face.
    She was still Isabel Derrington, and she didn't need more surgery on her nose. She actually kind of liked it being a little crooked. It gave her character.
    Her delight quickly turned to trepidation. She still had a bandage across her forehead. Tentatively she reached up, pulled the covering from her face, and lifted the hair from her brow. Laughter bubbled out. The scar was minimal at best. It looked like nothing more than a tiny red stripe that disappeared when she raised her eyebrows. How could they hide it any better than that?
    "Izzy?” Her uncle appeared in the bathroom doorway.
    She slowly turned to see what he would think of her while trying to control her joy.
    "Well?” She giggled.
    "You look wonderful!” Jerome quickly took her face in his hands. “You can hardly tell the difference."
    "So much for all that doom and gloom from the doctor about further surgery.” She hugged her uncle tightly. “And the name's Isabel, remember?"
    He chuckled. “I stand corrected. This is fantastic, sweetheart. I can't tell you what a relief it is. I know.” He pulled her away from his chest, gazing gleefully down into her eyes. “We should celebrate. You and I should go out to dinner this evening. What do you think?"
    Her heart sunk. She wanted to spend the afternoon sprucing herself up for her evening visit with William, but how could she tell her uncle she wanted to celebrate her recovery with a ghost?
    "Uncle Jerome, I'd love to go out, but if you don't mind I'd like to wait. I had another idea, and I hope it won't hurt your feelings."
    "Don't be ridiculous. What you want is what I want."
    "What I want is to be alone. I'd like you and Constance to go out to dinner and a movie or something, leaving the house all to myself. You've both been so wonderful and I love you, but I just feel like having some time by myself. Do you understand?"
    He dropped his hands from her shoulders. “Well, I think I do, sweetheart. But I'm not quite sure I approve."
    "I'm a big girl now, Uncle. I'll be fine.” She pecked him on the cheek then she scooted past him to the bedroom, relieved he wasn't hurt by her request.
    "Are you sure this is