Supernaturally Kissed (Frostbite, Book One) by Stacey Kennedy Page A

Telling me it was all right to be upset for what happened to them and I didn’t need to be strong all the time. But I never allowed myself the right, never wanted to live in the state of mourning, and just because Kipp had been through a similar situation didn’t mean I would change my mind. He needed to prove to me that his way had been worth it, because in my eyes, ignoring my heartache sounded much easier. “Why?”
    Zach chuckled. “How. When. Why. What’s next, who?”
    Kipp ignored the comment, as did I. He trailed a finger along my cheek and the icy touch sent a shiver down my spine. “It’ll begin to eat you alive and that’d be a damn shame. Do you want to live your life surrounded by such shadows?”
    For once, someone else understood my pain, but that didn’t mean I’d deal with it like he suggested, he hadn’t proved his point. He only said he had accepted it and I couldn’t ever do that. My family was gone. Nothing I did would ever bring them back.
    I lifted my chin in defiance and stared at him to prove my point that how I dealt with it had been the right choice. “What works for you doesn’t work for me.” I glanced at Zach. “Can we move along? I don’t want to spend my entire day surrounded by stinkin’ cops.”
    Laughter echoed in the room.
    No amusement showed in Kipp’s gaze. His expression gave nothing away, but his eyes swarmed with questions. I tried to care nothing about what he held on his mind. A feeble battle. I might wish the deaths of family didn’t cause a permanent ache in my heart and that I didn’t have feelings for the ghost in front of me. But both were undeniably true.
    But I’d do what I always did—try to stuff the emotions away and forget about it. I attempted to force the wall of denial up and I strode toward the table.
    As I sat down, the door opened and Eddie entered with coffees in hand. “Mornin’, all. I’ve got the goods.”
    “A sight for sore eyes,” Max said.
    Eddie placed the coffees on the table, and after taking one, he sat beside me. “Pleasure to see you again, ma’am.”
    I wanted to respond to his pleasantry, but was afraid if I opened my mouth, I’d laugh. Doing the only thing I could, I nodded. Thank you, Eddie, for slicing through the tension.
    Max took a sip of the coffee from the paper cup. “Kipp’s here with you, right, Tess?”
    “Oh yeah, he’s here,” I glanced at Eddie and held back my laugh, “and you’re sitting on his lap.”
    Eddie shot straight up and his coffee flew through the air to soak the floor. “I thought it felt cold.”
    “You should’ve just seen your face.” My restrained laughter burst from my chest. “So funny.” I glanced back at Kipp and instantly my amusement vanished. He looked down at his hands and sadness oozed off every part of him. “Um, are you okay?”
    “Okay with what?” Max asked.
    Kipp glanced up at me with despairing eyes. My heart twisted as if stabbed with a dagger. “I’m a ghost.”
    “Er, you’re just realizing this now?”
    Max huffed. “What’s going on?”
    “Shhh.” I waved my hand for him to shut it. Moments like this one deserved to be uninterrupted. The knowledge and acceptance that he had died hadn’t hit Kipp and I saw reality settle in his expression.
    I assumed he’d already dealt with his death since he seemed at ease with it all. I’d apparently been wrong and obviously wasn’t the only one who had trouble accepting things.
    “Of course I knew I had died, but being preoccupied with you and the case, I think it took my mind away from it all.”
    “That’s understandable.” I hoped my gentle tone would soothe him. Normally, I was cautious and understanding when spirits faced their deaths, but with Kipp there’d been more. To see him in this state, the anguish washing over him, made my heart sink into a bottomless pit of despair.
    “It’s all over.” Kipp’s eyes pleaded for me to make it better. “This is it for me?”
    My strength to keep