Chaste Kiss by Jo Barrett

but found no happiness in his discoveries.
    Isabel glanced his way several times and with each look, his heart hammered harder in his chest. Aye, he wanted her for himself. No man would ever be good enough for her.
    His eyes lingered overly long on her lips. Did she feel the same pull he felt? Did she wish to explore him the way he yearned to explore her? He had heard a woman's longing in her voice and seen desire spark in her eyes the previous e'en, or so he believed. Did she truly want those things with him? He continued studying her luscious mouth as he ran the questions over and over in his mind, driving him near to madness. He needed air.
    There was not much time before the chamber bed summoned him. Hopefully, a walk in the garden would ease his restlessness.
    William whispered in Isabel's ear, making sure no one would hear him, and told her where he would be if she wished to find him. A nod of her head and a soft smile was her response, and he knew she would join him soon. If for no other reason than friendship. The only thing they could ever share.

Chapter Six
    Isabel was ecstatic to find her uncle and Constance in each other's arms, but on the floor? Well, at least they'd made some serious progress, and she had other things to think about at the moment. A certain ghost.
    Thoughts of William made her warm in all the right places. Or was that wrong places? Although she wanted him, she could never have him. He wouldn't want her in that way, in any event, yet she had thought longer about his reaction to Mick.
    Could he really be jealous? He looked almost green when she talked about the handsome detective. And the way he watched her during dinner, the heat in his eyes, she couldn't have imagined that.
    She shook her head. No, that wasn't possible. She and William were friends and that's all they could be. Even if he did want her, he was a ghost. A man who died centuries before she was born. Isabel idly wondered what would happen when she died. Would she get to stay with William? Would she have a choice? Could they touch then? So many questions and none of them based on a single shred of sanity.
    Thoughts of dying reminded her of the stalker. She prayed the detective would catch him, and she could finally have some peace of mind. Mick was a nice enough man, handsome, pleasantly built. The thought of kissing him wasn't totally repugnant.
    Who was she kidding? He'd probably be great. With a sigh, she helped to clear the dishes. But his kisses wouldn't be like the ones she imagined with William. A tremor rippled through her body.
    Stop it. Dangerous thoughts lead to dangerous actions . Actions she didn't dare take. One touch, that's all it would take to rip him away from her.
    For the sake of her sanity she decided to stop thinking and start talking. “Uncle Jerome, what do you know about the history of the chamber bed in my room?"
    "Not a great deal. I had it brought over from England shortly after you were born. I purchased it from an antique dealer in London. Why do you ask?"
    "No reason. I've just always found it intriguing.” She finished loading the dishwasher.
    Constance placed the stew pot next to the sink. “It's always given me the jitters."
    Isabel wondered if Constance could feel some of the energy surrounding William. After having felt the odd sensation as a child, she wasn't frightened in the least. She actually liked the faint little tingles trickling over her skin when he was near.
    "It is a unique piece,” her uncle continued. “That was one of the reasons I bought it. The intricately detailed carving on the headboard hides the compartment perfectly. You'd never know it was there."
    "Compartment?"
    "Yes, Isabel. I thought you knew. It has a secret compartment in the center of the headboard. If you gently tug at the acanthus leaf carving in the middle, it opens."
    "Was there anything inside?” she asked excitedly.
    "No, sweetheart. If there was it disappeared long ago. I'm sure whoever originally owned