Whirlwind by Bailey Bradford (reading the story of the .txt) 📕

about that. Maybe she’s not in the graveyard anymore. We can start at the house. After that, I’m all for finding that whirlwind who dumped us in the stall.”

“We dumped ourselves there,” Gideon pointed out.

Jo hitched up one shoulder. “Semantics. He knew we didn’t have a clue how to stop like he did, and he sure as shit knew where we’d be landing.”

“Ha ha,” Gideon grumbled over the ‘sure as shit’ part of that.

“I want to know how him and Conner do that popping away sort of thing. Teleporting, or whatever it is.” Jo nodded. “Yup, need to know that, and to find out how to do it, we need to talk to the slippery stud who got away.”

“Or Conner,” Gideon said. “He’d know how.”

Jo wiggled one finger back and forth. “No, no, no. We’re going to find that sexy man and have him explain it to us.”

Gideon saw a flaw with that logic. “He’ll probably just disappear on us again if we find him.”

“Not if I beg pretty enough, he won’t. I hope.” Jo smirked. “Think I can get him to hear us out?”

“With that smug grin, you can probably have the guy naked and bent over in two seconds flat,” Gideon informed him.

Jo laughed and rubbed his hands together before reaching to pull his pants back up. “Well, all right then, there’s even more incentive to find him now!”

Chapter Five

Jordan was still rattled by being dead and not so dead. Dead and a spirit. How does that even happen? Conner had been a friendly enough guy, and insistent that they be called spirits not ghosts. Jordan kind of thought that was because everyone would then be referring to Conner as Conner the Friendly Ghost. Somehow he was pretty certain that would irk Conner. Jordan couldn’t think of a logical reason for them not to be called ghosts, but he supposed it didn’t matter in the end—he was still dead.

He snuck a peek at Gideon. The big, growly soldier had been a solid friend, and they’d had good times together. Jordan had kept his crush on Gideon buried deep inside. Having Gideon touch him earlier had been a culmination of some seriously repressed fantasies.

It’d been fucking perfect. Gideon’s grip had been firm and rough, but not painfully so. He had a confidence about him that was sexier than it should have been. Jordan had worked hard to keep from ever making any kind of a sexual move on Gid, but now that line had been crossed. Chances were good it’d keep on being crossed.

And he knew, though he wasn’t about to ’fess up to Gid, that he’d let Gideon fuck him. Just not yet. Jordan liked Gid, respected him, thought he was a stud. He still wasn’t eager to offer up his ass to the guy.

Now, the idea of finding the sexy fucker who’d left them behind, that was intriguing. Jordan’s cock was hard again just thinking of the man. He’d never recovered so quickly from such an intense orgasm before. Maybe being dead imbued him with super-dick powers or something. The laws of a living man’s refractory period certainly weren’t applicable to him, not now. Good. Being a spirit should have some bonuses.

Jordan wasn’t sure why he was still on Earth. He’d been hurting so bad, and yeah, he’d been scared, knowing he was dying, knowing he was alone. Then he’d seen Gid floating above him. Hope had chased away some of the fear, and when Jordan had died, he’d gone to the man he’d fought side by side with during the last two tours. It only seemed right that they stay together.

“Seeing Mom almost killed me all over again,” Jordan said to Gideon as he floated beside him. That was more emotional than anything Jordan might have ever admitted to in his former life, but he just didn’t see the point in keeping it in now. He was dead, for Christ’s sake. Maybe that meant he didn’t have to be such a rigid guy.

Gideon reached out and patted him on the shoulder. “She’ll be okay. She has that guy she’s dating to help her, so at least she’s not alone. Plus the whole town seemed to show up for your funeral.”

“Yeah,” Jordan mumbled. He didn’t ask Gideon if he regretted coming with Jordan. He didn’t want to hear it if he did, not yet at least. Gideon didn’t have any family to mourn him, and Jordan couldn’t imagine it’d be a good thing for Gideon to go off and brood about. They needed to be there in McKinton together.

“She’s not at the graveyard,” Gideon told him as they neared it.

“Thanks for checking.” Jordan didn’t know if he’d ever be able to stand there and look down at his grave. It was fucking creepy seeing it. “Let’s swing by the house.”

“No need.” Gideon pointed when Jordan glanced at him. “She’s in the parking lot with Craig.”

“Craig.” Jordan wasn’t sure how he felt about the man his mother seemed to be in love with. “She hasn’t dated anyone seriously in…ever. At least not since she got knocked up with me.”

“Your old man take off?” Gideon asked. “You’ve never mentioned him.”

Jordan watched Craig help his mother into the truck. “Nah, he died. Killed himself, Mom said. He had problems.”

“Sounds like it,” Gideon agreed. “Still, I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.” Jordan hovered in the air about ten feet off the ground. It was so bizarre to see himself doing that. Almost as strange as it was to look over and see Gideon suspended in air. “I wonder how we go about finding Conner? He has to know who the guy is we’re trying to find.”

“Seems like it.” Gideon put a hand above his eyes, shielding them from the sun. “I guess we just start popping in places.”

“I heard my name spoken.”

“Jesus fucking—” Jordan spun around as he slapped a hand to his chest. “If I wasn’t already dead…”

Conner snickered and gave him a thumbs up. Gideon was still cussing.

“Seriously, Conner. What are