A.N - Sorry for the wait. Circumstances beyond my control. And, thanks to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday last week, and to everyone who reviewed Moondancing Millie's brithday poem for me. I really appreciate it. Just what I needed. :)

And, if you haven't read it, go and check it out. It is très amusant. Hehe.

Six

"How can I help you?"

He was slowly driving me mad. Seriously. Every time I tried to peacefully shut my eyes and imagine him gone – poof, just like that – he would do or say something to make me snap. Which, of course, gained me some weird looks. You know, considering the guy tormenting me is kind of invisible.

"Your butt looks big in that skirt," the ghost drawled, checking his nails idly.

My mouth fell open in dismay as I dropped my hands to my little apron, cheeks blushing dark red. "It does not!"

"I know," he chuckled. "But indignation looks cute on you."

Oh yeah, a literary ghost.

"And another thing," he drawled, jumping up on the counter behind me and flicking my hair into my eyes. Annoyed, I blew it out of the way again. "What's a dead guy got to do around here to get a drink?" He jumped over the counter and stood in front of one of my colleagues. "Hello?"

"Sit down," I hissed in his direction, gaining a weird look from my co-worker. I smiled and shrugged at her as if to say 'what can ya do?' before glaring at the ghost. "Look," I told him. "I've tried to help you, and you won't tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if you don't tell me why you're still here!"

The ghost shrugged, the blue shirt covering his shoulders glowing ethereally.

"Aargh," I growled, the word escape me in a huff and gaining the attention of practically everybody in the café. The doorbell jingled above the door. "How can I help you?" My voice rose in anger.

"Whoa," I heard a familiar voice tease from behind me, and I turned exasperatedly to see Jesse, grinning and looking more gorgeous than anybody should ever be able to be by law. Sheesh, Jesse De Silva is like a sin. "Now that's service."

My face cracked with a wide smile as I saw him and ran over, throwing my arms around his neck as I did so. I was so lucky to have this guy. Enjoying the envious glares I got from other female patrons – from girls with their boyfriends, to long-ago jaded spinsters – I smiled into Jesse's neck. Yeah, I was damn lucky.

"How's your day been?" He mumbled.

"Better now."

"Oh, yuck." The ghost chimed in from behind me. I, unpredictably, chose to ignore him. "Sure, ignore me. I can see how even a mediator would prefer her sexy snuggle bunny."

My cheeks burned as he said that, grateful that only I could hear him, and Jesse couldn't see my face. I glanced up at Jesse to find his eyes narrowed at something over my shoulder, and I followed his gaze to figure out what had gotten him angry. All I could see was the ghost – name unknown, he had decided to annoy me by not telling me it. And, can I just say, it worked? – and it was obvious that Jesse couldn't see him, so I shrugged it off.

My lips found the side of his smooth, tanned cheek, and I pressed them to the skin quickly as his lips found my throat. I pride myself on being able to form the very coherent thought: Mmm, Jesse lips.

"I missed you," I whispered with a smile, pulling away and straightening my skirt, ignoring the various degrees of murderous looks girls were throwing my way, Well, okay. I wasn't ignoring them. In fact, they made me feel pretty darn good. "Where've you been?"

Laughing, he pointed at the clock over my shoulder, and released me so I could look. "Sleeping," he told me, his arm brushing over my shoulder to point out the little hand pointing at the number ten. Shivers raced down my spine at his proximity. "Only abnormal people like you are up any earlier."

I laughed, the sound audibly forced as the ghost spoke what I was thinking.

"If only he knew just how abnormal you are, hey, Suze?"

Jesse's grip tightened on my arm in response, shocking me. It was almost as if he could hear the ever-so-engaging conversation this ghost had to offer. But that was ridiculous. The only other mediator I'd ever met was Paul, and even then he refused to acknowledge it – giving himself the title 'shifter' instead.

"I missed you too, querida." Jesse muttered, stepping away and taking his seat in his booth; the very one that I found myself being purposefully rude to anyone who sat there that wasn't him. That was Jesse's booth. Maybe I should invest in some velvet roping for him.

"Can I get you anything?"

"A coffee?" He smiled at me then; a gorgeous, full-toothed smile that you just know would have come complete with a cartoon 'ding', had Jesse been animated. How could I say no? Especially since, you know, it was kind of my job to say yes.

Technicalities.

Smiling and nodding, I turned to get his order – and the several others that had piled up during our reunion after all of twelve hours. Well, what can I say? I need my daily dose of Jesse-goodness. The ghost followed me, streaming off comments in my ear.

"You know, I'm almost certain that that guy of yours was looking straight at me." He reeled. "Is there something I should know?"

I saw Jesse tense in my peripheral vision. Man, he must really need coffee in the morning.

Rolling my eyes at the ghost, I hissed at him. Discretely, of course. Can't have Jesse thinking that I'm a lunatic. "Don't be so silly," I told him, my voice dripping with venom. "You were standing behind me; he was looking at me. Jesse can't see you."

"Whatever," the ghost grumbled, showing his distaste for being admonished. "Hey, here comes the other one of you."

I froze. He could only mean one person, and Paul never visited me at work. Ever.

"Paul!" The ghost waved, confirming my suspicions. "Over here."

Paul smiled in response and strode towards me purposefully before he reached me, and took me in his arms. Struggling, I tried to pull out of his grasp. "Paul," I growled. "Get off me! What are you doing here?"

I was fully aware that this would be my second public scene in all of five minutes.

"Aww," he responded. "I just came by to say hello. Can't I even do that?"

Behind him, I saw Jesse get up and walk towards me, fury and a glint of what I could only assume was jealousy in his eyes. "Is there a problem here?" Jesse's voice was normally way too sexy to resist but now was not the time. I looked over at him with wide eyes, pleading with him to leave.

I was ignored. Jesse's hand clamped down on Paul's shoulder when nothing was done about my release. In fact, Paul's arms dropped to my waist, and pulled me even closer towards him. He narrowed his eyes at Jesse, recognising his voice from last night.

"I'm going to have to ask you to kindly get the hell off my girlfriend." My eyes widened at language I'd never heard from Jesse before. However wrong it may be, it was kind of hot. "Before I do something I'll regret." Jesse voice was tense, his fists clenched at his sides whilst the rest of the café stared on in excitement. Great, now we were giving the paying customers a show.

Paul's eyes turned to lock with mine, glinting with humour before his lips twisted into a smirk. "Your girlfriend?" His blue orbs clashed with Jesse's furious brown ones. "I think you may have gotten the wrong girl, Suze and I have been going steady since High School."

Yeah, like all of two months ago. Besides, we so broke up way before then.

Jesse faltered, turning to look at me insecurely, confusion fluttering across his face.

"Now," Paul continued, brushing Jesse away with a single wave of his hands. "If you'll excuse me. I'm going to greet my girlfriend properly."

And without waiting for a reply and cutting off my protest before I could even give it life, Paul's familiar lips slid over my own whilst Jesse stood, fuming with silent anger that was second only to the intense look of humiliated confusion written on his face, watching us silently.