A little late for Halloween but I had this story submitted for the ESchallenge so it took a while to post it. I do hope that you enjoy it though. Thanks for reading...:)

First, I guess I should tell you a little about me. I am the girl at the office that you see and you know; maybe you even like me a little; but I don't draw the attention like some of the other women do. I view myself as simply average: average height, average breast size and average looks. I don't flaunt myself for anyone at the office and am perfectly content to stand on the sidelines and watch from afar.

I am so laid back and unnoticeable that I hadn't even had a boyfriend in the last couple years. I was even fine with that, albeit a little frustrated in the sex department. Let's face it, my hands and my vibrator can only do so much for so long. But I wasn't one of those women that needed to have a man to depend on. Nor was I wanting to pursue one, figuring that if the timing was right for "Mr. Right", we would somehow just manage to find one another. I guess you could call me a true romantic at heart, or maybe that was the first sign that I was about to lose what mind I had.

You could say that my story began around the time of the autumnal equinox though you would be wrong. It actually began when I had gone out with a female friend of mine about the middle of July, but even I didn't realize that until much later on.

What made me figure it out is what you may be asking now, so I will tell you my story. Things really were moving along quite normally until about the first of October, or at the very least everything appeared normal to me, though some say that I began acting differently in September. Then my life got really weird, real quick. The people I am friends with attributed it to the new equinox and the coming of the seasons that I like the most, autumn for the changing leaves and Halloween.

What did I begin to notice around the first of October? Well, my cat and most faithful companion, Midnight, began to act really strange, even more skittish than usual. She would growl and arch her back when we were alone. At first, I only laughed at her silly antics and went on about what I was doing but eventually I had to take more notice of it. She had always been an entertaining cat to own because of her sudden mood swings but it struck me as odd that it was occurring so much more often.

After I began paying attention to what she was doing I began to see other things going on as well. Things being moved around, a glass left on the counter being put in the dishwasher, the remote control for the TV being placed on top of the TV rather than by the chair where I sit to watch it. Anyone would say that it must have been someone else moving things around but I live alone except for Midnight and I know she couldn't be the one playing mind games with me.

Again, I at first thought how I was letting my silly imagination get the best of me, but it seemed as each day went on, more things began to occur. When I would go to take my shower at night before bed, things would be one way and when I got out of the shower they would be different; my bedside light would be on when I had left the over head on, covers would be pulled back as if inviting me to go to sleep. I considered the possibility that I was simply losing my mind and doing these things and then forgetting I had done them. It just didn't make any sense to me that I would do that. However, that was unacceptable, if I couldn't pin it on Midnight and I couldn't point fingers at anyone else then it must have been me that was the problem.

Then, I began to have dreams. They were the most revealing over the following weeks. They started like the other things, simple. Again, it was nothing that you would really wake up from and say, "That was weird." They started simply with someone being in my room watching me sleep. I could feel him wanting to touch me. Then, within the next day or two he would touch me; the next time he would kiss me. The touches were innocent, his hand on my head, fingers running through my hair, maybe a hand taking hold of mine. The kisses began on my forehead, and then they moved to my cheek. The next night he was kissing my lips, chastely. The kisses then deepened to where I could feel his tongue exploring my mouth. Within a few nights of the first innocent kisses began, the touches grew bolder as well. Any where that his hands touched, his mouth was soon to follow. If hands slid down the side of my neck, he would kiss down my neck, hands on shoulders and a nibble followed soon after, his fingers tweaking my nipples then a flick his tongue on them. Each night and every touch became so much more physical than the dream before. I would wake up very turned on by the dreams, even if it was only a light touch of his lips upon my forehead, no matter how erotic they were, I felt drawn to him.

How did I know it was a man that haunted my dreams? I really have no certain answer for that question but I just somehow felt it was a man. Maybe the shadowy image of a person watching me sleep had seemed manly; maybe the hands felt manly, I'm not sure. I just knew that it was a man that was teasing me.

Anyway, it didn't take long for his touches to continue growing bolder and his mouth followed his fingers lead. They would slide slowly down from my breasts to my belly button, maybe teasing it a little, letting me think that his aim was for my pussy only to retreat and head back up to tease my nipples more.

Once when I was sleeping on my stomach he began with his fingers, scratching my back, (which I personally enjoy greatly) and then his lips began kissing a hot trail down my spine. His hands began to massage and squeeze the cheeks of my ass while his mouth worked magic on my spine. Before that dream was over with I could feel myself trying to push back and seek more attention from him. With his hands being that close to my now aching pussy I was going insane, but no matter how much I tried to move and push myself onto his fingers, I only managed to touch air.

It seemed that no matter where he touched after that night, no matter how innocent the touch was, I could feel my body growing wet, opening up to accept him inside myself. I had been touched by men before this but never had I felt it so intensely. Even during some of my best past sexual experiences I had never reached the heights that a small touch from the man in my dreams could take me to.

When this began I really started to feel that my overactive imagination had really gotten the best of me. I was about ready to head for the nearest Dr. to see if he couldn't help me get my imagination under control. I was even more certain of that possibility when it began to interfere in my days at home and awake as well.

I could be watching TV and feel someone nearby or sense someone watching me, but no one would be there. If Midnight were there when I would feel "It" she would really go crazy. She would start making the hissing noises that cats do when they are really ticked off about something, usually followed by a growl and immense concentration on some part of the room we were in. If I was feeling the touches, then her gaze would be directed in my general direction.

"Maybe I'm not so crazy after all." I thought to myself, knowing that the other things I could come up with to explain it were probably even crazier since most of us as humans don't seem to believe in the possibility ghosts. What made it worse was that I was beginning to feel that was the only real answer to all the questions I had running through my mind.

I'm not sure if my realization of what it may be made what ever it was happy or not. It seemed as if as soon as I began thinking of it as a "ghost" it doubled its efforts. More weird things happened, the same stuff as before just a lot more of it, the dreams continued, but grew in intensity. Where as before they would generally stop before it got too physical, I would now wake up from the dreams with "His" (my) hand between my legs. First time it was his fingers teasing my clit, the next time it was his fingers buried deeply inside my pussy and pumping them against me as if they were his cock. He did so well with it that I actually wondered a few times if maybe he was using his cock, when I would wake up and even my hands were no where near my pussy. Of course as with in the past dreams, where his fingers went his mouth was soon to follow. I would feel a heated breath of air hovering just above my clit and then what seemed to be a quick kiss before more hovering. I was slightly disappointed in the fact that he stopped letting his mouth go where his fingers did, choosing instead it seemed to make me beg and wish for his mouth rather than just give it to me "now".

He never attempted to take it all the way to where we were fucking in the dreams but when he touched me I knew that he wanted to fuck me. Call it intuition if you want to but I some how thought that if he could take it all the way then he most certainly would.

I say again that I had never been as turned on as I was during those dreams, nor when I woke up from them. Needing to be satisfied so badly was sometimes almost like a physical pain. I would think of using my vibrator on myself, but not really wanting him to see how fully he was getting to me, I would refuse to do it.

The oddest thing that I experienced with him was the night that I woke up from one of those dreams where I could feel his fingers inside my pussy and his mouth and tongue exploring my mouth. I felt a lump in the bed beside me as if a person was lying there and I had to force myself to not become more excited by the chance that tonight would be the night we finished it. By the time I turned on the light though the lump was gone and still yet I am not sure if it was only my imagination that night or not.

Then when the daytime touches became more intimate, I really thought I would go crazy. I could be fully dressed; jeans and a tee shirt, skirt whatever and I would feel a touch on my pussy again starting out simply a gentle flick of my clit. Sometimes it was his fingers working in circles over my clit, usually right at the top of my throbbing little nub where I like to be teased the most. His fingers were very gentle, coaxing a response out of me and I can honestly say that it didn't take much effort on his part. It didn't take him long to work up to where he was trying to fuck my pussy with his fingers even though I was fully dressed. I would feel his coaxing little circles gradually get bigger and then his fingers would dip inside my wet pussy as what I assumed to be his thumb worked steadily on my clit.

Now, I know that you are probably thinking about how lucky I am to be receiving this kind of attention from anyone albeit a ghost or my imagination playing games. If someone were telling me this story I would probably be a little envious of their good fortune as well. Let me go ahead and clear up one little detail-he always stopped before I reached my peak. Not once during this time did he ever get me off. Talk about a major frustration; that was one. After so long without anyone or anything but my vibrators and my own fingers, I was desperate to have a real cock in me now. How could I not be with the endless teasing he was putting me through? I mean, imagine if you can, being brought so close and not finish every night, and then it starts to happen during the day as well. I was so in need of a real cock, I threatened to go out to a bar and find me a man to give the cock I so desperately needed. I think that thought of mine ticked him off or something, it pushed him up a level. He took our private encounters into the public eye. I assume that by doing so he was trying to prove that he would stop me from finding a real cock.

Everyone at the office was planning the Halloween party when he showed me that he was going to work me over in public if I went out to find my own relief. I suddenly began having one of those mysterious finger fuckings. The ones where he runs his finger up and down my slit spreading my wetness over me before sliding his fingers deep inside me to pull out more of my juices and begin the torment again. I figure I then became really quiet and was sitting with eyes closed not that I was saying much to begin with, I wasn't sure I was going to attend, but I guess I must have moaned or something because everyone suddenly wanted to know what was wrong with me. To which I of course had to say that nothing was wrong lest they think I am insane.

I chose to ignore the invisible fingers as well as I possibly could, but god they felt so good, all the while hoping that this time they would bring me off and stop leaving me so frustrated. Of course though, he wasn't finished teasing me and so he took me almost to my peak and then suddenly stopped once again. As I groaned in frustration I once again had everyone in the room watching me but even I realize that a groan is nothing compared to what I may have done if he had allowed me to cum right there.

I did what any sensible person would do in that situation. I blushed furiously red, excused myself as not feeling like myself, ran from the room and left for the day. I headed to the library to see what I could find regarding "pleasure ghosts", and of course there wasn't much to be seen. It seems that unless you have a really mean ghost in your house breaking things and trying to harm you or others. No one wants to talk about those. I wanted to ask the people that wrote those books why they wouldn't write about the mean ghost that leaves you hungry for orgasm.

I went to a few other bookstores with still no luck at all. Then in a last ditch effort to find something resembling an answer I went to the one place I would never have imagined I would have need of.

She had been in town for many years, since before I could remember. It was said that she was able to see things that others couldn't. Some would call her clairvoyant some would say physic and still others would say just plain crazy. I had never met her, but I had heard all the rumors including that she had helped someone with a ghost problem twenty years ago or so.

I felt like I was being urged forward as I walked up onto the porch and was surprised by the sign above the door that said, "When things go bump in the night, come see me." I couldn't imagine that she would point it out like that considering what people had been saying about her.

I hesitantly knocked on the door though she seemed to already know I was there since her "Come in" quickly followed my first quiet knock. I turned the knob and got my first glance of the woman so many called crazy. To say I was surprised by her would be an understatement. She looked only a few years older than my thirty years, but if she were that young then I would have seen her in school or something. She had dark brown hair and I could tell it was natural by the silver streaks shining in the light above her head. She was taller than my five feet, and very slender. She was a very pretty woman and I had expected the old ugly woman image you hear of when speaking of a witch or something and that was by far not the case with her.

She interrupted my thoughts of her with, "I see you have a problem. Want me to tell you what it is?"

I was shocked by her forthright comment. Though, I respected the fact that she was confident enough to be that way. I nodded yes, and asked how she had known.

"Besides the fact that you are here and knocking on my door?" she questioned with a slight smile to show she was teasing and I blushed at her humor over the fact that rarely people would come to see her, not sure what I was suppose to reply with. She saved me from trying with, "I also see that you have brought someone with you," looking somewhere behind me still out on the porch.

I wasn't sure what she meant so I turned to look as well, expecting to see someone. When I turned back to look at her she must have seen my confusion as she laughed and said, "Come with me. We will talk." As it occurred to me that she may be able to see the one who was bothering me.

After we had sat down, on the chairs in her living room, she once again began with her up front ways, "Now, tell me what is going on with you."

"Well, I get the feeling that I have someone with me. I dream about someone, touching me, my cat is fine one minute and very upset the next. Usually when she is upset, I can feel someone there or a touch of someone." I began trying to get as much out as possible before I convinced myself that I was crazy for being there. I paused trying to figure out how to continue and, was waiting on her to tell me how crazy it was and there was no such thing as what I was talking about. But she didn't say anything remotely close to that.

Instead asking, "What do you dream of? When you feel this touch, where is it?"

I blushed as I begin to explain how both had started innocently with him moving things and stuff but now were very intimate. She asked for more detail so I told her about earlier at the office and other times that had happened though not so public, and about the dreams where I wake up so turned on that it hurts.

She questioned if he had ever hurt me, or done anything bad and I answered honestly that he hadn't. Then she appeared to think it over for a while, total silence filled the room as I waited for what she had to say. It was so quiet that when she did finally speak, I jumped a little.

"I think he wants to get your attention. Not sure why exactly but I don't feel that you are in any danger. I think his plans for you will be revealed soon. Just follow his lead and your gut. The sooner you find what he wants to show you, the sooner he will disappear. I am certain of it."

"Okay? I can't go on with him touching me like that at the job though. I would rather him not touch me like that at all. He is very talented with his hands and it is very frustrating to not have a real body doing it to me. I'm not sure how much more of his teasing I will be able to handle." I almost cry in frustration.

"So tell him that. The next time he touches you at work tell him that isn't acceptable. When he touches you at home and you're uncomfortable with it, tell him what you really need. It is very obvious that he wants to communicate with you in some way about something, start showing him how to. Maybe it is you he feels is in need of something more, so he is trying to give it to you. I'm not sure. You could even ask him things. Ask for a name or something basic, and then later ask what he is after. If he wishes to communicate then he will find a way to show his name to you. There are many ways to talk without saying a word."

"I don't know" I began hesitantly, "I sometimes feel that he is leading me, communicating something, like today when I began coming towards your house, I felt as though he wanted me to be here, was pushing me towards here."

"Yes I am sure he was he wants you to know that he isn't here to hurt you, and that he wants to show you something. I can feel that with him. You are safe from harm but you do need to find what it is he is trying to show so that you both can move on."

We talked for a while longer. I questioned her about when she had opened the door, "Had she seen him?" to which she stated that she hadn't seen him but could see a shadow and assumed it was him. She asked for me to return when I found what I was looking for, and I soon left her house with my mind pondering all the things she had told me of.

I didn't feel my ghost friend as much that night as I had been in recent times. Though, I knew inside myself that he wasn't far away. I thought of her recommendation that I question him as to his name and I felt like a fool as I questioned the room in general what his name was. Then, focused more on the thoughts of him and asked him directly, or at least as directly as you can ask someone a question when you can't see them. I didn't know what form my question would be answered in though I had half hoped to just hear some breath of wind or something whispering a name as you often hear about happening in some ghost stories and stuff.

Since I had finally managed to work up the courage to ask him what his name was I also decided that while I was feeling brave I should also ask what it was that he wanted with me or at the very least had I met him and teased him as he was teasing me now. I couldn't imagine the latter being a real option but figured I would go all out to find out what was going on while I had the chance.

I laughed out loud at my silliness as I headed towards a long awaited shower to wash the cares and concerns of the day down the drain, or at least hoped that was how it would work. I did feel better as the hot water beat down upon my back, but the thoughts of the day would not flow down the drain as I had hoped. Instead, the day itself seemed more frustrating now because it seemed that I still knew so little about what was really going on with me and my "Casper".

When I came out of the bathroom and noticed that he had in fact turned down the covers for me and turned off the overhead light again so that all I had to do was jump into bed. "Okay" I told him, "I will get into bed but can we please not have the erotic encounter tonight?" My last thought as I drifted off to dreamland was to wonder if he would respond to my talking to him as the psychic had said he might.

The dream started off as a memory of a night that I had spent out with a friend of mine. I thought it was a rather odd way to dream since in the past weeks my dreams had been of an erotic nature and this was far from erotic. I remembered that night very well.

For the first time in quite a while I had been enjoying myself and was all dressed up. I felt I looked really good that night. My friend had helped me pick the outfit; she was aiming for sex appeal, while I usually settled for comfort, and we were planning to have a girls' night out. What sense does that make? Why sex appeal for a female get together? I have no idea but it was fun anyway. The dress she chose was a little tighter in the bodice than I would have preferred but even I had to admit that it showed off my full breasts perfectly. The tightness of the bodice also managed to show off my small waist hiding the slight roundness of my belly but not enough to look like I was hiding it. It revealed the curves of my body in a way that made me look really good.

We were having a really great time, and out of nowhere this really good looking guy came up to me while she was using the bathroom. I could tell that he was much younger than me so I was ready to shrug him off, but for some reason I didn't do so right away. Probably mostly related to the fact that he sat down without asking in a way that meant he wouldn't be dismissed so easily and I wanted to put his cocky ideas to rest so later when he said something a little too confidently I could put him in his place.

I never got the opportunity though. As it turned out he was a perfect gentleman. I could tell that he was studying me, undressing me with his eyes as if trying to guess what secrets my dress hid from him. I couldn't help wondering if he would like my really sensitive, puffy nipples or maybe the soft brown bush strip that covered the center of my pussy.

I found myself blushing easily and somewhat shyly flirting with him until my friend returned. She gave a nod of approval upon seeing the person sitting with me and excused herself quickly to get another drink. I guess she and I both thought that he was interested.

He and I talked and laughed like old friends, though I could still feel the want between us, and I assumed it was only from me. When it was time for us to part ways, he asked for my phone number and said he would call soon. I was pleased that he wanted to see me again, and was noticeably wet between the legs as I handed him my number and made a silent date with my vibrator for later tonight.

When I got home, the phone was ringing, "Hello?" I questioned.

"Hi, this is Ray; we met at the bar a little while ago."

"Yes?"

"Well, I wanted to let you know that I enjoyed tonight very much but I do have to be honest with you. The reason I noticed you at first was because I thought you would be a good match for my brother. Not that I wasn't attracted to you after meeting you but I think you would probably have more interest in Mike than in me."

As he spoke I felt myself growing angry, that I had somehow been taken for a fool and he was now trying to dig himself out with his brother as my consolation prize. I was trying to come up with some scathing remark to tell him that I wasn't interested in him or his brother and had only used his company tonight as a boredom remover when he began speaking again. "I know what you must be thinking right now, but I had only meant to play matchmaker a little bit. He is a great guy and I think you two would hit it off perfectly. Please, say you will meet with him?"

Unable to be snobbish when he sounded so sincere in the last sentence, I said that I would and he promised to call the next day. I had planned to ignore the call by using my caller ID but he never called back the next day. I never thought more about it, just assumed he had found someone else that was right for his brother, or maybe his brother had set him straight.

The second dream that I had came closely on the heels of thinking that his brother had in fact set him straight on the fact that he didn't need a matchmaker.

It was a dream of a store. I couldn't see the name of the store, but I knew it must be somewhere local. Inside this store I saw a man, not a great looking man but he had an interesting appeal to him that my mind couldn't figure out. I felt drawn to him, like he was someone that I should know but hadn't yet met. I knew that if I did find him than somehow my problems with ghost would be over with. Then in the dream I saw a newspaper, it was tossed over to the side of the counter. It looked as though it was well worn, like someone had looked at it many times. I felt if I touched it, then it would be worn to softness, probably not a crinkle left in the paper.

I moved towards the paper as if pushed by something I couldn't see. Upon nearing it, with a sense of excitement and dread, I noticed that it was turned to the obituaries.

So I read, "Raymond A. Font 21 died on Sunday, July 20 after a car accident. He is survived by his parents Ray and Sandy Font and a brother Mike Font all of Beaumont TX. Ray will be missed by all that knew him." With it was a picture of a good looking guy with laughing eyes, dark hair, medium build, I figure he was someone who took pride in his appearance and worked to keep himself in top shape.

Although 21 was younger than I would have wanted to be with, due to my near 30, I couldn't help but find him attractive. Though I admit it was a huge shock to realize that this attractive young man was the one haunting my days and nights. Then another realization hit me. The man in the picture was the same one that was trying to set me up with his brother in the bar that night.

I awoke suddenly and with mixed feelings. It was odd to now know who was haunting my dreams as well as my daytime, but to also know that I had known him before he died and that his reasoning for being here was probably due to the fact that he wanted me to meet his brother was a bit overwhelming. I also knew that the only way that I would be free of him and he would be free to go on to wherever spirits go would be to give him what he wanted. Meaning that I would have to go and meet up with his brother. I asked out loud, "Why me?" and as I did I was filled with a sense of loneliness so complete that I had to hold back the tears threatening to flow. I knew then that Ray wanted me to meet with his brother because he was lonely or Ray at least felt that his brother was lonely, but I also knew that Ray wanted to take away the loneliness that I had felt for the last couple years as well.

The next day while at work I put in a search seeing what I could find out about Raymond, namely an address or something to link him to the store I had saw in my dream. It didn't take long to find what I was looking for and I could feel my happiness as well as his when I did so.

When I decided that I would go there this weekend, I felt a feather light touch on my cheek as if he was thanking me for going through with this and his apparent happiness lasted through out the day. I felt him several times touching me, sometimes on the face, or shoulder, but he didn't make any sexual advances and I came to enjoy it and relax with it. I was comforted by the thought that I was probably doing what he wanted me to, even though a couple days ago I didn't want to do anything that I thought he would want me to do

That night while I was in the shower getting ready for bed, I felt him in the shower with me, fingers rubbing over me rather than water as if he were washing or massaging me. It never occurred to me that he was in my shower and I was naked or that it shouldn't be happening, I just relaxed and turned myself over to the magic he somehow created though he wasn't here.

I felt his touch on every part of my body, washing my back and down my legs, then his hands sliding over my chest. His fingers tweaked my nipples and massaged my breasts. His hands running a trail down the crack of my ass, rubbing my swollen clit, sliding in and out of my wet pussy, I wanted so badly to cum that I was ready to cry for release when he suddenly stopped once again.

In bed asleep that night after I had finally gotten myself under control from the shower, I once again had the erotic dreams, dreams of Raymond's hands touching me, rubbing over my chest, pinching my nipples lightly, and eventually his hands rubbing between my legs, caressing my pussy. I pleaded with him in the dream to not leave me this time as he had done so many times before, and I some how knew that he wouldn't as his touch grew bolder.

I felt myself nearing where he usually would stop and I cried out as he removed his hands from me, only to test my reaction, I assume, since his hands returned once more, this time fucking me with fingers as well as teasing my clit. Then another hand or finger moved closer to my ass. He slid his finger over and around my puckered hole and would even push lightly forward, not as if seeking entrance but simply to awaken the sensations. I could feel myself moving ever closer to my peak beneath his careful persuasion. He would speed up and slow down slightly making me hold out and allowing my orgasm to build inside me to the point that cumming was the only thing I could focus on.

Should I have worried about what it would mean to have this happen with a ghost??? Maybe I should have but I was beyond caring what I or anyone else would think. I needed this from him and I needed it now. I cried out as his fingers finally pushed me over my peak and my body contracted as if trying to urge his fingers further into me or at the very least hold him in there.

My orgasm was deep and long. Never had anyone taken me to the heights of pleasure that he had just succeeded in doing. I knew that surely if I placed my hand down on my pussy my wetness would be abundant, but those thoughts soon faded into the black oblivion of sleep as did all other thoughts.

The rest of that night my sleep was peaceful, uninterrupted by more dreams of my ghost lover. I was able to sleep the sleep of a woman fully satisfied by her partner and I loved every minute of it.

That following Saturday I did go in search of this store that I had found, that had possible ties to Raymond. If I tried to say that I was ready for this trip then I would be lying. I wasn't real sure at all that I wanted to be going there. I already felt like I was too close to him considering that he was a ghost and now to be meeting a part of his family or a place that he use to visit made me feel as if I were intruding upon something that I shouldn't.

What I found most interesting was I could feel his excitement inside myself. I knew that he was happy and ready for this trip whether I was or not. When I focused on his growing excitement, I began to feel it inside myself as well. I was happy to be giving him what he wanted and I began to wonder when it was that I began wanting things to go the way he wanted it to. It was still a little strange for me.

We drove right to the store, as if Ray's hand had been the one driving instead of my own. I now could see it was basically a general store, you know one of those stores that sell anything from books and magazines to dining room tables if the timing was right and was called Quick Stop. It was a surreal feeling to be at this store, which I had only seen in my dream but somehow, felt that this is where an important part of my life was. Maybe I was just picking up what Ray felt about it but it didn't feel that way to me.

We walked into Quick Stop and it was the same thing that I had seen in my dream, including the man that was standing behind the counter. He asked with a friendly smile if there was anything I needed help finding and I responded that I didn't think so, all the while feeling as though Ray was encouraging me toward that man.

I looked around for a while at nothing in particular, trying to work up the nerve to go ahead and go speak with the man behind the counter. I knew I had to, because I could tell Ray wanted me to. He would touch me on the back and slightly push me forward, as if telling me to carry on with it. I thought several times of telling him to stop but refused that impulse, knowing that the man behind the counter would think me insane if I started talking to no one.

I finally did randomly reach out and grab a book, not even looking at the title as I did so, and I headed towards the counter. I saw as I drew near I noticed the newspaper was still laying there on the counter as it had been in my dream as well and I felt the prickle of tears at how sad someone must be to have kept that paper there for so long.

I was still lost in thought and fighting my sadness when the man behind the counter interrupted them. "I haven't seen you in here before." he stated continuing when I looked at him with, "That is a good book, I have read it a few times."

I stupidly looked down at the book, forgetting for a moment that I was holding it and finally looked at the name of it, "Gone or Still Near, a story for those who have lost a loved one." "How silly of me, I should have looked at the name before bringing it up here." I thought to myself blushing slightly.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you. I lost my brother a couple of months ago and we were really close. That book was a huge help for me. It let me know that just because I couldn't see him he was still here for me. By the way, I'm Mike."

I was shocked that he said he was Ray's brother. I had anticipated meeting him eventually but I wasn't really prepared to be meeting him right now. I stumbled over trying to make casual conversation and thought afterwards how dumb I must have sounded as I said, "I'm sorry to hear that you lost your brother. What happened to him or does it hurt too much to talk about it?" I blushed even harder knowing that was a dumb question and besides I already knew the answer, or at least thought I did.

"Oh, it hurts to talk about it some but they say it helps to talk about it so I do try to. I had been out of town for a few days in July. I returned home on July 19 about nine pm. When I got home, I called my brother up to let him know I had returned and was safe and he was very happy. He was talking about some woman that he had met at a bar that he really wanted me to meet and he was going to come over the next day and tell me all about it as soon as he got off from work. He never made it. I got the call about nine am saying that there had been a car accident and that he didn't make it."

"That is horrible. I am so sorry that it happened that way. By the way, I'm Beth. It's nice to meet you." I said even though my heart was breaking over the fact that Ray had been on his way to tell Mike about me, the woman in the bar when he had died. I had to struggle to keep a calm face on and to not break out in tears and beg his forgiveness for helping in a round-about way to kill his brother.

We moved on to the lighter talk and I was relieved. I found out quickly that it was really easy with him. We fell into an easy bantering, joking and talking as if we had been friends since the beginning of time. Too quickly, I looked down at my watch and realized that I had been there a lot longer than planned and really needed to get back home and told him that I needed to get going as well.

He stepped from behind the counter and walked me to the door but not before he asked if we could get together again soon and I gave him my phone number.

I was surprised when the next day Mike called me and after talking for a little while we decided that our first date would be my company's Halloween party on October 31, less than a week away. We laughingly decided that we would both go dressed in white sheets since it was the story of a ghost that brought us together. He meant the book that I had purchased while at his store, but I knew that it was a much more real ghost story than he could ever guess.

We spoke the night before Halloween and he confirmed that he would go with me and asked where to pick me up. I gave him directions to my house, and we agreed that he would arrive at six even though the party wasn't until eight pm. We would get ready to go after a quick snack to tide us over before the party. We laughed when Mike made a joke about the need for each of us to provide our own sheets.

Halloween arrived and he showed up at six as planned, we spent the next little while laughing and just enjoying our time together while cutting out our ghost costumes to look somewhat alike and snacking on ham and cheese sandwiches I had cut into quarters for ease of snacking on while we worked. Even Midnight seemed to enjoy Mike being there. Midnight kept trying to get him to bet her by rubbing up against him. Mike was willing to oblige her, too.

The party was a great success, though we had to explain about the book several times in order for people to understand why we were dressed alike and as ghosts. If anyone found it odd that I hadn't had a death in the family or anything but was still interested in this book, they didn't mention it.

After the party Mike and I went back to my house and I could feel Ray's happiness over how well Mike and I were getting along. I could feel it even more when Mike worked up the nerve to kiss me and I felt my response to Mike as a feeling of truly being where I belonged. I didn't want the kiss to end, so when he attempted, I held on even harder to keep him where he was.

It didn't take Mike long to figure out what I was wanting and he began to pull up the light pink sweater I had worn under my ghost costume, working it up and over my head quickly in order to see my bra covered chest, before he removed that as well and was able to focus on the puffy nipples hidden there.

At the first touch of his eyes on my nipples, they darkened and turned into hardened little nubs, waiting for the touch of his hands or lips upon them. Mike, being the nice man that he is didn't make them wait long.

First his hands cupped my breast, his thumbs teased my hardened nubs and my knees grew weak. When his lips touched first one and then the other nipple my legs threatened to no longer hold me up.

My body's response to his touch was as strong as the feelings in my dreams had been. Only this was real, he was real. His fingers touching me were real, when he lifted his mouth off my aching nipples, there was a real wetness where his mouth had been. I wanted to cry and beg him to take me now, make love to me, but the feelings that his touch created inside me made speech impossible to accomplish.

I assume he realized that as well, because soon after he asked where the bedroom was, and we held hands as I led him there. We didn't stop until we were standing by my bed and then it was only a moment before we began undressing each other quickly. Then he had me on the bed and was using his hands and fingers, testing my wetness, not as though he needed to. I knew I was wet and ready for him. He lowered his head and ran his tongue over my swollen clit a few times, and I cried out for him to make love to me and stop teasing me. I needed so badly to feel a real cock inside me that I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand the teasing.

He was more than willing to give me what I wanted and he placed himself between my legs and pushed himself into my wet and aching pussy. Our lovemaking that night was fast; his thrusts into me were hard and deep. I rode him hard as well, pushing my pussy up to meet his thrusts and urging him inside me deeper every time. There were gentle kisses and soothing touches amid the fierce pounding of his body into mine.

Pretty soon, I could feel my pussy clenching and releasing and I cried out my release. It only took a moment more and I felt his body stiffen and he called out my name with a final thrust deep inside me.

Later that night, as Mike and I lay sleeping, I had another dream. This time I saw Raymond as he had been the night that I met him at the bar. He was smiling. He told me that he was leaving me in Mike's care and he wished us happiness. As the dream ended I heard him say, "Now neither of you will be alone anymore." And I woke up with tears on my face and feeling like I had just lost my best friend.

I snuggled up closer to Mike and he put his arms around me in his sleep. I wondered if I would ever have the courage to tell him that we met because of the brother that passed away a few months before we met or even if he would really want to know about that.

I never dreamed of Ray again after that night, though I still occasionally feel as though he is near and watching over us. Mike and I speak of Ray often, I wanted to know about the person, not the ghost and if Mike ever wondered why I was curious he never mentioned it. We laugh about how we met because of a book on ghosts so near to Halloween and both feel that it was definitely a very memorable holiday. I still haven't had the courage to tell Mike the full story though.