Excerpt of Ruby's Ghost by Shona Husk

He glanced at her and smiled. His blue eyes were so bright with life she wanted to really see him smiling, not just his spirit. She ran her tongue over her lip and his gaze lowered, tracking the motion.

"And if I wanted to kiss you?" His voice lowered, and she was sure her pulse quickened in response.

While she wanted to say, sure, kiss me, he'd only just broken up with Ruby and he wasn't really here. She had to remember that. He could wake up and she'd never see him again. And she did want to see him, in the flesh. "I'd say you're rebounding."

"You make me remember what it's like to be alive." He placed his hand over his heart. "I can feel it, something more than the dull echo of pain. Maybe a kiss will make me wake up." He moved closer.

Her heart hammered in her chest; he must be able to hear it. It was rebound and the need to feel alive, that was all, but who was she to deny him the chance to get back to his body? And if it worked? She'd go and see him and find out if he did remember her.

"One kiss, just to see if it will help."

His fingers went to brush a strand of hair off her face, but she couldn't feel his touch, only the gentle brush of air. "Scientific research...you've never kissed a ghost before."

"Never." What would it be like to be kissed by a ghost? She leaned forward slightly, as if he were drawing her closer.

He traced her jaw, leaving a chill in his wake, and a shiver traced down her spine. "What do you feel?"