Read Online Carol Shenold - Tali Cates 02 - Bloody Murder by Carol Shenold - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carol Shenold
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smiled to myself, picturing a gothic novel with the heroine swooning in the arms of the dark stranger à la Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey.
Aiden tilted his head. “What’s so funny? Share the joke. You don’t get to sit there like a Cheshire cat without telling me what’s going on.”
I polished off the rest of my steak, already thinking ahead to dessert. Their flourless chocolate cake was out of this world. They made it with espresso and fresh whipped cream on top. “I have to tell you about the kids. It was funny, once I got over the shock.” I told Aiden about the conversation—and the mirror.
Aiden threw back his head and burst out laughing. His laugh was full-bodied, rich, and echoed through the room, making everyone around him smile, though they had no idea what the joke was.
He finally caught his breath. “I thought it was strange to see a nice antique leaning against the garage. In fact, I started to come over and ask about it when I saw you and the boys out there. That’s hysterical. I need to start dressing in black and really make them worry.”
“Especially on Halloween night, it would make their holiday. Now, if you could find a way to change into a bat and fly away…”
He looked at me across the table and I felt as if I were going to take flight myself. His eyes drew me outside myself and into another world where I didn’t have to be in control, I could simply enjoy sensations coursing through me. A place with no children, no responsibilities, just the two of us. I wanted to be swept up and away into that existence, soar above obligations, death, worry of the here and now.
“Would you like some coffee or dessert?” Aiden offered, plunging me back to earth.
Suddenly cake was the last thing on my mind. I wanted dessert all right. I wanted him . I’d turned into the town slut, ready to sleep with the next stranger who came along, and I didn’t care.
I smiled at him, meeting his eyes for a second before looking away from the intensity reflected there. “No. Not quite the dessert I had in mind.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re certain,” he said, reading my thoughts. “You don’t know me very well.”
I felt a chill. Maybe I blew it and he didn’t feel the same way, had no intention of getting serious with some small-town single mother. He might be repulsed by me, feel sorry for me. Oh God. What a mess.
I met his eyes again, afraid of what I would see there, but all I saw was tenderness and something stronger I couldn’t identify. “You can take me home. We can call it a night,” I offered.
“Or we could drive around. It’s clear with a full moon coming along. Let’s go out to the lake. I love the view at night.”
Aiden stood up and held out his hand. When I took it, all the earlier feelings shot through me, stronger than ever. I’d make him want me. I wouldn’t do my usual thing, over-thinking every move. I’d let our relationship happen naturally.
We drove out to the Love Lake Pavilion. It was dark and empty with a moonlit view of the lake. A pier led out past the lighthouse. We stood on the end of the path, water sounds whispering around us, moonlight glowing on the waves. A light breeze lifted my hair.
Aiden kissed me. I felt the way I had as a child, on a swing, when I plummeted forward from a really high push. He pulled back to look me in the eyes, caressed my cheek, ran his fingers down the side of my neck and around to the front. I gasped as fire followed that line, and kept going, past my breasts, down to the core of my being. I stopped breathing, gasped for air. He kissed me again, became more insistent and my body matched his, pressing toward him, into him as if I wanted to meld into one being.
As we kissed, Aiden continued caressing me, driving me wild with feather-light touches everywhere that seared flesh, through clothing, hot tingling. I became wild with the desire to shed clothing, feel his touch without barriers, but I was too weak, too
Aiden tilted his head. “What’s so funny? Share the joke. You don’t get to sit there like a Cheshire cat without telling me what’s going on.”
I polished off the rest of my steak, already thinking ahead to dessert. Their flourless chocolate cake was out of this world. They made it with espresso and fresh whipped cream on top. “I have to tell you about the kids. It was funny, once I got over the shock.” I told Aiden about the conversation—and the mirror.
Aiden threw back his head and burst out laughing. His laugh was full-bodied, rich, and echoed through the room, making everyone around him smile, though they had no idea what the joke was.
He finally caught his breath. “I thought it was strange to see a nice antique leaning against the garage. In fact, I started to come over and ask about it when I saw you and the boys out there. That’s hysterical. I need to start dressing in black and really make them worry.”
“Especially on Halloween night, it would make their holiday. Now, if you could find a way to change into a bat and fly away…”
He looked at me across the table and I felt as if I were going to take flight myself. His eyes drew me outside myself and into another world where I didn’t have to be in control, I could simply enjoy sensations coursing through me. A place with no children, no responsibilities, just the two of us. I wanted to be swept up and away into that existence, soar above obligations, death, worry of the here and now.
“Would you like some coffee or dessert?” Aiden offered, plunging me back to earth.
Suddenly cake was the last thing on my mind. I wanted dessert all right. I wanted him . I’d turned into the town slut, ready to sleep with the next stranger who came along, and I didn’t care.
I smiled at him, meeting his eyes for a second before looking away from the intensity reflected there. “No. Not quite the dessert I had in mind.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re certain,” he said, reading my thoughts. “You don’t know me very well.”
I felt a chill. Maybe I blew it and he didn’t feel the same way, had no intention of getting serious with some small-town single mother. He might be repulsed by me, feel sorry for me. Oh God. What a mess.
I met his eyes again, afraid of what I would see there, but all I saw was tenderness and something stronger I couldn’t identify. “You can take me home. We can call it a night,” I offered.
“Or we could drive around. It’s clear with a full moon coming along. Let’s go out to the lake. I love the view at night.”
Aiden stood up and held out his hand. When I took it, all the earlier feelings shot through me, stronger than ever. I’d make him want me. I wouldn’t do my usual thing, over-thinking every move. I’d let our relationship happen naturally.
We drove out to the Love Lake Pavilion. It was dark and empty with a moonlit view of the lake. A pier led out past the lighthouse. We stood on the end of the path, water sounds whispering around us, moonlight glowing on the waves. A light breeze lifted my hair.
Aiden kissed me. I felt the way I had as a child, on a swing, when I plummeted forward from a really high push. He pulled back to look me in the eyes, caressed my cheek, ran his fingers down the side of my neck and around to the front. I gasped as fire followed that line, and kept going, past my breasts, down to the core of my being. I stopped breathing, gasped for air. He kissed me again, became more insistent and my body matched his, pressing toward him, into him as if I wanted to meld into one being.
As we kissed, Aiden continued caressing me, driving me wild with feather-light touches everywhere that seared flesh, through clothing, hot tingling. I became wild with the desire to shed clothing, feel his touch without barriers, but I was too weak, too
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