Read Online In Her Secret Fantasy by Marie Treanor - Free Book Online Page A

some gaps in the cliff last night that might have been caves she could explore.
    When she got down to the beach, the sky had clouded over and was dripping a constant wet sleet. It would be dark again soon. There were no signs of seal presence, so she just walked along the sand, wondering about Aidan. About why he’d come home and why he’d left the police. She could understand his suspicions about the people his sister had befriended. She recognized too that she didn’t have to like being interrogated about her friends, not by him, although “Fuck off” in return for an offer to carry a tray full of coffee cups might have been an uncivil overreaction.
    But mostly, she worried about that desperate look she’d surprised in his eyes. There’d been misery in there, overlaying everything else, but the rest of the emotions roiling behind were a total mystery. She began to think he was more in need of help than anybody at Ardknocken House. Including herself.
    As she approached the place where she’d bumped into him on New Year’s night, she veered into the cliff side, and began poking behind rocks and peering into the gaps and holes in the cliff. When she pushed her gloved hand into the larger holes, she came up against rock after more than a few inches. Until, about the fifth space she tried, when she began to sweep her hand out again, she found an open corner. Excited, she felt farther in. Although the hidden opening wasn’t large enough for a person to fit through, she could push her hand just a little— “Chrissy? Is that you?”
    Startled, she yanked her hand out again, grateful for the gloves that prevented grazing all the skin off her knuckles.
    A few yards behind her stood Len, the new accountant to whom she’d soon hand over the project’s books. With gratitude.
    “Hello,” she said, slightly embarrassed. “I thought I’d found a cave.”
    “And have you?”
    “More of a tunnel to get my hand stuck in.”
    “Bad idea in this weather,” he said with a faint grin. He shifted from one foot to the other, and it struck her he was trying to make amends for his admittedly pretty minor lunge just after the bells. More than that, she realized his presence didn’t bother her. In fact, now that she looked at him, he was really quite attractive. Although he was about fifty years old, his face was firm and full of character, his body fit and healthy.
    “I suppose you’re right,” she said.
    He took a step nearer. “Don’t suppose you’re heading into the village? Someone told me I could walk in along the beach.”
    “Yes, you can,” she said, walking past him to point along the shore. “Just around that headland you’ll be able to see it. You’ll make it before the tide comes in. Though I doubt the shops will be open.”
    Unexpectedly, he was right beside her. He didn’t grab her, just looked deeply into her eyes. “Come with me.”
    And abruptly, she longed to do just that. In fact the strength of her longing frightened her because it was wrong . Her foot even lifted to walk forward and she had to force it down with a gasp before she could step back.
    Now he did take her arm, still smiling. It was a nice smile. “Come on, Chrissy. If we hurry, we’ll be back before dark.”
    Weirdly, her body wanted to go with him. It was her brain that refused, although it couldn’t make her body obey, and the conflict in her mind suddenly scared the crap out of her. What the hell was the matter with her?
    Gently, Len urged her forward. Again, she pulled back, but it seemed to take a lot of effort, like one of those dreams where no matter how close your destination or how fast you ran, you never reached it. Panic surged.
    “Chrissy!”
    Another voice, calling from the cliff path. Len’s head snapped round, and she looked too. Aidan, striding down the path towards the beach.
    Relief flooded her, and suddenly she could move quite easily, walking out of Len’s hold and then running towards Aidan. She didn’t look