Read Online The Secret Wife by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online Page B

remembered reading once that a scent memory was a total sense memory. That it could invoke the past completely, engaging all the other senses. Maybe it was the night, his weakened condition after having dealt with her for over two weeks, or maybe it was her perfume. Whatever the reason, he found himself drowning in sensation as the past overwhelmed him.
    Elissa kissing him, her hands on his shoulders, her mouth wet and warm against his. She rarely kissed back, preferring to let him invade. He hadn’t minded. Not when she tasted so sweet and sighed so deeply. He remembered how after the first kiss, she’d often sagged against him, as if he’d stolen all her strength, as if the feel of him next to her was too much for her to handle.
    Another burst of laughter recalled him to the present. He shifted again, this time because thinking about kissing Elissa had left him physically wanting to be with her. His arousal throbbed in time with his heartbeat and he was grateful for the darkness. His life was complicated enough without anyone knowing Millie’s new assistant turned him on in a big way.
    With a supreme force of will honed by years of wanting and not having, he studied the teenagers on the stage and forced himself to concentrate on the play.
    Mindy, just sixteen and a gifted performer, delivered her line perfectly. The audience laughed again. Not even by the hint of a smile did she let on that she knew she was acting a part instead of living a real life. Fierce emotion burned in his chest. Pride. He’d felt it before.
    At every parent-teacher conference, at every play, every recital, every spring concert, he sat and enjoyed a sense of pride for the children. They were the reason he wrestled with a never-big-enough budget, zoning, the state and an assortment of frustrations that made his days long. He’d been where they were and he knew how much they wanted to belong to something special. No matter the personal cost, he was determined to give that to them. In return, they grew up in ways that made him proud.
    He wondered if he would feel the same if he had children of his own. If. Would he? Ever?
    He shook his head. It was unlikely. He would never marry anyone again. He’d given Elissa his heart; he didn’t have it to give a second time.
    The play ended and the audience clapped loudly. Everyone rosé to their feet as cheers erupted. Cole whistled, adding to the cacophony.
    “Weren’t they wonderful?” Elissa said, smiling at him. “Millie said the cast started rehearsals a month before school started because they wanted the play to be perfect. All that hard work paid off.”
    “They were great.”
    She wore her hair pulled back in a fancy braid with the end tucked under. Makeup accentuated her green eyes and full mouth. As usual, a soft, flowing dress whispered over curves and teased her calves and his imagination. Tonight the filmy fabric was pale peach. A slender chain rested at the base of her throat. He was torn between wanting to kiss that delicate hollow and ripping the necklace from her body. It fit too perfectly not to have been purchased by a lover.
    “How do you stand it?” she asked.
    He stiffened, wondering how the hell she’d read his mind.
    She sniffed, then touched a finger to the corner of her eye. “I can’t believe I’m nearly in tears over this. I’ve only been at the orphanage a short time, but I’m so proud of these kids. You must be overwhelmed by it every time you see one of them perform like this.”
    He relaxed. She hadn’t known what he’d been thinking. If she stayed the full three months, she was going to be around several more weeks. He’d better learn to control his wayward thoughts. “The feeling never goes away,” he said. “I’m always proud of them.”
    Overhead lights clicked on. The audience members started moving toward the rear doors. Elissa stayed in place, her gaze firmly fixed on his face.
    “I envy you,” she said. “You’ve created something very amazing