Read Online The Sound of Consequence (Puget Sound ~ Alive With Love Book 1) by Susan Ann Wall - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan Ann Wall
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knees. Squeezing her eyes shut, the black void filled with shapes. No, not shapes. A moose sprawled across the hood of a car. Audrey’s smiling face. The back of a hand swinging through the air.
Stacie understood what she was seeing. Memories. Consciously, all she knew about the car accident was what she’d been told. She had no memory of what actually happened, or of that entire day leading up to it. She was haunted by a foreboding feeling that something awful had happened to her, something besides the crash that had killed her friend.
Applying pressure, Stacie rubbed her temples. The pain started to subside just as the captain announced their arrival in Seattle. She stood, the vertigo spiraling, making her head spin and stomach churn. The rail worked as a guide to get her to the front of the boat. Stacie tried to be subtle, not wanting to draw attention to herself. By the time she joined the queue of departing passengers, her white knuckles ached and her breathing was labored. Shuffling along with the crowd, she took the first seat she reached in the terminal.
Based on past episodes, Stacie knew she was in for at least another hour of the pain and vertigo. The slow throb moved from her temples to forehead. Dropping her head into her hands again, she closed her eyes and prayed it would pass quickly. As soon as it did, she would head home and climb into bed. She obviously needed a good night’s sleep.
Time stood still or maybe passed quickly, Stacie couldn’t be sure, but when she heard the horn sound, announcing another ferry’s arrival, she knew it was time to make her departure. She couldn’t let Owen see her like this. He’d already been the victim of an episode at the café when she’d spilled coffee all over him. Fortunately, the big brown stain on his white shirt was enough of a distraction that he probably hadn’t caught sight of her eye spasms. That was perfect. If she was forced to explain the vertigo, she’d have to talk about the accident, something she couldn’t do. No one knew about the memory loss. She was determined to keep it that way. The guilt from surviving and not remembering was enough to deal with silently. No way did she want to acknowledge it publicly.
Gaining her bearings, Stacie realized passengers were already disembarking. She hoped it was the Bainbridge ferry, not Bremerton, but didn’t take the time to figure it out. She was leaving. It’d be better to meet Owen some other time. Or maybe this was just a bad idea that she should let go of. Either way, she wasn’t seeing him tonight.
When Stacie reached the stairs to exit the terminal, a tingle raced down the back of her neck. Suspicion was replaced by familiarity as she caught the musky bergamot scent that was Owen’s. She didn’t startle when strong hands grasped her waist, nor when a hard body pressed into her. When soft lips caressed her neck, she was putty in his hands.
“Baby, you weren’t on the boat,” he said with that deep sexy drawl that heated her like a searing fire.
“More like you missed the boat,” she said turning around to face him.
Before she could take another breath, he pulled her into him, his mouth covering hers. The soft caress of his lips quickly gave way to a deeper, possessive draw of hers. The teasing stroke of his tongue sent waves of need through her, weakening her resolve, turning muscle to mush. Thankfully, the possessive hold of his arms kept her upright. The visions beyond the dark void of her eyelids now showed the two of them horizontal, naked.
They needed to get back to his place. Fast.
Owen drew his tongue away and loosened his hold, his lips seductively brushing against hers as words escaped on his warm breath. “Let’s go get a drink,” he said.
She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. Or into her. The darkness of his eyes interlaced with a flicker of desire. A drink was the last thing Stacie wanted. Exploring that flicker was at the top of her list. “Don’t you
Stacie understood what she was seeing. Memories. Consciously, all she knew about the car accident was what she’d been told. She had no memory of what actually happened, or of that entire day leading up to it. She was haunted by a foreboding feeling that something awful had happened to her, something besides the crash that had killed her friend.
Applying pressure, Stacie rubbed her temples. The pain started to subside just as the captain announced their arrival in Seattle. She stood, the vertigo spiraling, making her head spin and stomach churn. The rail worked as a guide to get her to the front of the boat. Stacie tried to be subtle, not wanting to draw attention to herself. By the time she joined the queue of departing passengers, her white knuckles ached and her breathing was labored. Shuffling along with the crowd, she took the first seat she reached in the terminal.
Based on past episodes, Stacie knew she was in for at least another hour of the pain and vertigo. The slow throb moved from her temples to forehead. Dropping her head into her hands again, she closed her eyes and prayed it would pass quickly. As soon as it did, she would head home and climb into bed. She obviously needed a good night’s sleep.
Time stood still or maybe passed quickly, Stacie couldn’t be sure, but when she heard the horn sound, announcing another ferry’s arrival, she knew it was time to make her departure. She couldn’t let Owen see her like this. He’d already been the victim of an episode at the café when she’d spilled coffee all over him. Fortunately, the big brown stain on his white shirt was enough of a distraction that he probably hadn’t caught sight of her eye spasms. That was perfect. If she was forced to explain the vertigo, she’d have to talk about the accident, something she couldn’t do. No one knew about the memory loss. She was determined to keep it that way. The guilt from surviving and not remembering was enough to deal with silently. No way did she want to acknowledge it publicly.
Gaining her bearings, Stacie realized passengers were already disembarking. She hoped it was the Bainbridge ferry, not Bremerton, but didn’t take the time to figure it out. She was leaving. It’d be better to meet Owen some other time. Or maybe this was just a bad idea that she should let go of. Either way, she wasn’t seeing him tonight.
When Stacie reached the stairs to exit the terminal, a tingle raced down the back of her neck. Suspicion was replaced by familiarity as she caught the musky bergamot scent that was Owen’s. She didn’t startle when strong hands grasped her waist, nor when a hard body pressed into her. When soft lips caressed her neck, she was putty in his hands.
“Baby, you weren’t on the boat,” he said with that deep sexy drawl that heated her like a searing fire.
“More like you missed the boat,” she said turning around to face him.
Before she could take another breath, he pulled her into him, his mouth covering hers. The soft caress of his lips quickly gave way to a deeper, possessive draw of hers. The teasing stroke of his tongue sent waves of need through her, weakening her resolve, turning muscle to mush. Thankfully, the possessive hold of his arms kept her upright. The visions beyond the dark void of her eyelids now showed the two of them horizontal, naked.
They needed to get back to his place. Fast.
Owen drew his tongue away and loosened his hold, his lips seductively brushing against hers as words escaped on his warm breath. “Let’s go get a drink,” he said.
She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. Or into her. The darkness of his eyes interlaced with a flicker of desire. A drink was the last thing Stacie wanted. Exploring that flicker was at the top of her list. “Don’t you
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