Read Online Wishbones by Carolyn Haines - Free Book Online
Authors: Carolyn Haines
Tags: Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Mystery Fiction, Women Private Investigators, Motion picture industry, Hollywood (Los Angeles; Calif.), Delaney; Sarah Booth (Fictitious Character), Costa Rica
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and chocolaty dessert that was incredible. The man was spoiling me rotten, and I loved every second of it. No one except my parents had ever treated me with such love.
We were laughing as we walked up the cobbled street outside the cafe. I was slightly tipsy from wine, and Graf had proposed a skinny-dipping session in the calmer waters of the small cove behind Federico's mansion. The moon sparkled on the glassy water and silvered the sand.
I was reluctant, but I wasn't going to say no--until he got naked. Then I intended to snatch up his clothes and run. It was going to be payback for the tickle session earlier in the day. I was buzzed, but I hadn't forgotten that Graf had one-upped me.
We passed the drive to the mansion, and I glanced toward the house. My heart stopped. The silhouette of a man, backlit by the house lights, made my heart flip. Coleman Peters. I recognized the broad shoulders, the tapered waist. Coleman had come to Costa Rica to find me.
"What's wrong?" Graf asked. He, too, was slightly inebriated, but not enough that he missed the stricken look that surely touched my face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
The silhouette walked toward us with that self-confident stride. My heart pounded and my mouth was dry.
"Can I help you?" the man asked in English with a heavy Spanish accent.
I tried to speak but couldn't. "No," Graf said. "We're going down to the beach before we turn in."
The security guard nodded. "The cove is nice for swimming. Not the ocean. It isn't safe."
"Thank you." Graf lightly grasped my arm and assisted me down the path. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"I was dizzy for a moment." I wanted to cry. Every time I thought I was beginning to heal from Coleman, something happened to rip the scab off and reveal the open wound.
It wasn't fair. Not to me and certainly not to Graf.
"Let's go skinny-dipping." I put a challenge into my words. Before he could react, I stepped out of my sandals and I ran toward the beautiful beach of the small cove. I left my sundress and underwear in a trail behind me as I skimmed over grass and then sand, determined to leave behind the hurt and disappointment of Coleman Peters before I hit the cold embrace of the water.
Graf was beside me when I came up for air, sputtering and gasping. The water was cold silk sliding over my body. Graf's hands, when he grasped my waist, were warm and familiar.
I turned to him and kissed him, blotting out everything except him and the freedom of the water.
"Are you sure, Sarah Booth?" he asked.
My answer was another kiss, one that left no doubt of what I wanted.
In the back of my mind I could hear Jitty. "Girl, you're jumpin' out of the fryin' pan and into the fire."
I tuned her out. She was another betrayer. She'd abandonedme. It was up to me to craft the life I wanted, and right now I wanted to feel wanted. I needed the intimacy of Graf's kisses and his embrace.
He lifted me in his arms and carried me to the beach where he made a makeshift pallet of our discarded clothes. Beneath the rising moon, we made love, and I clung to Graf and the magic of his touch.
I awoke in the early hours of the morning, thirsty and with a headache. Beside me, Graf slept peacefully. It took a moment for me to recognize the sounds that had awakened me. Sweetie Pie was pacing the room, going to the door again and again on clickety nails, a soft whine telling me of her need to go out.
Slipping from the bed, I grabbed a gown and slid it over my head. Barefooted, I padded across the room and opened the door. Sweetie Pie bolted forward with a low growl that caught me by surprise. She was after something.
Or someone.
I gave chase. She was ahead of me in the hallway, almost to the stairs, her growl louder, more ferocious.
"Sweetie!" I whispered loudly, hoping to bring her back to me. When she didn't respond, I had no choice but to follow.
"Sweetie Pie Delaney!" I ran down the stairs just in time to see the hem of a red dress disappearing out the
We were laughing as we walked up the cobbled street outside the cafe. I was slightly tipsy from wine, and Graf had proposed a skinny-dipping session in the calmer waters of the small cove behind Federico's mansion. The moon sparkled on the glassy water and silvered the sand.
I was reluctant, but I wasn't going to say no--until he got naked. Then I intended to snatch up his clothes and run. It was going to be payback for the tickle session earlier in the day. I was buzzed, but I hadn't forgotten that Graf had one-upped me.
We passed the drive to the mansion, and I glanced toward the house. My heart stopped. The silhouette of a man, backlit by the house lights, made my heart flip. Coleman Peters. I recognized the broad shoulders, the tapered waist. Coleman had come to Costa Rica to find me.
"What's wrong?" Graf asked. He, too, was slightly inebriated, but not enough that he missed the stricken look that surely touched my face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
The silhouette walked toward us with that self-confident stride. My heart pounded and my mouth was dry.
"Can I help you?" the man asked in English with a heavy Spanish accent.
I tried to speak but couldn't. "No," Graf said. "We're going down to the beach before we turn in."
The security guard nodded. "The cove is nice for swimming. Not the ocean. It isn't safe."
"Thank you." Graf lightly grasped my arm and assisted me down the path. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"I was dizzy for a moment." I wanted to cry. Every time I thought I was beginning to heal from Coleman, something happened to rip the scab off and reveal the open wound.
It wasn't fair. Not to me and certainly not to Graf.
"Let's go skinny-dipping." I put a challenge into my words. Before he could react, I stepped out of my sandals and I ran toward the beautiful beach of the small cove. I left my sundress and underwear in a trail behind me as I skimmed over grass and then sand, determined to leave behind the hurt and disappointment of Coleman Peters before I hit the cold embrace of the water.
Graf was beside me when I came up for air, sputtering and gasping. The water was cold silk sliding over my body. Graf's hands, when he grasped my waist, were warm and familiar.
I turned to him and kissed him, blotting out everything except him and the freedom of the water.
"Are you sure, Sarah Booth?" he asked.
My answer was another kiss, one that left no doubt of what I wanted.
In the back of my mind I could hear Jitty. "Girl, you're jumpin' out of the fryin' pan and into the fire."
I tuned her out. She was another betrayer. She'd abandonedme. It was up to me to craft the life I wanted, and right now I wanted to feel wanted. I needed the intimacy of Graf's kisses and his embrace.
He lifted me in his arms and carried me to the beach where he made a makeshift pallet of our discarded clothes. Beneath the rising moon, we made love, and I clung to Graf and the magic of his touch.
I awoke in the early hours of the morning, thirsty and with a headache. Beside me, Graf slept peacefully. It took a moment for me to recognize the sounds that had awakened me. Sweetie Pie was pacing the room, going to the door again and again on clickety nails, a soft whine telling me of her need to go out.
Slipping from the bed, I grabbed a gown and slid it over my head. Barefooted, I padded across the room and opened the door. Sweetie Pie bolted forward with a low growl that caught me by surprise. She was after something.
Or someone.
I gave chase. She was ahead of me in the hallway, almost to the stairs, her growl louder, more ferocious.
"Sweetie!" I whispered loudly, hoping to bring her back to me. When she didn't respond, I had no choice but to follow.
"Sweetie Pie Delaney!" I ran down the stairs just in time to see the hem of a red dress disappearing out the
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