Free Blood in the Marsh by Ciana Stone Page A

think we better either get back on that boat of yours or take a real long run. Cause if we stay here like this I’m gonna be real tempted.”
    Lyra’s face flushed hotly and her eyes widened in surprise. Nick smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. “Come on, water bug. Let’s take a swim.”

    Sea Island—Thursday

    Lyra had avoided Leopold all week and she was getting tired of the effort it required. He made her feel ill-at-ease in her own home. She had gone to watch Nick perform last night and then they had a late dinner. After the restaurant closed, they walked over to the pier at the village and sat watching the stars for a long time.
    She thought about how it felt when Nick put his arm around her and pulled her close or kissed her. She found herself having thoughts about things she had never considered. Not that she was ignorant about sex. She just never felt such desires and long to act on them.
    Until now. Now she wondered how it would feel to have his body pressed against hers and to feel his hands on her. She thought about how he would feel to her touch and wondered how the act of making love would make her feel. She wondered if she was capable of experiencing the kind of passion she had heard others talk about. Most of all she wondered why she was still afraid to take that step.
    Walking downstairs, she went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. The phone rang and she answered it. “Hello?… This is Lyra… Yes, hello. How are you?… Really? Well, thanks for calling… Yes, I will. Thanks again.”
    She hung up the phone and turned around as she saw movement from the door.
    “Who the hell was that?” Lexi wrapped her silk robe tighter around herself and sat down at the table. “Be a love and pour me a cup of coffee.”
    Lyra fixed two cups and put a couple of pastries into the microwave to heat up. “That was Ben Dellwood, Lucius’ attorney.”
    “Lucius?” Lexi looked up sharply. “Abubakar? That black— Why’s his lawyer calling here?”
    Lyra put the pastries on the table. Picking up her coffee cup from the counter, she sat down across from Lexi. “Didn’t you hear about Lucius?”
    Lexi shook her head and tore off a bite of pastry.
    “He’s dead.”
    The pastry dropped from Lexi’s hand and she quickly put her hands in her lap. But not before Lyra saw the trembling.
    “When?”
    “Before I left school. I guess no one mentioned it to you since you always hated him.”
    “I did not hate him. I just didn’t have anything in common with him. And he was just a weird old fool anyway.”
    “No he wasn’t. He was a nice person and he was my friend.”
    “Your friend?” Lexi arched her eyebrows. “Since when?”
    “Since I was four.”
    “That’s not true.” Lexi shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “I would’ve known if you were spending time around that — that person.”
    “No you wouldn’t. The staff knew but no one said anything to you because they knew you’d pitch a fit.”
    “Well, that doesn’t explain why his lawyer called you.”
    “I’m heir to his estate.”
    “What?” Lexi jumped up, jarring the table and sending coffee sloshing everywhere.
    Lyra got up to fetch a cloth to mop up the mess. “You don’t have to have a stroke! He didn’t have any family and his lawyer said he left everything to me.”
    “Who left everything to you?” Leopold asked from the doorway.
    “None of your business,” Lyra said at the same time Lexi said, “A…a black man, Lucius Abubakar.”
    Leopold’s eyes narrowed for a moment as he looked from Lyra to Lexi. Lexi sat back down and Leopold took a seat beside her.
    “Why would he do that?” He directed the question to Lyra.
    “Because they were friends,” Lexi said sarcastically then suddenly turned to Lyra with a suspicious expression. “Did you have an affair with that-that person?”
    Lyra’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Of course not! Honestly, Lexi. Can’t you even imagine