Free Deadly Obsession by Elle James Page B

the worthless but sexy robe around her, she draped a hand-crocheted throw over her shoulders like a shawl and headed down the stairs for the kitchen.
    Strategically placed night-lights illuminated her way on the steps and through the great room. In the kitchen, she switched on the light and rummaged through the cabinets until she found a mug and a package of premixed hot cocoa powder. A minute in the microwave and she had a steaming cup to wrap her fingers around.
    She was halfway across the great room when she decided going back to her room wasn’t an option. The room was too small for an armchair. She’d have to sit on the bed and risk spilling chocolate on the beautiful quilt. The great room was cozy with the embers of the dying fire giving off a welcoming warmth and glow. Though it was tempting, Jillian had been feeling claustrophobic since her trip to the basement of her derelict house.
    In need of air, she opted to go outside and sit on the wide front porch. There she wouldn’t be reminded that Chance was on the other side of her bedroom wall, possibly sleeping naked.
    Barefoot, she stepped out the front door and walked across the cool boards, which were damp with the heavy fog cocooning the B and B in darkness.
    A single porch lamp gave just enough light to dispel the creepy, horror-movie feeling of the devil’s shroud and illuminated the swing on one end of the long porch. Holding the warm mug between her hands, she settled on the swing, tucked her legs beneath her and wrapped the throw around her entire body as best she could with one hand.
    When she’d shored up the gaps allowing cold air to touch her skin, she burrowed into the warmth and sipped the sweet cocoa, swaying back and forth with little effort.
    She had to remember to save enough money to add a porch swing to her house. This was heaven, and so relaxing she could fall asleep out in the fog.
    With no one to bother her, she forced thoughts of ghosts and Chance out of her mind and concentrated on how good the cocoa felt going down, warming her insides. She licked sweet chocolate from her lips, wondering what it would be like to have a man like Chance do the job for her.
    Jillian closed her eyes and groaned. There she went again, thinking about a man who wasn’t for her. The slight squeak of a hinge made her open her eyes.
    The man she’d been trying to erase from her mind stood on the porch, as if conjured by her imagination.
    Swallowing a curse, Jillian bit down on her tongue to keep from blurting out something utterly stupid.
    He wore nothing but a pair of jeans, his hands dug into the pockets. He walked to the rail and leaned against one of the posts, staring out into the fog.
    That was when Jillian realized he hadn’t noticed her sitting in the swing at the end of the porch. She sat very still, studying every curve and edge of the man, hoping he’d go back inside without seeing her.

Chapter 6
    A fter an hour of tossing and turning, jumping at every sound and lying in the dark, staring at nothing but reliving everything, Chance gave up. He was afraid to go to sleep. Afraid of going back into the same dreams that plagued him every night.
    What he feared most was what he might do when caught in the throes of his nightmare battle. Would he wake up before he caused damage to the place, or before he hurt someone? When he’d still been on active duty and stuck in a barracks before going home, he’d woken up slugging the hell out of the guy who’d been sleeping in the rack below his. It took four men to pull him off and shake him awake. The man he’d beaten had been taken to the hospital, suffering a broken nose, a concussion and a broken rib. And he’d been a friend.
    Granted, the nightmares still came, but the violent reactions had dissipated. He hadn’t hit a man in over a year. He had punched a couple of walls and a multitude of pillows, which indicated he still wasn’t fit to sleep with anyone