Free Secrets and Seduction: 5 Romance Novels by Shay Lacy

8
    “Scott Wentworth pushed Carolyn in front of the train?” Marisa repeated. It was too horrible, too inconceivable that even Scott could do that. “Why?”
    “Money, for one,” Nick said. “He inherited a business and valuable real estate, didn’t he?”
    “I can’t believe it.” Yet hadn’t Scott begrudged her the few items Carolyn had willed her?
    “You’ve been adamant that Carolyn didn’t kill herself. That only leaves two choices. You’ve got to admit the possibility that Scott might have wanted his wife out of the way.”
    “Did you tell Deputy Nash what the psychiatrist said?”
    “I felt you should know first. Besides, the sheriff doesn’t want Scott Wentworth ‘bothered.’ The sheriff told Brian to close the case with a verdict of suicide.”
    Marisa sucked in her breath. “Which would allow a killer to go free, if Scott killed her.” No. She couldn’t allow that to happen.
    Nick nodded. “If he did it. She could have fallen trying to reach whatever she’d dropped, like the one eyewitness said.”
    “If she did drop something, it’s long gone. The town prides itself on a clean promenade.”
    “There’s no harm in looking.”
    “Then we should start back now.” Marisa turned toward the car.
    Nick halted her with a hand on her arm. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I ruined our day. This was a beautiful place and I appreciate you sharing it with me.”
    Marisa stared into the depths of his chocolate brown eyes and felt herself drowning. Her lips parted, drawing his gaze. She moistened them and watched desire heat his eyes. Her body thrummed with a corresponding need. She wanted him to peel off her clothes and lick everything he found underneath until she lay boneless and sated beneath him.
    God, what was she thinking! She tore her gaze from his. Only last week she’d shared her fiancé’s bed for one of their lukewarm sexual encounters. Even the actual act with Kevin didn’t compare to the heat of a daydream about Nick. What was wrong with her?
    She hurried to the car and knew Nick followed. But as she opened the door and turned, she was abruptly plastered against his body. He grabbed her arms to prevent her from stumbling. An electric shock went through her body and centered in her lower belly. She felt desperate to be intimately filled with him. Her panties dampened and her nipples peaked.
    “You don’t have to be afraid of me,” Nick breathed into her ear. His erection pressed against her stomach.
    Oh yes she did. She wanted him to mount her right here on the lawn of Belhurst and ride her hard and fast. She wanted to cry “Harder!” — something she’d never done with Kevin, the man she supposedly loved.
    “Please.” Her voice sounded breathy. She wasn’t even sure now what she was begging him for. She pressed her thighs against his.
    “You’re safe with me. I won’t hurt you.” He cupped her face and raised it to his.
    Marisa saw brown eyes instead of blue, dark hair instead of fair, intensity instead of placidness. Distance. She needed distance. “You live in New York City.”
    The passion cooled in his eyes, slowly replaced by the deadness she’d seen in them that first day. She hadn’t meant to do that.
    Nick peeled his body from hers. Hers clung; so did his. She felt chilled when he no longer blanketed her.
    “I’m sorry.” His voice sounded flat and emotionless. “It wasn’t my intention to bring you here to seduce you. My father taught me how to treat women with respect.”
    Although she’d wanted distance, she hadn’t wanted to hurt him. “It’s all right. Let’s go back to town so we can look for whatever Carolyn dropped.”
    “Sure.” Nick looked like he wanted to say more, but he closed his mouth and climbed into the car.
    As Marisa navigated Route 14 back to Watkins Glen, she pondered what she’d learned while pressed against Nick’s firm body. She was attracted to the flame, and Nick was an inferno. If she wasn’t careful, she