Free Nothing But the Truth by Kara Lennox

relationship would be serious and committed from the get-go.
    But even that would never happen if she continued to worship her dead husband. What mortal man could compete with St. Jason?
    He wisely decided not to voice his opinion, which would have landed him on his ass on the sidewalk.
    Griffin hoped her grief would ease up someday, allowing her to have another serious relationship, maybe another marriage. But it wouldn’t be with him. He wasn’t the serious, committed, true-love type. Maybe when he was more settled in his career, but not now.
    “Fair enough. Friends?” He thought about extending his hand, then decided touching her in even the most innocent fashion was a bad idea.
    She nodded. “Friends. But I think you should leave now.”
    “What about my story?”
    “I don’t want the whole world reading about my problems. I can’t stop you from writing a story, but I hope you’ll use some discretion. And that you’ll keep in mind that with anything you write, our shared enemy might react negatively to it.”
    “Meaning he might escalate. Raleigh, I won’t do anything to put you in danger, okay?”
    “Thank you.”
    As he rode down the elevator, Griffin knew he’d lied to her. Not about the story—he wasn’t ready to write it, anyway. But about that kiss… It was nowhere near forgotten, and it never would be.

    R ALEIGH HAD MAINTAINED her calm exterior when she’d seen Griffin to the door. Once he was gone, that all dissolved. She didn’t even make it the sofa. She sank to floor right where she stood, sliding her back against the wall, and rested her forehead on her knees as her eyes burned with unshed tears and her throat constricted.
    What had she done?
    All these years, faithful to the memory of her husband, faithful in body, mind and spirit. Today all that had gone out the window.
    She could live with the fact Griffin had kissed her. But when he’d backed off, she’d lunged for him, kissing him as if he were oxygen to a drowning swimmer. And she had wanted to do more. She still did.
    Desire was understandable. She was, after all, an adult woman with all the requisite body parts and hormones. But acting on that desire, even in a small way, was not. Her whole life, she had been praised for her discipline and self-control. She was the one who stayed in her dorm room and studied while everyone else was out partying. She was the one who held her tongue around her in-laws, refusing to rise to the bait they cast again and again, trying to prove to their son she was unworthy.
    She was the one who saved her money, who eschewed instant gratification in favor of a sound retirement plan.
    Yet she’d just let herself practically jump the bones of the first handsome man to show any interest in a very long time.
    After sitting on the floor sobbing like an idiot for a couple of minutes, Raleigh pulled herself together. This was ridiculous. She hadn’t had sex with Griffin, after all; she’d merely kissed him.
    She pushed herself to her feet and walked purposefully to the table where she displayed Jason’s pictures and a few of the mementos that were important to them as a couple. Jason smiled back his perpetual smile. He had always smiled. He’d been the happiest, sunniest person she’d ever known, and he’d never expressed a moment of disapproval about anything she did.
    But if he could see her now…
    She picked up one of the framed photos—the one she liked best. They’d been on their honeymoon in the Florida Keys, enjoying a fresh fish dinner at a seaside café. The sun was setting, and she’d said something to make Jason laugh just before snapping the picture. He looked tan and carefree.
    Simply looking at that picture could conjure the smell of the ocean, the call of seagulls, the lemon and spices of the snapper she’d eaten that night.
    Closing her eyes, she tried to bring those sensations back now. She couldn’t.
    She was losing him. Little by little, the memories were slipping away. After