Secrets and Seduction: 5 Romance Novels by Shay Lacy Read Free Book Online Page A

Another tragedy.” She crossed herself.
    “I understand you helped raise Carolyn.”
    “Yes, because her mother was an invalid. Carolyn wasn’t even a year older than my Marisa, so they played together always. They were as close as sisters.”
    Nick wanted an opinion other than Marisa’s. “Do you believe what her husband says, that she took her own life?”
    “That one.” Anjelita snorted. “If she died, it was probably to get away from him.”
    “What do you mean?” He was so surprised, the question was sharper than he intended.
    “Scott Wentworth is a cold bastard, forgive me for swearing. Just ask my Marisa.”
    At that moment, Marisa appeared in the doorway and his mouth dried. He’d thought her a striking woman in her office clothes, but in khaki shorts and a white formfitting shirt, she was hot. She had curves in all the right places, and legs … God, she had legs. His manly parts that had been frustratingly unresponsive the past six months let him know they were alive and ready for action.
    And then he spotted Marisa’s mother. It was like being doused with ice water. He reined his hormones in fast. Marisa was not a one-night-stand and she had just been dumped. Not to mention she was grieving over her friend’s recent death. Any decent, self-respecting man would understand that she was off limits to a randy mutt like him. He should be ashamed of himself.
    “Are you ready?” Marisa asked.
    Damn straight he was. Nick cleared his throat. “Yeah. Do you want to walk up or down the gorge?” He opened the outer door for her.
    “Better make it down. I have a client later and I’d prefer not to be all sweaty.”
    Nick turned away from her so she wouldn’t see the hunger on his face. He couldn’t have picked a worse time to get his mojo back. Dammit, he’d been all but dead for months. Burnout, the department shrink had said. He’d hated being forced on leave, but maybe the time off had done some good if his libido was any indication.
    They drove to the upper parking lot for the Watkins Glen gorge and he retrieved his camera from the trunk.
    “How long has it been since you walked the glen?” Marisa asked.
    Nick had to think about it. “Three years.” The time span shocked him. “I hadn’t realized it had been so long.”
    They began the descent into the gorge. “Did you use to visit regularly?”
    The temperature cooled a bit as they entered the shade. “Every year since Brian moved here. We shared a dorm room at college and have been best friends ever since.”
    “Like Caro and I.” Sadness filled her eyes.
    “Yeah.” He rushed on so Marisa wouldn’t dwell on her friend. “After Brian moved here he told me how beautiful it was and I took my vacation here. I came every year after that.”
    “But not lately.”
    “No. I haven’t taken a week’s vacation in a long time. There’s always an emergency somewhere, always someone in pain who needs my help.” And here he was helping again, trying to assist Marisa with her grief.
    “Your job is so stressful. You need time away to re-energize.”
    “That’s why I’m here — mandatory time off for another week.” He heard the bitterness in his voice. People were dying back home without him. Well, they were dying here, too.
    Marisa walked ahead of him up steps made of the dark charcoal stone to blend in naturally with the gorge. He liked the way her shorts clung to her butt as she climbed. And then the stairway turned and he glimpsed Marisa framed against the backdrop of the gorge and all its natural beauty.
    He froze, breathless from the beauty of the woman and the gorge. He’d seen nothing but ugliness for months. All the color, save red, had leeched from his world, leaving only blood, death and pain. But this scene stirred something inside him and he thought he felt the ice around his frozen soul crack.

CHAPTER 6
    Marisa saw the lines of strain on Nick’s face soften and knew he’d been affected by the glory of the gorge. Oddly,