Buried Evidence by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg Read Free Book Online Page A

John!”
    “Well,” he said, chuckling, “from what I know about the man, that’s about the same as living with a bunch of college kids.”
    Lily stopped, sucking in a deep breath. John’s irresponsibility might seem comical to Richard, but she certainly didn’t think it was funny. “At the very least, I expected her to spend the weekend with me from time to time. She’s only visited me once since the day I moved in.”
    Richard saw another photo of Shana on the end table. He picked it up, having forgotten how much the girl resembled her mother. Now that she was older, people might even mistake thetwo women for twins. “Wow,” he said, “you’ve got so many pictures of Shana in this place, I bet I could swipe one for Greg and you wouldn’t even notice.”
    “I guess I went overboard,” Lily said, taking his remark as criticism. “I don’t entertain here, Richard. Looking at her pictures makes me feel good.”
    “I was just kidding,” he said. “Setting aside her preference for universities,” he said, “why would she decide to live with her father? I thought the two of you were inseparable.”
    Lily’s shoulders dropped. “Same story, you know. John acts like her houseboy. Since I work long hours, she decided to move back in with old reliable.” She paused, then changed the subject. “How’s Greg? Is he going to be upset that you’re late? Do you want to use my phone and call him?”
    “Let’s skip the kid talk for tonight,” he said, focusing on a spot over her head. “We can always play catch-up another day.”
    They took a seat on the sofa, both dropping down in almost the same spot. Lily felt his thigh brush up against her own. The chemistry between them was so powerful, she found herself undressing him in her mind. She coughed a few times to cover her embarrassment, similar to the way a man occasionally tossed his jacket over his lap to conceal an unexpected erection. In her eyes, Richard was everything a woman could ever want. His shoulders were naturally broad, his legs long and muscular. His buttocks weren’t flat like some men.
    No matter how much she desired him, however, she couldn’t forget all the years she had suffered alone. Pushing herself to her feet, she yawned, hoping he would take the hint and leave. She stood there waiting until he did.
    “Well,” he said, “I guess I’ll hit the road.”
    As they walked to his car, Lily asked about his former spouse. He had listened to her rattle on about her problems with Shana and John; therefore, reciprocating seemed appropriate. “How’s Claire?”
    “Good.”
    “Is she still with the same person?”
    “Yes,” Richard told her, scratching the top of his head.“They’ve built a nice life for themselves. From what I can tell, Claire is genuinely happy.”
    Lily was impressed with how well he had come to terms with his ex-wife’s sexual preference. “I’ll see you at Middleton’s preliminary hearing.”
    “I want you,” he said, pulling her into his arms.
    Lily felt dizzy, vulnerable. “I want you too,” she told him, “but I’m not going to make an impulsive decision. Those days are over, Richard.”
    “I agree we have to be cautious,” he said, cupping the side of her face with his hand, “but the Middleton trial isn’t going to last forever. Don’t tell me you’re never going to sleep with me again.”
    She smiled. “That’s not what I said.”
    “Oh,” he said, “I thought you were issuing some kind of ultimatum.”
    Lily rested her head against his chest, but her sense of well-being was short-lived. The frightened little girl surfaced, and she was surrounded by an avalanche of terrifying images. “Why did it happen?” she said, tears pooling in her eyes. “Maybe I wouldn’t have reacted the way I did if he had only raped me. But my daughter—”
    “Don’t think about it,” he whispered. “Are you still in therapy?”
    Angry, Lily pushed him away. “Just because I refuse to sleep with you,