NorthernPassion by Cynnamon Foster Read Free Book Online Page B

might be all they got.
    Sam picked up the gold envelope from the corner of the
counter and removed the invitation. He flipped it open, then closed again. “Don’t
you think this is kind of cryptic?”
    Desiree took the envelope from him. “Cryptic? No. It’s very
straightforward and simple, though. Basically, be there at nine p.m.. It’s a
cocktail party invitation. Maybe that’s all there is. Just cocktails.”
    “Perhaps on the surface. But you and I both know there’s
more. There always is.” He pointed at the line on the bottom. “What do you
think CP means?” He ran his finger over the embossed initials. “None of the
people we met have a name beginning with those letters.”
    “Not sure,” Desiree said, her eyes narrowing. The invitation
was simple, but it was definitely intriguing. “But I’m sure we’ll find out.”
    * * * * *
    The gathering wasn’t so much a secret as much as they just
didn’t bother to invite the others. Martin Jenilham, Leesa Consat and Kimberly
Brown sat in the Jenilham kitchen with barely warm coffee cups in front of
them. All three clutched their cups tightly but no one actually drank much. The
conversation had gone from quiet to spirited in the blink of an eye.
    Marting noticed Leesa was obviously upset. She shook her leg
nervously as she dangled on the edge of the counter stool way too high for her petite
five-foot-two-inch frame.
    “Tell me again why you took it upon yourself to invite them?”
She practically spat her words across the kitchen island. “We normally confer
about everyone new. We screen new members, remember?”
    Kimberly slammed her fist down on the table. Her face was
flushed with anger. “Bullshit. This isn’t about screening. Reading someone’s
Facebook timeline isn’t screening. You’re just mad because you didn’t meet them
first.” She swiveled her chair around to face Martin. He’d been sitting
quietly, watching the two women, running his index finger around the rim of his
huge coffee mug as he contemplated the new neighbors.
    He was much calmer than the women, partly because he thought
they were overreacting and partly due to the jigger of vodka he’d added to his
coffee. “I think they’ll make an interesting addition to our group. Perhaps
spice things up a bit. They don’t have to be members. Not yet. They can just be
guests. They’ll need feeling out first.”
    Leesa whipped her head around, her anger now directed at
Martin. “I’m not exciting enough? Kimberly’s pretty damn exciting too. Just
what are you trying to say, Martin? We put rules in place for a reason. We know
nothing about these people.”
    The women bored Martin. They’d missed the point of the whole
arrangement they had. The Passion Club was his brainchild. He made up the
rules, so he could change them as he saw fit. “I’m saying the way we do things
around here, we keep things fresh and exciting. These two people, the Comforts,
they’re going to bring new things we haven’t tried before. That’s what I’m
saying. I’m saying I want new and exciting.”
    His words didn’t seem to calm Leesa one bit. “It’s never
good enough or exciting enough for you, Marty. You’re always pushing the
envelope.” She glared at him without apology.
    Kimberly almost snorted out the sip of coffee she’d just
taken. “I could go so many places with that.”
    “You shut up.” Leesa glared at her. “What makes them
exciting? It’s better when we get to know them at first.” Her reply bordered on
whining, something Martin hated. “We weren’t supposed to do anything or anyone
else on the street. It was supposed to only be people from the Facebook group,
people we’ve at least taken the time to get to know before we invite them to
our little events.”
    “Get over yourself, Leesa,” Kimberly jumped in. She
guffawed. “I can’t believe you people buy that lurking on someone’s profile on
Facebook or Tumblr means we’re getting to know them. That shit is all