Sweet Inspiration by Penny Watson Read Free Book Online Page B

well-pleasured Lucy curled up in his arms for the night had been nothing short of bliss. It also occurred to him that he had completely forgotten to interrogate Lucy about her sugar cookie recipe. They spent hours in her kitchen, but he had been much too distracted to remember his main reason for visiting her last evening.
    His seduction strategy had not gone exactly according to plan, either. Although Lucy fell asleep before he could finish making love to her, the look of surprise and wonder on her face as she came apart in his arms was extremely satisfying.
    He had the distinct feeling that the petite chef was somewhat inexperienced with men. She obviously spent the majority of her time at the cafe, taking care of her orders as well as needy customers, and ignoring her own needs.
    Nicholas never thought he would be attracted to someone like Lucy, but his obsession with her was growing. She was fascinating in every way; her combination of innocence and passion, her joyful love of cooking, her generous nature with others.
    He sat up and stretched his back, his spine crackling and popping like roasting chestnuts. His clothes were sadly rumpled, and his hair jutted up in all directions. Nicholas was 58
    Sweet Inspiration
    by Penny Watson
    somewhat embarrassed for Lucy to see him in such disarray, but the delicious scent of French roast was too enticing to ignore. And truthfully, he was impatient to see and touch and taste the little baker. The thought of leaving her today was unsettling. Somehow he would figure out a way to see her again.
    Nicholas smiled as he entered the kitchen. Lucy had placed two holiday espresso cups next to the coffee machine. They were cherry red with hand-painted Christmas trees. His mother would be absolutely charmed by Lucy's sweet and giving nature—and her choice of china. His family's collection of Christmas dishware was rather extensive, to say the least.
    Lucy would be impressed for sure.
    The sound of a vehicle barreling down the street caught his attention. A white truck turned into the driveway just past Sweet Inspiration . He realized that Lucy must be meeting her first delivery of the morning.
    Nicholas picked up the red mug and was reaching for the coffee carafe when a horrible feeling of foreboding hit him.
    His head snapped up as the sound of smashing glass exploded into the silence of the morning and sent him running to the back door. Heart pounding, he yanked open the door and refused to process what his eyes were seeing.
    No, no, not now, I've just found you, sweetheart...
    Lucy looked like a crumpled rag doll, flung against the pavement. Bright red blood pooled around her body and saturated her white apron and coated her curls. Nicholas flew down the steps and knelt next to her body as the truck driver stumbled out of his vehicle.
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    Sweet Inspiration
    by Penny Watson
    "I couldn't stop. It was too slippery." The old man looked dazed as he stared at Lucy's broken body. "She gonna be okay?"
    Nicholas touched Lucy's hair, stroking softly. Reaching for the cell phone in his pocket, he pressed a single button, never once taking his eyes off of Lucy.
    "Markus, I need you." His voice sounded hoarse and shaky. "Meet me immediately behind Sweet Inspiration. And call Hector...tell him...tell him we're bringing in an emergency."
    Later that morning, when Chief of Police Nathan Mayer questioned Joseph McCracken about the accident, they assumed he had been drinking. There was a crushed truck, a pool of blood, but no body. Joe was teary-eyed and confused and blabbering like a fool. The chief of police wasn't sure what to write in the report. They didn't have a hell of a lot of crime in Eston, New York. Especially in the wintertime. The most excitement usually came from kids whipping snowballs at the school buses. But old Joe just kept repeating the same damned story, and it sure was a doozy.
    "A sleigh. In the sky, he carried her off. And there was an elf. It just disappeared. I'm telling you,