Victim of Deception (10 page)

His goofy grin made her laugh. “Probably as much as I do.”

“Then I think we’ll have a long and happy life together.”

She lightly ran her fingernails down his back. “I have no doubt of that.”

Karessa sighed when he kissed her. The man certainly knew how to use his tongue to its best advantage…in more ways than one.

He dropped a peck on the tip of her nose. “Do you think we should get dressed and look for the ghosts?”

“I guess we should. Darn it.”

Max chuckled. “I promise we’ll make love again today. Probably more than once.”

Karessa grinned. “Goody.”

He swiped his tongue across both her nipples before he rose from the bed. Rolling to her side, she watched him pull on his clothes. After he fastened his jeans, he kissed her once more. “I’ll be right back.”

Once he’d left the room, Karessa’s gaze fell to the yellowed envelope she’d laid on the nightstand. Curiosity made her reach for it. Sitting up, she slid her thumb beneath the flap and withdrew the contents.

M
ary sighed when Aaron’s tongue slid over her clit. She’d love to lie here all day and make love, but knew they had to talk to Karessa and Max. Tunneling her fingers into his hair, she tugged gently. “Aaron, stop.”

“Uh-uh. Not until you come again.”

“I’ve already come three times.” She tugged a bit harder, until he raised his head. “We’ve been making love for almost two hours.”

He grinned devilishly. “Damn, I’m good.”

Mary laughed. “Yes, you definitely are. But we have to talk to Karessa and Max. They have to be wondering where we are.”

“I hate it when you spoil my fun.”

He rose from the bed and helped Mary to stand. Her legs felt like limp noodles. She grabbed his arms to keep from falling.

“You okay, sweetheart?” Aaron asked, concern in his voice.

“I’m fine. Just weak. I’m not used to having so many orgasms in such a short time.”

“We have a lot of time to make up for.”

“Not all in one day, Aaron.”

“You’re determined to spoil my fun, aren’t you?”

She pulled his head down so she could kiss him. “We’ll have more fun later, all right? Let’s get dressed and talk to Karessa and Max.”

Hand in hand, Mary and Aaron walked down the stairs. A knock on Karessa’s bedroom door had produced no response, so Mary suggested they check downstairs. They followed the sound of conversation to the veranda. She spotted them first, sitting on the swing.

Max stood. “Hello again.”

“Hello.” Mary smiled to herself. She liked Max’s manners. He would be so good to Karessa.

Her gaze slid to Karessa’s face. It was almost like looking into a mirror. There were subtle differences in their looks, but even if Mary hadn’t been sure of Karessa’s identity, she’d know they were related.

Mary tugged Aaron closer to the swing. “We have so much to tell you, it’s hard to know where to start.”

“Mary, here, sit next to Karessa. I’ll get a couple of folding chairs for Aaron and me.”

“I’ll help you,” Aaron said.

Once the men left, Mary sat on the swing next to her great-great-granddaughter. “I can feel your tension. Are you afraid of me?”

“I’m…cautious.”

“I understand that. Finding two ghosts in your house must be mind-boggling.”

“It was, but Max told me I shouldn’t be afraid.”

“Max is a wonderful man, Karessa. He loves you deeply. Don’t ever doubt that.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do. Trust me, please.” She straightened her skirt over her legs. “I’m sure you’re confused about a lot of things.”

Karessa chuckled. “Yeah, you could say that. You two look…human.”

“I can’t explain that part. I assume it’s so we can communicate with you.”

Max and Aaron stepped back outside, each carrying a folding chair. Mary remained silent until the men had set up their chairs and sat down, then she looked back at Karessa. “Would you like to ask questions, or should I simply start talking?”

“I do have a question. You said your name is Mary and you’re my great-great-grandmother. But her name was Eva.”

“I
am
your great-great-grandmother.” She glanced at Aaron, unsure whether or not to be brutally honest with Karessa. His nod gave her the encouragement to continue. “Eva shot Aaron and me on this day in 1910.”

Karessa gasped. “She
shot
…Why?”

“Because she was obsessed with Aaron and wanted him for herself. She shot us and took our baby to raise as her own.”

“Katie?”

Mary nodded. “You’ve been reading her diary. Have you finished it?”

“Not yet.”

“Katie always suspected Eva wasn’t her birth mother, but could never prove it. Eva had bewitched practically everyone in the whole town. No one ever looked for us after we died. Aaron and I couldn’t figure out why, until we found Eva’s book of spells.”

“Book of spells?” Max asked.

“She was a witch. Katie looked for the book, but could never find it. Eva kept it well hidden.” She turned back to Karessa. “She
had the book with her in the carriage house the night she died. Aaron and I don’t know exactly what happened since we could never leave the house, but a fire started in the carriage house in 1928. That’s how Eva was killed, in the fire. It was a horrible way to die.”

“After what she did to us, she deserved to die a horrible death,” Aaron said bitterly.

“No one deserves to die so painfully, darling.”

Aaron looked at Max. “Mary always sees the good in people.”

Max shifted his gaze from Aaron to Karessa. “Sounds like her great-great-granddaughter inherited that trait.”

Karessa smiled at Max, then turned back to Mary. “You mentioned a carriage house?”

“Yes. This house became Katie’s after Eva’s death, but she decided not to rebuild the carriage house after the fire. Of course, by that time, automobiles were used for travel more than horses and a carriage house wasn’t necessary.”

Karessa rubbed her forehead. “This is all…It’s a lot to try and absorb.”

“I know, but Aaron and I want you to know everything.”

“And you’ve been here all this time? Ever since you…died?”

“Yes. She put a curse on us that we’d be bound to this house forever, unable to touch each other. We don’t know how, but the curse was broken when you and Max declared your love.”

Karessa and Max looked at each other. Mary smiled at the obvious love—and lust—in their eyes. They were made for each other, just like Aaron and her.

“So, what happens to you now?” Max asked.

“We don’t know for sure,” Aaron said. “We’re…in limbo, I guess you’d call it.”

“We do know that we won’t stay here,” Mary continued. “This is your house, Karessa. Aaron and I don’t belong here anymore.”

“But you won’t go yet, will you? I still have so many questions. How many people get to actually talk to their great-great-grandparents?”

“I’m sure we can stay awhile longer.” Mary smiled. “What else would you like to know?”

Karessa jotted down the last thing Mary told her. She’d been writing for well over an hour. Her hand throbbed from writer’s cramp, but she wasn’t about to stop. She wanted every bit of information she could get about her ancestors before Mary and Aaron left.

Shortly before eleven o’clock, her stomach reminded her quite loudly that she hadn’t eaten anything today. Embarrassed by her rumbling tummy, she glanced up at Mary.

Her great-great-grandmother smiled. “You are hungry.”

“Starved.” She bit her bottom lip. “Can you…eat?”

Mary shook her head. “No. But Aaron and I can take a walk among the trees while you and Max have lunch. We haven’t been able to step off the veranda for many years.”

“Actually, Mary,” Aaron said, “it’s time for us to go.”

“Oh, no, not yet.” Karessa clutched her notebook. “I still have questions.”

“I’m afraid we don’t have a choice, Karessa. Mary and I are being…called.” He stood and held out a hand to his wife. “We have to go, sweetheart. Are you ready?”

She placed her hand in his. “As long as I’m with you, I’m ready for anything.”

Tears sprang to Karessa’s eyes. She could almost feel the love
these two people shared. She stood as Mary did, and so did Max. “May I hug you?”

Mary smiled tenderly. “I insist on it.”

Karessa hugged her fiercely, then faced Aaron. He gave her a loving smile before hugging her, too. Turning to Max, he held out his hand. “Take care of her.”

“I plan to,” Max said, shaking Aaron’s hand.

Karessa leaned back against Max’s chest when he slipped his arms around her waist. She watched Mary and Aaron climb down the steps and walk toward the grove of trees. Tiny stars glittered around them. Slowly, her great-great-grandparents faded from view until they disappeared. The stars floated in the air a few seconds, then whooshed up toward the sky.

Max kissed her temple. “I wish they could’ve stayed longer.”

“So do I.”

“They didn’t have a choice, babe. They had to go when they were called. But they’re together. That’s what counts.”

Her tummy rumbled again. Max chuckled in her ear. “I think I’d better feed you before your stomach starts registering on the Richter scale.”

Karessa spread lotion over her hands as she watched Max undress for bed. She couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her lips when he pushed his briefs past his hips. The man was so gorgeous.

He slid between the sheets, facing her, and bunched up his pillow under his head. Amusement twinkled in his eyes. “I heard that sigh. Were you ogling my body?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Hooking the top sheet with one finger, he pulled it down to her waist. “That means I can ogle yours, too.”

“Before we get past the ogling stage, I need to talk to you.”

He cradled one bare breast. “Can I suck on your nipples first?”

“No.”

“Damn.” He released her breast and shifted his head on his pillow. “Okay, talk.”

She picked up the envelope containing the bond from the nightstand and held it out to him. “Open it.”

Max frowned. “I don’t need to open it. The bond is yours.”

“Please. I want you to see what’s inside.”

He hesitated several moments before sitting up and taking the envelope from her. Karessa watched him withdraw the antique bond and unfold it. He read over it, then refolded it and put it back inside the envelope.

“Okay, I saw what’s inside. I don’t care.”

“Did you notice the name of the railroad?”

“Yeah. Tanner and Watson. Why?”

“Tanner and Watson was a small railroad that was bought out by another railroad.”

“And that one was bought out by a major transportation company, which was eventually acquired by Tharwood Energy.”

“Right. If this bond had been issued by Tanner and Watson, it probably would be worth close to $176 million. But the name of the railroad on my bond is
Tonner
and Watson.”

“
Tonner
and Watson?” Max asked, confusion in his voice.

“A smaller railroad that went out of business in 1904. The owner disappeared with all the investors’ money.”

“Which means…”

“That bond is worthless.”

Max tapped the envelope against his palm. “Worthless.”

Karessa nodded. “Worthless as far as money. It’s important to me because I’ll put it on display at the museum.”

“And you know all this…how?”

“I run a museum, Max. I’ve studied history extensively, especially Texas history.”

Max sat up straighter on the bed. “So this bond will make a great exhibit in your museum, but nothing else.”

“Right.”

He handed the envelope back to her. “I’m glad.”

That wasn’t exactly what she expected him to say. “You’re
glad
the bond is worthless?”

“Yeah. Now you know for sure I want to marry you because I love you, not because of your money.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he continued before she had the chance to say anything. “I know you had doubts about me. Maybe you still do. But I’ll spend the rest of my life proving how very much I love you. I promise you that.”

Karessa believed him. The love shining in his eyes was all the proof she needed of his feelings. “I love you, Max,” she whispered.

He smiled. “I like the way that sounds.” Leaning forward, he kissed her softly. “I also like the way Karessa Hennessey sounds. Any chance we can make this a short engagement?”

“I have a couple of conditions about this engagement.”

One eyebrow arched. “Conditions?”

“I want to borrow your Thomas Abernathy painting to display with his other paintings at the museum.”

“Deal.”

“And…”

Max frowned. “There’s more?”

Karessa nodded. “When you gave me a massage last night, you mentioned me needing time on a tropical island. I want to go to some fabulous resort and be totally pampered on our honeymoon.”

He smiled. “Deal on that one, too.”

“In that case…” Wrapping her arms around his neck, Karessa tugged him closer to her. “I think a short engagement is an excellent idea.”

Lynn LaFleur was born and raised in a small town in Texas close to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. After living in various places on the West Coast for twenty-one years, she is back in Texas, seventeen miles from her hometown. Lynn also publishes with Ellora’s Cave and when not writing at every possible moment, she loves reading, sewing, gardening, and learning new things on the computer.

Visit AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite Harper
Collins
author.

Cover design by Richard L. Aquan

Cover photograph by Jan Cobb