The water had been blissfully hot, and she felt clean and relaxed. As she padded down the hallway, her footsteps echoed in the hush. The Sunday night crowd at the restaurant and bar had dispersed a while ago. Upstairs, only a handful of guests were staying the night, and t...
Cassie sat back from the table and rubbed her stomach. “Those salt-and-pepper pork ribs were to die for.” “I know a good way of burning off the calories.” Kirk grinned, his hand touching her knee beneath the table. She smiled back at him, sweet anti...
Her friend’s expression was a mixture of impatience and concern, and guilt rushed over Harriet as she realised her thoughts had wandered off some time ago. “Of course I have,” she lied. “You were talking about…um…Nico and his yacht.” “We’d fin...
Julian’s mare jingled her bit and picked up her pace as she sensed that her stable, water, and a feed of oats were close by. Beside him, Nellie sat astride her raw-boned nag. Julian had already suggested she ride all the way back with him, that Figgs would return the mount to the inn the followin...
Sit down. I make you something to eat.” A lump lodged in Toni’s throat. Trust her mum to greet her as if nothing had happened. She gave her mum another hug. At sixty-five Pearl Lau was as energetic as ever, her hair still defiantly permed and coloured. She was dressed in h...
The lights were on. Grace appeared and gestured him to follow her into the living room, where she stood holding her hands together, an uncomfortable expression on her face. “How was dinner with your family?” she asked. “The usual.” He hauled in a de...
Her navy, knee-length skirt and plain blue shirt did little to hide her curvy figure. He’d noticed her from his first day at FrogLeap. Hard not to when she was the only female at managerial level. Even harder when she was a knockout and smart and hardworking and seemed to dislike him on sight. Ye...
In summer it was a popular place for picnics, swimming, and trail walks, and on a Friday afternoon there were plenty of people enjoying the warm weather, but luckily it wasn’t too busy. Which was just as well because Otto hated crowds and would have demanded Derek take him back home if the picnic...
Her surprise at his early arrival increased when she saw he wasn’t alone. A tall, rangy man about the same age as Brody walked in with him. “This is Detective Shane Jackson,” Brody introduced him. “Shane, this is Abigail Brightwater.” “Nice to meet ...
Elliot gaped at Luke, his eyebrows shooting up above the thick-rimmed spectacles. They were standing in Elliot’s living room, and Luke had just informed his agent that there was no chance of him completing the Kingsley Jeffers sequel. “’Fraid not.” ...
She tried to recall what had roused her. Her sleep had been fitful, as it had been for several nights, and the bedclothes were rumpled and creased from her uneasy tossing. But something other than a bad dream had woken her. Ignoring the frigid air, she slipped from the bedcovers and padded across...
For a while she lay prone, taking in her surroundings. She was alone in Asher’s study, she saw, lying on his chaise longue with a Tartan blanket thrown over her. The fire was out, a towering heap of ashes and blackened books sprawling in the grate. On the mantelpiece above, a handsome carriage cl...