New Revelations: Second Sight Book Two

by Heather Topham Wood

  “I will ruin you. No honorable gentleman would ever accept you as his wife once he discovers another man has taken your maidenhead.”

  She rested her body against the bed sheets and beckoned him near. Arching her back and arranging her blonde hair over the pillow, she offered herself to him. She ran her hands down the silk of her gown to bring attention to every perfect curve of her body.

  “Bart,” she purred his name. “You leave port in two days. Let me have a night I may cherish for the rest of my days.”

  “Damnation,” he swore and moved swiftly over her.

  His scorching kiss quickened her pulse and started a fire in her belly. His hands moved expertly and she felt her body blossom under his touch. Her soul burned for him and Lucinda could not bear the idea of him leaving without knowing what it felt to be with a man like Bartholomew. Her heart would surely stop beating on the day Bart set out to sea.

  He removed his shirt, leaving only his britches on. Lucinda gasped at his masculine beauty. His chest was broad with dark course hair that trailed down from his belly button. His biceps bulged with muscles earned from hard labor on the ship. As her desire built, her petals begged to be ravished by him.

  Her eyes moved downwards to the snugness of his pants. Her insides twisted in anticipation as he placed his hand on his belt and pulled out…

  “What are you doing?”

  “Oh my god!” Kate cried dropping her book and almost falling out of her lawn chair. Her entire body felt flushed as she noticed Jared standing over her with an amused smirk.

  Since he wasn’t wearing his normal suit, she guessed he hadn’t been at work that morning. Instead, he wore a fitted black t-shirt and a pair of running shorts. He looked completely irresistible. He ran his fingers through his hair before shooting her an inquisitive look. “I tried your cell and the front door. I figured you might be back here when I saw your car in the driveway.”

  “I left my phone inside,” she choked out as she tried to gain a hold of herself. She pulled up the straps of her bikini and squirmed in her seat.

  “What were you reading?” Jared asked before adding, “You had such an intent look on your face.”

  “Um…nothing,” she mumbled.

  His arm brushed against her leg as he reached down to pick up her paperback off of the ground next to her. As his gray eyes took in the cover, she wondered if it was humanly possible to be anymore mortified than she was at that moment.

  “Lust at Sea,” he read the title aloud with a wry undertone. “Doesn’t sound like school reading,” he teased.

  “No, maybe not exactly…but I was reading it for educational purposes.” She pushed a strand of light brown hair out of her face and still wouldn’t look at him directly.

  “And did it help?”

  His gray eyes lingered over her body and it called to attention how very little she was wearing. She couldn’t tell if the rosy color of her skin was from her embarrassment or from the time out in the sun.

  “Don’t think so. Lots of talks about seeds and flowers and you know I’ve never been good with metaphors.” Her voice sounded way too high pitched for normal. “Is it super hot out or what?” Kate fanned her face for emphasis. “Why don’t I get us some lemonade?”

  Before Jared could reply, Kate jumped to her feet and entered the house through the sliding glass door. Entering the kitchen, she reached into the refrigerator to pull out a pitcher of lemonade. Jared suddenly appeared close behind her. Gooseflesh erupted on her arms and she visibly shivered.

  “Where’s your mom?” he asked.

  “She’s having lunch with a friend and then she has a sales call to go to. Why?”

  Kate turned around and before she could react, Jared took the lemonade out of her hand and placed it on the counter behind them. He pulled her body to him and gave her a long kiss that left her out of breath.

  His breathing was heavy as he pulled away. Her hair had loosened from the haphazard bun she had placed it in while sunbathing. Jared tucked a piece of her hair behind her ears. “I’ve tried to wait, Kate…I really did. I just wanted to make sure you were ready.”

  She laced her fingers around his neck and gave him an earnest look. “I’m ready.”

  Moving into the hallway, he began to rain an endless number of kisses on her. Jared’s fingers didn’t fumble as he easily untied the back of her bikini. The fabric glided down her body and fell to the floor between them. His hands moved down her bare back and she felt herself relating to the fiery emotions Lucinda had just been describing in Kate’s romance novel. His voice was a ragged whisper. “You’re sure she won’t be home soon?”

  “No, we have hours.”

  Kate moaned into his mouth as things began to heat up. She barely recalled making their way up to her bedroom. She fell onto her bed and wondered if she had time to fan her hair out attractively the way Lucinda had. Jared didn’t seem to mind the way she appeared as he blanketed her body with his own.

  “Kate, I wanted this…I wanted you for so long…” he breathed out.

  Jared’s guard was down and Kate could see the vulnerability he usually concealed. She was afraid to speak. Her tendency to put her foot in her mouth made her fearful she could easily ruin the significance of this moment.

  Instead, Kate parted her lips for another kiss and hoped her body was demonstrating how much she returned the sentiment. It was arousing to see him in such a state. Jared always seemed in control. It thrilled her to see she could chip away at his composure. He made her feel desirable and it eased any nerves she had about them being intimate.

  His shirt fell to the floor. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled him as close to her as humanly possible. His words were barely audible as he groaned into her hair, “Kate, you are so beautiful.”

  “Jared, you’re amazing,” she said softly between kisses. “This is so much better than I could ever have imagined,” she confessed huskily.

  The sensation of being this close to him made her dizzy. It was challenging for Kate to maintain control, but Jared continued to kiss and hold her in a gentle and loving way. Each movement felt deliberate—as if he understood her nervousness and only cared for her comfort. It must’ve cracked at his self-control to keep his hands moving slowly and seductively over her body. Each time he dared to touch her somewhere new, his eyes confirmed with hers that she was ok with it. Her skin burned with need each time his lips brushed against flesh.

  Suddenly, she felt Jared’s body grow taut. He stilled even as she continued to try and kiss him. Kate gave him a worried look and wondered if she had done something wrong. “Jared?”

  “Were you expecting someone to come by?” he whispered. The lust melted off of his face and was replaced with apprehension. Before she could answer, Kate heard the doorbell ring. Would she ever catch a break?

  “We’ll just ignore it,” she said decidedly. “It’s probably one of the women from the church down the street. They are always trying to convert me. I think the whole psychic thing makes them think I’m filled with sin.”

  “Being half naked with your boyfriend in the middle of the afternoon would probably confirm that for them,” he joked with a wicked grin.

  Kate squealed as he nuzzled her neck. The laughter quickly faded as loud knocking shook the whole house. Jared groaned, “Whoever it is has the worst possible timing in the world.”

  No kidding. With a growl, she untangled herself from Jared’s arms. As the knocking continued, she vowed that whoever it was better be in a life or death situation or they were getting a major butt kicking. After tossing on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she gave Jared a helpless look. “I better get it,” Kate sighed. “One day we may actually get more than ten minutes alone together.”

  He rolled onto his back on her bed and nodded. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

  Trouncing down the stairs, she swung open the front door. Ideally, she could get rid of whoever it was quickly enough to recapture the mood with Jared. Her frown deepened
as she realized it was Declan. Jeez, she thought bitterly, he was turning into the human version of a chastity belt.

  He appeared wound up and stormed past her into the hallway. “What were you taking a nap? I’ve been at the door for ten minutes.”

  “Sure, come right in,” she murmured while flattening herself against the wooden door.

  Declan opened his mouth to answer her, but shut it as he heard Jared’s heavy footsteps on the stairwell. Once the psychic turned back to face her, understanding darkened his features. “Oh…sorry…I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

  When Kate glanced his way, she found Jared was leaning against the doorway that led into the kitchen. By his uncomfortable stance, she knew he wasn’t happy with the interruption either. However, he took the high road and held out his hand. “Jared Corbett.”

  “Declan Brayden,” he answered and heartily shook his hand. His normal swagger was gone as he spoke to Jared. “It’s good to meet you—nice to finally meet a cop who actually believes in psychics.”

  Kate was pleased. She would much rather have the boys playing nice, instead of trying to pummel each other. She pictured working with both Jared and Declan. Maybe the three of them could launch their own psychic private detective agency. Jared could handle all of the legalities while the psychics focused on using their visions to solve cases.

  “Sorry to barge in here, but I’ve talked to Delaney Pirola this morning. I’ve told her about the visions we’ve had about Melanie. I think she was shocked to realize we were real psychics and not scam artists trying to get the reward money.

  “Anyway, she wants us to meet with her today to look at a few photographs. She didn’t want to get into it over the phone, but apparently she has suspects in mind that she believes may know where Melanie could be,” he described in a rush.

  Silence descended on the room as Kate digested this information. Chambersburg was almost four hours away which meant she would have to miss her night class. With all of the classes and work she’d been missing lately, academic dismissal and unemployment seemed to be in her foreseeable future.

  “I’d like to leave as soon as possible,” Declan declared. He looked at his watch before continuing. “We probably wouldn’t get there until early evening depending on how bad the traffic turns out to be. What do you think?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  Shocked, Kate turned to Jared. Her normally laid-back boyfriend looked beyond pissed. Kate guessed she could kiss those dreams of a detective agency goodbye. As she glanced at Declan, his full lips were down turned and he seemed surprised too at Jared’s outburst.

  “Jared?” she questioned softly.

  His gray eyes met hers, but he addressed Declan. “There is no way I’m letting Kate get herself involved in something so risky. Both of you have no idea what could have happened to Melanie. If Kate goes there to help out on the case, she could make herself a target of whoever is responsible for Melanie’s disappearance.”

  “I guess it’s only acceptable when you drag Kate into a dangerous case and almost get her killed,” Declan replied with venom in his tone.

  “Declan…” she hissed.

  “What?” He turned to face her. “It’s the truth, isn’t it? He is the one who forced you into the Preston case to help find his girlfriend’s sister.” Kate really wished everyone would stop referring to Cori as his girlfriend’s sister. It was beginning to get on her last nerve. Declan was getting himself worked up as he continued to denounce Jared. “If Billy Rizzo had killed you that night, your blood would be on his hands.”

  Jared stormed across the room to face down Declan. Jared had a few inches on him but Declan seemed to be the type willing to fight dirty if the need arose. “You know nothing about me or Kate. And if you think for one second I’m going to let you involve her in something that will hurt her, you’re certifiable.”

  “I would never hurt Kate. And we share something that you could never be a part of,” Declan spat out.

  Jared clenched his fist and looked ready to knock Declan into next week. No way in hell was she letting the two of them bloody up her mother’s home. In an alarmed voice, she called, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind!”

  The boys got out of each other’s faces and turned to stare at her. She was beginning to recognize their equal expressions of concern for her mental state. Declan reacted first. “Huh?

  “It’s a quote from Gandhi. I don’t know—it was the first thing that popped into my head to get you two to stop fighting. My translation is that beating each other to pulp won’t solve anything,” she explained.

  Declan looked skeptical. “You know quotes from Gandhi?”

  “Yes!” she replied haughtily.

  In actuality, there was a TV show about him on the History Channel the weekend she had lost the remote. Kate ended up watching it because she was too lazy to get off the couch and change the channel. “Anyway, just cut it out.”

  Turning to Jared, she looked at him beseechingly. “I know you’re looking out for me, but I have to go. What if we have a vision that could save Melanie’s life?”

  “I guess my opinion doesn’t matter,” Jared said flatly. His text alert sounded and he took his phone out of his pocket. With a frown, he scanned the message before looking back at her. “I have to go.”

  He shouldered his way past Declan and headed towards the door. Kate followed at his heels. She clutched his arm as he reached his car. “Jared, please don’t go.”

  “I have to get into work. Have a safe trip.” His voice was cold and detached. The electricity between them from earlier had completely fizzled out.

  Tears sprung to her eyes. She willed him to understand. “Jared, please don’t leave like this.”

  “Kate, I can’t act like you taking off to another state with that prick doesn’t bother the hell out of me,” he grumbled. His expression softened as he noticed her distressed demeanor. “I know your heart is in the right place and you want to help Melanie. But you have to think of your own safety too. Calling in an anonymous tip is a lot different than heading to the scene of a police investigation.”

  “I don’t know what to say. I see Melanie constantly—every time I close my eyes. I feel this connection to her and I feel like I owe it to her to do everything in my power to get her back home,” she said earnestly.

  He sighed and grazed his lips against hers. “There doesn’t seem to be anything I can say that will change your mind. Only promise me that you’ll be careful.”

  Kate hugged him, but opted not to notice his stiff form. She had faith that things would work out and they would recapture what had been taken away by Declan’s interruption. “I will be. I’ll give you a call when I get into Chambersburg.”

  Jared nodded and entered his BMW. With a short wave, he pulled away from the curb. Kate stood outside for several minutes before sulking back inside. She had almost forgotten Declan was still in the house. With a tense smile, he remarked, “I’m guessing I didn’t just make a new fan.”

  “You didn’t have to provoke him. That comment about us sharing something special was way out of line,” she barked at him. She used the back of her hand to wipe off a few stray tears on her cheeks.

  Declan wrapped his arm around her and gave a gentle hug. “Cheer up. Everything will work out. We’ll save the girl and you’ll get the guy.” The way his eyes bore down on her, she understood that the guy he was talking about was not Jared.

  She pushed him away. “I’m going to get changed and grab a few things. We can leave in a few minutes.”

  As she made her way upstairs, Kate felt herself drowning in regrets. She didn’t want to leave town while there was tension with Jared. Not to mention, Declan was becoming more aggressive about his claim on her. Although a part of her wanted to run back downstairs to tell Declan she wouldn’t go—she couldn’t do that to Melanie. Kate had a strong sense that this trip would lead her to discovering the truth behind Melanie’s disappearance.

  Chapte
r Seventeen

  “You’re turning into a psycho stalker chick.” Declan gestured to her phone which Kate had checked approximately a hundred times since they left Franklin for Chambersburg. She had sent Jared an apology text and tried his cell twice. She had received radio silence in return. The pragmatic side of her understood he probably just needed time to cool off. However, her needy side wanted him to call her back this instant and work things out.

  “It certainly sounds like he’s been working a lot.” Kate didn’t miss the forced casualness in Declan’s tone.

  She glanced over at him as the setting sun partially hid his features in shadow. “Yes, he has. With our crazy schedules, I haven’t been able to see him as much as I wanted to.”

  “Hmm…that’s interesting,” he murmured.

  “If you have a point, I suggest you get to it,” she replied.

  “Can I speak freely?”

  “I’ll allow it.”

  “Well…I’m surprised you’re not more concerned he’s not seeing someone else.” He shrugged at her shocked expression. “I’m not saying for sure that is what’s going on. But look at it from an outsider’s perspective for a minute. He’s working long hours and not answering the phone when you call. He left his girlfriend not too long ago for another girl, but they still talk as friends. You have to admit, it seems suspicious.”

  “You need to shut up or I’m getting out of this car right now,” Kate hissed.

  “Sorry to offend you. You’re my friend and I just don’t want to see you end up being played for a fool.” Declan reached across the console and took her hand. “I know I come across as a big tool at times, but that’s only because it’s hard for me to confide in anyone.”

  She felt vaguely nauseous. What he had said about Jared couldn’t be true. Could it? She knew Jared talked to Nikki from time to time. Although it irked her that Nikki called him, she didn’t want to make a big issue out of it. Jared was that nice of a guy—it seemed to make sense he would remain on good terms with his exes. Had she put blinders on and didn’t see what was right in front of her?