âTell me to stop.â
Her mouth opened. He waited, praying she didnât say those words.
âTouch me,â she whispered.
Joy shot through him. Before she could change her mind, he tangled one hand through her hair and tugged her towards him, kissing her hard and deep. She gasped against his mouth, then relaxed, parting her lips so he could slide his tongue inside, so he could lick and explore and drink her in.
Every muscle in his body was coiled tight. His groin throbbed, the erection straining against his zipper harder and more painful than ever. Heâd been with a few women since he and Sarah had broken up, but none of them had inspired this primal reaction inside him. None of them had made his heart pound and made him hungry with desire. Sarah was the only one who did that, the only one who could satisfy his appetite, his need.
Dear Reader,
Forgivenessâso easy as a concept, but not so easy when youâre the wronged party being asked for it. Iâll admit, I struggle sometimes with it. It can be hard to forgive, especially when all you want to do is hold a grudge, or when youâre too scared to forgive in fear that youâll be hurt again.
I decided to explore this concept with Finn and Sarah, who share a turbulent past that led to a four-year separation. As the sheriff of Serenade, Finn knows the difference between right and wrong, but the wrong he committed four years ago continues to haunt him. Asking for Sarahâs forgiveness is one thing, but proving to her that he deserves it ⦠well, thatâs a whole different story.
I hope you enjoy Finn and Sarahâs emotional journey!
Happy reading,
Elle
A RITA>® Award-nominated author, ELLE KENNEDY grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting.
Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website, www.ellekennedy.com, for the latest news or to send her a note.
âI didnât kill her.â
The quiet plea pierced into Finnâs heart like a dull, serrated blade, bringing a rush of pain and helplessness. He couldnât tear his eyes from the woman sitting in front of him. Heâd dreamed of being in the same room as her for so long now, but not like this. Not in this tiny, airless interrogation room, with a narrow metal table separating them, those liquid-brown eyes staring at him with anguish and resentment.
âSarah,â he began, his voice coming out gruff, âjust tell me what happened the night Teresa died.â
Sarah Connelly gaped at him. Even with her expression awash with anger, she was still beautiful. Her thick brown hair gleamed under the fluorescent lights on the ceiling, and her mouth, though twisted in disbelief, was as lush and sensual as ever. She was the most stunning woman heâd ever seen, and the only woman who could send a shiver of desire up his spine even when she was glaring daggers at him.
âNothing happened the night Teresa died,â Sarah replied in a frosty voice. âI was at home, asleep. I woke up at three to give Lucy a bottle, and then I went back to bed, where I stayed until seven in the morning.â
âYou didnât leave the house at all?â Finn had to ask.
âNo. Not until eight-thirty, when I dropped off Lucy at day care and opened the gallery.â
Finn stifled a groan. âThen how did your hair and fingerprint wind up at the crime scene? Christ, Sarah, explain it to me!â
âDonât yell at me, Patrick.â Ice slithered into her tone. âI donât know how my hair and fingerprint ended up at the sceneâbut I can assure you, I wasnât there.â
Frustration bubbled in Finnâs gut. For the hundredth time, he wished Teresa Donovan had never been killed. Not because he and Teresa had been best buds or anything, but because the womanâs death had brought nothing but chaos to Finnâs peaceful little town.
Exactly one month ago, Teresa had been shot in the heart, her body discovered in the living room of the majestic stone mansion her ex-husband had built for her. Cole Donovan, the ex-husband, had been Finnâs prime suspect, but with the help of Special Agent Jamie Crawfordâwho also happened to be Finnâs best friend and took a leave of absence to assist him and ColeâCole was cleared of the crime. Now Finn was back to square one, and it was definitely a position he didnât want to be in.
Especially now, with this new evidence in his possession. Evidence that pointed right at Sarah.
âYour print was on the coffee table next to the body,â he said quietly. âYour hair was on the floor, by the puddle of blood pouring out of Teresaâs chest.â
Sarahâs flawless fair skin went even paler. âThen someone put it there,â she whispered. âI didnât kill that woman.â Her voice wobbled. âI canât believe youâd even think that.â