Read The Pleasure of Sin for Free Online

never did want to be the center of attention, did you? You always wanted to be in the background, letting Ruby take the spotlight.”
    “Ruby was always better at being the focus of attention than I was,” she reminded him softly.
    “Not better, just more comfortable,” he pointed out.
    She took another drink, hoping it would settle the fluttering in her stomach. Luckily, he didn’t dwell on the subject. “So, how is the real-estate business going?”
    All throughout dinner, they spoke of 'safe' topics, each one not wanting to voice the questions that remained just below the surface. An hour and a half later, they began the walk back to the apartment. They had talked about everything during dinner—life, current affairs, things they had done.
    It had been comfortable.
    Too comfortable.
    She mentally scolded herself.
    She couldn’t allow herself to be comfortable with him.
    Not until she knew the truth.
    She couldn’t rule Clay out. She had to stay objective. Even though she didn’t want to believe that Clay was capable of doing something as heinous as murdering her sister, the truth was she didn’t know much about him. What if he had killed Ruby in a jealous rage? She had heard the stories of men who seemed normal and then one day snapped.
    Was Clay one of those men?
    He couldn’t be, could he?
    When they reached the door to the apartment, she turned to face him. “Do you want to come in for a drink?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she cursed herself for a fool.
    What was she doing?
    Had she lost her mind?
    “That would be nice.”
    As she poured the wine, a new strategy began to form. Perhaps some wine would loosen his tongue. She took a seat on the couch next to him as he took a drink of his wine. He placed his glass on the coffee table. Turning to face her, he slid his arm along the back of the couch.
    “Can I ask you a question?”
    She hesitated for a moment before murmuring, “Sure.”
    “Why don’t you like me?”
    His question stunned her, and for a moment she was unable to speak. Finally, she regained enough composure to reply. “I like you.”
    He moved a little closer to her. “Is it because of what happened that night?”
    That night.
    It stood between them, as impenetrable as a brick wall.
    Her eyes met his. The intensity of his gaze stole the breath from her lungs. Her lips parted involuntarily on a sigh.
    Yes, it was because of that night, because of the shame she still carried around like a badge. But there was something else as well. Something she never admitted to anyone, not even to herself.
    A longing.
    That night, he’d awakened a longing within her that she never dared to let loose, for fear it would burn out of control. Like a caged wild animal, she refused to allow it to see the light of day for fear it would destroy everything in its wake, including the bond she had with her sister. That longing had only found life through one man. And it was a sad irony that the one man who could bring it to life would never be given the chance to cultivate it. With so few options, the only viable choice she had was to hate him.
    Self-preservation at its finest.
    His head began to descend toward hers, and a part of her wanted to give in to the temptation. Then it hit her. They were in Ruby’s house, on Ruby’s couch, and even though she was dead, she was alive all around them.
    “You should go,” she said, turning away.
    For a moment, he was silent. Then he stood.
    “You’re right. I’ll see you tomorrow at eight thirty. There’s a new restaurant we can try.”
    “I’m not sure…” she hedged, searching for a way to reject his offer.
    He pinned her with a steely glare. “I’ll be here at eight thirty.”
    His ominous order echoed even after he was gone.
    The next morning, she woke up with a yawn. She rubbed the middle of her back with one hand as she poured a cup of coffee. Flipping on the television, she returned to her makeshift bed and took a tentative sip from her mug.