A Whisper in the Dark Read Online Free PDF

on personal safety. And he was out of there. If all went as planned, he’d be on his way to the cabin at first light.
     
The Book Merchant was exactly the kind of place John would never venture. It was a narrow, crowded shop that smelled of old wood, musty paper and some flavored coffee he’d never developed a taste for. Floor-to-ceiling shelves jam-packed with books of every shape and size formed four rows that stretched from front to rear like ancient canyon walls. To his right, an antique cash register sat atop a scarred wooden counter. To his left, a small sitting area, replete with a settee, tiffany lamp and silver coffee service, invited customers to sit and read or whatever the hell it was people did in shops like this one.
    Despite the old world ambience, there were telltale signs that someone’s tastes leaned toward the contemporary. Yellow light rained down from snazzy little pendant lights suspended from the ceiling. A sleek laptop lay open and humming on the desk—right next to an antique typewriter. Expensive chocolates wrapped in gold foil were neatly displayed on the counter—free of charge to the book-buying public. Colorful bookmarks, depicting everything from Labrador retrievers to stars, dangled from a small rack next to the cash register.
    John did a double take when he spotted the woman behind the counter. Her back was turned, but he didn’t need to see her face to know she was attractive. She was standing on a short stepladder in high heels and a snug suit that revealed some very intriguing curves. She was reaching for a book on a shelf above her head, and her skirt had ridden up to reveal legs so long and shapely he thought they ought to be illegal. A cell phone was jammed into the crook of her neck, and she was in the midst of a lively conversation.
    “Mr. Thornbrow, if you would just give me a moment, I’m sure I can find the book and have it back to you first thing tomorrow morning.” She tugged out a tattered volume, turned slightly toward the light in order to read the spine and shoved it back. “I know it’s here somewhere.”
    Her voice was throaty and Southern and as intoxicating as aged bourbon—the kind that went down like warm silk, then knocked a man flat without his ever knowing what hit him. But John was barely aware of the conversation. His attention was focused exclusively on those mile-long legs and one of the nicest derrieres he’d ever laid eyes on.
    She wore a rust-colored jacket that hugged slender shoulders and a narrow waist. Beneath the jacket, a cream colored sweater flowed like wet silk over the swell of generous breasts. The fabric was so finely woven he could see the lace of her bra and the faintest impression of her nipples . . .
    Holy Moses.
    Aware that his pulse was up and his blood was heating fast, John tore his gaze away to stare out the display window, and tried hard to concentrate on the traffic moving along Royal.
    “Darlin’, are you sure you ought to be on that stepladder in those high heels?”
    The woman turned at the sound of Benjamin Wainwright’s voice. John felt something go soft in his chest when she smiled. It had been a long time since he’d noticed a woman’s smile. Even longer since he’d experienced a moment so fundamentally male. That he did now made him feel just a little bit more human.
    “Oh, hi, Dad. I’ll be down in just a moment. Help yourself to coffee. It’s vanilla, I think. And there are some beignets left from this afternoon.”
    Dad?
    The word ricocheted inside John’s head like a stray bullet. Then it registered that the stunning creature with the thousand-watt smile and killer curves was none other than little Julia Wainwright all grown up. He didn’t surprise easily, but this one smacked him right between the eyes like a sucker punch. He simply couldn’t get his mind around the idea of the klutzy ugly duckling he’d once known blooming into such a magnificent swan.
    She’d returned her attention to her phone