To My Senses The Nicci Beauvoir Series Book 1 Read Online Free PDF

oak table with a brass reading lamp on it.
He was dressed simply in a white button-down shirt and casual black
slacks. A leather-bound book was sitting across his lap.
    “ Nicci
Beauvoir.”
    “ I wanted to get away from
the crowds for a while.” I pointed back to the stairs.
    He stood up and put the
book down in his chair. “Don’t worry, I’m hiding too. Your secret
is safe with me.”
    I breathed a sigh of
relief. “I hope you don’t mind my intrusion.” I gave him a curious
side-glance. “Why are you hiding?”
    “ I just like to avoid big
drinking festivals.”
    I chuckled nervously. “Well
then, you are in the wrong city. If someone catches a cold, people
down here will use it as an excuse to have a party.”
    “ Yes, I’ve noticed.
However, I’m glad you made your escape up here.” He turned back to
his chair and picked up his book. “I am afraid Dickens was putting
me to sleep, despite the pounding of K.C. and the Sunshine Band
from the pool.” He motioned for me to take the red leather chair
across from him.
    I remained standing by the
entrance. “I had no idea Sammy had such an extensive
library.”
    “ Neither does Sammy. I
don’t think she’s ever been in here. I come here to read and get
away.” He cleared his throat. “Most of these books came from her
first husband’s efforts. His name is all over them.” He waved his
hand around the room.
    “ I never knew him. I heard
a lot about him though. None of it good.” I tentatively made my way
farther into the room.
    “ I’m sure Sammy would agree
with you. From what I hear, he was quite a character. There is
apparently a good bit of him in his son.”
    “ I’m sure the only part
that Eddie inherited from his father is his, uh…temper.” I paused.
“My father used to tell me stories about the late Mr. Fallon and
the days when he would terrorize everyone in town.”
    David Alexander snickered.
“Sounds like Eddie is definitely his father’s son.”
    “ Eddie never really knew
his father. When we were kids, he tried to learn as much as he
could about him. The more stories Eddie heard, the less he liked
the man. After a while he stopped listening.” I watched and waited
for his reaction. His eyes showed not the slightest hint of
emotion. “These people are at their best when they’re demolishing
lives.” I added as I turned and walked to the window overlooking
the party below.
    “ That sounds like a
warning,” he said, coming up to me.
    “ They can strip a decent
person of their dignity in seconds, just like piranhas.” I forced
myself not to turn and face him. “But I’m sure you know that
already.” I started fingering the books on the wall next to the
window, trying not to show how nervous I suddenly felt.
    “ You don’t care for this
crowd?”
    “ Oh, it’s a long story.” I
shrugged.
    “ I’ve got all night. I’d
like to know what I’m up against.”
    I leaned against the bookshelf, took in a
deep breath, and let it out very slowly. Then I turned and gazed
into his secretive eyes, trying to decide if he was really
interested or just being polite.
    “ What you’re up against?” I
shook my head. “My mother thought these people were her friends,
but when she needed them the most, they abandoned her. Leaving only
my father and me to care for her while she was battling cancer.
Their desertion haunted her until the day she died.”
    “ I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
He took a step toward me.
    “ No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t
have barged in on you.” I eased away from him.
    “ Not at all. In fact, if
you hadn’t come when you did, I might have thrown myself out of the
window and onto that relentless stereo.” He waved dramatically at
the window.
    We both laughed, nervously.
    “ It’s admirable for Sammy
to go to so much effort,” I confided. “I know she’s proud of Eddie
for getting into architecture school. He can be a bright kid, when
he wants to be.”
    He shook his head and
folded his arms