Carly Phillips - Sealed with a Kiss

Molly exhaled a long stream of air and met her father’s surprised gaze.

“Well,” he said, obviously at a loss.

She blinked at the doorway the tornado had blown through. “Well.”

“I guess what they say is true. You do live to see everything,” the commander said.

Still stunned as well, Molly could only nod. Later she’d mull over this morning’s conversation and even savor the warm fuzzy moments between herself and Jessie. For now, though, she had other things to think about.

Like whether or not to ask her father about being with Sonya last night. “How was your meeting?” she asked instead.

“It was okay. John Perlman was honored for his work for the association.” His answer was vague, his gaze never meeting hers.

She pursed her lips, about to call him on his lie when she heard footsteps.

“Morning, everyone.” Hunter’s deep voice set off instant recall inside Molly.

Every moment of being with him last night came flooding back in living color and detail. His scent, his touch, his gorgeous naked body, she thought, just as he strode into the room.

“Morning.” Molly lifted her mug and pretended to drink her now-cold coffee.

“Morning,” the general said. “I hope you’re sleeping well on that couch. Never used it myself so I don’t know if it’s comfortable.”

Hunter poured his coffee and joined them at the table. “I had an excellent night.”

He spoke to the general, but Molly had no doubt his words were meant for her alone.

“Can I get you something for breakfast?” the commander asked their houseguest. “Bagels, pancakes or eggs.”

Molly rolled her eyes at how solicitous her grandmother was being. “Your choice,” she said to Hunter.

“Condom definitely,” the parrot said.

“What did he just say?” Molly’s father asked.

“Repeat that,” Edna said to her bird.

Ever the trained parrot, Ollie complied. “Condom definitely.”

The commander blinked.

The general laughed through narrowed eyes.

Molly, who remembered that exact exchange between herself and Hunter last night, felt her face flame.

And poor Hunter turned to the refrigerator and began rummaging for food.

Before anyone could recover, Jessie ran back into the room without warning. “Forgot my lunch.” She opened the fridge and grabbed a brown paper bag. “Thanks again for picking up me and Seth last night, Commander. I appreciate it.” She kissed the commander’s cheek and then she was gone.

Molly wondered if her father knew Sonya had run into them at the pizza place and told them she was bringing home dinner for her son. A son who they now had public confirmation was at a party with Jessie. From Frank’s bland expression, he had no idea. Then again he was a military man. Keeping secrets had been part of his job.

One thing for certain, Hunter had picked up on the discrepancy just like Molly had when she’d listened to the answering machine last night. He turned away from his hiding place in the fridge and glanced at the general.

Confusion and curiosity were in his gaze. “I thought Sonya brought pizza home for Seth last night. How could he be out?”

“Well…” Frank shifted in his seat, Ollie’s comment obviously forgotten.

Molly closed her eyes and silently asked for forgiveness for what she was about to do. “Sonya knows that kids don’t usually eat at these parties. I’m sure she got the pizza for when he came home.” She cut off her father’s explanation.

She lied for Sonya and her dad.

She lied to the man she’d begged to help him.

Lied to the man she loved.

Because Molly was afraid if she didn’t cover for him now, Hunter would think Frank was lying about a lot more and decide the whole case wasn’t worth his time.

And if she balanced the case versus lying to Hunter, Molly knew she had no choice. Her father’s freedom won because without it, Molly’s life as she knew it didn’t exist.

She had picked her father over Hunter. Now Molly hoped she didn’t live to regret her choice.

HUNTER AND MOLLY followed Sonya into the family room. He’d brought along a yellow legal pad to take notes and figured he and Molly could compare what they learned later. He wasn’t surprised he was coming to rely on her thoughts and opinions, because she was so closely tied to the outcome of the case. The fact that they worked well together, bouncing ideas off one another, was a bonus. It reminded him of the few times in law school when they’d met up at the library and studied together; he smiled at the recollection. Of course, after last night he had other memories of Molly now.

He’d jolted awake this morning, her scent all over his pillows, the memories of making love to her vivid. Warm and painful all at the same time. Not painful because she’d left him in the middle of the night-that much he’d expected in order to avoid discovery by her family-but because he knew where things stood between them.

They’d had sex. He wanted to believe he’d scratched an itch he’d had for a long time and she was out of his system now, but things with Molly had always been complicated. Though she made him feel more than any woman he’d ever known, he wouldn’t repeat past mistakes. He knew better than to read more into their physical relationship than just sex. They were in close proximity because of her father’s case and they’d both needed a release of sexual tension. That’s all it had been. All it could be.

Even if a part of him wished otherwise.

They seated themselves on the couch. Molly edged her body right beside Hunter’s, her thigh in direct contact with his. Since he’d chosen the spot right beside the armrest, he had nowhere to escape to. She was so close, he broke into a heated sweat, reminders of last night and being buried inside her body overwhelming him.

“How are you holding up?” Molly asked the older woman.

Sonya shrugged. “I don’t sleep much, but I suppose I’m okay.” She adjusted her headband, which would have given her an uptight preppy look if not for the casual sweat clothes she wore.

“I’ll try to make this as brief and painless as possible,” Hunter promised.

She folded her hands in her lap. “I’ll tell you whatever I can.”

“First, walk me through the day and night of the murder, okay?”

“It was a normal day. I had a hair appointment in the morning.” She brushed her fingers through the short strands. “I color my gray,” she said, blushing. “I ran some errands afterward and was home when Seth returned from school. Jessie came with him. They spend a lot of time together as I’m sure Molly told you.” Sonya smiled warmly in Molly’s direction.

Hunter realized the two women shared a genuine affection. Then again, most people Molly met seemed to be drawn to her. “Yes, Molly told me how close Seth and Jessie are,” he said, keeping up with the conversation. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

“He’s a good boy. He’s had a hard time. Even before…his father wasn’t the easiest man to live with, but Seth is my pride and joy.” She twisted her hands in her lap, her nerves showing.

Hunter nodded. “I understand,” he said, speaking gently. “Now, back to that day…”

“Right. Seth and Jessie spent the afternoon here. They were doing homework and listening to music. I remember yelling for them to turn it down. I’d volunteered to help do the school directory for the PTA, so that day I was typing lists into the computer.” She gestured toward another room, which Hunter assumed held the family computer. “It was a normal day. Jessie left around five-thirty and Seth and I had dinner alone because Paul was working.”

“And then?”

Her expression turned dark, her eyes dimmed. “Paul came home. He closed himself in his office and I knew better than to bother him. He’d been moody lately.”

Beside him, Molly remained silent but she reached for Hunter’s hand and held on tight. Sensing her nerves, he covered her hand with his free one and waited for Sonya to continue.

“But I started hearing noises from inside the office, like Paul was trashing the place. So I opened the door.” Her eyes glazed over at the memory.

Molly’s hand clenched tighter inside his. “What happened next?” she asked.

“I asked Paul what was wrong and he told me he’d lost everything. I barely understood what he was trying to tell me until he started talking about embezzling money from the business and Frank finding out. Paul just kept yelling that everything was gone.”

Her shoulders shook, but Hunter admired the fact that she remained strong and composed.

Sonya shook her head, her disbelief still obvious. “I lost it. I started yelling back. I told him he’d destroyed our family and our reputation and Seth’s future. I said I’d never forgive him.” Her voice cracked.

“Then what?” Molly leaned forward in her seat, riveted by the story.

But Hunter was focused not so much on Sonya’s words but on her. Had the general told her to reveal her husband’s abuse or counseled her to remain silent?

Her expression had been filled with grief and pain, but suddenly she shifted her gaze as if unable to face Hunter or Molly. “Then Paul hit me,” she whispered. Her hand came up to her cheek, as if the blow were fresh.

Hunter winced.

Molly sucked in a startled breath, which answered one question in Hunter’s mind. She hadn’t known about Paul’s temper.

“I told him we were through. To get the hell out, and he left. He stormed out and that was the last time I saw him again until-” She shook her head and finally buried her face in her hands at the memory of her husband’s murder.

Hunter glanced up to see Molly had left the room, only to return with a glass of water for Sonya. She handed it to her, then took her seat beside Hunter.

“I have a few more questions if you’re up to it,” Hunter said.