Hidden Desires Read Free Page B

home.”
    “You think I drove her to suicide?” Utter disbelief lined his tone. “Considering she broke up with me, that doesn’t make much sense, does it?”
    Now Rachel was the one left stupefied. “She broke up with you?” She had to laugh. “That may be what you told your friends, but I know exactly what you did to Carrie. It’s all written in her diary. All the promises you made, you were going to take her away, help her start a new life, and then you smashed all her hopes like it was nothing to you.”
    The deadly look on his face told her she’d just shot and scored. Another sour chuckle emerged from her chest. “Yes, Travis. I read all about it. So you can stop playing dumb.”
    “You know what, Rachel? Your story is so farfetched that—” He laughed humorlessly, not bothering to continue.
    Since her keys now dangled limply in his hand, she took the opportunity to snatch them from his grasp. She’d intended to take them and flee. She was through reminiscing about the most painful period of her life with the man who was responsible for it all. Unfortunately, she noticed that the contents of her purse were still scattered over the hood of her car. She grabbed the black bag and began collecting her things.
    “You’ve concocted quite a tale,” he remarked, his deep voice steady. “But did you ever stop to examine its merit? I never told Carrie I’d take her away. How could I? I was just a kid on my way to college. And she broke up with me two days after prom. We never had time to talk about what would happen after we graduated.”
    “It’s in her diary. All the arrangements you were making to take Carrie and me away from here. Then the phone call telling her it was all off. That was the day she…” She picked up her pace, shoving the last of the items in her purse. She didn’t want to have this conversation, and it was officially time to get out of this parking lot, away from this man, and away from this part of town forever.
    She grabbed her purse then moved to unlock the door when Travis’s hand slapped against the door, holding it in place.
    “Do you still have it?”
    Rachel froze in place. She could practically feel his breath wafting against her neck. She could hear his heart thundering in his chest. His arm had brushed against her shoulder, sending heat splaying through her veins, and the sensation was unwelcome. Travis Gage was a man she should despise, and her body’s reaction to the closeness of his touch, his musky scent, the determination in his voice, just angered her more.
    She refused to turn around, afraid of what she might feel if she looked him square in those gorgeous brown eyes. Through clenched teeth, she replied, “I’m not showing you my dead sister’s diary.”
    “Rachel,” he spoke roughly into her ear. “If I’m responsible for Carrie’s death, I need to know.”
    “I told you what I read.” She held her breath, trying to keep that manly scent from drifting through her thoughts.
    “She mentioned me by name?” He moved closer, raising the temperature in her veins.
    She pressed her body to the car, attempting to put some space between them. “I know what I read.”
    “She said I’d called her the day she died?”
    “Yes…well.” Her thoughts grew confused, and suddenly Rachel had her own interest in seeing the diary again. Her sister hadn’t exactly mentioned Travis by name. She’d never put names in her diary, but Rachel knew the codes. She had called him BF. That always stood for boyfriend. And Travis was her boyfriend. There was nothing in there about a break-up, she was certain of it. Or at least she’d been certain.
    “Show me the diary, Rachel.”
    Against her better judgment, she turned and what she saw left her stunned. His face was pained, and in his eyes there was nothing other than raw confusion. She’d always believed Travis was the BF Carrie had been referring to in her diary. She needed to believe it. She needed to have someone to