Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly

Cassio wasn’t home in time for dinner. It was a little past eight when I settled in
the comfortable armchair in front of the fireplace in the living room, reading one
of my favorite books. I’d considered doing Pilates or finishing my recent
painting, but then I hadn’t found the energy to do it. My phone lay on the small
side table, hoping for a message from Cassio. Friends from school had messaged
me, but I could already feel that our friendship wouldn’t survive the distance.
We’d never been the close friends you shared your darkest secrets with anyway.
Maybe I should send Cassio a text to ask when he’d be home, but even though I
had his number, we hadn’t texted yet. I’d considered sending him a photo from
the dog park, but never did it.
An idea crossed my mind. I got up and went over to the liquor cabinet to the
left of the marble fireplace. It was filled with several bottles of scotch, gin,
bourbon, and all kinds of other spirits I didn’t know the first thing about.
Remembering Cassio’s words that I wasn’t supposed to drink, I picked the most
expensive looking scotch bottle with a name I couldn’t even begin to pronounce:
Laphroaig, a limited edition. I poured myself a generous amount and took it back
to the chair with me. Settling back down, I took a whiff and coughed, surprised
at the smoky aroma of the alcohol. I sipped at it then coughed even harder, tears
springing into my eyes. “Oh God.”
Why would anyone drink this by choice? Maybe it was a man thing. After
I’d composed myself, I took my phone, lifted the tumbler to my lips, smiled
challengingly and took a selfie. I sent it off to Cassio.
Laphroaig is keeping me company while you work
He saw my message almost instantly. He didn’t reply.
Annoyed, I set the tumbler and my phone back down.
Fifteen minutes later, the front door opened and closed. Loulou, who’d been
curled up in her basket, stormed into the lobby, followed by Cassio’s
disapproving voice.
“Loulou!” I called, grabbing the tumbler and taking another bigger sip.
Loulou trotted into the living room and curled up in her basket once more. I
quickly tossed my legs over the armrest, so Cassio would see my over-the-knee
socks he hated so much. Then Cassio appeared in the doorway, dark and
imposing, looking every bit the deadly businessman he was. He scanned me
from head to toe, lingering on the glass still pressed to my lips, my flowery
overall dress, and the black socks.
His anger was quick, morphing his face into a mask of even sharper edges.
Briefly, my stomach clenched with fear, with the knowledge that I didn’t know
anything about Gaia’s death, but I didn’t allow this emotion to take over. Cassio
hadn’t done anything to me. Still, when he shut the door, my adrenaline spiked.