The Haunting of Autumn Lake Read Online Free Page B

honey…I don’t. I think someone just came up with the story to make Halloween more fun every couple of years.”
    “Well, real or not…you two are giving me chills talking about ghosts and Belva Tibbits Johnson,” Vaden interjected. “Let’s just enjoy supper…because I can’t wait to taste those apple fruit rolls.”
    Autumn watched with pure serenity and delicious delight as a mischievous grin spread across her father’s face. He winked at Autumn and then turned to Vaden, saying, “I can’t wait to taste you, sugar mouth.”
    “Ransom Lake!” Vaden exclaimed, blushing and playfully slapping her husband on one broad shoulder. “Do you or do you not see our daughter sitting right here at the table with us? What’s she going to think with you saying such things to me?”
    But Autumn only smiled. She loved her parents—she loved their love. And all of a sudden she was reminded of what she would never have, for there really was no one else on the earth like her father.
    ❦
    “Are you sure she’s in bed, Ransom?” Autumn heard her mother ask in a whisper. She smiled as she saw her father turn down every lamp in the room so that just the fire in the fireplace lit the parlor.
    Ransom Lake chuckled as he gathered his wife into his arms. “Well, if she ain’t, then she’s about to be educated,” he teased Vaden.
    Autumn felt her eyes widen as her father released her mother long enough to strip his shirt off over his head. In the next moment, he gathered her mother in his powerful arms once more and began trailing kisses over her throat.
    Clamping her hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp and a giggle, Autumn turned and quietly tiptoed back to her room. It was time to leave her parents to whatever it was her parents did whenever her father looked at her mother the way he was looking at her in the parlor.
    Silently she slipped into her bed—her soft, warm, comfortable bed. And as she lay in her bed, gazing out the window into the night sky—watching the lace curtains softly billow into her room as the autumn breeze breathed its crisp, ripe-apple sigh into the room, Autumn prayed for such a love as her parents knew.
    “I know it’s almost like asking for a miracle, God,” she whispered. “But I don’t think I could live and be happy with just a common love. I need what Daddy and Mama have. Do you think you might be able to find a man that fits me as well as Daddy fits Mama? Oh, please try. Please.”
    With the soft tinkle of the delicate wind chimes hanging from the roof of the back porch lulling her to respite, Autumn Lake drifted to sleep with a prayer on her lips and an impossible dream in her heart.
     
    “I love you, Ransom,” Vaden sighed as her husband trailed moist kisses along her shoulder.
    “I love you more, baby,” Ransom mumbled as his mouth found hers at last.
    Vaden’s heart leapt in her bosom at the feel and taste of Ransom’s kiss. It never grew dull to her—never seemed common or less effective. His demanding kiss sent her senses reeling—sent her heart hammering and her body burning with desire—the same way it had since the very first time he’d ever kissed her. Oh, how she loved him! How desperately and perfectly she loved him!
    As his mouth continued to rain irresistible passion and desire over her, she felt him unfastening the back of her blouse. But instead of insisting he stop for the sake that their daughter might still be awake, Vaden simply pressed her body against the strength of his, returning his provocative kiss with full as much wonting as Ransom revealed in seducing her.
    Breaking the seal of their mouths, Ransom places his lips to Vaden’s ear and mumbled, “I’m gonna have tonight, woman.” Vaden giggled as he continued, “I’m gonna carry you to my bed, strip you down, and—”
    “Ransom Lake!” Vaden scolded in a whisper as she pressed her hand to his lips.
    He smiled at her, pushed her hand away, and gazed into her eyes. Vaden felt tears welling in