Read Online Out of the Blue by Jill Shalvis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jill Shalvis
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would go back.
As if she'd summoned him, he appeared outside the window of the shop, carrying a surfboard and heading toward the beach.
She didn't let herself appease her curiosity by plastering her nose to the full picture window on the side of the shop that faced the beach.
Much.
Near the water, he stripped off his sweatshirt, then his pants, too, leaving him in nothing but swim trunks that clung to his body like a glove.
Had he said he was out of shape? she wondered, pressed up against the window. Not possible, not with that powerful, sleek build. Clearly favoring his right side, he waded into the water and put the board to good use.
"Who are you watching?"
Hannah bumped her nose on the glass. "Nobody. Nothing," she said, turning as casually as she could to face Tara.
"Uh-huh." Tara grabbed a bowl and helped herself to a triple scoop of Fudge Ripple. "Which is why, of course, you're blushing."
Hannah cursed her fair skin as Tara proceeded to top her dessert with whipped cream. "I always blush."
"It's a good thing, too." Tara paused to moan sinfully as she took her first bite. "Otherwise, how would Alexi and I ever know what's up with you?"
"I tell you what's going on with me."
"The surface stuff maybe, but not the good stuff."
"Such as?"
"Such as why you're watching Zach surf while pretending not to."
"Oh. That."
"Would it have anything to do with the curious call I just took from Michael?"
Dammit. "That depends."
"On what? On how badly you freaked him out?"
"That bad, huh?"
"I just barely convinced him not to drop everything so he could come out here and kick 'some stupid jerk's ass'."
"Oh boy." Hannah let out a disparaging laugh, sank to a chair and looked at Tara helplessly. "You did talk him out of it, right?"
"Yep. Told him I had things under control. Told him Alexi and I would kick any butt that needed kicking. Which means you owe me now. So sing. What's up?"
"Look, I know I've been acting a little strange—"
"A little?"
"But I'm not ready to talk about it."
"You talked to Michael about it."
"Yeah, well. I have a new tactic." She'd figured out it was an individual thing. She had to do this by herself. "And if I'm looking out the window a lot, it's because I'm thinking of what I'm going to change in the garden."
"Right. That explains the dreamy look you had in your eyes. Flowers. Silly me, thinking it was that tall, gorgeous cop out there in the water."
"Tara—"
"Honey, look." She set down her ice cream and went serious. "I know you have this misguided thing that because you don't have any money, you think you have to work harder than Alexi or me, but quite honestly, that's a bunch of bologna. Okay? We're all equals, and we help each other. We love each other. So when I see you today, smiling like an idiot, offering a beautiful man a condom instead of coffee, then gazing out the window lost in a daydream, it thrills me. Don't ruin it for me."
Hannah didn't know what to say to that.
"So … what happened last night between you and Zach that's got you acting like a jumping bean? Or should I just guess?"
"No!" Stalling now, Hannah opened the industrial refrigerator and gazed at her stock, eyeing the two huge strawberry pies she'd planned to give to Alexi for the restaurant. Scooping them up, one in each hand, she turned back to Tara. "I'm sorry. I love you, too. With all my heart. But this is something I have to figure out for myself."
"So no more midnight calls to New York?"
"I think I have it handled."
"I'm sure your brother will be happy to know that the birds-and-bees talks are over."
Hannah worked at keeping her expression even.
Tara sighed. "Fine. I'm leaving it alone."
"Good."
"Really. I'm washing my hands of it."
"Great."
"But—"
Hannah gave her a long look, which Tara ignored. "Just remember, it's more than just music and candles. It's all in the body language." She stood and grinned. "Just in case you're wondering." She laughed when Hannah rolled her eyes. "Hey,
As if she'd summoned him, he appeared outside the window of the shop, carrying a surfboard and heading toward the beach.
She didn't let herself appease her curiosity by plastering her nose to the full picture window on the side of the shop that faced the beach.
Much.
Near the water, he stripped off his sweatshirt, then his pants, too, leaving him in nothing but swim trunks that clung to his body like a glove.
Had he said he was out of shape? she wondered, pressed up against the window. Not possible, not with that powerful, sleek build. Clearly favoring his right side, he waded into the water and put the board to good use.
"Who are you watching?"
Hannah bumped her nose on the glass. "Nobody. Nothing," she said, turning as casually as she could to face Tara.
"Uh-huh." Tara grabbed a bowl and helped herself to a triple scoop of Fudge Ripple. "Which is why, of course, you're blushing."
Hannah cursed her fair skin as Tara proceeded to top her dessert with whipped cream. "I always blush."
"It's a good thing, too." Tara paused to moan sinfully as she took her first bite. "Otherwise, how would Alexi and I ever know what's up with you?"
"I tell you what's going on with me."
"The surface stuff maybe, but not the good stuff."
"Such as?"
"Such as why you're watching Zach surf while pretending not to."
"Oh. That."
"Would it have anything to do with the curious call I just took from Michael?"
Dammit. "That depends."
"On what? On how badly you freaked him out?"
"That bad, huh?"
"I just barely convinced him not to drop everything so he could come out here and kick 'some stupid jerk's ass'."
"Oh boy." Hannah let out a disparaging laugh, sank to a chair and looked at Tara helplessly. "You did talk him out of it, right?"
"Yep. Told him I had things under control. Told him Alexi and I would kick any butt that needed kicking. Which means you owe me now. So sing. What's up?"
"Look, I know I've been acting a little strange—"
"A little?"
"But I'm not ready to talk about it."
"You talked to Michael about it."
"Yeah, well. I have a new tactic." She'd figured out it was an individual thing. She had to do this by herself. "And if I'm looking out the window a lot, it's because I'm thinking of what I'm going to change in the garden."
"Right. That explains the dreamy look you had in your eyes. Flowers. Silly me, thinking it was that tall, gorgeous cop out there in the water."
"Tara—"
"Honey, look." She set down her ice cream and went serious. "I know you have this misguided thing that because you don't have any money, you think you have to work harder than Alexi or me, but quite honestly, that's a bunch of bologna. Okay? We're all equals, and we help each other. We love each other. So when I see you today, smiling like an idiot, offering a beautiful man a condom instead of coffee, then gazing out the window lost in a daydream, it thrills me. Don't ruin it for me."
Hannah didn't know what to say to that.
"So … what happened last night between you and Zach that's got you acting like a jumping bean? Or should I just guess?"
"No!" Stalling now, Hannah opened the industrial refrigerator and gazed at her stock, eyeing the two huge strawberry pies she'd planned to give to Alexi for the restaurant. Scooping them up, one in each hand, she turned back to Tara. "I'm sorry. I love you, too. With all my heart. But this is something I have to figure out for myself."
"So no more midnight calls to New York?"
"I think I have it handled."
"I'm sure your brother will be happy to know that the birds-and-bees talks are over."
Hannah worked at keeping her expression even.
Tara sighed. "Fine. I'm leaving it alone."
"Good."
"Really. I'm washing my hands of it."
"Great."
"But—"
Hannah gave her a long look, which Tara ignored. "Just remember, it's more than just music and candles. It's all in the body language." She stood and grinned. "Just in case you're wondering." She laughed when Hannah rolled her eyes. "Hey,
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