Read Online She Can Run by Melinda Leigh - Free Book Online

pool enclosure and slip out of her robe in the dark. Silvery moonlight bathed her slender limbs. Jack’s groin tightened. Tossing the cover onto a patio table, she walked down the steps into the water and began to swim slow, steady laps. Jack eased through the wrought-iron gate and lowered his body into a chair facing the pool. Putting on the safety, he set his gun on a side table.
    A bullfrog croaked from the direction of the lake, but his ears honed in on the sound of Beth sliding through the water. The surface glistened with a trail of reflected moonlight as her body cut through the black water in a smooth freestyle. Even though he knew she wasn’t naked—he’d seen the outline of a dark-colored tank suit—it was still erotic as hell.
    He had a really good imagination, which had no problem peeling the suit from her wet body. In his mind she begged him to touch her. Jack shifted his weight to ease the pressure in his groin. Pain shot through his knee, bringing reality back with a vengeance.
    He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Sweat trickled down his bare back, and his leg ached from the earlier adrenaline rush and the exertion of getting out here. He was going to have to chill if he was really going to retire. Obviously Beth didn’t have any criminal intentions this morning. But really, who the hell went swimming outside before the sun came up?
    “You almost gave me a heart attack.” He spoke to Beth’s moving form when she reached the end of the pool where he sat.
    She stopped swimming abruptly, spun around with a soft cry, and started treading water in the deep end of the pool.
    “Don’t you know it’s dangerous to swim alone? What if you got a cramp?”
    “I…I’m sorry.” Eyes wide open with fear, she stammered. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I tried to be quiet.” The words tumbled from her mouth as her gaze darted back and forth between him and his gun.
    He’d scared the crap out of her. Just what she needed.
    Good going, O’Malley.
    “Sorry, Beth. You didn’t do anything wrong. I reacted instinctively. Cop habits die hard.” He sighed and decided to take a direct approach. “I won’t hurt you or the kids, Beth. You guys don’t have to be afraid of me.” He rubbed the back of his neck to ease the tension.
    “I know.” With choppy strokes, she swam toward the ladder. Water sluiced down her slim form as she climbed out of the pool. She turned toward him and moonlight bathed her skin. She was still too skinny, but nicely shaped, curved in all the right places. Her breasts were just the right size to fill his palms, and despite the warm air, her nipples poked through the wet fabric of her suit. She caught him staring and quickly wrapped her robe around her body.
    Jack swallowed and blinked.
    As she sank into a chair a few feet away, she clamped her trembling hands together and tucked her legs under the calf-length wrap, covering every inch of lovely skin.
    Guilt pricked Jack’s conscience. Maybe he could kick a puppy later to round out his day.
    “I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake the kids.” She glanced over at him. “You came all the way down here without your crutches! Did you hurt yourself?”
    Great, he scared the bejesus out of her while she looked out for his welfare. If he hadn’t felt like a total shit before, he did now.
    “No, I used a cane.” And wasn’t that a hit to his already whimpering ego. “No harm done.”
    She nodded. “I’m glad.”
    “You know, it’s Friday. You’ve put in more than forty hours already this week. Take the day off; spend it relaxing with the kids. I can handle the place for one day.” Jack stretched his long legs out in front of him. “There’s a movie theater and a small shopping mall about ten miles down the interstate. It’s not exactly a metropolis, but you haven’t taken the kids anywhere since you got here. You can take the pickup in the garage anytime. No offense, but your car doesn’t look very