Read Online With Her Last Breath by Cait London - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cait London
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Maggie. She loves the water and wants to play, but she loves you, too. You’re really upset and shaking. Your fear of water isn’t ordinary. Is there some way I can help you?”
“No.” In profile, Maggie’s face lowered, a tear dropping from her cheek as she whispered, again gripping that gold locket, “She’s all I’ve got. I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to her.”
“I know. I won’t let anything happen to her. Just let her go into the water.”
Maggie’s pale, capable hands tightened on the dog’s thick coat. “No.”
If he couldn’t help the woman, he could help the dog. Nick slipped off his canvas loafers and stood. He walked to a small stick; he was taking a big chance, he thought as he sailed it out onto the water.
Immediately Scout started barking excitedly, struggling to free herself from Maggie. Finally twisting free, Scout ran full speed into the water and with a leap, started swimming for the stick.
“You idiot!” Maggie was on her feet, running toward the water. She stopped abruptly, just inches from the lapping foam of the waves. “Scout, you come here this minute!”
Scout had the stick in her mouth and was swimming back to shore.
Maggie turned to Nick, her cheeks pink with wind and anger. “You idiot.”
“You already said that.” For a man whose temper rarely nudged him, Nick was starting to feel the burn. “Look, I’ve offered to help you with no strings attached. Are you always in a bad mood, or is it just me?”
The answer shot at him like a bullet. “It’s you. I get along fine with most people.”
“So do I. In fact, most people think I’m likable.”
“They’re mistaken.” She watched him walk to the stick Scout had dropped. He stopped to pick it up, and Maggie ordered, “Don’t you dare.”
With a look that said he would, Nick dared, and Scout was racing out into the water, leaping into it. She swam to the stick, retrieved it, and returned to shore, carrying it directly to Nick. After a small tussle, she released the stick to him, and he threw it once more. When Scout was swimming, Nick turned to Maggie, watching her.
She was stubborn and a fighter, and that fear was still in her eyes, her hand clasped on that locket.
Nick wasn’t going to ask any more questions and get another verbal slap. But he wondered about that locket—to whom it had belonged, who had given it to her, and what rested inside.
He could almost feel Maggie’s heart gallop with fear, and that was a terrible thing. This time, as though sensing Maggie’s fear, Scout dropped the stick and ran to her, leaping happily on her.
Maggie went down with a soft cry and Scout was all over her, playfully licking her face and ignoring her orders. Nick hurried to grab Scout’s collar and haul her back. Amid the dog’s prints in the sand, Maggie lay quiet, breathing hard as she frowned up at Nick. Sandy dog pawprints ran across her T-shirt where her sweat jacket had opened. She blew sand from her mouth and ignored his extended hand as she got to her feet, brushing her clothing.
In the fracas, her nipples had hardened, thrusting at the light cloth. Nick’s throat dried suddenly and his body became sensually taut and locked onto her curves. He wanted to brush her body, feel that softness flowing beneath his hands, ease that damp, muddy T-shirt from her and—and from the blaze of those green-gold eyes, he was likely to have a hard time of it.
“Maggie is in a bad mood,” he said to Scout. “Let’s behave.”
The dog whined softly and stared longingly at the water.
“So she likes water and she can swim,” Maggie stated grudgingly. “You’ve proved your point.”
“Didn’t you know that when you got her? Hunters use Labs for retrievers.”
“I know exactly what they use them for—showing off what a high-priced dog can do for their buddies. But if that dog is untrained and too young and—”
The dark, bitter leap of temper surprised him. “So you rescued
“No.” In profile, Maggie’s face lowered, a tear dropping from her cheek as she whispered, again gripping that gold locket, “She’s all I’ve got. I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to her.”
“I know. I won’t let anything happen to her. Just let her go into the water.”
Maggie’s pale, capable hands tightened on the dog’s thick coat. “No.”
If he couldn’t help the woman, he could help the dog. Nick slipped off his canvas loafers and stood. He walked to a small stick; he was taking a big chance, he thought as he sailed it out onto the water.
Immediately Scout started barking excitedly, struggling to free herself from Maggie. Finally twisting free, Scout ran full speed into the water and with a leap, started swimming for the stick.
“You idiot!” Maggie was on her feet, running toward the water. She stopped abruptly, just inches from the lapping foam of the waves. “Scout, you come here this minute!”
Scout had the stick in her mouth and was swimming back to shore.
Maggie turned to Nick, her cheeks pink with wind and anger. “You idiot.”
“You already said that.” For a man whose temper rarely nudged him, Nick was starting to feel the burn. “Look, I’ve offered to help you with no strings attached. Are you always in a bad mood, or is it just me?”
The answer shot at him like a bullet. “It’s you. I get along fine with most people.”
“So do I. In fact, most people think I’m likable.”
“They’re mistaken.” She watched him walk to the stick Scout had dropped. He stopped to pick it up, and Maggie ordered, “Don’t you dare.”
With a look that said he would, Nick dared, and Scout was racing out into the water, leaping into it. She swam to the stick, retrieved it, and returned to shore, carrying it directly to Nick. After a small tussle, she released the stick to him, and he threw it once more. When Scout was swimming, Nick turned to Maggie, watching her.
She was stubborn and a fighter, and that fear was still in her eyes, her hand clasped on that locket.
Nick wasn’t going to ask any more questions and get another verbal slap. But he wondered about that locket—to whom it had belonged, who had given it to her, and what rested inside.
He could almost feel Maggie’s heart gallop with fear, and that was a terrible thing. This time, as though sensing Maggie’s fear, Scout dropped the stick and ran to her, leaping happily on her.
Maggie went down with a soft cry and Scout was all over her, playfully licking her face and ignoring her orders. Nick hurried to grab Scout’s collar and haul her back. Amid the dog’s prints in the sand, Maggie lay quiet, breathing hard as she frowned up at Nick. Sandy dog pawprints ran across her T-shirt where her sweat jacket had opened. She blew sand from her mouth and ignored his extended hand as she got to her feet, brushing her clothing.
In the fracas, her nipples had hardened, thrusting at the light cloth. Nick’s throat dried suddenly and his body became sensually taut and locked onto her curves. He wanted to brush her body, feel that softness flowing beneath his hands, ease that damp, muddy T-shirt from her and—and from the blaze of those green-gold eyes, he was likely to have a hard time of it.
“Maggie is in a bad mood,” he said to Scout. “Let’s behave.”
The dog whined softly and stared longingly at the water.
“So she likes water and she can swim,” Maggie stated grudgingly. “You’ve proved your point.”
“Didn’t you know that when you got her? Hunters use Labs for retrievers.”
“I know exactly what they use them for—showing off what a high-priced dog can do for their buddies. But if that dog is untrained and too young and—”
The dark, bitter leap of temper surprised him. “So you rescued
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