All Shook Up by Susan Andersen Read Free Book Online

Hands in his pockets, he walked to the end, enjoying the creak of wood and the dock’s slight sway beneath his feet. The boats on either side bobbed gently with the movement.
    Out on the lake, at an angle to the dock, was a floatwith an elevated lifeguard chair and a high-and-low diving tower. It rocked slightly on the mirror-smooth lake, and J.D. caught a glimpse of two swimmers who had clearly just abandoned it. When he turned to follow the direction of their progress, he saw the tip of another dock just beyond a forested jut of land. That was probably the dock the kids used to swim to and from the float, since the one he stood on had the boats. It didn’t seem prudent to mix swimmers with boaters.
    Though he had no burning desire to talk to vacationers, J.D. stepped off the marina to check out the other dock. If he was going to be part of this resort, he needed to know how everything worked.
    Rounding the curve of land a minute later, he stepped onto the second dock, then stopped dead.
    For standing at the end of the dock, with her back to him as she bent over to dry her legs with a thick towel, and her head raised to watch her son swim the last few yards to the dock, was Dru Lawrence.

4
    S he wore a faded black tank suit with red piping. Except for its high-cut legs and racer-back, it wasn’t at all distinctive. The material had certainly seen better days, but when he looked at the curve of her nice round butt, it wasn’t the snags roughening the fabric that held his attention. His fingers flexed and his palms itched like a bad case of nettle poisoning. Damn, he didn’t understand this attraction at all. Rubbing his hands down the thighs of his jeans, he cleared his throat.
    She jumped slightly and whirled to face him. “You startled me!”
    Lake water ran in rivulets from her soaked braid; her nipples, hard from the cooling evening air, poked against the wet cloth that stretched over the fullness of her breasts; and J.D. really wished he’d slipped away while he’d had the chance.
    That put his back up. Big deal, so she had a nice set. He was a red-blooded guy; it was his job to notice these things. All it meant was that he should have gotten himself laid before he left town—because he wasn’t about to mess up this opportunity over a few stray hormones. And he sure as hell wasn’t cozying up to any woman without knowing what the hell she and her family were up to.
    As if she’s interested in cozying up to you, anyhow. J.D. nearly snorted. He doubted a woman could be more oblivious. She gave him roughly five seconds’ attention for every fifty-five devoted to watching Tate’s progress toward the dock.
    Then a thought hit him like a sledgehammer between the eyes. “So where’s Mr. Lawrence?” he demanded. Funny that it had never occurred to him she might be married. Considering she had a kid and all, that was pretty dumb.
    “Uncle Ben?”
    “Your husband, sweetheart.”
    “Oh. Him.” Her laugh was short and surprisingly cynical for someone he’d pegged as a little Suzie Homemaker. She looked him dead in the eye. “Doesn’t exist— sweetheart .”
    Good .
    Shit. What was he—crazy? He had no business feeling that little surge of satisfaction. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Gone with the wind, huh?”
    “So long ago, his memory is dust.” She tilted her head to one side and suctioned her palm against her ear until a little trickle of water ran out. “There, I can hear again.” Then she shrugged. “Which, consideringthe charm of your conversation so far, may or may not be a good thing. Do you actually have a purpose for being here, or are you just out skulking around?”
    “I don’t skulk, honey; I’m familiarizing myself with the area. I take it this is the dock the guests use to swim out to the float?”
    “No, actually, that’s the one with the boats. Aunt Sophie and Uncle Ben live up there.” She indicated a log house that he hadn’t even noticed atop a small bluff. “This