Lust on the Rocks by Dianne Venetta Read Free Book Online Page A

from Vic, she slid them neatly back into place and closed the manila folder.  Folding her hands atop the file, she wondered how to begin.
    Should she ease into it?  Should she come right out with it?
    He put hands to his knees.  Though he remained still, Vic seemed impatient to leave.
    Nothing left to discuss about the case, she decided to dive right in.  “I spoke to Diego.”
    Understanding lit up Vic’s eyes, but he drew the shades quickly, making sure his guard was securely in place.
    “He told me what happened yesterday...at the beach.  Selena’s lucky you were there to help her.”
    The muscles in his jaw jumped.  “I didn’t do anything.”
    Surprised by his rebuke, she said, “Diego said you went out after her.  I’d say that’s something.”
    “The lifeguards pulled her from the water, not me.”
    Sam waved it away like an irrelevant bug of a detail.  “Diego told me the lifeguard noticed you before he ever realized Selena was in trouble.  You were the reason they went in, not her.”
    “How does he figure that?”
    “I guess one of his teammates is good friends with the lifeguard staff.  After it happened, he got the inside scoop.”  She rolled back through his version of events.  “They told him one of the guards was uneasy about you and went in.  When you went further out, he called for backup and that’s when they saw her.”
    Vic grunted.  “Whatever.  They would have seen her sooner or later.”
    Sam sat back, puzzled by the deferral.  Was this male bravado talking?  Or was he that humble?  Personally, she thought it damn courageous of him to go in after the girl in the first place.  Unfamiliar with the ocean currents, what to do if he got into trouble...  Hell—he could have gone under himself!
    Was he stupid?  Ignorant?  She narrowed in on him.  “What gives, Vic?”
    “What do you mean, what gives ?”
    She noted the flash in temper, as well as his quick check on the same.  “Why are you so hesitant to take credit?  It’s not every man that would have gone in after someone in trouble.  Most people would have summoned a lifeguard rather than chance it themselves.”
    “Yeah, well, I’m not most people.”
    Respect for his sense of duty warred with a resentment of his callousness.  His put-off was unwarranted.  Sam sank back into the cushion.  She folded her arms over her midsection and snipped, “No, I guess not.”
    Vic expunged a heavy sigh.  “I didn’t mean it that way.”  Clearly uncomfortable, he looked around.
    As though searching for an escape.  Had she miscalculated ?
    Vic turned suddenly and trained his attention on her.  And while his eyes softened, he maintained a hard line.  “Look, I wasn’t trying to be some kind of hero, okay?”
    “Never said you were.”
    The mood cooled. The space between them grew.
    It was a distance that bothered him.
    Damn .  Vic raked a hand over his head and down the back to his neck.  This was the last conversation he wanted to talk about, but Sam seemed bent on discussing the issue.  He rubbed the tight muscles and forced himself to relax.  She wanted to talk, he would talk.
    Because disappointing Sam Rawlings was not on his agenda.  Not professionally and not personally.
    “Listen...”  He slid the hand from his neck and dropped it to his thigh with a heavy thud.  “I’m sorry if I sound like a jerk, but the scene brought up some bad memories for me.”
    Expectation filled her eyes and Vic knew he had to commit.  He had to confess.  Reservation cut deep as he murmured, “I witnessed a girl drown, a long time ago.”
    Sam shot forward.  “Oh Vic, I’m sorry .  I didn’t know.”
    He shook his head.  “No way you could.  It was years ago, but something like that...”  The blade of the past poked into his heart.  “It sticks with you.”
    “I imagine...”  Concern mellowed the brown of her eyes.  “Did it happen at a beach, like with Selena?”
    “No.”  He breathed in,