the Big Bounce (1969) by Elmore - Jack Ryan 0 Leonard Read Free Book Online Page A

along the slope, he said, nope, it must be in the truck and he just didn't see it. But since he was here would she like to go for a ride or something?
    Where? Nancy asked.
    I don't know. Down the beach.
    Why not stay here? Nancy said and added, looking up at him with the bedroom brown eyes, No one's home.
    You talked me into it. Bob Jr. grinned.
    She wasn't sure at this point what she wanted him to do. Still, she brought him along, serving him beer on the patio and giving him the basic treatment: the down-under look with dark hair slanting across one eye, putting her foot on the edge of his chair near his leg, leaning over to fool with her sandal strap and letting him look down the front of her blouse. He was on his third beer when he happened to say something about his kids. Why hadn't she thought of it before? Of course he was married; thirty-two or three, living in Geneva Beach all his life, what else would he do?
    Is your wife from Geneva Beach?
    No, she's a Holden girl.
    But you went to school together.
    Yeah, how did you know?
    And you've been married about ten years?
    Nine.
    Let's see, three children.
    Two, a boy eight and a boy six.
    Are you their big buddy? Take them fishing and camping?
    We go out, well, once in a while. I got this boat a couple years ago, eighteen footer with a big ninety-five-horse Merc on it.
    Sounds like fun.
    We can go way out with it. I mean way out.
    And do what?
    Fish. Whatever you want. He was staring at her. I'll have to take you out sometime, Bob Jr. said.
    When? Nancy asked. Like that, nailing it down.
    After the first time, when he had to come in close because she didn't know his boat, Nancy swam from the beach and Bob Jr. let the boat drift in to meet her, watching her nice easy strokes, then pulled her glistening out of the water, his stomach tightening and his shoulder muscles popping out.
    Then heading out full throttle, Bob Jr. sat sideways at the wheel under the canvas top and Nancy stretched out in a plastic chair back in the deckwell by the 95-horse Merc, giving him something to think about when he was home with his wife from Holden and the boy eight and the boy six.
    The third time out she gave him something to think about the rest of his life. While he was looking forward, watching the bow take the lake swells, Nancy took off the bra of her bikini and sat back again closing her eyes.
    She would love to see his reaction when he looked around, but that wasn't the way to do it. This was the way: eyes closed, very casual, a kind of natural innocence. Finally the motor was shut off and she could feel the boat drifting and his weight on the deck.
    Boy, you take a sunbath, you like to get it all over.
    She opened her eyes. Uh-huh.
    I've heard about topless suits but, man.
    He was standing over her and now eased down to one knee and rested an arm on her chair. You don't realize how tan a person is, he said, till you see the difference, huh?
    I'd like to be tan all over by the end of the summer.
    Well, listen, go ahead. Nobody's going to see you out here.
    I don't think I could.
    Come on, who's going to see you?
    You would.
    Me? Hell, you think I haven't seen a girl without any clothes on before?
    Sure, Nancy said. Your wife.
    Bob Jr. laughed. Some besides her even. Hey, come on. Serious again.
    Please, Nancy said. Let me get to know you a little better. She smiled, almost shyly. She closed her eyes, leaning back and resting her head on the aluminum frame, giving him a good profile from nose to navel.
    After a minute passed, she knew he wasn't going to grab her. He wasn't going to risk it. He had something here that had never been within his reach before and he wasn't going to blow it by grabbing her the first time out.
    They swam off the boat for a while and on the way back in Bob Jr. said why didn't they do it again tomorrow? Nancy said she was sorry, she was expecting Ray to call. She avoided him the next few days, watching from the bluff as the boat came nosing in out of the deep