Free To Love a Cop by Janice Kay Johnson Page A

unshed tears. “I’m glad you remember,” she said softly. “I wasn’t sure you did.”
    “I wish you’d kept the motorcycle,” Jake said discontentedly. “Then I could have had it someday.”
    “We needed the money I got for it.” She gave a funny, broken laugh. “I have to admit, the idea of letting my teenage son head out on his Harley sends a chill down my spine, too. Maybe by the time you can afford to buy your own, I won’t be so worried about you riding it.”
    “Didn’t you go for rides with Dad on it?”
    “We did in the early days.” Having apparently conquered the tears, she smiled at him. “Before you were born. After that, well—” she laughed “—I’m a secret coward. I never enjoyed the open road the way your dad did.”
    “Really?” he marveled. He turned to Ethan. “Do you have a motorcycle?”
    “Nope. I was never that interested in anything with an engine.” Replete, Ethan pushed his plate away. “Now, windsurfing on the Columbia River, that’s a charge. I’ll take you this summer.” He frowned. “You can swim, can’t you?”
    “Yeah!”
    Ethan smiled at Laura. “Both of you.” He’d really like to see her in a bikini. Even a tight-fitting one-piece. Although nothing would be even better.
    He never had had that heart-to-heart with his common sense over whether getting too involved with both Vennettis was smart. Reaching out a hand to the boy, that was one thing; he could even think of it as part of his job. He remembered Ken describing Jake as a lit fuse. The spark could still be doused.
    He felt a spark low in his belly every time he looked at Laura, too, but this one was entirely personal. He hadn’t decided whether it would be better stamped out, too.
    It’s not too late to back off , he told himself, but had a bad feeling he was lying to himself, something he tried not to do.
    His unease was such that he made his excuses right after Laura closed the box on the two remaining slices of pizza and, when he declined to take the leftovers, stood to put them in the refrigerator.
    “Would you clear up the rest?” she asked Jake, and walked Ethan to the door.
    “Thank you for doing this,” she said, sounding more formal than she had since he first arrived.
    “I like your son. I had fun, too. I don’t take time to do something like shoot baskets often enough.” He grinned. “And, just so you know, the slam dunk was meant to impress some boys Jake knows who were ignoring him.”
    “Jerks,” she muttered.
    “Yeah, I figured they deserved to see that he has cooler friends than they do.”
    Her eyes sparkled and her laugh was a delighted ripple. “His friend isn’t so modest, though.”
    Ethan shook his head. “Laura, Laura. You don’t understand preteen boys. Modesty is not a virtue they admire.”
    That gained him another laugh. “Then thank you for the dunk, too.”
    “Ah, listen. I had an idea,” he said. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Jake.”
    Her smile faded.
    “Nothing bad. I was just thinking I could install a hoop above your garage, if you’re okay with it. It would be healthier for him to be out shooting baskets than doing whatever he does in his room.”
    Laura made a face. “Probably computer games.” She looked toward the garage. “Our driveway is flat.”
    “Pretty much perfect.”
    “If you mean that, I’ll go ahead and buy a...backboard. Isn’t that what they’re called?”
    “Yep. I could make one if I had time, but I can’t promise right now.”
    In the end, she agreed to let him pick one up since she knew nothing about them and his vehicle was better suited for hauling something that might come in a huge box than hers was. She insisted on paying for it, though.
    He was starting to turn away when she touched his arm. “I...wanted to ask you something.”
    Ethan tensed at the way she’d lowered her voice. “Sure.”
    “Please be honest with me. Do you, um...” She visibly squared her shoulders. “Are you