Read The Bodyguard and Ms. Jones for Free Online

had already filled two cookie sheets and stuck them in the oven. She was filling a third when she heard an exaggerated sigh.
    â€œHe’s incredibly gorgeous.”
    She glanced up and saw Beth leaning against the doorway to the dining room. She had a hand pressed against her chest. “I swear I got palpitations just looking at him. Feel.”
    â€œThank you, I’d rather not.”
    Beth walked over to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. “My Lord, how do you stand it? He’s just lying there, naked.”
    â€œHe’s not naked.”
    Eyebrows nearly as red as her hair raised slightly. “How would you know?”
    â€œI put out clean underwear every morning, and it disappears.”
    â€œHow disappointing.” Beth leaned back in the chair and sighed once more. “Still, it’s just you and him alone. Night after night.”
    â€œThe kids are here,” she reminded her friend. “You’re trying to make this into something it’s not. Mike is Grace’s brother. I’m doing this for her, not him. As for him being attractive...” Beth looked at her. Cindy held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Okay, I’ll admit he’s pretty good-looking.”
    â€œGood-looking? The man could jump-start a person in a coma.”
    â€œBeth!”
    â€œWell, he could! I just wish he’d wake up so I could see his eyes. What color are they?”
    â€œBrown.”
    â€œOh.”
    Cindy looked up from the cookie batter. “You sound disappointed.”
    â€œI was hoping for something more exciting. Gray maybe, or a nice—” She broke off and frowned. “You know, there aren’t many colors for eyes to be, are there? Okay, brown.”
    The timer on the oven beeped. Beth stood up. Like Cindy, she was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. The Houston summer heat required a minimum of clothing, even in the air-conditioned house.
    Beth grabbed the pot holders resting on the counter and took the baked cookies out of the oven. She set them on the cooling racks on the edge of the island, then grabbed the filled pans Cindy had prepared.
    Cindy smiled. This was one of the things she liked about where she lived. Being friends with her neighbors and sharing time with them. She, Beth and Grace had canned fruit together, baked pies and even prepared holiday dinners. They ran back and forth when ingredients were low, the days too long or something bad happened in their lives. Both women had been there for her when Nelson had walked out. She would never forget that.
    Beth closed the oven, then tossed the pot holders on the counter next to the cooling cookie sheets. She grabbed a spatula, slipped a cookie off and picked it up. “Hot!” she said, bouncing it from hand to hand and blowing. When it was cool enough, she took a bite. Her eyes closed and she smiled. “Perfect.” She offered half to Cindy.
    Cindy tasted the cookie and had to admit, she had a way with peanut butter. She took the glass of water Beth had filled and sipped. “I miss Grace,” she said.
    â€œTell me about it. I miss her, and I miss my kids.” Beth returned to the kitchen table and sat down. “I know, I know. I’m the one who couldn’t wait for them to leave. They annoy the hell out of me. I mean, they’re practically teenagers. That’s their job. When they said they wanted to go to camp I was thrilled. But it’s only been a few days and the house is so quiet and boring.”
    Cindy smiled. “I thought you and Darren were going to plan things for the two of you to do.”
    â€œWe are. It’s kind of fun, actually. But I still miss the kids. I guess this is what the empty nest is like. I’ll end up like those old women who keep their children’s rooms as shrines. Everything in its place.”
    â€œI don’t think so.”
    â€œYeah, me neither.” Beth looked up and shook her finger.