Lust Read Online Free PDF Page A

asked.
    â€œRob, come on, quick,” the woman shrieked, and Rob—the mugger—got up and followed her, while Gaia staggered a few steps away. She could hear them talking to a policeman almost immediately.
    â€œWe were in the park, and this wild woman attacked us!” The woman was still shrieking.
    â€œWhere were you, exactly?” the officer wanted to know.
    â€œWell, we were . . . standing by the public restroom,” the woman said.
    â€œStanding?” the officer asked suspiciously.
    â€œOkay, more like standing and kissing . . . Maybe we got a little carried away with each other,” the guy said.
    â€œI sprayed her with my pepper spray!” the woman added proudly.
    Oh. Oh, crap. Gaia had a feeling the cop wouldn’t be in too big a hurry to find her, but she didn’t want to wait to find out. Her eyes still burned, and she was sure they were bright red and puffy. And she was horribly, horribly embarrassed.
    What was the matter with her? She couldn’t tell the difference between a horny couple and a mugging in progress? Had she lost all common sense?
    No, she’d just misread her instincts because she was distracted—again. The frustration of running into Sam had thrown her off. And she’d taken it out on this guy Rob.
    She got to the subway and descended the stairs, blinking painfully. She felt so stupid. Worse than stupid—she felt like a total and complete asshole.
    What was that Bob Marley song? Who the cap fit, let them wear it.
    She was an asshole.
    A Complete Lack of Drama
    â€œYOU ASSHOLE!” KAI LAUGHED. SHE tried to shoot Ed Fargo back, but her laser gun was disabled for fifteen seconds because he’d gotten her smack in the back. He took this chance to escape through a back alley into the main room.
    That was when the kid got him.
    He couldn’t have been more than eight years old, but he was quick, and Ed suspected he had a little-kid crush on Kai. He couldn’t blame the little guy. Kai was like a Japanese anime character come to life: baggy pants, half-shirt, pigtails, and a thousand-watt smile. Plus she had enough energy to light Manhattan. She was a great girl, tons of fun, and Ed was fully enjoying spending time with her. Which was why the kid must have decided to fry Ed.
    Pa-tchoo!
    The pack on Ed’s chest made a wee-wee-wee noise and Ed was completely disabled. Kai could walk up to him and shoot his bull’s-eye as much as she wanted, which was what she did. Knowing their ten minutes in the laser room were almost up, he let his arms flop to his sides and just surrendered. Right on cue, the buzzer signaled the end of the session.
    â€œYou got me,” he admitted. “You win. But next time, no fair enlisting munchkins to help you.”
    â€œI’m not a munchkin,” the kid said.
    â€œNo, you’re my hero,” Kai told him, and ruffled his hair. The kid gave Ed the finger and raced off to find his parents.
    â€œWhat the—” Ed pulled off his laser backpack and strolled with Kai to the front entrance. “These kids today—I’m telling you, they’ve got no respect.”
    â€œYeah,” Kai responded.
    â€œWant to go get some really cheap Chinese food? There’s a place on Ninth Avenue that’s got the biggest combination plate you ever saw.”
    â€œSure! That’s cool!”
    Sure! That’s cool! Ed savored the words as they danced around in his head. No sarcastic comments, no pointed references, no distractions or family emergencies or mysterious chokings. Just Kai. Ed reached over and took her hand, and she squeezed his back enthusiastically.
    â€œSo that was fun when we went to Chelsea Piers to go rock-climbing,” he said.
    â€œTotally!”
    â€œAnd I didn’t realize that crazy boat ride at the South Street Seaport was so high-octane.”
    â€œI know!”
    â€œSo what are we going to do next?”
    â€œI’ve