Page 89 of Alonzo

“I think you should get the fuck out of my house before I throw you out.”

His eyes narrow down even further. “Is that right?”

I get it. Johnny Boston. His name alone strikes fear into people far and wide. I’ve heard all the rumors. And he sure did turn up with that girl of his, Megan, in dramatic fashion last summer. Not to mention all the other questionable things I’ve been told over the past six months.

But I’m a six-foot-four fucking fisherman who hunts monsters far more terrifying than the likes of him. So I not only stand my ground, I walk right up to him, stare down into his beady blue eyes, and say, “Yeah. That’s right.”

He stands up. And I’m pretty close to him so we’re practically chest to chest when he does this. I’ve got at least two inches of height on him though, so he has to look up. “Alonzo. I’m not fucking around right now. You have no idea how important this job is.”

“Maybe not, but I know how important my job is. And this is Key West. This is our territory. You shouldn’t be doing anything down here without our permission.”

He’s shaking his head. “No. You misunderstand your level of importance. I run the entire Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. And I’m telling you to stand down.”

“Well, then I guess we have a problem.”

He opens his mouth to say something but the screen door opens with a squeak. We both turn our heads to see Tara standing in the doorway.

“Oh… uh, hey!” She smiles at me. Like she didn’t just stumble into two massive, tatted-up dudes about to throw down. “You must be Johnny! I spent the morning with your brother. He’s so much fun.” Mad props to Tara for being able to read a room.

Johnny looks at her, then at me. “We’re not done.”

“I think we are.”

He turns, pushes past Tara, and leaves without another word.

Tara comes in, closes the front door, and turns to me. “What the hell was that?”

“That was… I don’t really know, actually. But fuck him.” I smile at her. Because I missed her today. And there was this little part of my brain that was afraid I told her way too much last night and today, in the light of a bright sun, she’d see things clearly and be gone by the time I got home.

But she’s not gone. She’s here.

And I’m done thinking about sirens, and curses, and Bostons, and jobs, and Belinda, and Tony and all of it.

I just want to be with her.

“You know what? I have to go.”

“Tara—”

“Lonnie.” She winks at me. “I have to go.” She pulls the door open, walks through, and pulls it closed behind her.

What the fuck just happened?

But then there’s a knock at the door. It takes me a moment to put it all together. And that sucks. Because just a few days ago her little game would’ve been the only thing on my mind. I’d have been on. I’d have been smiling before it even started.

She knocks again. “Mr. Derringer? Mr. Derringer, it’s me. Miss Sunshine. I have that report you asked for. I do hope I’m not interrupting your…” She pauses, fumbling for words. “Your naked time.”

And now I really do smile. My naked time? But that’s Tara. Cut to the chase, man. Let’s get our sexy on. This is us. We are playful. We are fun. We are spontaneous, and flirty, and silly, to be quite honest.

I’m pretty sure I’ve never used the word silly to describe anything, let alone myself. But that’s how she makes me feel. She makes life special.

I whip my shirt over my head and kick off my shoes in the same two seconds. I’m just reaching for the button on my jeans when she calls, “Mr. Derringer?”

“One moment, Miss Sunshine.” I drop my pants, taking my underwear with them, and thank my lucky stars I showered before I left the dockside office to meet Tony and my dad. Because I smell kinda hot. Little bit of ocean mixed with wind and sun.

The door opens just as I’m kicking my pants across the room.

Tara stops and puts a hand over her mouth in mock surprise. “Oh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I know how important naked time is for you. Should I leave?” She pouts a little, letting Mr. Derringer know that she’s super sorry about the disturbance.