Page 58 of Tony

I point right back at her, still chewing. “You better be careful. I might whisk you off to Key West, lock you up in my cottage, and keep you forever if you keep spoiling me like this.”

“Promises, promises.”

We both laugh, and smile, and stare at each other for a long moment that feels very natural and right. Until it lasts a little too long and becomes awkward.

“So,” we both say at the same time.

“You first,” she says.

“Well,” I say, twirling my cup of coffee in my hands for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts as I stare at it. Because this girl is… wow. I raise my eyes up and meet hers. Sunlight from outside is hitting them in just the right way, changing their naturally deep emerald color into something more of a sea green. “I…” I suddenly don’t know what to say to her. But at the same time, I feel like telling her all the things. “I… I like this place,” I finally stutter.

“Good,” she says. “I think this place likes you too.”

“And you’ve been quite the nice surprise.”

“Back at ya.” She grins.

“What are your plans for today? More spying on Vann?”

“Psshhhh.” She waves a hand in the air. “Who?”

“Vann Vaughn? Remember him? Dude who works across the street. Tatted-up with long paragraphs of boring words instead of sea monsters?”

“Oh, him,” she says, once again waving her hand through the air. “I’m so over him.”

“You are?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Well… that’s news.”

“What are your plans for today? Take another shot at hate-fucking your ex so you can move on with your life?”

“Psshhh. Who?”

“Belinda Baker? Cute girl who works across the street with sticky-sweet pink pigtails instead of seductive red tresses?”

“Oh, her.” Soshee giggles as I play her game. I think I could fall in love with that giggle. “I’m so over her.”

“You are?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Well, that’s news too.”

I chew on my lip a little, not accustomed to flirting with girls. Not that I’m bad at it or anything. I just don’t do a lot of flirting. I don’t actually do a lot of anything with the girls I’m typically with. Mostly just let them flirt with me and then let them take me somewhere for a fast fuck so I can make a quick escape afterwards.

But I kinda like the flirting. Or maybe I just like the girl I’m doing it with?

“No plans for today, then?” I finally manage to say.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that.”

“No?”

“I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

“So you’ve got plans with me today?”