Page 33 of On The Beach

The three of us didn't move, staying absolutely still until the clanging stopped, which took a minute. Then, alerted by the noise, we waited for someone to show up. We waited a minute and then two, but there was no one.

As I'd suspected, this harbor had absolutely zero security. The real mystery wasn't just how Papa Lou still had a functioning business—it was how this antique disaster of a boat hadn't capsized and dragged a bunch of poor passengers to a watery grave.

At least now Belle would be safe, I told myself.

Yeah, that was the reason you did this. Real smooth, Mick.

We scrambled onto our boat, shoving off as fast as the engine would allow, which wasn't much. As we sailed back to Reef Harbor, Franco muttered abouttrue love's labor,and Cato despairingly mumbled about how he was now the embarrassed doer offucking ferry sabotageand how far he'd fallen.

We'd most definitely made a mess of things, but I didn't care. Tomorrow morning, when Belle tried to board that ferry and found it missing as it wasmysteriouslyout of order, I'dhave at least one more chance to keep her here—for a few days more, that's all I needed, anyway. A couple days here and there I'd be bored like always. I was sure of it.

Yeah! I. Was. Sure. Of. It.

"So, Cato," Franco mused. "That whole military boat sabotage thing...you ever worry you'll be recognized for some of the stuff you've done in the past?"

Cato glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "Only when I'm helping lovesick friends disable ferryboats on tropical islands."

"I'mnotlovesick," I protested.

No one paid attention to me.

Franco nodded gravely as drunk men did. "So what…are you, like, a real-life spy or something?"

Cato shrugged one shoulder. "I could tell you, but then, Franco, I'd have to kill you."

I suspected that he wasn't joking.

CHAPTER 10

bottoms in paradise

BELLE

Istood on the pier, hands on my hips, staring at Big Al, the harbor master.

"Sorry, Belle, Papa Lou says the ferry is busted. Looks like a freakin' swimming pool, and they need parts to fix, and that takes a minute around here."

I tried to keep my face from giving me away. Frustrated as I was to be stranded, there was a small, undeniable part of me that was…thrilled.

"Ah…so, how many days are we talking about?" I asked, worrying my lower lip with my teeth.

"Ya know, they come every Monday and Thursday, so…since they missed today, I'd say Monday." Big Al smiled at Mick. "How you doin', Captain Mick?"

"You know me, Big Al, I'm always doin' good."

"No shit."

"Is there any way I can hire a boat, something to get out of here," I asked. Sure, orgasms were nice, but I had a life in Cambridge to get back to.

Big Al looked at Mick and rolled his eyes.

I turned to look at Mick, who shrugged. "You know how it is, Babycakes. I told ya."

"Can I charter a helicopter? Anything?"

"You wanna get out of here so bad?" Mick had a devilish glint in his eyes. He was handsome as sin. Blue eyes, tanned healthy skin, sexy dirty blonde hair that he obviously forgot to have cut regularly—and then there was the attitude.

So, the thought of a few more days in Reef Harbor, of more time with Mick, made my stomach flip in a really good way.

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