Page 13 of Love Off Course

My eyes drift back over to her. Despite the rigidness in her posture, she seems defeated. It’s unnerving. A woman like her doesn’t look like the type to get knocked off her axis very often. And when she does…it destroys her. Guilt infects me. I haven’t exactly made it easy for her.

The bus is hot as fuck, and where everyone is sweating, she seems to glisten and glow. Like the reflection of the sun off the water behind her. Sheridan Reid is beautiful, no doubt. She’s just a jagged little pill—one you can’t swallow because she’ll choke you.

Despite having to land in Tahueca because of a damn incoming hurricane, I’m happy. I was born and raised here. Everyone I love lives here.

So why did you leave?

Ignoring that train of thought, I rub Toro’s head. I missed my dog. Alejandro keeps him while I’m gone, which is for longer and longer periods of time. Another pang of regret hits me right in the gut.

The hotel comes into view and Toro must sense we’re almost there because he barks, his tail thumping hard against the seat. As soon as the bus stops and the door opens, Sheridan bolts. Carson thumps me in the arm.

“Go,” he encourages.

I roll my eyes as I stalk off the bus after her. She struggles walking in the sand and nearly rolls her ankle. There’s no stopping her, though, as she storms her way over to the front office of Hotel Zaragoza. She flings the door open and I grab it before it closes. Toro trots in after her.

“Un minuto,” Araceli says in a monotone voice before bitching out the person on the other line.One minute.

Sheridan is breathing heavily, fury radiating from her in the stuffy office. I lean against the counter and smirk at her.

“Stop following me,” she huffs.

“Not following you.”

“You’re here.” She waves her hand up and down. “Breathing the same stagnant air in this shithole.”

I bristle at her words. “Maybe you should complain to management about the stagnant air,” I offer coolly.

Araceli barks something at what I’m assuming is Marco. My cousin and her baby daddy fight continuously. It’s a wonder they stopped arguing long enough to have sex and get knocked up in the first place. Araceli pats her stomach once before reaching over to grab an orange slice from a bowl. She chomps on it as she angrily listens to what he has to say.

From experience, I know this might last all day.

“Tres llaves, prima,” I call out.Three keys, cousin.

Araceli notices me, smiles briefly, then reaches into the drawer. She tosses the keys my way one set at a time.

“This is going to take a while,” I tell Sheridan. “Come on. I’ll show you to your room.”

“My room? Are you serious? I’m not staying in this dump!”

Araceli’s glare darts over to us and she rakes her eyes down Sheridan’s front, her nostrils flaring. Right. I’m going to have to get her out of here before she pisses off my cousin. A pissed off Araceli usually ends with her raking her nails across your face. I’ve nearly lost my eye on more than one occasion because of her.

“Thisdumpis your only option,abejita.”Little bee.The nickname is fitting since she likes to sting with her verbal barbs. Not waiting for her to answer, I grab her delicate wrist and haul her out of the building. As soon as we’re outside, the warm wind blows sand against us. It’s still sunny, but I can smell the storm in the air.

“Let go of me, asshole,” she grumbles, jerking her hand from mine.

“Do you kiss your momma with that mouth?” I taunt. I’d said it before in Spanish, but that was when she had no clue what I was saying to her. Now, I want her to hear every word.

Her fiery features crumple for a second and then she stomps off.Okaaaay.Again, she nearly falls in her stupid heels. That’s enough of that. If she breaks her ankle, I’ll have to set it and I’m not in the mood to play doctor. I hook my arm around her waist and then toss her over my shoulder. She shrieks in surprise and then she loses her mind.

“Let me go, you idiot! I will sue you! I will sue everyone!”

Carson’s eyes are wide when I approach.

“Oh boy,” he mutters as I toss him two out of three sets of keys.

“Oh boy is right!” she screeches. “The moment I get down, I’m going to ruin everyone! By the time I’m done with you monsters, you’ll never get another job again!”

“Suave,” Carson says, shaking his head at me. “Real suave.”

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