Missing Linc by Kori Roberts (i can read books .TXT) 📗

leave them to you,

but if I met women even half as beautiful as the one Alejandro described with you on Friday,

it”d be worth it.” A smile suddenly spread across his face. “I don”t suppose you need another

driver, do you? I”m sure I can fit a few runs into my schedule.”

“It”s not like that,” Linc objected. “Tomi and Mitch aren”t like some of the customers

that I”ve told you about.” The need to defend them, to differentiate them from all the other

easy fucks he”d met over the years, was great. “They”re not here trying to get laid; they”re

here to get married.”

Pedro”s brow arched. “If they”re here to get married, what are they doing fucking you?”

Before Linc could find a way to explain the seemingly unexplainable, to put into words

the undeniable connection that existed between the three of them, Lorna walked into his

office unannounced and interrupted their conversation.

“What is it, Lorna?”

“You forgot your messages, baby.” She reached past Pedro to hand Linc several pink

slips of paper. “Don”t forget, you got a meeting across town this afternoon.”

“Thanks.” Linc scanned the messages. Lorna knew him well. He”d completely forgotten

about the meeting. She could be a complete pain in the ass at times, but she kept him

organized.

Lorna turned to leave, making certain to brush against Pedro in the process.

“Hola, Pedro.” Her voice dropped seductively. “Estás pareciendo bueno, como de

costumbre.”

Linc sighed, knowing what would come next. He should have known Lorna couldn”t

make it back to her desk without hitting on one of them.

In true Lorna fashion, she spent the next several minutes all but falling to the floor,

spreading her legs, and offering herself to Pedro. His cousin didn”t help the situation as he laughed at her provocative comments, seeming to enjoy, even encourage, her flirtatious

behavior.

Finally, Linc couldn”t take anymore. “I pay you to work, Lorna, not stand around trying

to fuck my relatives,” he snapped, a little more harshly than he”d intended.

She looked at him in surprise before turning on her heel and all but stomping from the

room, muttering something in Spanish that sounded suspiciously like the word bastard.

“Relax, cousin.” Pedro sounded amused. “Lorna”s harmless.”

“Then you hire her to work for you.” Linc glared back at him. “You can have the

pleasure of listening to her bullshit all day.”

“I don”t need the extra help.” Pedro laughed, appearing completely unfazed by Linc”s

irritation. “Besides, I already told you, I”m still trying to get a job here.”

“Yeah, right.” Linc snorted. “You know damn well that Tracee would kick your ass —

and mine — if you came to work here,” Linc told him, referring to Pedro”s longtime

girlfriend.

The smile fell from Pedro”s face. “You”re probably right about that.”

“Speaking of work,” Linc began, “how”s your work schedule this week?”

Pedro shrugged. “The usual. I”m booked solid with tours Friday through Sunday, but

the rest of the week doesn”t look too bad. Why?”

“I was thinking of taking Mitch and Tomi on a private boat tour around the island one

day this week, and I wanted to know if you had any time available.”

Pedro looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. “So I take it this thing between you

and them isn”t just a weekend fling, huh?” Linc didn”t bother to respond. It was a rhetorical

question, and they both knew it. “Actually,” Pedro finally said, “I was planning to block off

Thursday evening so that I could spend some time with Tracee on the boat. I”ll check with

her, but I”m sure she won”t mind if you and your friends join us.” He smiled again. “You

know Tracee adores you. She”ll do anything you ask.”

“She should.” Linc laughed. “If it weren”t for me, she”d never have met you.” He”d

dated Tracee a few times before he introduced her to Pedro. That was two years ago, and

they were still together.

Pedro”s voice suddenly sobered. “This couple must be really special if you”re calling in

favors just to spend more time with them.”

Linc held his gaze. “They are,” he said simply.

Pedro nodded. “In that case, I can”t wait to meet them.”

Chapter Nine

The sounds of salsa music filled the air as Pedro”s boat floated in the calm waters of the

San Juan Bay. They were anchored a couple of miles away from the mainland, giving them

an incredible view of the brightly lit San Juan shoreline.

Linc looked up as Tomi walked onto the deck wearing a bikini top and low-slung cutoff

shorts, a smile curving her lips and her unruly curls gently blowing in the light wind. She

had a seat next to him, and Mitch flanked his other side on the U-shaped, bench-style seat.

“You know,” she began, “when you said you were going to take us on a boat ride, I had

no idea you meant something like this.” Her arm gestured around the boat.

“I can see your point.” Linc looked around as well. Referring to it as a boat did seem

like a bit of an understatement. The forty-foot catamaran easily held fifty people and

included all the comforts of home.

It was more than just a boat for Pedro as well. It was how he earned a living. He”d

invested all of his money — and some of Linc”s as well — into purchasing this boat to start a

chartered tours business. It turned out to be the best investment Pedro could have made. The

boat had more than paid for itself within a few years.

“This is a great boat, man,” Mitch said to Pedro, who walked onto the deck carrying a

bottle of wine and several glasses.

“Thanks.” Pedro set the glasses down on the built-in table. “It”s my baby. My pride and

joy.” The look on his face confirmed his words.

“Hey, I thought that was me,” Tracee joked as she joined them on deck carrying a tray

of food in her hands.

Pedro took the tray from her and set it on the table. “Of course you are.” His voice was

soothing as he pulled her into his arms, whispering, “Sabes te amo,” before giving her a kiss.

“That”s more like it.” A smile spread across her pretty face when Pedro finally let her

up for air. Tracee pushed a colorful pillow to the side and had a seat on the