Read Online Neighbors and More (High Rise Series) by Mona Risk - Free Book Online

Who’s there?”
    Dante shook his hand and waggled his eyebrows for Alexa’s
benefit.
    “Tom, this is Dante Cantari. I’m back from Sicily. Can I
have my boat lowered to the water?”
     “Now?” The single word rang so loud that Alexa heard it and
clamped both hands over her mouth while her shoulders shook.
    “Yes, please. I’m sitting outside in my car. Would you like
me to come to your office?” Dante asked sweetly.
    “No. No. I’m coming right away. I’ll call Juan to get your
boat out to the water.”
    “Thanks. Appreciate it.” Dante clicked his phone shut. “I
have the feeling we interrupted him in the middle of a serious, hum… job.”
     “Oh dear, I can imagine him talking to you, and trying to
refrain from huffing and puffing while she works on him. That made up for the
heartache she gave me. Too bad I don’t have a picture of that scene. We left
his window a minute too early.”
    “Thank God. We’re not peeping toms. Here he comes. I see him
in the rear window. Stay inside.”
    Dante jumped out of his car and walked toward Tom.
    “Welcome back, Dante. Good to see you. So how was the trip?”
Tom pumped Dante’s hand, a jovial smile on his face. The walk across the boat
storage area must have helped him recover.
    “Great. But it’s wonderful to be back. I missed my Little
Sicily . How’s she doing?” He clapped Tom’s back while still shaking his
hand.
    “Here she is, clean, shiny, and gorgeous,” Tom said as the
forklift passed by carrying Dante’s boat. “You should have called earlier. I
would have set some time to go out to the ocean with you. Today, I’m kind of
busy.”
    Dante nodded with understanding. “Don’t worry. Another
time.”
    “Yes. Of course. I better go finish the job I started.”
    “Go ahead. We should never neglect our work. See you some
other time, Tom.” With effort, Dante managed to keep a straight face.
    Tom rushed back inside the boat storage area. Once he
disappeared into his office, Dante opened the passenger door to let Alexa out
of the car. “He couldn’t wait to go back to his work.”
    “I bet. Julia is not a patient woman. The little bitch had
the guts to accuse me of taking her husband. To think the guy is not even buried
yet.” Alexa patted her pocket. “Just let her open her mouth again. I have a
great picture to shut it permanently.”
    Dante chuckled. “At least, this episode helped you unwind.
Now let’s enjoy our day.”
    At the dock, Dante helped her climb down into his boat. “See
how beautiful she looks.” He seriously missed the boat that gave him hours of
relaxation.
    But Alexa wasn’t listening. Her eyebrows knitted, her eyes
fixed on the dirty water of the canal.
    “Alexa?”
    “Dante,” she said without looking at him. “Think with me for
a minute. Maybe Steve took the pills from my medicine cabinet. And maybe it was
Julia who dissolved the Valium in his coffee. Maybe she wanted to get rid of
him to be with Tom.”

 
     
     
    Chapter Six
    A breeze whisked
off the ocean, tinged with the taste of sea and salt. “This is heaven.” Alexa
reclined against the white leather pillow of the left side bench, drinking her
beer straight from the can, while Dante focused on sailing his boat.
    With a similar concentration, Alexa studied his chiseled
profile and strong neck. Black strands of hair curled, mussed by the soft wind.
She stopped sipping her beer and licked her lips. Her gaze fell to his tanned
shoulders and the brawny back rippling with muscles as he maneuvered the speed
throttle. The boat glided over the smooth surface of the ocean, creating a
white froth in its wake.
    From far away, the buildings looked almost alike, at least
the ones painted white. She removed her sunglasses and squinted to locate their
neighborhood. “I think we are in front of our building,” Alexa said, to attract
his attention. Frankly, she’d had it with Dante flirting with his Little
Sicily and ignoring his flesh and blood