Page 27 of Unmoored: How to Fail at Hating the Boss

I shout and trudge until I hear a faint answer.

Relief and terror consume me as I shout until my throat is raw.

Then I see the overturned skiff held aloft by Quincy, who seems to be sitting in a hollow in the sand.

“Quincy!”

“Reef!”

Rain drums against the bottom of the skiff and she almost loses her shelter when a gust of wind hits.

I grab her outstretched arm, but she pulls back. I stare at her, dumbfounded. “Come on, I’m getting you out of here!”

She shakes her head. “It’s too dangerous. Get in here with me!”

Praying that beaching the speedboat would be enough to keep it secure until the storm passes, I climb into the little hovel with Quincy.

Rain drums relentlessly against the fiberglass above us, water cascading down from the edges to the sand.

We’re both soaked through, and there’s barely enough room for the two of us under here.

But we’re together, and she’s safe.

In the narrow space, my arm wraps tight around her, anchoring her close to me.

“Are you hurt?”

My hand skims over her arms and sides, checking for anything broken.

Quincy shakes her head. “No. You?”

“I’m fine.”

“Why are you shaking like that?”

I pull her closer, my chin brushing her wet hair. “I was so worried about you. Don’t you ever fucking pull that again. When we’re on the water, you do what I say.”

After a long pause, she says, “You really were worried about me.”

“Terrified.”

“Reef, I’m sorry…”

“Shh.” I press my lips hard against her cheekbone, like I’m making sure she’s really here, really safe. “You don’t have to apologize. You’re too fucking brave for your own good. After this, I hope you don’t mind, but I’m gonna be real clingy for a long while.”

She looks back at me. “Clingy how?”

“Me and you. Together. Okay?”

She smiles at me over her shoulder, understanding my half-assed caveman talk. “But won’t that be frowned upon? You are still my boss.”

“Only for four more weeks. You think I give a shit what the others have to say about it?”

“Susan will be happy,” she says, shrugging.

“She will?”

“Yeah. She says if you’re getting laid regularly, it’ll put you in a better mood and keep you off her ass.”