Free Sunset Hearts by Macy Largo

arguments. They never argued. They rarely disagreed. Perfectly matched as far as temperament, no friction or tension usually existed between them. Except for the pleasant sexual kind, of course. Alan was his calm, his rock, his eye in the storm, and this alien emotional territory made him uncomfortable.   Everything had been going fine until Alan found her . They’d been happy, and now it had gone to shit.
    And it’s all her fault.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    From the tense hunch in Jerald’s shoulders, Daphne was surprised he didn’t slam the door as he left. “Is everything okay?” she nervously asked Alan. Duh , she’d just witnessed a fight over something.
    She had a feeling that something was her. She didn’t have to be a psychic to see that hot and hunkalicious Joe Friday, Fish Cop, couldn’t be less thrilled about her presence if he tried.
    Not that she blamed him. If their positions were reversed, she wouldn’t want some mobster’s ex-girlfriend moving in with her boyfriend either. At least he didn’t have to worry about them sleeping together in a wild monkey-sex kind of way.
    Le sigh.
    “He had to get back to the marina.”
    She eased herself off the sofa and into the office chair. Carefully, she rolled over to the kitchen table. “Dirty Harry doesn’t like me, huh?”
    He smirked. “I wouldn’t say that.”
    “That’s because you’re a nice guy. You don’t have to spare my feelings. I’m sorry I’ve caused you problems with him.”
    He made them both sandwiches and dished out potato salad before he sat down at the table with her. “He’s protective.”
    “If you were my boyfriend, I’d be protective too. Territorial even. He’s a lucky guy.”
    Alan laughed. “You’re good for my ego, girl.”
    After lunch she returned to her bedroom to lie down and take a nap. Her feet throbbed if she kept them down too long. He helped her prop them up on extra pillows.
    “Did you take your medicine?” he asked.
    She smiled. “Yes.”
    “You don’t mind I’m overprotective, do you? I’m big brother to three younger sisters. Old habits die hard.”
    “I don’t mind. It’s nice having someone taking care of me.”
    “You ever have that?”
    She felt heat fill her face. “No,” she quietly admitted. “Not for a long time.”
    Daphne tried to sleep after he closed the bedroom door and left her alone. Only a moron could miss the blatant emotions in Jerald Carter’s face when he looked at Alan. That man felt head over heels in love with Alan.
    He also didn’t like the fact that Alan had taken her in.
    Maybe if she tried super hard to be nice to him, he might friendly up a little. Alan was right, she couldn’t leave yet. She damn sure didn’t need Major Carter poking around and asking her more questions. She also didn’t want to cause Alan any problems with him.
     
    * * * *
     
    Jerald slammed his fist against the steering wheel before he started his truck and pulled out of the marina a little after five that afternoon.
    Goddammit.
    He’d felt like shit all afternoon, probably pissed off half the guides at the marina in the process, and wanted to beat the living daylights out of something.
    He had to apologize to Alan. He would also have to sit back and let this situation run its course on Alan’s time, not his. Legally, there wasn’t anything else he could do, unless he wanted to file a report and piss Alan off and drive him away in the process. Alan’s protective big brother streak had gone into steroidal overdrive. Any attempts on his part to make Alan see reason would only cause more problems. Alan would take her side, not see the sense in his arguments.
    He went home, showered, changed, and picked up his personal truck. He took a detour by Wal-Mart before heading back to Aripeka. He couldn’t show up at Alan’s empty-handed. He needed to bring an “I’m sorry” gift.
    Jerald happily noted that Alan looked pleasantly surprised when he walked in his front door a