10 ANTONIO She walked ahead of me on the sundeck, following the hostess to our table, and right along with every other male with a pulse between the ages of twelve and eighty-two, I did filthy things to her in my mind with every a*s-swaying step she took. The Southern California rays kissed her bare shoulders, exposed midriff, and sandaled feet. I didn’t like the idea of some man dressing Daphne. But his work was beyond reproach. Besides, my hunch told me the guy was gay. A whiff of her hit me hard when I pulled her chair out from the table, and she took her seat. Less than twenty-four hours had passed, and already I was aching for her again. The hostess spouted off the specials, accepted our drink orders, and split. “Right. You’re going to let me know what the plan is from here on o

