Page 18 of Totally Wrecked
I watch Killian grin.
“That’s Killian,” Captain Rex tells him. “Now can you shut up and get all the bags stowed?”
Leander gives a cheeky salute. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
Harvey's case, my backpack, and Killian’s duffle are all in a heap. With a sinewy strength, Leander picks up the backpack and duffel with one hand and the suitcase with the other. “Let’s stow these. Then we can have a beer.”
“It’s fucking not even 9am,” Rex growls, then stalks off to the wheelhouse.
Killian and I smile at each other as Harvey follows Leander into the cabin. I can hear a slightly impatient tone as he speaks. “Could you be careful with that? I have breakables inside.”
“You doing alright, sweetheart? This must be pretty intense for you.”
I grimace. “You’re not kidding! I can’t wait for all this to be over.”
He moves closer and breathes in my ear. “I can’t wait to be all over your body again.” Shaking his head, Killian says quietly, “I’ll go hang at the prow, so I don’t get tempted to ravish you in front of everyone.”
I watch him walk away. At the same time, Harvey’s voice comes out of the cabin loudly.
“Is there somewhere private I could lie down?”
“We have a bunk room you can use?” Leander answers. “It’s not private, but you are welcome to use it.”
Harvey joins me on deck again, running a hand down my arm. “I’ve got us a bunk room to rest in, Brooke.”
This is never ending.
“Thanks, but I’ve a terrible headache. I think I’ll stay in the fresh air for a while.”
Ah, the old ‘no sex because of a headache’ line. A classic through the ages.
I think Harvey is getting fed up with me, because he just says, “Fine,” and stomps off.
I watch him walk away, then go in the opposite direction and lean against the railings. I play with the turquoise beads around my neck and stare out at the blue ocean. Captain Rex shouts instructions, ropes are thrown, and then, with a small lurch, the boat sets sail.
This is it. No going back. Just got to hope everything will be smooth sailing.
KILLIAN
Ihead to the front end of the boat, leaving Daisy alone at the back. It feels unnatural after our night, but she needs to keep up the facade. It’s only for a couple of weeks, and then I am very much looking forward to spending more time with Miss Daisy Jackson. Thinking about last night, I get a massive shit-eating grin on my face. I like that she is wearing the beads I gave her. I’d like to give her all kinds of necklaces.
For the first time in weeks, the ball of acid in my stomach has quietened. As soon as I tasted how sweet she was, it felt like she was the missing piece in the puzzle of my life…love at first shag.
I’d been shagging around aimlessly for years. Never anything serious, and I hadn’t wanted anything more than a night or two of fun. But after my near-miss at fatherhood, something changed. I thought it was the lack of a baby that had made me feel hollow, but it wasn’t that. It was the lack of a special person,myspecial person.
Fuck, who would have guessed I’d have found it in Brooke Jackson’s sister, on an island in the middle of the South Pacific?
Daisy lives on another kind of island altogether, Rhode Island. I live in New York: that’s only like a three or four hour drive. Doable. Just as doable as she is. I think about how she’s just lost her job, so that means she’s no longer tied to Providence. Maybe she’d move to the city?
Who am I?
One night with this chick and I’m already having her move in with me.
Though maybe I should move out of Brooklyn… Daisy might be more of a small city person.
This is crazy, I hardly know her. Then something occurs to me: Daisy never told me why she’d agreed to switch places with Brooke. I’m not gonna lie, my curiosity is totally piqued about the whole thing.
She can explain it to me when we are back on Samoa, drinking cocktails, and rolling around under the stars.
