Page 25 of Knocked Up By the Grump

As I'm wrestling with my confusing emotions, my phone suddenly rings, breaking the cycle of my restless thoughts.

I glance at the caller ID, and to my surprise, it's my first mate.

Ugh, what now?I grumble to myself.

“What?” I ask when I answer it.

“Alex, I need you up on the bridge. Something's come up,” Nathan says.

I let out a resigned sigh, annoyed but still grateful for the distraction from my inner turmoil.

“I'll be right there,” I respond, my voice carrying a trace of irritation, more at myself than at Nathan this time.

With one last glance around my cabin, I head to the bridge, hoping that dealing with whatever issue he has will help take my mind off of Emily.

I step out of my cabin and walk down the corridor. The walls are covered in fancy sea-themed art, and the soft lighting makes the place feel classy. My footsteps are hushed by the plush carpet underfoot as I make my way.

At the end of the corridor, I pass big windows showing off the gorgeous sunset. Usually, I'd be all about that view, but tonight, I've got other things on my mind.

Finally, I stroll into the navigation room. It's got all this sleek wood and high-tech stuff that screams luxury. Nathan's over bya bunch of screens, tapping away at the controls, dealing with whatever's brought me here.

“Nathan, what's going on?” I ask, drawing him away from the screens. “Is something wrong?”

Nathan uses his arm to wipe sweat from his forehead. “Alex, it's the navigation system,” he says. He takes heavy breaths in, then out, as he composes himself.

“Well, what about it?” I snap, growing impatient.

Nathan hesitates but then says, “It's completely shot. Looks like it'll take me a couple hours to fix it.”

Fuck!

I find myself at a tipping point.

“A couple hours?” I repeat. “Nathan, this is ridiculous! We have guests on board! We can’t just keep them on here. Like, like…hostages!”

Nathan lets out a low sigh. “I understand, Alex, but there's nothing I can do. The system's fried; if we don't fix it, we'll be stuck out here. Just let me fix it.”

My heart stops for a moment at the thought. Stuck at sea with none other than… Emily Montgomery?

That can’t happen,I think.

“This better be something you can do to fix it quickly,” I mutter.

“I’ll do my best,” Nathan assures me.

I storm out of the navigation room and step onto the deck. The unexpected sight of Emily catches me off guard. She's sitting there, bathed in the warm sunlight, a book going unread on her lap. Her blazer is slung over the lounge chair so that she’s lying in nothing but a tiny tank top and that pencil skirt.

Wow.

The natural light enhances her beauty, casting a soft glow on her features. I can't help but pause for a moment, my frustration momentarily forgotten as I admire the serene sight before me.

Suddenly, I want to go over to her.

It's not like me to be impulsive, to act on such an inexplicable desire.

But something about Emily, about this moment, keeps drawing me closer.

I can't resist it any longer, and with each step, I feel like I'm giving in to something I can't quite define.

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