Chapter 15
GEORGE
“Good morning, Lisette, Cassie,” I greeted them as wonderful smells of baked bread and coffee filled the room.
“Morning. We’re finishing up preparations for the picnic,” Lisette replied as she packed items into a cooler. “Charlie’s going to set up the grill on the beach. I’ve got fresh shrimp and veggie kabobs, halloumi cheese, as well as freshly made pita, hummus, and a variety of fruit.”
Jana walked into the kitchen with another cooler. She threw in icepacks, bottles of mineral water, and cans of soda.
“Did Charlie pack the tent?” I asked. “Our guests will need shade today.”
“He’s with Gabe getting it set up now. Then he’ll come back for me and the lunch items, and we’ll take the guests,” Jana replied.
“Excellent. And sunscreen and hats?” I offered. “I wouldn’t want him—I mean them, our guests—to get sunburnt or worse.”
Jana smiled at me knowingly. “I always bring a bag with extras like sunscreen and the first aid kit, but I’ll grab some of our branded hats. The last thing any of our guests need is sunstroke.”
“Exactly. Well, it looks like you have everything organized, I’ll leave you to it.”
I made my way back upstairs and began to plan for the evening. But first, I needed a bit of fresh air.
I stepped out onto my deck and wandered to the stern.
Rafe and Niall were going through their photography gear, waterproof cases piled one on top of another.
Then Niall grabbed a duffel bag and pulled out what looked to be a bathing suit as he held it up to Rafe’s hips.
The tiny bit of bright blue material could hardly be called swimwear.
What would Rafe look like wearing that tiny scrap of Lycra? Or nothing at all…
“Captain?”
I turned to find Noah standing behind me.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he said then followed my line of sight.
I cleared my throat and turned to face him. “No interruption. I was just checking…the port side fenders.”
Christ, I was horrible at improvising white lies.
Noah looked at me with a bemused expression. “Right. Well, when we dock in Townsville tonight, I’m going to have an outside tech come on board to look at the A/C unit. It’s still acting up, but I’ve done everything I can to repair it. Got a feeling the motor is burning out and needs replacing.”
“That unit is only five years old,” I responded with a sigh. “But do what needs to be done. The last thing we need is for the air conditioning to kick off in a subtropical climate. Send me the invoice, and I’ll see to it.”
“Thanks, George.”
With that out of the way, I went back to my usual duties.
During my lunch break, I searched for restaurants in Townsville and made a reservation.
And another plan for the evening that I hoped Rafe would enjoy.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t book everything I needed, and relied on Jana to assist me.
As chief steward, it was her job to anticipate guests needs and she was excellent at it.
She kindly gave me more insight into Rafe’s likes and dislikes.
Never in a million years did I think he and I would form any sort of bond. But here we were. And I trusted my feelings; they had never steered me wrong. Not even with my past relationships. No, they hadn’t worked out, but I had no regrets. Everything that happened in my life had led me here.
My only concern was Rafe thinking I was too old-fashioned. Was the rose and the note I sent him this morning over-the-top? To others, probably. But to me, and for him, it felt entirely right. He seemed happy to receive it, so I would trust in that.
From what he’d told me last night, Rafe was used to casual encounters with the men in his life. He’d never been properly pursued.
Not that I was pursuing him. I was building a friendship. And who knew what would happen from there?
As I finalized my plans, my nerves quieted.
Work was slow but steady, and I got busy in the afternoon while the group was offsite, mapping out our routes for the coming days and planning the dive for Rafe and I tomorrow.
Once the group returned, we pulled anchor and headed back to the port of Townsville at 6 p.m. Safely docked, I grabbed my mobile and sent Rafe a quick text.
George: Meet in the sky lounge at 7? Casual dress.
Rafe: See you then. The others have invited us to join them at a club afterwards. Is that okay?
My heart sunk a bit, but then I remembered that Rafe was a social bloke. And maybe it was a good idea for me to get to know Niall better. After all, Rafe’s friends were like family to him.
George: Absolutely. Just don’t expect me to dance.
Slow dancing on the ship, just the two of us, was one thing. A packed club with twenty-somethings bouncing around us was another.
Rafe: But you moved so beautifully last night.
George: One dance
Rafe: But only with me
Staring at my mobile like giddy teenager, I typed out my reply.
George: That’s a given
Humming a happy tune, I took a long shower, and trimmed my beard.
A humid heatwave had enveloped this part of Australia, so I chose charcoal linen shorts and a matching short sleeve button down.
I grabbed my mobile, my readers, and slipped on my favorite Omega watch.
I thought to wear my old trainers, since we were going to walk around town, but selected my leather loafers instead.
There were comfortable but stylish enough for whatever club we’d be heading to later on.
I walked down to the sky lounge, the room that overlooked the bow, and noticed Jana wiping down the bar. I wandered over.
“Would you like something before you head out, George?”
“A glass of champagne, please.”
“Coming right up.” Jana replied as she pulled a bottle out of the fridge and popped it open. Placing a crystal flute on the counter, she added a generous pour.
A familiar scent of vanilla and coconut washed over me. Delicious.
I stood up and turned to watch Rafe walking my way.
My heart kicked up so fast I thought I might need to sit down again.
Dressed in tight pink shorts and a striped navy button down, he looked stylish and stunning.
He’d swept his hair up in a messy bun and a few tendrils framed his face, drawing attention to those famous cheekbones and his big, blue eyes.
Swallowing my nerves, I picked up the glass and met him halfway. Jana slipped out behind the bar and was gone, leaving me alone with Rafe.
“I hope I’m not late,” Rafe murmured as I passed the flute to him.
“Right on time."
“Took us long enough. Cheers to that,” Rafe winked at me. “No drink for you?”
“Not tonight. I’m driving.”
“Really?”
“I’ve rented a car. I booked a restaurant on the outskirts of the city, about a twenty-minute drive from here. It’s a bit remote, but highly recommended. And I thought a drive might be a nice change of pace.”
“Sounds lovely.”
We sat at the bar and chatted about our day while Rafe finished his drink.
“Did you get a lot of photos taken?” I asked as I noted the time. I motioned to the outside deck and the stairs.
“Nearly two hundred.”
“That’s impressive.”
“Most of them won’t make the final cut, but I’ve got a good base. Thanks again for the suggestion. I’d love to go back. The beach was one of the best I’ve ever been to.”
“Perhaps I can join you next time.”
Maybe it was time to promote Noah to second in command. Even a captain had to take time off now and again.
We walked down the stairs to the bridge deck and over the plank. Jana had arranged for the car to be dropped off at the marina. I pulled out the keys as we made our way down the dock and into the parking lot. Despite the evening hour, the air was blisteringly hot.
I spotted the sleek, red sports coupe and pressed the unlock button on the fob. Rounding the front of the car, I opened the passenger door for Rafe and held it open.
“You don’t have to do that,” Rafe replied as he touched my arm.
I shivered despite the heat.
“I want to,” I insisted softly. “I enjoy it.”
“Well, who am I to argue with that?” he replied and slid gracefully into the passenger seat. I couldn’t help but admire his toned legs.
“Really? At one point that was what we did best,” I replied with a grin and shut the car door.
Chuckling, I walked around to the driver’s side and slid into my seat. I turned on the ignition and cranked up the A/C, then put my aviator shades on.
Before Rafe buckled his seatbelt, he leaned in, his mouth brushing the edge of my ear. “I’m sure we have another row or two in us. But I’m a lover, not a fighter.”
I turned and met his blue gaze head on, thankful that I had my shades on. Another frisson of heat racked my body. I licked my suddenly dry lips and nodded.
“It’s bloody hot in here,” I confessed as I frantically adjusted the vents in the car.
“Yes, it is,” Rafe replied and shifted in his seat.
“Buckle up. I like to go fast,” I warned him and shifted into drive.
“That’s my line,” Rafe laughed as we took off down the road and out of the marina.
Without question, ships and boats of all shapes and sizes were my first passion. But a powerful car came in a close second. Ships, cars, planes. Anything I could navigate with my own two hands. The freedom of the open water, road, or sky—it all gave me a heady thrill.
I exited the marina and hit the coastal highway. The vibration from the engine was a powerful thrum as I topped 120 kph. Not over the speed limit. I was keen, not stupid. But this car was made to be driven fast and hard. It hugged the curves of the road perfectly.
Between the excitement of being in Rafe’s company, and the freedom of the road, my adrenaline was spiking.
“I want to warn you…” Rafe commented quietly, and I glanced at him quickly, then back to the road.
“Yes?” I asked, suddenly concerned at the seriousness of his tone.
Was I going too fast for him?
“I’m going to flirt with you. A lot. Because you, driving this car, in those sunglasses, is sexy as hell. So, yes, I’m going to flirt. Probably all night. So get ready.”
I smiled so wide my face hurt.