Chapter 4
CHARLIE
W hat the fuck?
I couldn’t help but overhear the tail end of Kiernan’s conversation with Flynn.
Admittedly, I was far more interested in Kier’s response about who had caught his eye than I should have been.
But when he stated my name?
Christ, it sparked a heat inside of me that I had no business feeling. Then I reasoned it was probably my lingering frustration from this evening. Sure, let’s go with that.
And of course, Kier calling out my name was a misunderstanding.
But watching the gruff man blush and explain himself in an adorkable manner did funny things to me. Like stepping on board a ship for the very first time, my legs wobbled and my stomach pitched.
Had I caught Noah’s bug or was there something else going on?
I’d go with the former. Anything else was asking for trouble.
I didn’t get weak-kneed over men, and I didn’t pine for them either.
Especially not straight ones with beautiful eyes. I learned that lesson the hard way when I was in college, and I had no desire to go through that again.
“Okay, boys, let’s get this checklist done,” I announced, breaking the tension.
I’d considered taking Noah’s job when I first applied to work on charters, but I didn’t want to be stuck below deck all the time. I much preferred to steer the ship than fix it. Still, my engineering training would serve me well when I made captain someday.
I moved to stand beside Flynn to get the inspection underway.
Space was tight down here. Most of the lower deck was, including the crew quarters, but the engine room most of all. Every square inch was packed with expensive and highly sensitive equipment—electrical, A/C, plumbing—and required constant monitoring.
Unfortunately, the small space meant that no matter where I turned, Kiernan was there.
I’d never felt claustrophobic on a ship before, but I guess there was a first time for everything.
And to be honest, Kiernan could crowd me anytime. I liked that he didn’t bathe in cologne the way a lot of guys did. Instead, I could smell his musky sweat and something spicy, like cinnamon. I had the insane urge to lean closer to him.
And good God, I was acting like a teenager noticing men for the first time…
“Kier, can you check the control panel and confirm when I call out the number and it lights up green?”
“Will do.”
Kiernan stepped away and I finally let go of the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding in. I was already sweating through my t-shirt, and I’d only been down here a few minutes.
“Y’all right?” Flynn asked me with a smirk. “You look like you need a cool down.”
I shook my head. “I already dunked myself in the marina tonight, so I’m good.”
“You what?” he laughed.
My face heated. “Don’t ask.”
“I get it. I’m getting warm myself. K is smoking hot,” Flynn whispered.
I turned and gave him my darkest scowl, but Flynn’s chuckle told me that I’d need to work on my face. I wasn’t as effective at silencing people with one look like Kiernan was.
“Shut up,” I hissed and forced myself to look at the cooling gauge in front of me. I tapped on the keypad below it.
“Too bad he’s kinda straight.”
I sighed.
“Can we please get this done so I can go to bed? We have a busy morning ahead,” I paused. “Wait, why did you say ‘kinda straight’?”
“Let’s say I’ve caught him checking out someone on board. Someone not a woman.”
“What? Who? When?” I demanded loudly.
Christ, I sounded like a jealous bitch. Flynn stared at me like I had lost my mind.
I think I had.
“Everything okay?” Kiernan asked as he popped his blond head around the corner. His long hair had started to escape his bun and framed his face.
“Fine. Valve 24!” I shouted back.
Kiernan’s head disappeared again.
“It’s green,” Kiernan called out in his deep voice.
Flynn looked around and leaned closer to me.
“When we were in Thailand, I came up to the bridge deck for a break and I noticed that K’s eyes were glued to this guy’s ass.
And I mean he was taking a long, hard look.
Maybe he’s bi or pan and he isn’t out yet.
You know the fighting world he comes from. It isn’t queer inclusive.”
“I guess,” I replied and all thoughts of what I was supposed to be doing vanished.
“But it doesn’t matter whether he is or not.
He’s my friend and yours too. If he is queer and he feels comfortable telling us, that’s great.
But he might not be at all, and that’s fine too. It’s none of our business.”
My tone was sharper than usual. So unlike me.
Who was this man Kiernan had been looking at and why was I so annoyed about it?
“I’m just saying, I wouldn’t mind taking a ride on that mountain of a man,” Flynn commented.
“Knock it off,” I warned.
I sure as fuck didn’t want to speculate about Kiernan’s sexuality but I also didn’t like the idea of Flynn making a move on him.
Pushing that thought aside, I moved over to check the fuel pumps.
“Pump 29!” I yelled out.
No reply.
“Kiernan? Did you hear me?”
“Yeah, sorry,” he called out. “It’s green. It’s good.”
“Have you watched any of his fight clips?” Flynn asked. “That’s sexy stuff right there.”
I sighed and turned to my colleague. “Okay, no more talk about this. Please.”
“Sorry. I thought—" Flynn shrugged his shoulders.
“What?”
“Well, I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?”
“The ass he was looking at? It was yours.”
My heart took off racing, but my brain went offline. My mouth too.
“Charlie?” Flynn waved a hand in front of my face. “You okay?”
“Ahhh—”
I was so eloquent sometimes.
Flynn pushed me aside and began to verify the gauges, calling out numbers to Kiernan. I stood there watching him, still unable to talk.
No.
I couldn’t believe what Flynn had told me.
And even if it were true, I wouldn’t cross that line with Kiernan. Friends were hard to find. Lovers not so much.
Why ruin a good thing?
Finally, I snapped out of my haze. And got back to work.
After we finished the checklist, I fixed a leaky pump while Flynn did the final tests. Once we were done, I practically ran past Kiernan and headed off to my room. I couldn’t talk to him right now.
Not after the bombshell that Flynn dropped.
I was finally getting over my crush on Kiernan and now this? Ugh.
The cabin was dark and quiet and a welcome reprieve from all the crazy thoughts ricocheting around in my head.
I normally shared the room with Noah, him on the lower bunk and me on the upper. But since he was sick and had been moved to his own room, I had the space to myself.
Not for long.
George had mentioned that I’d be sharing with another crew member. Probably Flynn since we worked opposing hours.
I’d jumped under the covers, my ereader in hand, when I heard a soft knock on my door.
“Come in!”
Kiernan entered the room with his duffel bag in hand, another shy smile in place.
“Jana told me I’m bunking with you. I hope that’s okay.”
Holy fuck, this could not be happening right now. I wouldn’t be able to sleep for sure.
“Of course. My home is yours,” I managed to croak out.
“Right, well, I’m gonna wash up first.”
Kiernan threw his bag on the floor and ran into the bathroom.
A second later, I heard the water running.
Now all I could think about was him naked, water sluicing over those rock-hard abs.
I was never going to fall asleep at this rate.
As it was, all I wanted to do was jerk off to relax before bed, but I couldn’t even do that. What if he heard me? What if he saw? I didn’t want to make things weird between us, especially now that we’d started talking again.
After I’d been a complete dick and ignored his last texts.
I was still wracked with guilt and considered that was part of the reason why I couldn’t sleep lately.
I didn’t disregard my friends. But at the same time, my relationship with Kiernan was more complicated than that. I recognized my attraction to him, but it would never go anywhere. And for the first time in a long time, I was at a loss about what to do.
On the one hand, I wanted his friendship. There was something about me and him that clicked from the start. I had lots of casual friends, but besties not so much.
Until Kiernan.
On the other, I worried that my naughty thoughts about him might reveal themselves and ruin everything.
Then he stepped aboard again, and I had no choice but to face him.
Face what I was feeling.
No.
I’d have to ignore my baser instincts and focus on being the friend he deserved. I could do that. And I’m sure the longer we’d spend together, the more my infatuation would fade. I met sexy guys all the time, and I was never hung up on them.
It was only fourteen days. And nights.
In the bed below me. In my shower.
Fuuuuck. I needed to think of something else and fast.
Speaking of being a good friend, I picked up my phone and texted Noah.
Charlie: How are you feeling?
Noah: I haven’t or in a half hour, so that’s promising. But I still have a fever and feel like crap.
Anything you need?
Jana brought me electrolyte drinks, I’m good.
So… Kiernan’s taking your bunk for now.
Jana told me. Will he fit?
He’s not that big.
Yeah, he fucking is. No way he’s getting into that shower.
I heard a bang and then Kiernan’s bout of swearing.
He’s fighting with the bathroom as we speak. It’ll probably need to be renovated after this charter.
Have fun, but remember, the walls are thin
What are you talking about?
You two are clueless…
Have you been talking to Flynn? Kiernan and I are friends.
Friends who want to fuck
He’s straight
I’m going to puke
Harsh
No, I’m really going to puke. So much for the meds…
Text me if you need anything
Poor Noah. Being sick in general sucked but being sick on board a ship was ten times worse. The motion didn’t help at all when you were feeling ill.
Music was my next distraction of choice and I looked around for my headphones. I spotted them on Noah’s (Kiernan’s) bunk of all places.
I slid over to the edge and started to reach down when I heard the bathroom door open.
Kiernan stepped out in a white towel wrapped tightly around his trim hips.
Rock-hard abs was the least of it.
His hair was loose, the soft blond waves touching his massive shoulders. His freckled skin was flushed and covered in those black-lined tattoos. The ones that I’d admired many, many times. The ones I wanted to trace with my tongue.
Tiny droplets of water trickled down tight pecs and perfect pink nipples.
Then I noticed the gigantic bulge under that small fucking towel, and holy hell, Kiernan was massive. All over.
Without a doubt, he was the sexiest man I’d ever seen in my life.
And the funny thing was, he didn’t seem to know the half of it.
I was so absorbed by the sight of him, that I didn’t realize that I had shifted most of my weight forward.
I was about to launch myself out of my bunk and onto the floor. Headfirst.
Man overboard.
And there was no water in sight.