Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
The next day brought another blue sky. Tessa stood at the back that morning, watching from the main deck as the yacht’s engine quietly hummed.
The island of Moorea now loomed behind them, all emerald peaks and lush green slopes with a misty layer of cloud hanging low.
The Latitude was heading out to sea for a crossing that would take them to the next island, and Tessa was nervous but excited.
They’d been told the trip would take two or three hours, and they’d reach it early this afternoon.
Jules passed out anti-nausea tablets just before departure, and most of the group swallowed theirs with juice, groaning about the motion already.
Tessa hesitated but took one. It wasn’t worth tempting fate.
By midday, the sun was high, and the boat was rolling gently across broad, endless swells. The deck was quiet, the sky wide and still cloudless. Everyone, including Tessa, had found a place to sprawl—on cushions, sofas, or lounge chairs in the shade.
Music drifted from the outdoor speakers, something mellow and warm. The breeze was constant and soothing.
Tessa curled up with a towel over her legs and drifted easily into a nap.
When she woke, the sun had shifted, and the music had stopped. The deck was quiet.
She sat up, blinking against the brightness. The others were still asleep—Avery and Nate huddled together in a cozy embrace, Marin and Kyle both with heads back, limbs sprawled, and soft snoring all around. Jenna and Drew had disappeared, probably to their cabin.
Tessa checked the galley. No Jules. No Malik.
The waves were enormous. Like nothing she’d ever seen before, except in movies. Not stormy, and not out of control. Just—huge.
She stood quietly, holding onto the railing as she pulled her swimsuit coverup tighter around her. Then she padded up the steps to the top deck, gripping the handrail tightly so she wouldn’t fall, the wind in her face.
Finally, signs of life at the bridge. Malik, near the front of the boat, keeping an eye on the sea. Probably waiting at the ready if Russ needed him.
And Captain Russ, who sat on a stool at the helm, one hand on the wheel, the other resting comfortably near the throttle.
Why was it that the sight of him could make her breath hitch? She studied him for a moment. He looked so relaxed yet so engaged in the act of sailing this vessel. So in control.
He’d told them at dinner last night he’d been captaining boats like this for over a decade, and it showed.
No wasted effort. No hesitation. Just a quiet authority that settled over the deck like a steady wind.
Tessa watched, a little in awe, as he throttled down with the kind of control you didn’t fake.
She exhaled slowly and ignored the butterflies that fluttered inside of her stomach, then reached for the vertical metal bar next to the bridge to steady herself against the rocking of the boat.
He glanced back when he heard her approach, his brow lifting.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
She swallowed. She could not go crushing on this guy.
He was their captain , of all people, not just some random guy she’d met on vacation.
He was an authority figure, of sorts. Well, not of sorts, actually.
He was the one and only man who could keep them alive out here in the middle of the South Pacific.
She had no business hanging on his words or watching the way the wind ruffled his hair.
Yet, she was having a hard time not doing that…
She also did not need a man in order to enjoy this vacation.
She sucked in another breath and brushed away the thoughts. “Yeah, doing fine.”
“Didn’t expect anyone to be awake yet,” he said. “Malik said you’d all drifted off. ”
Tessa shrugged, brushing the hair from her face. “I didn’t expect to sleep. But wow, that was a great nap.” Maybe it was the jet lag, or maybe it was the Dramamine, but she’d slept like a baby for probably over an hour.
Her eyes fell on his wide shoulders as he steered the boat, and she forced her gaze away. “See, I told you, you’d get used to it. The ocean sings the perfect lullaby, doesn’t it?”
He’d been right that first night. She smiled. “It does. And again, so poetic.”
He chuckled. He must’ve noticed her studying the control panel. “Want to join me?”
“Uh, sure.” There was nothing else going on right now, after all. Why not hang out and chat?
She stepped up beside him, careful not to touch any controls. “You don’t have autopilot for this?”
“I do,” he said, “but I like holding the wheel on longer stretches. Makes me feel like I’m doing something useful.” He grinned.
“Uh, I don’t think there’s any danger of you not being useful,” she said, still impressed by the whole man-in-charge image he projected so well. Her eyes fell on his hands, and she noticed the way his fingers absently flexed on the wheel, how his jaw tightened as he looked out to sea.
He smiled at her with a sideways glance, and they stood quietly for a moment, the sound of water rushing along the hull filling the silence.
“Do you ever get tired of this view?” she asked, lifting a hand to shade her eyes from the sun.
Russ checked his dashboard. He couldn’t let himself get distracted, handling such a large powerboat on the open waters, even though he’d enjoy another conversation with Tessa.
Sailing could be lonely at times, even on trips where there were nine other people along for the ride.
So it was nice to have company for a while.
Especially hers. She was easy to talk to. Not to mention gorgeous.
He shook his head and returned his gaze to the vast, open sea, his hands still on the wheel.
“Never. I’ve been sailing since I was fifteen.
My dad taught me back in Florida. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.
” He’d been sailing professionally for thirteen years, as a second-in-command on some larger vessels for three years before he’d acquired his captain’s license.
He felt her warmth as she leaned on the railing beside him, her white bikini straps visible under a yellow wrap that only served to accentuate her curves.
“Florida, huh? That’s where I live,” she said.
“You do?” Now that surprised him. She didn’t seem like most of the girls he knew from the Sunshine State. They took to boating and swimming and water sports like it was second nature.
A smile tugged at her lips. “I mean—I’m not originally from there, but I moved to Miami about two-and-a-half years ago for a job.” She pointed a thumb at herself. “Cincinnati, Ohio girl, born and bred.”
“Oh, okay.” That made so much more sense. He nodded, amused .
“So, how’d you end up on the other side of the world, then?” she asked. “Tahiti’s so far from—everywhere.”
He brought his gaze back to the horizon. It was nice chatting with her. In fact, he hadn’t enjoyed himself in conversation with a woman as much as he did with her in as long as he could remember.
But she didn’t need to know the entire story, of course. “I left the States a few years ago. Decided it was time to see more of the world.”
Her brow rose, and he had to look away. This woman was very cute—and unfortunately, exactly his type, with her long dark hair tied in a loose bun and almost-makeup-free, flawless complexion with just a few freckles dotting her nose.
He couldn’t get involved with guests. The charter company’s rule was there for a reason—safety, professionalism, reputation. He pushed away the thoughts.
“Really—you left, just like that?” she pressed.
“Basically, yeah,” he said. He would’ve loved to have been a father, loved to have settled down with Mia and raise a child—if it had been his—but somehow, it had been easy to pick up and leave when that whole thing came crashing down. The feeling of betrayal had been… hard to bear.
“I took a few odd contracts out here. One thing led to another. This job came up, so I took it. The next thing I know, I’m taking people from one French Polynesian island paradise to another, week in and week out.”
“Wow. That’s so cool.” She seemed genuinely interested. “Do you get any time off? ”
He nodded. “Oh, yeah, plenty.” The money was so good that he only needed to do a few charters a month, and besides, he hardly had anything—or anyone—to spend it on since his job was already full of leisure activities.
Why pay for them elsewhere? Of course, his job required the responsibility over a large seafaring vessel, a staff of two, and a revolving door of vacationing guests.
But in between those charters, he passed the time exploring the islands on his own, staying in shape, doing a little reading, and keeping up with his online stock portfolio—the only hobby that kept him connected to the busy outside world.
He mentioned a few of those things to Tessa, and she nodded with interest.
As far as finding a community, sure, he’d met some people locally on Raiatea where he kept a small apartment, and he could call many acquaintances across the islands by name, but they were just that, for the most part—acquaintances.
No one he could rely on, no one there to share all the little highs and lows with.
She nodded slowly. “Do you think you’ll stay here—forever?”
He paused, smiling. How had she known the question had been on his mind lately? “Not sure. I do love it here. But... I think I’m starting to ask myself what comes next.” He kept his eyes on the water. He still hadn’t heard from the job back in Florida, not that they’d had much cell service yet.
She didn’t speak, but he felt her eyes on him. “Have you wondered why I’m on this trip solo?” she asked suddenly. “I mean—it probably looks… unusual.”
He glanced over. “It did cross my mind. There was someone named Ethan who’d originally been on the manifest. What happened to him?”
Tessa sighed. “Ethan was my boyfriend. We broke up about three weeks ago. Found out he was seeing someone else.” She wrinkled her mouth in disappointment. “I told him he was no longer welcome on the trip. Fortunately, he agreed and canceled without making a fuss.”
Russ frowned. “Unfortunately, I’ve been down that road before—I mean, with a girlfriend who did the same thing behind my back.” Had he ever. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
She softened, pushing some hair from her face as the wind blew. “I’m not,” she said, arms crossing. “I’m better off without him. It just made everything about this trip more... complicated. Since everyone else is coupled up.”
He wasn’t going to deny the fact that he was glad she was here alone, but he stayed quiet for a moment. “Then it took guts for you to come on the trip. Most people would’ve bailed.” He was impressed.
She looked down. “Thanks. I almost did. But it’s my birthday this week, so…”
“It is?” He studied her, delighted. So this was the birthday girl? “I knew it was one of you, but no one told me who.”
“The big 3-0.” She gazed out to sea. “We’re actually celebrating all four of us girls turning thirty this year. ”
“Well,” he said, nodding with interest, “I’m really glad you didn’t bail, then. We’ll make sure you celebrate your birthday in style, alright?”
When she looked back up, he met her gaze, and she held it. He felt the air shifting between them. It was innocent and sweet, but it had been too long since… He’d been craving this sort of simple… connection with someone. His heart skipped a beat. He smiled at her.
But no, he couldn’t go down that road. There were lines he should not—and could not—cross. He dropped his gaze and pretended to check the dashboard’s controls. “I should probably, uh, get back to work here…”
A quick nod came from Tessa, as if she’d guessed his thoughts. “Yeah, I should get back downstairs. See if anyone else is up yet.” She turned back. “Oh, hey, how long ‘til we get there?”
“About another hour,” he said, offering a smile.
“Thanks.” She nodded, turning and heading for the narrow stairwell that led to the main deck below.