34. Chapter 34
Bags dropped onto seats, phones came out, and the excitement still buzzed through the group.
Ody stood up. “I’ll go grab some coffees. Does anyone want anything else?”
“Hold on, man, I’ll come with you,” Steve said as he rose from his seat.
The others drifted into their own conversations. Mano stayed quiet, eyes glued to his phone.
A little later, Ody and Steve returned, each carrying a couple of drinks. Ody set a medium freddo espresso in front of Mano. Mano lifted his eyes to him for a moment, then looked back down.
“We’ve got three hours ahead of us,” Christina said as Ody sat down again and Mano picked up his coffee.
“Guys, the hotel is amazing.”
“Did you see the bathrooms? They’re incredible.”
Everyone started talking at once.
“I checked restaurants and bars, so we’re prepared.”
“We’re exploring the island, right? We’ve got cars.”
“Of course.”
Ody glanced at Mano, who still looked detached from the excitement. “How’d you do on that last exam?” he asked, leaning slightly toward him, his shoulder brushing Mano’s.
“Fine,” Mano muttered, barely looking up from his phone.
The ship lurched as it pulled away from the dock, a slow sway settling under their feet.
Mano’s hand tightened around the edge of his seat. “Why is it moving like this?”
Ody blinked at him. “What do you mean? We set off.”
Mano shifted, his foot adjusting like he couldn’t find balance. “It’s swaying a lot.”
“Is this your first time on a ship?” Ody asked, studying him.
Mano turned, jaw tight. “Yeah.”
“You never traveled by ship since you moved back to Greece?”
Mano let out a short breath. “By ship, no. Where would I even go?”
Before Ody could answer, Anna leaned across the table, her arm brushing his. “Baby, how much was the discount on the room?”
Ody leaned back. “Twelve percent.”
“Thought so,” she said, satisfied, turning back to the girls.
When Ody looked at Mano again, he was already pushing his chair back and getting to his feet.
The door swung shut behind him.
A few minutes passed. Laughter rose around the table, something Steve said setting everyone off. Ody forced a smile, nodding at the right moments, but his gaze kept drifting to the door.
Five minutes. Seven. His fingers tapped against his thigh once before he stilled them.
Still no sign of him.
By the ten-minute mark, the unease settled heavy in his chest. Mano wasn’t coming back.
Ody pushed his chair back.
“Where are you going?” Steve asked.
“Just stepping out. I’ll be back.” He slipped out to the deck, glancing around until he saw Mano leaning on the railing, head down.
“Mano?” Ody approached. Mano lifted his head slowly. “What’s wrong? You alright?”
“I feel dizzy,” Mano murmured.
“I’ve got motion sickness tablets in the car. Wait here.”
“No. I’ll come with you.”
They went down to the vehicle area together. Ody unlocked the car, and Mano sat inside, closing his eyes.
“Mano, you can’t stay here. You need air,” he said, reaching into a small bag. “Here, take this.” He offered him a pill and a small bottle of water.
“What is it?”
“Meclizine. It helps with nausea.”
Mano swallowed the pill.
Ody helped him out of the car and guided him back up to the open deck. “Sit here and face this way,” he said, easing him onto a bench.
“Why?”
“Face the direction we’re moving. It helps. Did you eat anything recently?”
“No.”
“Good. Eating now would make it worse. Focus on the horizon. One point in the sea. Don’t look at anything close.” He poured some water on his hand and touched Mano’s forehead and temples, cooling his skin. Mano leaned into it with his eyes shut.
“The pill will kick in soon. You’ll feel better,” Ody said, fanning him gently.
A quiet stretch of minutes passed. The sea rocked beneath them. Mano shifted a little, adjusting his posture. Ody thought he was about to sit up. Instead, Mano lowered himself and rested his head on Ody’s lap.
Ody froze. His breath caught halfway in his chest. His whole body went stiff, like someone had grabbed him by the spine.
Heat rushed up his neck in a fast, stupid wave.
His hands hovered uselessly in the air, unsure where to go, unsure if touching him would make things better or a thousand times worse.
He looked down at Mano, stunned, feeling every nerve in his body wake all at once. “You shouldn’t lie down like that.”
“I feel better this way,” Mano mumbled, eyes still closed.
Ody swallowed hard. He didn’t move him, he didn’t even try. He let him stay, though the closeness threw him completely off balance.
Those lips. Those eyelashes. That stupidly perfect face. He forced his gaze toward the water before he embarrassed himself.
A few minutes passed. The sea rolled beneath them in a slow rhythm. Then Mano shifted again and opened his eyes.
Ody looked down at the exact same moment. Their faces were close. Too close. Their eyes held, and for a breath that felt longer than it should, neither of them looked away.
“Are you feeling better?” Ody asked quickly, his heart thudding in a stupid rhythm.
Mano sat up. “I’m fine.”
Ody searched his face. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“You want to go back inside? The center of the ship moves less.”
Mano shook his head, sinking back against the bench. “No. I want to stay here.”
Ody hesitated before speaking again. “Does it have to do with the others? You were quiet earlier.”
“I didn’t have anything to say.”
“You can find something if you want,” Ody muttered. “They were just talking nonsense anyway.”
A faint huff escaped Mano. “I don’t talk about nonsense.” His gaze drifted toward the sea. “Go back inside. They’ll be looking for you.”
“No. I’ll text Anna and tell her I’m here.”
“There’s no need. Go inside,” Mano said, meeting his eyes.
“I’m not leaving you alone,” Ody said, pulling out his phone. After sending the message, he lowered his phone, suddenly aware of how little space separated them.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The wind brushed past them, the sea steady and blue, but something tense lingered quietly between them.
Mano sat very still, arms resting at his sides, staring straight ahead like he was listening to something only he could hear. Every few seconds, his jaw tightened, relaxed, then tightened again.
Ody noticed it without meaning to. Something was turning in his head. Something he was trying hard not to show. He tried to look away, but the silence between them felt loaded, almost expectant.
Then Mano finally spoke. “Why did you leave so suddenly yesterday?” he asked, his tone calm but too controlled, like he had practiced sounding indifferent.
Ody stiffened. His mind flashed to Mano’s bare torso, the door, the closeness.
“Because I needed to pack. And shower. I needed a shower.”
Mano studied him, gaze steady in a way that made Ody feel exposed. “Why do I feel like you freaked out when you saw me naked?”
Ody’s throat tightened. He turned his face toward the sea. “Why would I freak out? We’re both men.”
“I know. I wouldn’t freak out if I saw you naked.”
Ody turned. “Are you sure?”
Mano blinked, a bit thrown by the sudden confidence in Ody’s voice.
“We’ll see about that,” he said, then looked back toward the horizon.
For a moment, neither moved. The air between them felt different now. Ody kept his eyes on the sea, but his pulse didn’t settle. Part of him knew he had just answered a challenge. Maybe even accepted one. He could feel Mano watching him, even while pretending not to.
Mano sat there in a silence that was not neutral at all. He wasn’t sure if he had pushed too far or if Ody had pushed back. He didn’t know which one scared him more. His gaze drifted away, then back, checking if Ody meant that line the way he thought he did.
When they finally walked back inside, Steve frowned. “Where the hell were you?”
“Mano felt nauseous. I gave him a pill,” Ody said.
“You alright now?” Antony asked.
Mano nodded and sat in the lounge. Ranya rubbed his arm gently, trying to check if he was truly fine.
The group drifted back into relaxed conversation, the hum of the engines steady beneath them. Outside the windows, the water shimmered under the afternoon sun, the island slowly taking shape in the distance. By the time the ferry slowed, everyone was gathering their things.
Ody stood up. “We’ll go get the cars. Wait for us outside.”
Antony followed him toward the stairs.
Soon, everyone was on the way to the hotel near the port, overlooking the sea.
“Ah, we’re here. This place is beautiful,” Anna said.
“Call your parents,” Ody reminded her.
“Right.” She was already dialing.
It was 2:30 p.m when they arrived. After a warm welcome, each couple received a key.
“Let’s settle in and meet later.”
In their room, Anna ran and threw herself on the bed. “Wow,” she said, sinking into the soft sheets. The white walls contrasted with gray and soft blue accents. “I love it.”
Mano entered the room with Ranya. It looked the same as the others, clean and bright.
“Oh my God, it’s gorgeous,” she said, her mouth slightly open.
“I’ll take a shower. Wanna join me?” he asked.
She grinned. “Of course.”
They pushed the bathroom door open and stepped inside. She glanced around, impressed, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “Wow. I can already imagine the things you’ll do to me in here.”
Mano smirked. “Strip.”
“Right away,” she said, pulling off her clothes.
“Too slow. Want me to rip them off?” He stood fully naked now.
“Not again!” she yelped, laughing as she backed away.
“I replaced your thong, didn’t I?” he teased, stepping closer.
She giggled and stripped the rest of the way before joining him in the shower. Water hit her skin as her hands ran over his chest and abs.
He slid his hand into her hair at the nape of her neck and pulled her closer. “We left something unfinished back in Athens,” he murmured.
He pressed her against the marble wall and guided her downward. “You know what to do.”
She sank to her knees.
He let out a low sound, chest rising and falling harder. “Look at me.”
She lifted her gaze to his.
“Oh, fuck... You like having your mouth full, don’t you, little slut.”
She nodded and took him deeper.