9. SOS
SOS
LARS
I panicked, jiggling the door handle until I realised we were, indeed, stuck.
“Where’s the tool kit?” I asked, figuring I could jimmy it.
Rose winced, “I… I dunno. I bet up aboard in the deck box.”
Fuck!
I paced, thinking.
“I sent a text to my parents. We’ll see if they can bail us out. The problem is, they’re all out cruising right now. They’ll be back here later.”
“Pappa and Sanne are with them,” I groaned.
“I know. Well, the AC… somewhat works. We have… snacks.”
She filed through a cupboard, bending in a way that made her ass look entirely too good. We were stuck here, and I was very, very focused on bits of her that I should not be.
“We have sugar cereal and… crisps.”
She held up boxes of both. “Sorry. I live like I’m still in uni, clearly.”
“It’s okay. Do you have any milk?”
She looked in the fridge. “Oat milk?”
I pulled a face.
“Sorry, I like my lattes and tea with oat milk.”
“That is dreadful, but I will give you a pass.”
“Why? Because you’re stuck with me?”
“No, you’re cute, and you mean well.”
Cute . Why, oh, why did I again make it awkward?
“Cute? Really? Well, I must have done something to confuse you seriously. I didn’t know my powers worked anymore.”
“You’re driving your knob of an ex mad,” I said. “You are plenty charming.”
She blushed. We were too close.
I grabbed the crisps, voice squeaking like a teenager, “Uh, crisps it is!”
She edged back.
I rushed to sit in the galley across from her laptop. “We can work on this.”
She sat across from me, confused. “Uh… sure. I will have to play the song and… do stuff. Do you mind?”
“I will play on my mobile,” I said.
“Great.”
She seemed cross. I’d made it weird. I’d never taken any interest in Rose. Until now, she’d just been my mates’ kid sister. She was off-limits. However, as I tried to ignore her irresistible tits in this tiny bikini, I was fighting a losing battle. We were not together. I helped her as a friend would. I was not going to sleep with Mac and Niall’s baby sister. No. She was off-limits.
Rose cued the music and listened, playing along with the simulation of red and white alternating lights. She’d stop and replay it every once in a while.
“I want to capture that whole scene from Love, Actually , you know?”
“I haven’t seen it,” I said. “Sorry.”
“You haven’t?” Rose’s jaw dropped. “You must, Lars! It’s so good. A solid Christmas classic.”
“Maybe sometime,” I said, annoyed by how hot it suddenly was.
“We should watch it. I’ll show it to you,” Rose said.
I should have taken her up on that offer, but it was getting even warmer. I realised I was growing claustrophobic and even more sweaty. I popped up to try the door again. It didn’t budge. I flopped back down, defeated and feeling stupid for not listening.
“It will be okay,” Rose reassured.
“I know it will. I’m just so sweaty.”
“Take your shirt off, then. I’m not judging you. At least you can.”
“No. I’ll make it weird—weird-er.”
“Lars, I’m not upset.” Rose stood and unexpectedly unbuttoned her denim shorts.
What was she doing ?
“An eye for an eye or whatever. Tit for tat?”
Rose tossed her shorts into the stateroom on the other side of the galley, where I assumed she slept. Then, she sat as if nothing changed. Meanwhile, I remained across from her, thinking about how her ass looked in the tiny bikini bottoms as she lobbed her shorts down the hall.
“Oh, come on, now you’re just going to leave me out here looking a fool, Lars.”
I relented, tossing my shirt and feeling very foolish.
“Better?” Rose asked. Her expression wasn’t one of empathy. It was something else.
“Are you enjoying watching me toil?” I scoffed.
“If I was, would you be cross?” Rose bit the end of a pen playfully.
Rose’s gaze lingered too long before she returned to her notes on a legal pad beside her. Meanwhile, I was perturbed and aroused all at once. Why was she being like this? Did she enjoy torturing me?
“What is the game plan, Rose?”
Rose furrowed her brow. “Lars, I didn’t trap you in here. What for?”
“To… I don’t know… kill me? Seduce me?”
“One of those I’m not capable of. The other may be worthwhile, but it wasn’t my intention. I’m not so crafty.”
I wasn’t sure which applied. I hoped it was the latter, but I worried too much about how that would end.
“I’d rather it be killing than seducing.”
Her face dropped.
“I mean, I don’t but… Rose, you’re Mac and Niall’s sister. And this cannot be healthy. Why even bother with me?”
“One, you’re kind to me. Two, you make me laugh. Three, you were on board to help me in a time of need. All of that is worthy of… I dunno.”
“I am helping you, yes.”
“Yeah, but… I am also mercilessly horny, haven’t gotten laid in a month, and I’m sorry. I should mind myself. Ignore me. I just thought maybe you thought I was fit. Or maybe this fake dating NSA thing could be fun.”
I groaned. Oh, it would be too fun. I wanted her to climb on top of me, fuck me, and let me play with her ass while her tits bounced. Now that I’d thought about it, I was getting hard and wishing I wasn’t such a good friend to my old mates.
“Niall would kill me.”
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. They’re going to be back in like two hours. How long does it usually take to fuck someone? I promise it won’t take all that long. I’m good for an hour—tops.”
Rose was so forthcoming I debated my next move. I considered it for a moment. No one had to know. They’d discover us down here and suspect nothing. Against all reason and feeling like I was breaking all bro code, I sighed.
“Well, since our SOS code has netted no returns, and I did agree to help you in your hour of need, maybe I could give it a shot?”