Page 39 of Adrift

Haley

My back hits the door of the butler’s pantry, and Sam grabs the base of my chin and tilts it up.

“Sam?”

“You know you’re amazing, right?”

I try to nod, unable to form words. Not with his hand on my chin. I lay in my bunk last night from two a.m. until six this morning. I’m not sure I slept at all between my to-do lists and thinking about Sam. My hand goes to the smooth skin on his cheek. He must have shaved right before the owners arrived.

His lips touch mine quickly and softly. Unlike yesterday, our kiss is tender. The tension builds in my toes and zips energy through me. I want to climb him or drop to my knees and reciprocate yesterday. But he pulls away.

“You’re amazing. I think that, and so do the rest of the crew. Keep up your good job.” He steps back and lets me back away from him. How the hell am I going to focus on what I need to do now?

“I’m going to need a minute.”

My eyes flick to the bulge in his pants, and I nod.

“Open the door and show me how to use this absurdly fancy coffee maker.” He clears his throat.

I crack the door open, and Dante is staring at me. He looks away from me to the captain with a smirk on his face.

I reach around Sam for the large carafe that’s conveniently inaccessible behind him. “Are you sure you don’t want me to refill your coffee cup? Honestly, I don’t mind.” Mostly because I know the carafe is empty.

Dante has moved around the edge of the hall into the kitchen.

Sam blinks at me. “Maybe bring my coffee up to me just this one time. I’ll have to figure that machine out later.”

“Sure.” I put the empty carafe on the counter, and when he scoots past me, I step back, making sure my hand brushes against his length.

“Thank you, Haley.” His smile lights up the dark pantry.

“Anything for you, Captain.”

He steps out of the pantry. I have to take a few seconds to get my head back in the game. The first thing I do is pull out my phone and order a new bedspread from the provisioner. I might have been able to get out that stain if she’d let me finish. But by tomorrow morning or even tonight, when we get in there, it’s never coming out. We have one spare. But we’re going to need more. We gave away a lot of things but not a useful linen.

I head into the kitchen and expect an earful from Dante.

“Breakfast can go whenever the guests are ready,” he says. Not a word about me being in the pantry with the captain with the door closed.

“Haley, Haley, Shayla.”

“Go for Haley.” I hold the radio to my face.

“Can you meet me in the main salon?” Shayla’s a great communicator. I love that about her.

She’s behind the bar mixing a cocktail. There’s a neat scotch on her tray already. It’s nine a.m.

“Hey girly. Chef says breakfast is ready. By the way, your tablescape is amazing. I know they’re going to love it.”

“Well, maybe if they love it for dinner. Rocky says Candy made them eat at the hotel for breakfast. He’s stuffed. They’re not planning on eating.”

“Right.” We share a look. I pivot back to the galley and brace myself waiting for him to blow up about the guests not eating his meal.

But he shrugs it off. “You want to take it down for the crew?” He cocks his head to the spread he’s made.

“I’ll be right back, let me check on the guests first.” I go through the dining room to the bar area in the main salon, just as Emily’s coming in from the back deck.

“Hey ladies, can I get a glass of water, no ice?” Emily asks.

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