Page 63 of The Hitchhiker in Panama
“Oh my God.” I covered my head in my hands. How gross. How mortifying.
“Lila,” he said. “This happens to people who are a little seasick. Your body produces more”—he gestured to his mouth—“what did you call it? Drool?”
“Seriously? That happens? Why onearthdoes my mouth think it’s okay to drool when I’m seasick? What fucking purpose does that serve?”
Eivind shrugged and reached back to tug his shirt over his head. He inspected his chest before wiping it off with his shirt.
I died of mortification and face-planted back onto the bed.
The mattress around me dipped and Eivind waited above me. He trailed kisses up my spine, pressing his lips to the fabric of my tank top, and I shuddered when they passed over the edge and onto my bare skin. He nipped my shoulder, teased my neck, and gently stroked his lips over the shell of my ear. Despite my humiliation, I arched my back, pressing up into his body.
He inhaled and gently whispered, “Watch out for soggy pillows.”
I chased him out of the room with my—dry—pillow.
* * *
I went into the galley, wiping sleep from my eyes and yawning. Marcella and Elayna worked in the kitchen, frying bread and dicing fruit. The boat always smelled like the big boule loaves that Marcella baked at least once a day to feed the five of us. Onshore, it was faster and easier to buy a loaf from the store, but bread bought on land would take up too much space and wouldn’t last long.
“Toast, Lila?” Elayna asked.
“Yes, please.” I sat on the couch next to Eivind and stole his mug of coffee.
“Woman!” he protested. I smirked and offered him my lips as a condolence prize and he swept a kiss into my mouth.
Until Elayna whacked me with a kitchen towel.
“We might have to ban PDA from the salon.” She handed Eivind a new mug of coffee and set a plate down in front of me.
On the table was a collection of spreads and a platter of cheese and meats sitting on a foam pad. I picked through the jars, looking at my choices: marmalade, butter, honey . . .
“Oh, I bought something for breakfast! I’ll be right back.” I went into our cabin and dug around until I found my Aussie treat—Vegemite.
“What is that?” Eivind asked when I returned to the table.
“Vegemite. Have you ever had it before?”
“I have heard of it.” Eivind made to open the lid. “Can I?”
I nodded and he twisted the lid off and took a whiff. He immediately jerked his head away in disgust.
“What the hell is this?”
“Rude. Give it back, you heathen.”
“You are going to eat that?”
“Yes! It’s delicious.”
Marcella and Elayna came to the table with their plates and sat down. Marcella snickered when Elayna lifted the jar to her nose and cautiously sniffed.
I ignored them and grabbed the butter, slathering it on my toast while the bread was still warm. Eivind watched with fascination while I spread a thin layer of Vegemite over the butter.
“That is so little Vegemite.” He pinched his thumb and forefinger together. “What is the point?”
“It’s strong—you have to have the right bread-to-butter-to-Vegemite ratio,” I explained. I took a satisfying bite out of my slice and rolled my eyes back. “Ugh, it’s so good.”
Eivind’s eyes locked onto my mouth and his tongue darted out to lick his lips. I moaned again and his eyes flared.
