Page 51 of The Sailor in Polynesia
I followed behind him and paused at the top of the stairs. We were so... domestic. Last night had been different, having to keep watch and sleep in shifts, but this felt like the start of a routine. A comfortable routine.
Jonas blew on his tea to cool it, picked up his book, and focused his attention on the pages. I hemmed and hawed for a moment about where to sit. I wanted to sit next to Jonas.
It struck me suddenly and I blurted out my thoughts. “When will I see you again?”
He looked at me. “What do you mean?” He blew on his tea again and took a testing sip.
“I leave tomorrow, and I’ll be back in two weeks. But where will you be when I come back?” I shifted my weight. “Don’t you need to move on?”
Jonas propped his arm up on the backrest next to him and gestured me in. I sat down next to him, close enough to feel his warmth, and he curled his arm around me. He leaned in, resting his cheek on my hair. “I would like to be here when you get back.”
I gripped my mug tightly. “Yeah?” A grin spread on my lips.
“Ja.”
Things could change, and I knew how the cruising life was. Even if Jonas wanted to be here when I got back, something might come up andEikwould have to go. My heart panged at the thought that even the best laid plans could go astray, especially in sailing, and tomorrow could be the last time I’d see Jonas—ever. Friends were constantly going in and out of my life, and Jonas—and the rest of theEikcrew—would be a shame to lose. Perhaps I was more tangled up, invested, and emotional since these were my first real friendships since my divorce.
That must be what it was.
Nineteen
The tea worked better than I expected, and combined with the warmth and comfort of Jonas next to me, I quickly became drowsy. Jonas nudged me awake and we went downstairs to get ready for bed.
I took the head first, and when I came out, Jonas was sitting on the bed, still dressed and waiting. We swapped, and I stripped. Usually I would sleep nude, especially with the heat, but...
Full-on pajamas seemed too prude—and also, hot.
I wondered what Jonas was going to wear to bed, and then realized he was probably waiting for a cue from me. I sighed and then dressed in cotton underwear and a tank top, crawling onto the bed.
I was facing away when Jonas came out, giving him privacy as he changed for bed. The mattress depressed under his weight; the light by his side of the bed clicked off.
I heard Jonas sigh deeply. “Good night, Mia.”
“Good night,” I whispered.
We lay in bed together, the boat rocking us and cool air blowing against our bodies with every rotation of the fan. I’d had so many thoughts about possibilities with Jonas in bed with me, but they quickly faded to black, my mind and body too tired.
* * *
I woke up with a smooth expanse of skin directly in front of me. I was warm—so warm—and groggier than usual.
My cheek was pressed against Jonas’s chest, my arm wrapped around him, and our legs intertwined. I looked up and found Jonas above me, smiling while he watched me wake up.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.” I pulled back as Jonas rearranged his arms. When he moved his arm out from behind me, I could see that he had a book in his hand and had been reading.
I yawned and stretched out, my shoulders cracking and my tank top riding up my stomach. When I opened my eyes again, Jonas was lying on his stomach, propped up on his arms and watching me. He was wearing black briefs, his legs bare against my sheets. Most Americans wore boxer-style underwear, not this European fashion. I wanted to reach out and trace my fingers over the edge, where his thigh disappeared, but I resisted with Herculean effort.
“What time is it?”
Jonas rolled his wrist and checked his watch. “Seven.”
I hummed and rolled to my side, facing him. “Later than normal, but not too bad.”
Jonas put his book aside and then reached a hand out to my face. He hesitated, and then slid his fingers into my hair, smoothing it back. I closed my eyes and let him caress me.
Until there was a knocking on the side of the boat.
