Page 69 of The Sailor in Polynesia
By the time I’d finished my rant, I was huffing and Mom was looking at me with sympathy.
“Oh, honey.”
“Not that”—I closed my eyes—“not that Jonas is even asking or it’s even something I want to do. But spending time with anyone at this point is not dating.”
My mom put the bowl down and reached out for me. I sidled in and wrapped my arms around her waist.
“It sounds like you are confused right now, Mia. And I hate to think of you stressing over all these things half a world away.” She petted my hair. “But I can at least offer you this. Your dad, while he loves the idea of you sailing by yourself, he’s scared too. He’s scared that even doing his best, he couldn’t protect you. So”—she pulled away—“your father is proud of you, as am I. And when life throws you lemons in the form of a good-looking man, make lemonade. Even if it’s only temporary.”
I blinked and pulled back. “Mom, is that a really bad metaphor for friends with benefits?”
“I believe it was a metaphor for orgasms, dear. Now help me finish getting these cookies in the oven.”
* * *
My knee bounced, probably annoying the passenger beside me, but I didn’t care. I was so anxious to get off this plane and see Jonas. The time apart had been harder than I’d expected. Jonas and I had only grown closer while I was gone, with hot phone conversations and sweet text message chats. I was so keen to get my hands on him.
The plane unloaded and I walked on the hot and sticky tarmac to the terminal. Tahiti’s airport was small, so it was easy to find the baggage claim and get all the luggage shuffled out.
When I had my things, I smoothed my dress—I might have dressed up a little for Jonas in a sleeveless jersey sundress—and walked out into the lobby. There was that weird apprehension in the pit of my stomach trying to figure out how this would go. We’d kissed once, but over the past two weeks we’d talked every day, seen each other naked, watched each other come.
Would we hug, peck, swoon?
Immediately I spotted Jonas, his hair loose and shaggy around his face, a huge smile waiting for me. All the worries melted away as he stretched his arms out and enveloped me in a giant hug. I loved the way his body curved over mine, pulling me in close.
When he pulled back, Jonas’s smile softened and he touched my hair. It was down and loose too. He stroked it once, his smile becoming something hot and laced with meaning. He pulled me in and took my mouth.
I didn’t know how long we stood there giving each other soft, tender kisses, but finally we broke apart.
“How was your flight?” Jonas hefted one of my bags over his shoulder. He looked down and then grabbed the new, third bag. “Boat parts?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded and slung it over his shoulder.
“The flight was good. Two movies and a window seat. It was nice to fly over Tahiti in the daylight again.”
We worked our way to the taxi stand and climbed into a waiting car, giving the marina as our destination. Jonas pulled me in close to him and we leaned against each other.
I yawned and asked him aboutEikand how his crew was doing.
“With Marcella gone, I think it’s a little quiet. They will meet us at Moorea tomorrow, if that works for you?”
I nodded and looked up at Jonas. “How are you taking it?”
“It is okay. I have been lonely. I am glad you are back.”
We unloaded at the dock and climbed ontoWelina. I sighed, seeing the tired wood paneling and the various dings and dents around my boat.
Jonas and I chatted while I unpacked my clothes. I kept pulling out random food items, stuff I wasn’t sure I could get in Tahiti but was a special treat from home.
I held up a box of Snoqualmie Falls Lodge pancake mix. “Have you had proper American pancakes before?”
“No. Have you had lutefisk before?”
I scrunched up my nose. “If you can find lutefisk, I’ll eat it. But we have proper American pancakes, so you’ll just have to suffer through these first.”
The items on the galley counter piled up, but so did a stack of boat supplies. Jonas looked over everything.
