Page 23 of The Second Chance in the Mediterranean
“Oh bugger.”
Roy’s Britishism made Seb chuckle darkly. “This is by far the worst charter I’ve ever done. Where the fuck do they find these nut jobs?”
“Having enough bloody money doesn’t give you human decency, that’s for sure.”
Seb sighed. “I have to be up in three hours to start my night watch. I didn’t get a nap in today because we had to refuel the Jet Ski since they’ve used it so much. And now there’s a drunk-off-her-ass woman who won’t leave me alone.”
“She justshowed up in your bed?” I asked.
“I was asleep, and she came into my room, stripped down, and crawled into bed with me. I thought...”
Seb’s face flushed and he averted his eyes. He spun around and paced the floor again. “I thought something else was happening, and as soon as I realized it, I pushed her away. Yeah, she’d been a little handsy before, but Idid notencourage it.” He looked me in the eye. “I swear, Marce.”
I glanced at Roy. “I don’t care, Seb.” My stomach rolled at the lie. I did care. Indignance for Seb made me angry, but even worse was the thought that hecouldhave slept with her. I had no claim. “It’s not my business,” I reminded him—and myself.
He just grunted and swung back around. “I need sleep.”
I tried to focus back on my paperwork while Roy worked to lighten Seb’s mood.
The door opened again and Gio and Dom came through. “She’s gone, Seb. We put her back in her room for the night. I know we don’t normally lock cabin doors around here, but make sure you lock yours behind you from now on. In fact, that needs to be the policy for everyone for the rest of this trip. And, unfortunately, she, um, made a mess of herself in your bed.”
Poor Seb just could not catch a break.
“Fuck it, I’m sleeping in the lounge.”
Dom grimaced. “Sorry, man. I wish we had a spare bed for you, but I don’t want to risk putting you upstairs. I did call Bok down, though, and she helped me strip your bed. But the mattress should probably dry out a bit.”
Seb’s face fell. “Can I quit?”
Dom slapped him on the back. “We’ll get the steamer out tomorrow and really clean it for you. But no, you can’t leave me over some stupid shit a client does. You’ll have a good story and we all owe you some beers after this. I don’t suppose you want to bunk with me? The bed’s not big but we can cuddle real close.”
Knocking Dom’s arm off him, Seb conceded a half smile to the joke and lumbered off to the lounge with a half-hearted wave over his shoulder. “You bastard. Night then.”
Dom and Gio left, and Roy and I exchanged a few glances while we tried to clean as quietly as we could.
Despite our attempts, the doors still clamored open and closed a few times with staff coming and going. I wished Roy a good night, and watched him leave for the crew quarters.
Seb tossed on the bench as I gathered my things. I hesitated at the door. “Seb?”
He grunted and twisted over to look at me. “Marce?” His voice was hoarse and tired.
I bit my lip. My heartstrings tugged for Seb, just trying to get by the best he could when the job could be shit sometimes. This was dumb—and risky—and I knew it. But that didn’t stop me. “Do you want to come sleep in my cabin?”
“Marce...” His voice was softened by my kindness. He studied me, and I fidgeted under his inspection. “Yeah, okay.”
Wordlessly, he followed me through the boat, up and over the main deck to my cabin. Mercifully, the deck was empty save Will, who was cleaning up the bar. He looked up and nodded at us, but kept his focus on his task.
In the cabin, I set my stuff down on my little desk and retreated to the head to prepare for bed and give Seb some privacy. I was too tired for much, but I brushed my teeth and washed my face. By the time I reentered the room, Seb was asleep facedown on my bed. He’d stripped to his boxers, and for the first time since I’d joinedThemis,I could really stare at him without being caught.
Ever since we’d met, he’d always seemed to feel when my eyes were on him. I was always caught staring, and in the beginning, onOdyssey,I’d been given a cocky smirk. Since coming toThemis,though, it had been hurt and anger.
I watched him for a minute in the dim lighting, seeing Seb in a soft way I’d never noticed before. Selfishly, I wanted him here, to protect him, even though he wasn’t mine.
Then it occurred to me that I needed to fit on the bed too. Seb would be up in a few hours, so I should give him the outside of the bed, but that meant I needed to get to the inside.
Carefully, I placed my palm on the mattress on the other side of Seb and swung a leg over his body. I shifted my weight, straddling him and trying not to touch or jostle. I held my breath and leaned down, sliding onto my side of the bed.
Seb shifted and I froze. His voice was muffled by the pillow, sleepy and confused. “Marce, that you this time?”
