Page 46 of The Second Chance in the Mediterranean
“I did work hard.” Seb pulled my head down for a kiss.
“You worked hard and I deserve a treat....I mean, you deserve a treat.” He grinned wickedly.
I slouched against him. He was hard to say no to. “Fine, I’ll come have fun. So mean.”
He laughed and then spun me and gave me a gentle push. “Bikini, now. Sneak preview.”
Bending at the waist, I pulled open a drawer and plucked out a matching bikini set. “This?” I held the two pieces up against my naked body.
Seb nodded, eyes wide and eager.
Gripping them by the strings, I tossed them over my shoulder and sauntered into the head, closing the door.
“Hey!” Seb protested from the other side. “I wanted a show.”
“Go get dressed in your own room,” I called back.
“Tease,” came his muttering through the door, and I laughed. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror—I looked happy and carefree. This Marcella, out of her uniform and with a hot lover in her bed—she looked good.
* * *
A handfulof the crew was out on the main deck and dressed for the water. A nice benefit of not fitting in the marina was that we were anchored outside the bay in the clear blue waters where we could swim and play. I carried a platter of fruit up with me, which I put on the outdoor dining table.
The yachties had pulled together loungers and beanbags from all over the boat—everyone picked their favorites—and the hodgepodge was gathered just under the aft mast.
“Oh, fruit! Thanks, Marcella.” Harper plucked a pineapple slice and bit into it.
I eyed the empty drink glasses scattered around, and noticed Bok’s flushed face and Derick lying limp in one of the loungers. “I have to make sure no one’s drinking too much on an empty stomach. Does anyone want a smoothie?”
“Roy already offered, but thanks,” Bok said. “We want you to have fun with us!”
“Thanks.” I stripped off my cover-up and sat down on the beanbag next to Harper’s chair. “Where is everyone?”
Just then Seb padded around from the gangway, dripping wet. His board shorts stuck to his skin, and his face lit up when he saw me. His grin turned sultry as his eyes dipped down over my body.
Harper and Bok looked at each other and giggled.
“Hey.” I gave Seb a little wave.
“Hey, Marce. You gonna come swimming with us?”
“I will in a little bit.”
He nodded. “Harper, do you mind?”
She stood up from her chair. “Go for it.”
I watched curiously as Seb grabbed a line that I hadn’t noticed before. It was looped around the rail and led up to the very bottom corner of the lowest “yard”—nautical speak for the horizontal parts of the mast, according to Toby. I stood up to take a better look.
Stepping up onto a footrest pushed against the side, Seb carefully climbed over the rail and found his balance. He gripped the knotted line and counted to three before jumping off the rail and swinging out over the water.
He let go and flailed with a Tarzan-like shout before flopping into the water. When he surfaced, I heard Roy’s voice shout, “Dude, four points for the landing, but I’ll give you an additional two for the gay scream.”
I peered down the side ofThemisand found Roy and several other crew members floating just off the gangway.
“That was not gay. Your floaty is gay.”
“My floatyisgay,” Roy retorted. “Literally, Seb, gay. It’s a fucking rainbow unicorn.”
