Crew Hates, page 8
I passed by the Phillips again, and Mr. Phillips was awake, reading something on his phone. Just before I hit the stairs, he stopped me.
“Emilia? I think I need a little hair of the dog. What do you recommend?”
“A Bloody Mary is always a good choice. Lots of sugar in the tomato juice and a little spice to wake you up. But with this heat, I’d take beer.”
“Sold.”
On my way back up with his longneck, I passed Nick, who shot me a small wink and a half-smile that revealed impure thoughts.
When I finally stepped foot in the kitchen, the massive feast underway for the final night on the boat took up every inch of counter space. Various forms of seafood sat in a strainer in the sink, the four burners of the stove were occupied and there was a warm wave of chocolate escaping the oven.
“Do you want some help?” I asked Rosa, who tasted broth from a spoon.
“No. Go change and prepare upstairs.”
I wondered briefly if she didn’t want to share some of her cooking secrets or if me hovering would be an annoying fly on the wall.
In our cabin, Nick was on his bunk. He was in his usual position— propped up on an elbow and his nose was in a book.
“Hey.”
He lifted his eyes from pages in front of him and settled them on me as I closed the door.
“You come down here to watch me get undressed?” I teased.
“Absolutely.” His silly grin told me he was kidding.
“Simmer down. I think twenty-four items on your list is plenty.”
“We could start checking a few off. Some of them are pretty innocent.”
I narrowed my eyes, but my curiosity outweighed my skepticism. “Okay, tell me. What’s number one?”
“Easy. Squeeze that ass.”
“I’m not sure that’s innocent.”
He waggled his eyebrows, it was adorable. “You wanna hear the rest of the list?”
I pretended to be appalled, but the idea of his hands on me was sweeter than Rosa’s chocolate cake baking in the other room.
“Okay. Let’s cross that one off. Lock the door. I don’t want to get busted.”
Nick’s eyes danced around my face to see if I was being serious. Lucky for both of us, I was.
“Come on. I have to change.” I waved my hands toward myself, encouraging him to get up.
He shifted to the edge of the bed, snapped his book shut, popped up then locked the door. When he turned around, his whole face and demeanor had changed. The playfulness was gone, and it was replaced by a smoky intent. He stalked his approach, and it sent my eyes into a flutter. I stepped back and swallowed hard, but he only moved nearer until we were nose to nose.
Nick wet his lips inwards. He bent down a little so his mouth was next to my ear. “Normally”—the heat of his breath hit my neck—“I wouldn’t dream of doing this without kissing you first—but I’m ready to take what I can get, so here goes.”
He pulled back, and our eyes locked. He swept his fingers down my arms and stopped when they were at my waist. My chest tightened as I waited for his next move.
“I changed my mind.”
“Wha… What?” My heart immediately sank. I wanted contact.
“I can’t do one without the other.”
Lord, I wanted to tell him to do both, but I couldn’t risk it. I needed my paycheck and I had to get back out to Rosa and my duties. I had probably already taken too long.
With my right palm, I pushed him back. “You’re a tease.” He smiled, and those adorable dimples tempted me to throw away my wages for the last two weeks. “Get out so I can change, before I call you a pervert.”
“You’re kicking me out before the main event?” His gaze searched my body, hoping to change my mind.
“That’s what you get for toying with me.”
He walked backward to the door with a fake frown on his face. He was reeling me in and winding me tight. But once he left and I changed, I was glad he hadn’t kissed me. Mrs. Phillips would have been able to tell in less than two seconds. No, I needed to get through the last dinner, fly home and get paid. Nick and I could wait.
At dinner, glasses clanked in celebration of the end of vacation. Abby and Victoria were laughing at Mr. Phillips’ expense. Mrs. Phillips and Cameron chewed and smiled their approval, but Landry remained neutral and quiet. When Mrs. Phillips noticed, Landry’s cheeks lifted, and she forced a gracious expression in return.
After dinner, the girls grabbed another bottle of wine and headed outside. As I picked up the plates, Mrs. Phillips moved to the sofa area and Cameron, Landry and her husband followed. They spoke in whispers, and I understood it to be a conversation I didn’t deserve to hear. Loaded with dishes, I headed to the galley to give them their privacy.
Nick sat in our booth, hunched over a piece of chocolate cake as Rosa dried a large skillet.
“Is that the last piece?” I looked back and forth in a panic from him to her, hoping the empty cake tin on the counter didn’t mean the end of cake.
“Yep. And it’s all mine. Because Rosa secretly loves me more than Robbie.” He took another bite, beaming with pride.
“Shhh…” Rosa put her finger to her mouth and winked.
“You’re not even gonna share?” I pulled out a chair, sat down in front of him and crossed my arms.
“Humm, what are you going to give me in return?”
I paused, then found what I needed to get a bite of the cake.
“I’m really good at laundry. Didn’t I hear you say you had loads of it piling up?”
He spooned another bite of cake, but took his time bringing it to his mouth, never revealing his thoughts.
“I have those two I was talking about earlier. They’re the most pressing.”
“Perfect. I have a couple of loads myself. I’ll put them together. Now hand over the cake.”
Nick placed the spoon down next to what I calculated to be three more bites of Rosa heaven. He rotated the plate and slid it across the table. “All yours.”
“Thank you,” I said with a single shoulder raise.
When the chocolate married with my taste buds, I moaned my approval. “Soo-o good.”
“Is that your happy face?”
“One of them.” God, flirting with him felt so good. It was definitely my new favorite pastime.
“Thirty-one,” he said in a matter-of-fact voice.
“Huh?”
“Thirty-one loads of laundry.” Nick winked then left me alone with my cake.
Chocolate bliss in my stomach and a perma-grin on my face, I finished cleaning up the dishes of the evening. Even Abby and Victoria had a calm night, and they left half the bottle of wine next to their wineglasses on the top deck. As I re-fluffed the pillows on the leather couch, Robbie jogged down the stairs and told me everything was in order above. I checked the lock on the main door one last time, flipped off my horrible heels and carried them down the steps to go to bed.
The galley was spotless. I set my shoes on the third step and I turned right into the machine room to put the deck towels in the dryer. Leaning against a steel railing was Nick. His olive eyes shifted from the floor to me. His lips formed a soft smile, but he didn’t move.
“Is this about that laundry?” I tried to make light of the situation and reminded myself to breath. He only nodded. As quietly as I could, I pushed the heavy hatch shut. I wet my lips and walked over to lean against the railing opposite him. His stillness made my heart beat faster, and grabbing the cold steel with my hands, I waited for him to say something.
Instead, his sleepy gaze traveled the length of my body as he moved right in front of me. Without a word of warning, he leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. If it hadn’t been for the bar behind me, I would have been a puddle on the floor. He repeated the gentle kiss in the other direction before hovering directly over my mouth. With my eyes closed, I felt the back of his hands lightly sweep just under my breasts and down my stomach and waist until they flipped to take hold of my hips. He pressed his lips harder, and I opened my mouth to welcome his tongue. A playful yank made me squeak a tiny whimper of surprise. He palmed both my ass cheeks, gave them a slow and tight clutch, let out a barely audible sigh and retreated from the kiss.
I opened my eyes to find him in a full dimpled smile. He released his grip and took a step back.
“Good night.” Nick turned and walked to the hatch, which he opened then disappeared. I blinked his shadow into focus as warm bliss buzzed through my body.
Holy hell. I was definitely starting my own laundry list. I just had to pray that Mrs. Phillips wouldn’t find it.
Chapter Thirteen
Day Thirteen
Everyone was up early, and Mr. Phillips had the yacht back in the parking spot where we had originally found it by noon. All passengers and their luggage were loaded into cars, and without so much as a wave, they were gone. Rosa and I attacked the cabins while Robbie and Nick hosed down the decks and did final checks on the engines and machines.
By dinner time, none of us had the courage to clean anymore, and we sent Robbie out to bring back pizza. The four of us ate it, without much conversation at our little nook.
“I’m going to bed early. I can never sleep on the plane.” Rosa stood and looked at the table. “You’ll take care of this?” She motioned to me and the empty pizza box.
I agreed, and when I asked the boys if they wanted another beer, Nick surprised me by saying, “Yeah, but not here. Robbie, do you mind staying on board while Emmie and I get our land legs back?”
“No problem.” He smiled and winked. I hoped we were less obvious in front of our employers.
“You have any regular clothes?” Nick eyed my uniform.
“Oh my Lord. Something not navy blue or white? How will I choose?”
While I tidied up the kitchen, Nick changed into long shorts and a plain V-neck T-shirt. The casual side of him somehow took the edge off.
“Two minutes.” I held up my fingers as a little promise. I was not a ‘take forever to get ready’ kind of girl. I’d never wanted to waste the time.
At the back of my slender closet, I found my cut-off overalls and a white tank top. I threw them on and released my curls from the tight ponytail. A quick brush of mascara on my top lashes and a coat of lip gloss later, I was following Nick up the steps from the galley, off the boat and into the port.
Finally, I was stepping foot in Europe. The lights from the buildings created a warm glow on the water, and I could barely contain my smile. It wasn’t much, but at least I could say I’d actually been to France and not just admired it from afar.
Nick turned to me once we were on the sidewalk away from the docks. “Do you want to go into the city a bit?”
While I did, I also didn’t want to risk being seen by any of the Phillips. I knew they would be staying at a luxury hotel but had no idea where it would be. I scrunched my nose and said, “Not necessarily. I already kinda feel illegal. I’m happy to grab a drink here.” I glanced around the street and found a bar with a couple of open tables outside. “There. That’s perfect.”
“You sure?” There was a hint of relief in his voice, so maybe he was thinking the same thing as I was. Besides, we were both officially in violation of our contract. That kiss had been a stupid risk.
“Totally.”
We walked over, and with some sort of sign language Nick invented on the spot, we managed to secure a table and order two beers. I couldn’t help but check over my shoulder a few times to make sure I didn’t see our employers.
“Relax. There’s nothing in our contracts that says we can’t share a drink.” Nick stretched out his legs then rolled his neck. “I can’t wait to get back to my own bed. Those bunks are entirely too small for a grown man.”
I quirked a small smile. A grown man he was. And I had a date with him in the near future. I decided to change the subject. “Nursing school has trained my body to sleep on demand. I’m pretty sure there are hundreds of studies that say it’s not the most effective sleep, but twenty minutes here and there has kept my caffeine consumption in check.”
The waiter brought our beers and left them with a little receipt under the ashtray. It occurred to me that I didn’t have any money and hadn’t bothered to bring a credit card.
“Uh…” I eyed the bill.
“I got you.” Nick shook his head. “What? You think I would invite you for a drink and make you pay for it?”
“Sorry. I just…” I fluttered my eyes up to the night’s sky. “Wasn’t sure this was a friend drink or…”
“What do you want it to be?” Nick crossed his arms with a cheeky grin.
I let out a little sigh. “Nothing until we’re back? Don’t get me wrong… I liked doing laundry with you. But I really need the money from these two weeks.”
“Understood. Totally platonic until we land.”
“And that seriously scary woman is miles away.” I shivered and sipped my beer. It was slightly sweet with a hint of lemon, completely different from the bitter ones I was used to. I liked it and started examining the label to find out what the difference was.
“She’s not all bad,” Nick said quietly.
The beer? It was a woman? “Huh?”
“Mrs. Phillips. She’s done a lot for me over the years. Yes, she’s cold and private, but that’s only because she’s fiercely protective of those she cares about.” He rubbed his neck. Out of pain from the bunk or what he’d just said?
“How do you know?” I asked before my brain could talk common sense into my mouth. People were right that I was nosy. Had I always been that way or was it now that I needed to ask personal questions at the hospital? I thought back to me as a child listening against my brothers’ bedroom door while they plotted how to keep the stray dog they’d found without my parents finding out. I’d been born curious.
Nick tilted his head to the side, perhaps debating to answer my intrusive question. He looked away for a long breath then turned back. “She’s the reason I went to law school. Helped me see my potential, set goals.”
“I didn’t realize you two had that kind of relationship.”
He ignored my comment. Apparently that line of questioning was over. “What about you? Why did you decide to become a nurse?”
I shrugged my shoulders as if I didn’t know. “I like the idea of helping people and having the skill to be effective.”
“That sounds specific.” He narrowed his eyes as if trying to find the answer in my own.
But we weren’t even on a proper date and the answer was too heavy for a celebratory drink with a crewmate. So instead, I finished my beer and said, “It is. I think I’m ready to head back. I don’t want Rosa saying we went out partying.”
“She wouldn’t. But I hear you. I’m ready to get this trip over with.”
We strolled back to the boat, and I tried to savor each sight. Even the couple passing us and arguing in French made me smile. The working vacation had proved to be the escape from my life that I’d needed. I glanced over to Nick, who also seemed to be reflecting on something and wondered if it would be even more.
Miami would be different. Miami would be distractions and obligations. If I hadn’t had time to date before the trip, would I be able to find time after?
When we got to the yacht, I took a step back. “Thanks for the drink, First Mate.”
Nick’s face fell. “I’m not sure I want to be in the First Mate zone.”
I grinned and stepped aboard before stopping and looking back. His eyes were down, my cut-offs were giving him a glimpse of my ass in a whole new light.
“Eyes up until Miami.”
Chapter Fourteen
Days Fourteen and Fifteen
On the plane, I sat next to Robbie in the window seat. We were still required to wear our uniforms, even though our work had officially ended. I suspected it was to accentuate that we weren’t one of them. Didn’t matter. Barring a medical emergency, I was done working, and the zombies in my book had finally found their happily ever after.
When I got up to use the bathroom, Nick winked over at me, which only made me nervous, so I averted his gaze on my way back. I didn’t have a paycheck in hand, and until I did, I was going to do my best to pretend I wasn’t wholeheartedly attracted to him.
The relief and excitement of landing was a weird mix. On the one hand, I was going to be done being a servant girl to the wealthy. And on the other, I was minutes away from being free to be who I really was and able to flirt openly with Nick. Hell, maybe we could even hold hands…if he was into that. I seriously hoped he was. I loved that part of relationships. And snuggling… When had been the last time I’d curled into a man’s arms and watched a movie on the couch? Too long, that was for sure.
We landed in Florida just as the sun was starting to set over the horizon and the warmth of my city surrounded me. As we taxied, Mrs. Phillips came to the back of the plane. Again, I was in awe of her perfect look. Not even a hair was out of place on her head. How did she do that?
She cleared her throat with a stiff smile. “Well, I’d say an overall success. I’ll remind you of your non-disclosures, and we thank you for your work.” In her hand were three envelopes. She handed one to Robbie. “I should dock your pay for how much food you eat, but I know how much pleasure you bring to Rosa, so I wouldn’t dare.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Phillips. Hope to see you next year.” Robbie stood, nodded and took the envelope before sitting again.
“Emilia, you were a lovely addition. Feel free to use me as a reference.” She really had no idea that I wouldn’t need a reference for being a crew member on a private boat. My teachers at nursing school were the ones who mattered. Nonetheless, I thanked her and sat back down. A wave of relief passed over me. The kiss in the machine room had remained secret.
“Nicholas.” A softness came over Mrs. Phillips that I wouldn’t have imagined her capable of. “I am sad to see you go. but I understand. Thank you”—she closed her eyes for a long blink—“for everything.”
“Yeah.” Nick rubbed the stubble on his cheek then moved his hand to his neck. Maybe it was still bothering him from the bunk—or maybe his goodbye meant more than I could understand. “Same. Thanks.” He took the check, and I was sure Mrs. Phillips let out a small sigh before she turned around and strolled to the front of the plane.
