Sweet Seas

ONE-2

After begging her way through the security gate to get onto the docks, one thing became clear in a hurry: this was no high-class operation.

Sassi didn’t really know what she’d been expecting. But when she thought about sailing, she thought of sleek yachts and cruise liners. She thought of uniforms and table manners. Her assumptions were nowhere near the mark.

Instead, what she found were a lot of noisy, dirty boats with chipped paint and stained ropes. Grubby sailors jeered her on her walk along the docks from their boats. It was sort of impressive that in near darkness, while she struggled with her luggage, these Neanderthals were still cat calling even though she’d probably never looked less attractive.

At the security gate, she’d told the guy hanging against the fence that she was Eros’ new cook because that’s what Karen had told her to say. He’d looked down to her feet and back up to her face again before laughing and punching in a code to unlock the gate. Why had he laughed?

Sassi had been preoccupied with the gate guy’s amusement until the first sailor shouted out to her. Maybe there weren’t many women down on the docks at this time in the morning; that could be why she was drawing so much attention. But she’d been taught well and was street smart enough to know not to respond when the predators outnumbered her.

It wasn’t easy for Sassi to hold onto her sass, not until she saw how huge most of these guys were. After that, she was okay with just keeping her eyes front and striding forward.

Feelings of dread joined her as she kept on going, looking for the boat that she’d been told she wouldn’t be able to miss. If this had been any other job, she’d probably have turned and headed back inland by now. But, if she did that, she was admitting defeat.

The plain truth was, she needed this job. She needed the money.

How bad could it be?

This was a legitimate job. The captain… what was he called again? Carson Swain… Yes, Captain Carson Swain. He was the one who had called a temp agency looking for a cook. That was legitimate, right? If he wanted a s*x slave, or just someone to beat on, he wouldn’t identify himself to a reputable company, would he?

Unless he’d used a false name… but then he would have to give the ship a false name and—

Eros.

There it was. The name was written in thick dark letters that stood out on a red hull. They could be black, could be navy, could be a lot of things… But it didn’t matter, that was the moniker she was looking for.

Shit. The boat was huge and not what she was expecting at all. There was a tall white tower of decks nearer the front of the boat. The back was long and flat with a huge crane towering over it. She couldn’t see any people or many details because of the dark and the proximity of the boat to the dock. But she hadn’t expected all those antennae to be sticking out the top. With all those masts and spinning things adding to the height of the white block, it was taller than a building.

“You lost?”

Whipping around, she inhaled when she registered the height and width of the man striding toward her with a thick length of wound rope around his shoulder. “I…” Uncurling her fingers from the handle of her suitcase, she tried to be subtle about sliding her hand into her hobo bag to seek out her pepper spray. “I’m not lost, I’m looking for Eros.”

Gruff and impatient, there was nothing welcoming about the stranger. “You found it, but I don’t want to hear about what Swing did to you. Call a cop or a priest, I don’t give a shit.”

Wasn’t that nice. All her ideas of good ole chivalry and naval decorum went out the window as she absorbed his features. He had thick, dark hair that looked as black as ink and as unkempt as the beard covering his jaw. He got closer and she found no civility in his eyes, in fact they narrowed to disgust when he reached her.

“You’re a dainty one; there ain’t an ounce of f*****g fight in you. You’ve wandered out of your comfort zone. I’m surprised you made it this far with the Swag Wagon in port.”

If that was a threat, she’d take it. As long as he was talking, he wasn’t acting. Her finger moved over the trigger on the can of pepper spray. If this guy even thought about touching her with so much as a fingertip, she’d unload the whole damn can in his face.

The smell of the sea didn’t completely overtake the scent of musky man and musty rope, but that rope was the only thing preventing her from pulling the can out. It looked heavy, really heavy. It was looped round and round, each length had to be four inches in diameter, but he was holding it there on his shoulder like it weighed no more than her purse. Still, while the coiled rope was there, he would be at a disadvantage if he tried to take her down.

“You’d be surprised how far my comfort zone stretches,” she said, holding her ground. “Tell me where to find Captain Swain or move the hell out of my way.”

The flare of surprise on his face told her that he wasn’t used to people speaking back to him. But Sassi wasn’t going to be intimidated just because he was built of solid muscle, a foot taller than her, and probably twice as wide.

As fast as the surprise had appeared, it vanished. He narrowed his eyes to a grumpy growl again, blazing more disgust before he spoke. “What do you want with Swain?”

“He’s my boss, and I don’t think he’d like you loitering out here trying so hard to intimidate his new cook.”

Sassi didn’t know a thing about the man she was going to be working under, but she hoped there was at least some chance that he was a decent guy given that she’d be stuck on a boat with him and his people for the next month.

“Aw, s**t,” he exhaled and bent his knees to toss the rope off his shoulder, letting it drop to the ground. Planting one foot, she slid the other back, setting her stance wide while pulling her pepper spray closer to the top of her purse. If this was when he was going to make his move to attack, she’d be ready. “What the f**k am I supposed to do with a twig like you? You’re a f*****g waif.”

His tone was offensive enough, his words were a smack in the face. “You don’t do a damn thing,” she said, forcing herself not to call him an asshole. Then she started to put pieces together… and… oh… uh oh… he meant… “Oh no.”

“Yeah, sweetheart. Captain Carson Swain, at your service,” he said, though she didn’t believe he’d do a thing for her even with a g*n to his head. There was nothing warm or happy about his introduction.

“You’re the captain?” she asked.

Swallowing hard, Sassi realized this was grimmer than she could ever have thought. This guy wasn’t as bad as the Neanderthals she’d seen on her way here, he was worse.

His physical size pretty much guaranteed there wasn’t a thing on this earth he couldn’t take by force if the notion took him. Who would stand up to a guy as mean and rough looking as him? There would be zero chance of anyone else ever triumphing in a fight against him.

His black gaze trailed down to her feet. “I’m the cap’n, and you ain’t no cook.”

She had no idea how he could tell that from looking at her, especially since most of her was covered up, still laden with luggage. Proving her skills was not going to be hard; it would actually be fun. Taking him down a peg would be her pleasure.

Smiling, she unzipped the bag on her chest, so she could get to the plastic tub of cookies she’d put on top. “I bet you’re a cookie man,” she said, switching off the sass in favor of her best attempt at charm.

Sassi did have a tub of muffins too, but he didn’t seem the soft and sweet type. He was tougher and chewier. His head tilted forward; she’d surprised him. Good. Sassi had never been accused of being predictable.

“What the f**k?”

Opening the tub, she reached inside to break off a piece of cookie. “Open your mouth, Captain.”

She could do seductive if she had to, but Sassi tried to be selective about who she turned it on for and she didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. “Not a chance, sweetheart.”

Pushing out her lower lip, she wished she had the advantage of her cleavage, but it was covered up.

Dumping the cookie back in the tub, she licked her fingertips and re-zipped the bag. “Okay, then turn me away,” she said. “You and your crew can do with cold cereal instead of bacon and pancakes every morning.” Sassi made a show of looking left then right. “ ‘Cause I don’t see any one else asking permission to come aboard your dingy.”

His jaw ticked before he clenched it tight. “It’s a ship, not a dingy, and insulting Eros guarantees you won’t set one f*****g toe aboard.”

Damn, she’d insulted him. The only way to ingratiate herself now would be to appeal to his ego. She hated doing that, especially with a guy so clearly arrogant enough that he needed no encouragement to believe he was the best.

“I’m sorry, Captain,” she said, l*****g her lower lip to draw it in between her teeth. “I didn’t mean to insult your friend. Eros is beautiful; intimidating, so large and powerful.” Picking up the end of her hair, she coiled it around her index finger as she let a fingertip from her other hand touch a snap on the front of his coveralls. “A silly little girl like me would never—”

“You a lush?” he asked, pushing her finger away from his sternum with the back of his rough hand.

“A lush?” she asked, unable to hide her offence. “You think I’m a drunk? Screw you, asshole! I flirt with you, you’re rude. I accidently say something that hurts your precious feelings and you sulk. Then, I try to make you feel better by praising the hunk of junk you worship and you insult me. You know what, asshole, shove your f*****g job up your a*s! I don’t need you any more than I need the other s**t I’ve got going on in my life. I’ve had about as much of f*****g men as I can take! f**k you.”

Spinning around, she was ready to march away, but his arm came under hers and he grabbed her wrist to whirl her around to face him again. “That’s the attitude you bring on my ship, Waif. You say you can cook? It’s not like I’ve got a lot of options. So if you work hard, don’t complain, and quit the innocent babygirl thing, we won’t have a problem.”

Was he trying to provoke her into showing her spunk or was he just an asshole who’d accidently stumbled on it?

Snatching her wrist back, Sassi withdrew a step. “What makes you think I want your stupid job now?”

“ ‘Cause what kind of f*****g woman comes down the docks at five AM unless she needs it? My crew members need to have backbone, you’ve proved you’ve got that, now get your f*****g a*s on board, Waif.”

Tipping up her chin, she opened her arms to grab the handle of each of her suitcases at her flanks. “Stop calling me waif.”

“I’ll call you whatever I want; everyone’s got a nickname on the sea,” he said and nodded sideways. “Leave the dunnage.” He must have read her blank expression. “Your baggage. Shake a leg. Flank speed… When the captain says move, you move. Can you follow orders, Waif?”

Something about the question, abrupt and gruff though it was, made her want to flirt again. Wait. What was that buzz in her belly? He took half a step toward her and she inhaled. The nearer he got, the more intense that vibration in her skin grew.

But he was a dirty, smelly oaf. A lunkhead. A brute.

Hmm, why did her belly feel so light?

Twisting away, she chose to ignore her mutinous body, and spoke to him over her shoulder. “Maybe if you can ask nicely,” she said and flounced toward the gangplank.

She heard her cases move and the captain cursed under his breath. “You trying to sink us before we cast off?” he asked. “What the f**k you got in here?”

Everything she valued in life, but she didn’t say that. Steadying herself with a hand on each side of the gangplank, Sassi took one careful step and then another. The captain crowded up behind her, trying to move her forward faster, using his bulk against her.

He was so solid and strong that she had to hurry to try to put space between them, except his long legs ate up the gangplank and she couldn’t go fast enough to maintain any distance. Sassi felt flustered and didn’t like to be harassed.

In an attempt to turn the tables, when she got to the top of the gangplank, she stopped dead, right before stepping onto the deck.

“What’s the problem?” he griped.

Turning her chin to her shoulder, she steeled herself. “Are you always in such a hurry, Captain Swain?”

“You want your stipend? Get your tush on board, Waif, and I told you to cut out the flirting.”

Without hiding her smile from herself, she moved forward. The boat rose on the swell of the water to meet her and she stumbled, catching herself on the cold painted wall opposite the end of the gangplank.

Sassi didn’t appreciate the snicker she heard behind her. But when he grabbed her elbow and pulled her down the deck, she re-thought how she’d goaded him and remembered what she’d thought about how he could take what he wanted from anyone by force.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“Your luxury cabin. Buckle up, sweetheart, Eros is gonna take you for a ride.”

A ride. An adventure. Maybe this was the Voyage of the Damned. But if she stayed ashore she’d be damned for sure; there was no way to make the money for Correa without this job. The captain was a brute, but she could deal with whatever he threw at her providing he paid her.

The money, that’s what this was about. As long as she kept that in sight, Sassi could handle anything.