LOVE'S ABANDON

Tedium was about the only thing Chase McMillan feared, but that was about to change. His life was about to change. With droopy eyes, he scanned the horizon, contemplating returning to shore. Bored and agitated, he groaned in displeasure, giving an equally discontented sigh. It's been only a few hours since the Chasmac, his three hundred foot yacht set sail, but he was ready to turn around the vessel. Work would be a welcome reprieve to the drabness offered onboard. Seven long days. Whatever had possessed him to plan such an outing! The yacht usually sailed only weekends, but being his birthday, he'd planned this exclusive vacation. With a deep longing for something new, something different, he leaned against the rail on the captain's bridge. The heat from the metal scorched his bare forearm, sprinting up his arm. This, he ignored as the dullness threatened to overwhelm him. He'd gone to see the captain for no reason in particular, other than for something to pass the time. Since they'd been at sea, he'd been nothing but restless. Questioning his plan to cruise for the seven straight days, he clenched and unclenched his jaw. An extreme bout of the doldrums threatened to send him over the edge. Brittany, who should have accompanied him, was attending to business and could not make it aboard. He hated calling her his girlfriend, although they'd known each other for four years, officially dating for one. It wasn't his doing. He would have much preferred to keep things casual. Both their parents expected more, and that 'more' might end up happening. He gritted his teeth against the thought, trying to console himself with the idea of a multibillion-dollar business deal. That's what this relationship was leading to... making more money. Brittany's father, Antonio D'Morne, was one of the top successful oil barons in the world. The man had bought the mining rights in one of the most lucrative areas in Kuwait. His only daughter was the sole heir to his estate, as well as being the CEO of the North American branch of their company. He didn't mind her being absent. It wasn't as if her being there would have made much of a difference to his mood. Of course, she would have offered some amount of distraction and act as a shield to those he was trying to elude. The reason he liked her was that she was different. Unlike the other women in his circle, she liked having fun and was not afraid to get into a little trouble. Her being absent, however, gave him too much time on his hands with nothing to do but watch the patrons binge on food and drink. Though the cruiser was originally meant for his personal use, he much preferred it earning its keep. One weekend on the Chasmac was anywhere between two hundred and three hundred and fifty thousand dollars per cabin. Even the thought of making twenty five million dollars per weekend was not appealing to him as he squinted up to the glaring afternoon May sun. There were countless females on the yacht, most of whom he'd “dated” at one time or another, so there was no shortage of female company. He could easily find someone with whom to pass the time. It wasn't as if he and Brittany were married, though the parents were pushing in that direction. He couldn't blame his father for that. A marriage between the two wealthiest heirs in Florida would mean a listing on the top five hundred wealthiest families in the world. He snickered at the thought of settling with any one woman. If there was such a woman, he hadn't met her to this day. Still, he felt completely and utterly forlorn without the attention of the female species. On the other hand, he was getting bored with the ones he knew. “I must be losing my edge,” he mumbled as he gazed over the expanse of the Atlantic. He sighed, raking his hand through his neatly cropped raven hair in frustrated fatigue. Lazily, he dragged his eyes along the lower deck where there was chatter and the occasional laughter. With a smirk, he closed his eyes for a second. He'd just about had enough of the group when a server came into view. She was skillfully hovering a tray on the tips of her fingers as she maneuvered through the small crowd. Her short black skirt fitted snugly against her hips and his eyes glued to her curves. Below the hem of the skirt, he made out long slender honey-colored legs. His gaze cruised the swing of her hips, traveled south to her shapely legs, and returned north, hoping to see more. Long dark brown tresses obscured her face from his view. He kept his eyes on her until she emptied the tray and returned to the direction of the main dining room. As she shuffled through the gathering, he watched, hoping to get a glimpse of her face. It wasn't to be. “Oh well,”he grunted, straightening himself. For an instant, he was intrigued, but the moment quickly faded. Chase let go of the rail, was about to return to his cabin when the yacht's general manager and his trusted friend approached.He groaned, knowing there must be trouble. George would never find him unless something was amiss. He turned to the red-faced man expectantly. “What's the matter, George?”he drawled. “Chase, the channel is down, we can't communicate with anyone ashore, didn't the captain tell you?” “Yeah, he did mention something,” he replied lazily in his rich baritone. Worry reflected on George's face. “I think we should return to shore. What if there's an emergency?” Chase stepped closer to his friend, placing an arm around his shoulder. “You worry too much,” he casually said. “Let's just finish the night and we'll return in the morning.” His eyes were drawn to the balcony below once more and the girl was returning with another tray. He still couldn't see her face. “Who is that?” he asked George. George followed his gaze,a frown furrowing his brows. “Who?” he asked scanning the crowd below. There were about twenty people hanging out on the balcony near the main dining room. Below that were two more small dining areas; one Chase kept for his 'close' friends and the other reserved as his secret game room. This was his playground away from the city. He had expected to have some fun on this sunny Friday afternoon, but the most fun he'd had since they left Downtown Tampa,was seeing the girl. Briefly, he wondered if her skin tasted as sweet as she looked. “Who?” George asked. His voice penetrated Chase's thoughts. He jutted his chin. “The girl...the one serving.” At that moment, another server with a tray came out, making it two serving the deck. “Which one?”George asked. “The one with the dark hair,” he said, having no interest in the blonde server. The red-haired man smiled and replied, “She's Maggie, a nice girl who works hard.” One brow shot up. “How long has she been working here?” “Three months,” George replied. The smile faded, replaced by a puzzled expression. “Why?” “I haven't seen her before,” he said. “Are you sure she's worked here every weekend for three months?” “I hired her, I should know.” Chase was surprised. He thought he knew all the women who worked on his yacht. Usually they made themselves known by asking to serve him at some point or another. Some of them had even made passes at him since he was only thirty-two and one of the most eligible bachelors in the state. “How come I haven't seen her before? Why hasn't she served me?” His eyes fixed on her. George let out a little breath and faced him. “I hate to break it to you, but Maggie isn't like the other girls.” He turned to George, glowering at him. “What do you mean?” “She doesn't care about your money or care to meet you,” was the reply. Chase felt a stab in his chest as if someone put a small dagger there. The feeling was only fleeting, to be quickly replaced by curiosity. He wanted to know about her. He cast his eyes below, resting them on her. She turned her face up to the sun, directly in his line of view. His heart gave a leap and then settled down into a nice gallop. His eyes riveted to her small pink glossy lips. He was getting his full when she turned away, trotting back to the dining room. Her face remained with him. Its oval shape and soft features were imprinted in his mind. He could not make out her eyes but he was sure they would be as enchanting as she was.