Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 128211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Knowing Finn would be at this meeting didn’t help, and when I popped off the bottom stair and found he was the only one in the mess, I internally rolled my eyes as I slid into the booth on the opposite side of the table from him.
There were cameras everywhere.
An awkward pause stretched between us, me tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear with a tight smile as Finn watched me with a thousand questions in his eyes. His expression still dripped with pity, and that made me narrow my gaze, my pathetic attempt at a civil smile dropping. I hoped my glare told him to stop fucking looking at me like that because I couldn’t say it again with all these lenses pointed right at us.
I pulled out my phone, pretending to type something in my notes app when really I just wanted to avoid looking at him. It wasn’t fair, how utterly attractive he was even after a day of sweating in the galley. In fact, I was pretty sure the sweat added to the allure.
He cracked his neck after a moment, which made me look up at him again, and the way he was looking at me tied my stomach into tight knots.
“Ember, I—”
“Hey, hey!” Palmer announced himself as he skipped down the last few steps, and then he slid into the booth next to Finn, making Finn move more toward the center of the table. Palmer rapped his knuckles on the table in a quick little beat, his grin wide. “First preference sheet meeting. You guys excited?”
He was playing it up for the cameras — which was what I should have been doing, too. This was what we were paid to do. But I was too busy watching Finn and wondering what he was about to say before Palmer interrupted.
Before I could think too much on it, Captain Gary descended into the crew mess. I slipped my phone back into my pocket as he greeted all of us before plopping down next to me and giving me no choice but to scoot in on the bench.
Toward Finn.
I let out a frustrated exhale that I hoped I covered well with a smile as Captain Gary slid the packets to each of us. I crossed my legs as I picked up the stack of papers, and then promptly froze.
My ankle touched Finn’s calf under the table.
It was innocent, that small touch, but electricity zapped through me as if we’d started dry humping right there for everyone to watch. My stomach hurdled to the ground at breakneck speed, a flash of memory from two years ago striking like another lightning bolt had a movie playing in my head.
His knees spreading my thighs. His hands in my hair. His breath hot on my neck as he bites it and curses my name.
“Fuck, Ember. You’re so good. You’re everything. I need this. I need you.”
I ripped away from the touch like his skin had burned me, my cheeks heating furiously as I cleared my throat and focused on the guest photos staring back at me from the pages in my hand.
I thought I heard Finn chuckle.
I angled my chin, just enough to glance at him out of the corner of my eye.
The prick was smiling.
“Right,” Captain Gary said, tapping the papers in his hands on the table to level them. “Let’s get this party started, aye? Our first primary guest is Alistair Sinclair. A self-made tech mogul in his early 40s, Alistair made his fortune in cryptocurrency and AI start-ups. He loves the finer things in life and is expecting nothing less than six-star service.”
“No pressure,” I muttered under my breath.
“He’s traveling with his wife, Theodora, who is a model and influencer. She would like candid photos taken of her as much as possible.” Captain Gary paused, looking up at Palmer. “Think that’s something you and the deck crew could handle when we’re anchored or cruising?”
“Take photos of a hot babe in her swimsuit? Jeez, you’re really asking a lot of me here, Cap.”
Captain Gary grinned but chose not to comment. “Alistair also has his best friend, Benedict, and wife, Brielle, with him, as well as his older brother, Max.”
“Since the guests are like gods in the crypto sector,” I read off the page, arching a brow at that sentence as my fellow crewmates snickered. “They would like a ‘Roman Empire Bacchanal’ on night two, complete with gold togas, laurel crowns, and lots of high-end wine.”
“Looks like Theodora will only eat organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, and high vibrational food,’” Finn read. “She also prefers no leafy greens, no red meat, is not a fan of poultry or soy, and despises raw fish.” He scrubbed a hand over his short beard, tilting his head to the side as he re-read that last part. “Delightful. Love an easy first charter.”