Stowaways

by Lily Harlem

  “Oui, and no slacking. Check every container number off against the list.”

  “Yes, Captain.” He’d added a note of defiance into the word captain, but luckily Victor didn’t seem to pick up on it.

  Olivia spent the next three hours working on the broken winch. It was easy enough to fix, and the toolbox was adequate, it was just a bit fiddly.

  Both Evan and Mason checked in on her to see how it was going. Mason wasn’t happy that Victor wanted him to remain on the bridge pretty much all the time and only stayed with her for a minute. Evan was bored stiff of number checking the containers and lingered, reluctant to go back to his job.

  “How did Raul’s steak breakfast go down?” Olivia asked, picking up the toolbox.

  “Very well.” Evan grinned “At least Victor likes one of his crew.”

  “Raul has a way of winning hearts.”

  “Yeah, he does.” He nodded at the tools. “What are you going to do now?”

  “I’ll go and see how Harry and Lucas are.”

  “Lucas was over there a few minutes ago.” Evan nodded to the right.

  “What? He’s supposed to be hiding out.”

  “That seems to have completely passed him by. Said he wanted the fresh air and to see the ocean.”

  “Well, as long as Victor doesn’t catch him.”

  “I don’t think he will. Raul said he downed a bottle of red with his breakfast.”

  “Blimey, will his liver even make it to France?”

  “I suspect his liver is well used to the abuse.” Evan studied his file.

  “How long are you going to do this?” she asked. “You must be getting hungry.”

  “Yeah, I am. I’ll do a bit more then go and see what’s cooking for us.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.”

  The engineer’s room was small and functional. It held a couple of filing cabinets, an old laptop, a swivel chair, and a heavy wooden desk. A calendar, from two years ago, was pinned on the wall and showed the month of July and a topless woman.

  Olivia took it down and shoved it in a drawer. A ship this size should have a small team of engineers, not just one. Victor really was flying by the seat of his pants. He clearly thought he could do everything, be a one-man show. No big boat could run that way.

  After having a quick look through some manuals, and leaving a couple on the desk to study in more depth, she headed back down the stairs to the living quarters.

  Quietly, she opened the door of cabin one.

  Harry was on the bed. He still had his hands behind his head, and his eyes were closed.

  Deciding not to disturb him, she shut the door.

  When she turned, Evan was standing there.

  “Hey,” he said, grinning.

  She smiled. “Harry’s asleep.”

  He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. “That’s a shame.”

  “Why is that?”

  “I thought we might be able to pass the time together. The three of us.”

  “I’d like that.” A little fizz of excitement ran through her. Some alone time with Harry and Evan was exactly the kind of thing she’d been hoping for.

  “Shall we wake him?” Evan asked, slipping his hand beneath her t-shirt and edging up toward her breasts.

  “I’m sure he wouldn’t complain.” She stroked his hair back from his brow and kissed him. He tasted of man and sex, and heat pooled between her legs at the thought of what was to come.

  “Mmm,” he said with a groan. “You make me so hard.”

  “I’m glad.” She squirmed against him. His cock was a solid wedge of flesh beneath the material of his jeans.

  “So you’re that sort of woman, huh.”

  Olivia froze as Victor’s voice echoed down the metal-walled corridor.

  “Shit,” Evan muttered as he released her.

  With short, sharp movements, she tugged at the crease in her t-shirt, then glanced at the door Harry was sleeping behind.

  “Should have guessed,” Victor said, lumbering toward them. “You English girls are well known for it.”

  “Well known for what?” she said, though the truth was, Victor had been told she was married to Raul, so to be caught kissing Evan was rather damning.

  “Playing around,” he said, hardly pausing as he squeezed past. “Unable to resist a pretty face.” He laughed and nodded at Evan. “And you have got a pretty face, boy.”

  Evan scowled and clenched his fists.

  Olivia shook her head.

  “But don’t worry,” Victor threw over his shoulder as he moved away. “Your secret is safe with me. I don’t want the chef upset, might put him off his stride, and he’s a decent cook. I reckon I’ll be eating well for the next week or so.”

  He went from view, and Olivia blew out a breath. “That wasn’t great, but at least he didn’t start going in the rooms down here.”

  “What the heck is going on?” Harry peered out of the door. “Was that the captain?”

  “Yeah, and you should stay in there,” Evan said. “Seems he’s not drunk enough to crash out just yet.”

  “Where’s Lucas?” Harry frowned.

  “Wandering about on deck.” Olivia shook her head. “I should go and warn him.”

  “Yeah, you do that.” Evan picked up his clipboard, which he’d set on a narrow shelf. “I’d better get back to my inventory.”

  “Inventory?” Harry said.

  “My job,” Evan muttered. “You go and put your feet up, Vidal.”

  “Hey, it’s not by choice.” Harry rubbed his stomach. “It’s boring, and I’m hungry.”

  “I’ll find something in the kitchen for you,” Olivia said.

  “Thanks, Liv.” He closed the door with a quiet click.

  “We shouldn’t underestimate Victor,” Evan said, steering her along the corridor. “He’s the sort to have eyes in the back of his head.”

  “I agree.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  After taking Harry some bread, cheese, and pickles, Olivia went in search of Lucas.

  It took about half an hour of wandering around the containers, but she didn’t mind. Being on the water was good for her soul.

  Eventually, she found him at the stern, tucked mostly out of sight and staring into the distance.

  “Hey,” she said, walking up behind him and slotting her arms around his waist.

  He didn’t start, so she guessed he’d known she was there.

  “Hey, yourself,” he said, resting his big hands on her forearms.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Just enjoying the view.”

  She peered around his shoulder. Africa was in the distance, to the left. Other than that, there was just the foamy wake of Joan D’Arc on the dark water.

  “The Atlantic feels familiar, even if this is thousands of miles from where Mason and I would usually sail on it.”

  “I know what you mean.” She studied the rich blue sea. It was unfathomably deep in places and held creatures she couldn’t begin to imagine.

  “You ever been on anything this big?” Lucas asked.

  “No. You?”

  “Nah, doesn’t really hold any appeal. Stinky old engine.”

  “It’s functional, better for the environment than flying cargo around.”

  “Just.”

  She slid to his side, and he wrapped an arm around her. “You need to keep out of sight a bit, Lucas. Victor was wandering around downstairs.”

  “Ah, I’m not worried about him.”

  “I know you’re not. But let’s get at least halfway there before he realizes he has stowaways.”

  Lucas chuckled. “Nothing he can do about it now.”

  “He can throw you overboard.”

  “He can try.” He sighed.

  “You okay?”

  “Aye.”

  She sensed there was more. “What is it?” She paused. “Are you missing Paul?”

  He ran his hand over his short, shar
p hair and glanced away.

  “It’s okay if you are,” she said.

  “I didn’t want to bring it up,” he said, turning to her again. “I know it didn’t exactly end well between you two.”

  “But he’s your brother. You love him. I’d expect you to miss him and that’s fine by me. There’s no need to hide your feelings, Lucas.”

  He set a kiss on her temple. “You’re always so good at understanding.”

  “Maybe that’s because I miss him, too.” She allowed her gaze to settle on the long white trail that wound into the distance. “I thought he’d be with us. One of us. One of my husbands.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “There is no need for you to be sorry.”

  “I feel there is. He’s my brother. Mason and I allowed him into your life and into your bed, and you ended up crying.”

  She swallowed. It would be easy to cry again now, just thinking of how it had ended with Paul and how much she missed him. He’d been handsome, clever, funny, and a challenge. For a while he’d been hers, and she’d enjoyed his attention and affection.

  “See,” Lucas said, tugging her a little closer. “This is what I mean. I’m sorry that you’re hurt.”

  “Paul is his own man, Lucas. He wouldn’t do what you and Mason tell him to, nor me. At the end of the day he wanted me to himself, he didn’t want to share.”

  “He told you that?”

  “Yes. Being one husband out of six was never going to work for him in the long term, and he didn’t even take the wedding ceremony seriously.”

  “Which is why he got a beating from Mason and me.” He hesitated. “I didn’t know he wanted you for himself, though. Taking you away from us would have been…I don’t even want to think about it.” He stroked his finger over her collar.

  “It was never going to happen. I love you all too much.”

  “And for that I’m grateful.”

  She looked up at Lucas. His features were similar to Paul’s, though Paul had a few lines around his eyes, a sprinkle of freckles over his nose, and his lashes held a hint of bronze to them rather than being blond.

  Suddenly the ship’s horn rang out.

  Olivia jumped as the sound blasted through her ears.

  Lucas laughed.

  “What on earth?” she said, gripping his t-shirt.

  “I guess the captain likes to make his whereabouts on the ocean known.”

  “I wish he wouldn’t, that’s deafening.”

  “We’ve got about ten days of this if we carry on at this speed. I reckon he’ll irritate the hell out of us on every one of those days.”

  “Well we are hitching a lift, so I guess we’ll have to put up with it. I took some lunch to Harry a while ago, there’s plenty of it if you’re hungry.”

  “Mmm, I might go and get some. The room next to Harry’s will do for Mason and me. I’ll relieve him on the bridge later so he can get some rest. Victor will never know.”

  “I guess you could get away with that.”

  “Of course we can.” He laughed. “We used to do it all the time at school.”

  When Lucas went to get some lunch with Harry, then spend some time on the bridge, Olivia made her way down to the galley.

  Raul was sitting on a stool chatting to Victor.

  Victor had a drink in his hand, though Raul was nursing a mug of coffee. It seemed Victor had decided Raul was his new best friend. Olivia wasn’t sure how pleased Raul would be about that, he liked to rule the roost in his kitchen.

  “Ah, here she is…your wife,” Victor said, turning Olivia’s way and gesturing at her with his glass.

  “Mi niña hermosa.” Raul smiled at her.

  “She is very beautiful,” Victor chuckled. “Always dangerous for a man to have a beautiful wife.”

  Olivia stepped close to Raul.

  He slipped his hand around her waist.

  “Oui, very dangerous, you should watch out, my friend. While you are in the kitchen, cooking, there are other men on this boat who would like to steal her away from you.”

  “My wife cannot be stolen away from me.” Raul set a kiss on her cheek. “Isn’t that right, Olivia.”

  “Of course that’s right.”

  Victor laughed, a horrible deep noise that held disdain for her. “One bit of advice for you, from a French man to a Spanish man, keep her in your bed at night and keep her satisfied, that is the best you can do.”

  “And that’s exactly what I always do,” Raul said, slipping his hand to her ass. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, because I am going to prepare a meal now, for all the crew.” He jumped from the stool and scooted to the refrigerator. “It will be pork with apples, is that okay?”

  “More than okay with me.” Victor stood and rubbed his belly. “Doesn’t seem long since breakfast, but I’m happy to eat again if there’s someone cooking.”

  “And that is what I do…but I need space.” Raul spread out his hands. “In my galley.”

  “I am going.” Victor finished his drink. “I need to check on that Scottish man, see if he’s charting the route properly.”

  “I’m sure he is,” Olivia said. “He’s an expert at what he does.”

  Victor studied her. “And just how well do you know him?”

  “Mason? Very well,” she said. “We’ve worked on boats together before. He’s a great guy.”

  He raised his brows. “So you like pretty boy and the Braveheart.” He laughed and clasped his hand on Raul’s shoulder. “Oui, you need to watch this one.”

  As he left the kitchen, Olivia glared at his beefy shoulders. “Honestly!” She turned to Raul. “Just as well it’s not a problem, he could cause real issues between a man and his wife.”

  “Who is Pretty Boy?”

  “Evan. He saw me kissing him earlier.”

  Raul laughed. “So you are not innocent in his eyes.”

  She frowned. “I guess. But I’ve enjoyed not being judged, not having to worry about hiding my affection for any of you.”

  “And that’s how it should be, and it will be again.” He nodded at the kettle. “Get a hot drink and keep me company.”

  “Okay.” She did as he’d asked then sat and sipped her tea. “This tastes funny.”

  “Strange teabags, not your usual,” he said, slicing up onions. “Not much we can do about that.”

  “I’m sure it will be fine.” She set the drink aside.

  Raul cooked a huge portion of food. Enough for Lucas and Harry to have their fill and for Victor to be none the wiser about the two extra mouths on board.

  She then stayed in the kitchen, helping Raul tidy up and listening to him chatter about the supplies in the fridge and what he’d make over the next few days. His conversation turned to Spain and his restaurant and how much he was looking forward to her meeting his mother and seeing his apartment over his restaurant.

  Eventually it became dark outside, the small portholes in the kitchen allowing just a small glimpse of sky. Her feet grew tired.

  “I am finished,” Raul said. “And now it is time for bed.”

  “Can I sleep with you?” she asked.

  “Ah, you do not even need to ask.” He grinned. “Of course I want you in my bed. Tonight and every night, but I know I have to share nicely.”

  “You do share nicely, and I’m grateful for that.” She leaned against him as he led her from the kitchen. Suddenly she felt exhausted, as if she couldn’t keep her eyes open for another minute. Her limbs were heavy, and thinking straight was hard.

  She was grateful that Raul led her straight to his room, then let her use the small bathroom first.

  By the time he’d also showered and crawled into bed with her, she was already half asleep. Feeling his warm arms around her and breathing in the scent of soap on his skin, sent her into a deep and dreamless sleep.

  When she woke, Raul was dressing, though he was staggering slightly. It seemed they’d hit choppy water. The huge boat l
olled left and right, sending a few of Raul’s belongings sliding on the shelf until they reached the lip that surrounded it.

  “We have hit sea horses,” Raul said, dragging on his jeans. “They are galloping beneath us and creating waves.”

  Olivia stretched her arms above her head and pointed her toes. “Mmm, but nothing we haven’t coped with before, and on boats much smaller than this one.”

  “Si, it is okay, perhaps they will help us get to Spain quicker.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I will go and cook. Set up our big captain for another day at sea.”

  “Okay.”

  “And you come and get food, too, when you’re properly awake.” He smoothed her hair back from her cheek. “You still look pale and tired.”

  “Do I?”

  “Si.” He frowned slightly. “I will do you eggs and cheese, build up your strength.”

  “Perhaps not cheese for breakfast.”

  “Okay, just eggs, lots of eggs. And some for Harry and Lucas, too.”

  “I’ll be there soon.” She paused as the boat lurched. “Just another ten minutes in bed.”

  Olivia dosed for a while, the rocking of the ship lulling her in and out of a light sleep. Eventually she got up, knowing Victor would likely be looking for her with a list of jobs.

  After showering, she pulled on her denim skirt and a t-shirt then added socks and boots to the look. Not glamorous, but practical and cool. She straightened out the bedclothes and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Her stomach rumbled, and she thought of the eggs Raul had promised as she headed out of the cabin and toward the kitchen, which was on the next deck down.

  When she peered through the small round window on the galley door, her heart stuttered.

  Paul?

  No. It was Mason. For a moment his wide shoulders, the way he was standing with his hands shoved in his pockets, had made her think he was his older brother.

  She tried to push away the sadness that she wouldn’t be seeing Paul for a long time. Sure, he’d driven her crazy, it was never going to work between them, but that didn’t mean he’d gone from her mind or her heart.

  “Hey.” Mason turned as she wandered in. “How are you, hen?”

  “Good.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You?”