Page 183 of Just for the Cameras
“A private evening,” he answers just as one of the crew members, wearing a hat, steps up.
“Good evening, Mr. St. John, Miss Baker. I’m Captain Rodger. We are very excited to have you join us this evening.”
Graydon shakes his hand firmly. “Thank you for making accommodations for us.”
“Of course. Let me introduce my crew to you.” He gestures to a man next to him. “This is Lionel, my first mate. And next to him is Sam. He will be taking care of all your needs tonight. Please do not hesitate to ask him for anything.”
Graydon nods toward them, and I wave while I lean into Graydon.
“Shall we get you on board?” Captain Rodger asks.
“That would be great,” Graydon says.
Captain Rodger leads us onto the boat and gives us a brief tour. It’s really not a big yacht at all, which I like. Anything too big would have been obnoxious. There is a back sitting area where I can foresee spending most of the night, an indoor dining space if it gets cold or rains, and the front of the boat, also known as the bow—just learned that—has space to lie down but it feels more exposed to me. I’d rather sit in the back.
“Get comfortable. We will bring out drinks soon.”
Graydon thanks the crew and then turns toward me. “Where do you want to sit?”
“Can we sit in the back?” I ask.
“Don’t you mean ‘stern’?”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever. It just feels more private back there.”
“I agree.” He lifts my knuckles to his lips and kisses them softly before walking me out to the back of the boat where there is bench seating, a table, and two chairs that face out toward the ocean. I choose one of those to sit in.
“What are you doing?” he asks, staring down at me while I get comfortable in my chair.
I look around as if I’m missing something and then say, “Uh, sitting down.”
“Yeah, in a chair.”
“Isn’t that what they’re made for?”
“You need to sit on the bench.”
I glance at the bench and back at him. “But then I have a view of the boat when I want a view of the ocean.”
“But with you sitting on the chair, I can’t hold you like I want. On the bench, you can sit in my lap.”
I chuckle. “Umm, didn’t know you were so needy.”
“Not needy, that’s just how I fucking like it.”
I nod. “Okay, I hear you, but how about this? We sit in the chairs for a little bit and then we can move to the bench, but only if we sit in the corner so we have a view of the ocean too.”
He seems to mull that over for a moment before grumbling under his breath and taking a seat in the chair next to mine.
“Let me know how you really feel,” I say on a laugh.
“Unpleased.” Then he scoots his chair as close to mine as it will go and places his hand on my thigh.
“Are you…throwing a tantrum?”
He stares out toward the dock. “No.”
I chuckle and lean in toward him. “Oh my God, you are.” I run my finger over his chest and then up to his jaw, where I turn his head so he’s looking at me.
