Page 39 of Weathering The Storm

“Yep,” Nick says. “Sooner we finish, the more sleep everybody can get while we’re anchored.”

“You’ve got it, boss.” Zach ties his long hair back into a ponytail. “I’d pull the damn things in with my bare hands for an extra hour in bed.”

He heads back down straightaway, but I stay for a minute. Wondering if Nick is thinking the same thing I am when he meets my eyes.

I’ve never wished for shitty weather before. Especially not during this time of year.

Winter’s first breath is clashing with the last remnants of summer warmth, brewing heavy winds, choppy seas, and freezing rain. But if it keeps us stuck at St. Paul Harbor, I’m crossing my fingers that the storm lingers as long as possible.

Anchoring means anchorwatch.Which means that, for a four-hour window, my bunkmate will be gone. And Nick will have nowhere he needs to be.

“Looks like I’ll have a cabin to myself later,” I say.

He swallows. “Should be nice and quiet. Without the snoring.”

“Real quiet.” I drop my lips to his ear. Close enough that the warmth of sleep on his skin makes me shiver. “So how quiet do you thinkyoucan be, Captain?”

“Just me?” he murmurs, fighting his smile. “You’re louder than I am.”

“That’s why I’m gonna count on you to keep my mouth busy.”

Desire fills his eyes like the thick cloud of mist at the base of a waterfall. “Your mouth is busy ruining me. That’s what it’s doing.”

“God, I hope so. I’d love to ruin you, if you’ll let me.”

A pained rumble works its way up from the back of his throat.

I want him like crazy, but I leave him with the open invitation. Sneaking into my cabin has risks, and I don’t want him in my bed if he’s going to be nervous the entire time.

He might not show up. I certainly shouldn’t look forward to it… but I can’t help myself.

The minutes pass by quicker on deck when they feel like stepping stones toward four whole hours of privacy. The waterslapping my face doesn’t feel so cold when I think about crawling under the sheets with him afterward.

I meant everything I promised Nick. For him, I’ll keep any secret. I’ll take every precaution. I’ll pretend he’s nothing more than my boss.

I just hate that hiding means losing more time we could’ve had together. We’ve already lost enough.

Chapter 11

Seth

Perry’s been on anchor watch for the last fifteen minutes, and Nick still isn’t here.

I’m doing my best not to treat every second like it’s being stolen from me.

He might’ve forgotten. He might be too nervous about getting caught to venture down here while Orlov and Jorgensen are in the next room. He might be knocked out in his own bed, with how hard we’ve all been working.

I wouldn’t blame him for it—I’d be glad if he got some extra rest—but that doesn’t stop me from waiting by my cabin door when Iget out of the shower. Cracking it every so often to peek out into the silent hall.

At some point, I recognize I’m not being the go-with-the-flow guy I vowed to be, and I resolve to go to bed. But then I hear the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. It takes everything I have not to run down the hallway, meet him halfway, and kiss the ever-loving hell out of him.

I settle for pulling him in by his shirt as soon as he’s close enough and dragging him inside, locking the door behind us.

Like the needle of a compass drawn north, my body points toward his. There’s a magnetic pull bringing my chest to his chest. My mouth to his mouth.

“Thought you were asleep,” I whisper, tracing his lips with my tongue.

He tastes like toothpaste, he smells like the clean, powdery soap he uses, and his hair is soaked through, water dripping from the ends down my face as I rest my forehead against his.