Before he could say more, Miss Jo approached the table, carrying a tray with a variety of dishes and two tall, frosted glasses. She placed the tray on the table, and Devin looked at the dishes, curious as to what she’d decided to serve them.
“I think you boys will like this,” she said. “Conch fritters, with my own special dipping sauce. Fried plantains that were hanging on the tree this very morning. And a rum punch that will go down as smooth as honey.”
Paul leaned over the tray and breathed in deeply. “Mm…. The fritters smell incredible.” He picked one up and dunked it in the sauce. An expression of bliss flitted across his face when he popped the fritter into his mouth, and he gave Devin a thumbs-up as he chewed.
“I think he likes them, Miss Jo,” Devin said, pleased with Paul’s response. “I really do need to find a way to wheedle your secrets from you!”
Miss Jo wagged her finger at him. “That won’t happen. If they got out, I’d lose the company of all you pretty boys. Now eat up, and enjoy the day.”
Devin turned his attention to the food as well, selecting a fritter and then dipping it in the sauce. He’d had Miss Jo’s concoction before, of course, but as he sampled the fritter, he thought he tasted more than just the chili and other spices he’d had before. There was a distinct woody note this time, and he made a mental note to ask Miss Jo about it.
They ate in companionable silence, enjoying the food and the scenery. The rum punch was as smooth as Miss Jo had said, but again he detected an unfamiliar note underlying the rum and coconut milk.
“Was it all that I promised?” Devin asked when Paul had swallowed the last delicious bite of plantain.
“Definitely.” Paul’s posture had relaxed as the rum punch took effect, and he appeared far more at ease now than he had at any point on the ship. “Both the food and the view are amazing.”
“Let me pay for our lunch, and then if you’d like, we can walk down to the beach,” Devin said as he rose to his feet. He collected up everything back onto the tray. “I’ll be right back.”
Leaving Paul to enjoy the sun, Devin disposed of the paper trash and returned the tray and glasses to the window.
“Did you enjoy it?” Miss Jo asked, beaming at Devin with affection. “How about your man?”
“He’s not my man, Miss Jo,” Devin protested. “He’s a coworker from the ship, that’s all. I was assigned to show him the ropes, and I thought he should learn about the high points of the islands as well as the workings on the ship.”
“You’re a smart boy,” Miss Jo said. She didn’t seem at all perturbed about his admission that Paul wasn’t his boyfriend. “He’s very pretty. You should keep him, Devin. I know a good match when I see one.”
Devin chuckled and shook his head. “I’ve only known him a few days. We’re not even friends yet,” he protested. Not that he would mind getting to know Paul much, much better. He pulled out his wallet and counted out the cost for their meal, adding a generous tip for Miss Jo’s hospitality. “By the way, I noticed you added a new spice to the sauce, and I think the same one is in the rum, isn’t it? What is it? It tasted quite woody.”
“You’ve a good tongue,” Miss Jo replied with a grin. “You should tell your man that.”
Laughing, Devin shook his head. “Enough with the matchmaking! Or are you trying to distract me from my question?”
“I suppose telling you one secret won’t hurt. It was just a little bois bande.”
“Wait… what?” Devin looked at her in surprise. “You put an aphrodisiac in the sauce?”
Bois bande was well known in the islands, reputed to make men virile and to inspire lust. The name meant “erection wood,” and he’d heard of it in his study of the local cuisine, though he’d never tried it. He felt his cheeks heating up, and he resisted the urge to smack his head against the wall of the house.
“It was just a smidgen,” Miss Jo replied with a casual shrug. “Enough to help with inspiration, that’s all. What you do with it… well, that’s up to you.”
“Great. Thanks, Miss Jo.” Devin shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know what to tell Paul.”
“Don’t tell him a thing. It’s only reputed to be an aphrodisiac, right? If there is nothing to the rumors, then nothing will happen.”
Devin hoped she was right. Not that he didn’t find Paul attractive—he definitely did—but he had no idea if Paul even thought of him in that way. It was probably best not to mention the spice and forget about it himself.
After bidding Miss Jo farewell, Devin returned to Paul. “How about that walk?”
Paul hesitated, frowning slightly, and then he took refuge in the neutral demeanor Devin was all too familiar with. “I suppose a short walk wouldn’t hurt.”
“Are you worried about walking in the sand?” Devin asked quietly. “It’s packed well along this stretch, so you shouldn’t have any problems.”
“It’s not that.” There was a flash of melancholy in Paul’s eyes before he blinked it away. “The last time I walked on the beach was with my ex.”
It was obvious from Paul’s demeanor that the “ex” must have made the choice to end the relationship, and Devin felt pretty certain he now knew where a lot of Paul’s insecurity stemmed from. He decided pragmatism was the best way to approach the situation, although there was a part of him that would have been happy to track down Paul’s ex and smack the shit out of him.
You didn’t even smack the last guyyouwent out with, a little voice inside his head taunted him.And he sure deserved it.Devin winced slightly at the reminder, knowing it was always easier to deal with someone else’s problems than his own. No doubt what had happened with Brad was different than what Paul had experienced, but Devin understood the pain of believing in someone and having his trust violated.
