His machine beeps, and he studies the screen for a minute. “Welcome aboard, Mr. Lennon. Make yourselves comfortable.”
I incline my head in thanks, and we step on. Behind us, he greets the next person in the same way.
“I’m guessing those devices give them our entire profile, huh?” Ruby asks as he glances back at Cash.
“They do. It’s why we don’t need to carry around ID. They can verify our identities when they pull it up on their screens after scanning our bracelets. It prevents people from using someone else’s and whatever other trouble they could get up to under the pretense of being someone else.”
“The technology they have is really kind of cool. They’re very advanced.”
“Oscar comes back all the time telling me about something else he’s seen,” I say, smiling. “It sounds like Kala is always upgrading their technology to make staying here easier and even more hassle free.”
“It’s a pretty cool place, though I admit I haven’t explored a whole lot of it.”
“Hello, can y’all hear me?”
We turn to face Cash as he speaks into a mic. He’s moved away from the gate, having secured it shut. We’re slowly drifting away from the dock now.
“Hi,” Cash says, giving us all a big smile as he looks around. There’s a dozen of us on board, though I suspect the vessel can hold three or four times that since there’s a floor beneath the first. “My name is Cash.” He points to his chest where this name is. “This is my partner and captain, Onyx. Welcome to the Peeking Peter where we’re going to be looking under the ocean’s skirt for the next ninety minutes.”
“Peeking Peter,” someone repeats. There’s quiet laughter all around.
“Safety first. This boat is equipped with three life rafts able to hold a dozen people each. They can be found at each end of the boat under the middle benches, two in the back and one in the front. There are forty-five life jackets, which can be found stowed under the seats. You are not required to wear one, but if you’d like to, please feel free to help yourself.”
A few of the guys pull up one of the benches and start poking around through the life jackets as Cash continues.
“Your long list of don’t do’s is first. Yes, this list is curated from actions that people have done in the past. Do not stand on the rails. Do not climb over the rails. Do not stand on the benches or, furthermore, jump from the benches. Do not go near the captain while he’s operating the boat—or any other time since he’s a happily married man.”
We look at Onyx. He smirks, his eyes briefly flicking to Cash before he focuses on maneuvering the boat away from the docks and other vessels on the water.
“Do not try to take someone else’s partner while on the boat. No sex on my boat. Keep your hands out of your pants and anyone else’s pants. You may, however, squeeze an ass cheek aslong as you have permission to do so. We all love a nice ass. This trip is rated PG-13. If you can’t handle that, we will return you to the dock.” He pauses and looks around.
I grin, leaning in closer to Ruby. My heart skips when he lets his body weight rest against my side so I wrap my arm around his waist.
“No smoking, no drinking, no eating unless you share with me, no pets, no licking the windows or the rails or the captain or me! Keep your tongues to yourself.”
“Wow,” someone says.
“Yes. This is why warning labels are so long. We have to address things people have done in the past that they hadn’t been told not to do,” Cash deadpans, then he breaks out into a smile. “Okay, on to the good stuff. This cruise is ninety minutes. We’ll be navigating around the islands and visiting some prime locations. You will see stingrays, sea turtles, shipwrecks, reefs, colorful fish, and clear water. Youmaysee a shark or two. While it’s unlikely, there is also the chance that you might see a whale. We have in the past, and while we’re not directly on a migratory route, nor is it that time of year, we’ve been surprised before. You may see the occasional dolphin or pods of dolphins. You will not see sea monsters nor prehistoric sea animals. This isn’t that kind of tour.”
“It’s wild, the things people expect,” someone to our right murmurs.
Cash nods in agreement. “You’re free to head below deck at any time. Once we’re away from Anapos, the majority of our time on the Peeking Peter will be below deck. By the way, this is the time when I inform you that every inch of this ship is being recorded.Do not worry. These feeds are not connected to the internet in any way. These private feeds serve as a safety means for you and us alike. For security reasons, we keep them for up to three months. Yes, they record voices as well. No plotting murder, please. Also, we’ve signed NDAs just like you, so whatever secrets you have, they’re safe. Lastly, we see more thana hundred people a day. We’re not going to remember you once you step off our boat, so your secrets are triple safe. I promise, you’re not memorable. I’m in love with my husband, and I’ve yet to see anyone who holds even a third of the appeal that he does. You’re all just blurs and blobs. Not sorry.”
Ruby laughs. “I like him.”
Quiet laughter surrounds us. Onyx shakes his head, his lazy smile not fading as he navigates the ship.
“Now, everyone head below deck. It’s time to peek under the skirt of the ocean. Yes, we’re going to see some big things. We’re also going to see some small things. There is something here for everyone’s kink, uh, preferences. Hurry up. Hold on to the handrails, or I’m going to list the reasons why you need to hang onto the handrails, and you don’t want to be the cause of that.”
“I want to be his friend,” someone says behind us.
I nod in agreement.
The lower deck is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. There are floor-to-ceiling glass panels that flow into the glass panels on the floor. The lights are a soft blue.
“Which side is the best?” Ruby asks Cash as we pass.
“They’re both equally stunning,” Cash says and makes a pointed look to his left. “Beautiful views everywhere.”
