“And Romeo here,” Cheddar continues. She turns to River. “You still haven’t explained what happened. You were on for a sure thing with Tessa.”
River grits her teeth. It’s a subtle move, but I see the flex in her jaw. “She’d drunk too much. You know I’m about clear consent. She wasn’t in a fit state to give it.”
There’s a look shared between Kit and River that has me intrigued. There’s a story there. Kit knows something, and whatever River told her it’s connected to last night.
My journalist brain files it away, even as I tell myself it doesn’t matter.
Cheddar didn’t notice, and Boot isn’t even paying attention to the conversation.
“Yeah, fair enough then. Still, shitty for you, mate,” Cheddar says, heading for the coffee pot.
“These are really good, Cleo,” Boot suddenly says. I tear my attention away from River.
“Thanks. I’m no professional but I’m pleased with them.”
The women spend the next twenty minutes flicking through the photos and asking questions. River doesn’t leave, but she also doesn’t really get involved.
By the time their break is over, River is champing at the bit to leave. They have another five hours on shiftand then they’re done for the day. Kit invited me to a card night, which I accepted. I hope River is okay with that. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable around me, or like I’m invading her space. Then again, it was her idea to start afresh.
“You’re cheating,” Cheddar cries as she flings her cards down. Kit is laughing herself into a coughing fit, Boot claps and does a strange little dance, and River shakes her head, smiling.
I lay my palm open and wait for what I’m owed. A six-pack of Wotsits.
“You’re just bad at poker.” I laugh.
We’ve been playing for the past hour, and I’ve wiped the floor with all of them. Cheddar was the only one who came close to beating me, which made her cocky. Nothing new there. But she overreached, and is now six bags of her precious Wotsits poorer for it.
Wiping away her tears, Kit slaps Cheddar on the back. “I gotta say, Cheds. It’s a marvellous thing watching you get taken down a peg or two.”
“Rude,” Cheddar replies, but she’s smiling.
“Necessary,” Kit shoots back. “We’ve got enough with River and her massive ego. I can’t deal with you too!”
“Hey, don’t bring me into it,” River calls from the other side of the lounge. “Who wants another beer?”
We all raise our hands.
“One more round,” Cheddar demands. She’s already shuffling the cards. Boot and Kit take their places at the table. River sets our drinks down and settles next to me.
I’ll be honest, her presence right next to me has been a little distracting. Every time she reaches for her beer, her arm brushes mine. When she laughs at Cheddar’s terrible bluff, the sound does something to my stomach.
She’s hot without even trying.
We’ve established my weakness for a woman in a uniform, but something about River in particular has my legs feeling unsteady every time I look at her.
It’s the bad girl thing. The undeniable confidence she is the sexiest person in the room…and knows it. She both excites me and pisses me off. It’s why she’s dangerous for me. Shit, I should have taken Laura up on her offer to have agood time. Maybe then I wouldn’t be thinking of River in a way that would make my therapist groan in frustration.
Dr Patel would have a field day with this. “Cleo, you’re attracted to unavailability,” she’d say in that patient voice. “Women who can’t give you what you need.”
River Dawson is the poster child for unavailable.
Maybe another beer isn’t such a great idea. We’re only on day one of a two-month stretch at sea. I can’t lose focus now. Instead, I pick up my cards and proceed to take another six-pack of Wotsits from Cheddar.
It’s close to midnight before we call it. They all have a full day’s work ahead of them and an inspection in the morning. I get the feeling that WO Benson is a difficult man to please. River seemed extra salty when Kit reminded her they needed to get the bunkroom prepared for his visit.
“Can I walk you to your quarters?” River asks as I pick up my belongings. Her voice is soft, and her eyes aren’t quite meeting mine.
“Um, sure.”
