Sexy Sailor
I can’t wait to see you later. I’m going to stop texting now and hit the gym, because I have a serious case of lady blue balls.
I burst out laughing. She’s not the only one. Dropping my phone to the unmade bed, I dry myself off, humming to distract my brain from conjuring delicious images of River and me…in bed…wet and wanting.
“Jesus,” I hiss at myself.
Work, that’s what I need to do. Work until I can’t think anymore. With a pile of interviews done and typed up, I’ve decided to get a little more involved with the crew. So far I’ve talked to a few selected people, but I really want to experience the life of a sailor as authentically as possible. With the permission of the captain, I’m going to shadowdifferent sectors, with the hopes I’m put to work. I want to know what it is about the job that thrills people enough to make a potential life at sea their career for forty-plus years. Obviously not every crew member will retire out. Some will do the mandatory four years and then take advantage of the many perks of being an ex-sailor. I know the Royal Navy is pretty good at offering ex-service people opportunities to train in areas which would help them in civilian life.
For a while, growing up, I wondered why my dad hadn’t taken advantage of those programmes. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t want to work close to home. It made me angry every time he came home on shore leave, only to ship out again. The older I got, the more pissed off I became, and then he cheated on Mum and that was that. Our relationship was barely anything.
It’s possible the next few weeks might give me an insight into his mind. Maybe I can understand what drew him so deeply into this life that he couldn’t do anything else.
To some degree I see similarities to him in River. The interview she gave me was bullshit and we both know it. The real reason she belongs here is much deeper. Is it possible for someone to be born to do this? Was my dad?
My first shadowing experience will be on the bridge with the captain. I’ve chosen her first for two reasons. First,respect. Captain Morley has been nothing but welcoming and accommodating. I’ve seen her only once since the dinner with my father, and I feel she deserves some time. I want to know what it took for her to get where she is, and I really want to see her in action. Second, I want to observe her with the crew, namely her lieutenants. I want to satisfy my curiosity and belief that Captain Morley wouldn’t sanction the bad and discriminatory behaviour of her officers and crew. I’ll have to spend more than a day with her for that, but we’ve still got weeks at sea, so I’m not worried.
Before I go anywhere, though, I need to call Honor, because she’ll hurt me if I fail to regale her with last night’s date—in detail—again.
“Did she sweep you off your feet?” Honor asks as the call connects.
Laughing, I shake my head. “One day you’ll say hello like a normal person.”
“Pfft, boring. I am impressed you called though. I was preparing myself for a game of phone tag until I got hold of you.”
“Well, I said I’d call, and here I am.”
“The date, Cleo. Spill.”
And so I do. I tell her about the lovely, yet slightly chilly, stroll around the flight deck. She gasps and squeals when I tell her about the gorgeous picnic River arranged. Honor asked me to describe the view in so much detail I felt as if I were back on that platform, staring out to sea with the stars shining down.
Bloody hell, it was a good second date.
“Christ, Cleo. I’d have dragged her into my bed without a second thought.”
“Trust me, I wanted to. I want to!”
“Do it. Seriously, she’s going to rock your world.”
Don’t I know it!
“And don’t start bleating on about the rules you set in place, blah blah blah. You’re practically on date one hundred in lesbian terms with being in such close quarters. You like her and you want her. Go for it! Have weeks of mind and body altering sex.”
“You’re extremely bossy sometimes, my love.” I chuckle.
“Yes, you tell me nearly every time we talk. I’m right though, so get to it and ca—”
“I will not be calling you with a rundown of my sex life, Honor.”
“Ugh, fine. How is everything else going? Have you cracked the super-secret case?”
“Not yet, but I will. Look, I need to get to work.”
“Love you,” she sings.
Now my mind is back on River and it’s not ideal when I need to face the captain, so I think I’ll go for a walk around the ship first.
Stopping for a coffee in the lounge, I see Grey sitting at a table alone. I’m tempted to sit with her, but then my gut kicks in and I know it would be a mistake. Maybe because River said she had something to share with me. It’s not a leap to think it’s in relation to Benson, and therefore Grey to some degree.
