She shrugs. “I’m trying to help.”
“By insulting me? I am not like a robot. You could have just said I was a gentleman and left it at that.”
She winces. “Sorry?”
“I experience very complicated emotions all the time!” I whirl on her, holding up my hand before I remember that it’s a hook. I drop it with a disgusted grunt. “Is that how you see me?”
She pulls in her lower lip, nibbling it.
“That is unfair,” I snap. “We barely know each other. How would you be able to draw that conclusion from the few meetings we have had?”
“Lower your tone,” the man says, deciding to step in to be the hero. “Or I will lower it for you.”
“I think you’re mistaken, princeling,” a new voice rings out. “We are not in the wrong here. We are honest merchants.” A tall brown-haired woman strides through the doorway of the Captain’s quarters, followed closely by either Michael or John, now making it so that there are seven people crowded in here and I feel my agoraphobia replaced by claustrophobia.
The woman’s long brown hair also looks perfectly manicured. It is held back by a bandana and reveals large hoop earrings hanging from her ears. Her skin is tan but not weathered at all. With probably about six freckles strategically scattered across her cheeks. She is also dressed up as a pirate, but her clothes are a lot more snuggly fit, highlighting her legs which are long and slim and seem to go on and on.
“You must be Wendy,” is what I would say if I were a normal, functioning human being. But unfortunately for me, Wendy is a lot more attractive than I had been expecting from someone with a name like that, so I wind up just spluttering out, “W—Wendy?”
She winks at me, her hazel eyes sparkling. “Don’t worry, Captain, I’ve got this.” Then she folds her arms as she turnsto the other most attractive person in the room. The man she called the “princeling”.
It’s sad that I don’t even count in the top two most attractive people in the room, but these two are so athletic and beautiful it’s like they’re gods. Or maybe just models.
All I know is that they have a gym membership for sure and not a hastily set up treadmill in the corner of their studio with a few weights set up next to it.
Vera smacks me as if she can read my thoughts. Or maybe I wasn’t so subtle in checking Wendy out. I blink multiple times, reminding myself of the dire situation. I can’t afford to get distracted. I need to figure out a way to get home.
Although maybe that will keep her from stating that I don’t find women attractive if it ever comes up in the future.
“I know the stench of pirates when I smell it,” the “princeling” says, curling his lip in disgust. I subtly sniff at myself to make sure that he is not, in fact, insinuating that I have that pirate smell.
Ocean breeze. I smile, but that smile falls off my face when I realize not all of it is from my deodorant.
Note to self… pick a new odor when I next go shopping. I don’t like oceans anymore.
“Search this ship,” Wendy says arching her brow. “You won’t find any stolen cargo. Just honest merchants trying to make a living. Oh, and two stowaways.”
Does she mean Vera and the other girl? I hope she isn’t trying to get them into trouble just to get us out of it.
My eyes dart to Vera. “Which really isn’t that big of a deal if you think about it. So, why don’t you just send us on our way, and we part ways as unlikely…” I trail off as I try to figure out what to say we are unlikely because I definitely don’t want to be friends. “Strangers.”
“Quite right,” the handsome man says. “I will be taking these two stowaways off your hands.”
I nod, stepping forward. “Thank goodness, I am—” I freeze as the sword rises and points directly at my face. I throw my hands up, before I realize that might not look as nonthreatening as I would hope on account of my hook.
“You’re lucky I’m letting you still breathe. If I catch even ahintof piracy from you, then that will no longer be the case.”
“Piracy?” I squeak. “Nope, none of that here.”
I watch Vera step past me. The sword, I notice, does not get pointed at her. Instead, the handsome guy lets her walk straight up to him.
“Vera?” I hiss. “Don’t leave me.”
She turns, her curls falling across her shoulder as she looks over at Wendy and Michael and John—ugh, what is my life coming to that I just thought that with a straight face? “I don’t think I have a choice, but if my hunch is right then we are going to meet again.”
“What is that even supposed to mean?”
She shrugs simply. “I’ll tell you when we meet again.”
