“Don’t you know by now, Rooster, that you are a beloved distraction to me.Even if you’re sitting at my side, not saying a word, I’m aware of you.”
I gave him a doubtful look.“Uh, you didn’t even notice I’d left.I’ve been sitting over there for almost an hour.”
“I did notice, but I don’t want to smother you.You are a free agent and can sit where you like.I thought that perhaps Francis and I were being too gregarious.”
“You were, a bit.”I smiled, to make the criticism milder.
“Rooster, I’ve been on that ship with you lot for weeks.I haven’t seen Francis in a very long while.I’m sorry if I’m enjoying myself rather a lot whilst catching up with him.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, you don’t have to apologize.I’m sorry for sulking.I feel a bit…off balance.”I leaned in and kissed his cheek, rewarded by his surprised smile.
“So, Simon, how did you, in fact, capture Dinesh’s attention?On a ship full of hardy and muscular and”—he gave Dinesh an amused look—“sweaty fellows.”
Dinesh rolled his eyes.
“Well, mostly because I wasn’t very good at my job.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“An escaped goat,” the captain muttered.“Rooster was chasing her on deck and…well, ended up falling arse over tit, and I found myself enraptured.”
“I knew my arse had something to do with gaining your attention,” I murmured, drawing circles in the sand with a stick, my cheeks pinking.
“Oh, it still does, I assure you.”Captain Martin laughed.“But, to be fair, you hooked me from the moment we first met.”
“So…does Francis know?”I whispered into Dinesh’s ear, figuring that he must, since Dinesh was being forthright.
“Does Francis know that I’m an unrepentant shirt lifter and itinerant cocksucker?”Captain Martin said in an un-hushed tone as Francis took a great breath and barked a laugh.
“You see, Simon, I’ve known your Captain Martin since we were in the navy together.And he was the initiator of new recruits back then.”Francis waggled his eyebrows.
My eyes bugged out of my head.
“Really, Francis, you make me sound like a child molester.”
“Oh, no, no, no.I didn’t mean that,” Francis said, meeting my gaze with an apologetic smile.“Dinesh had a way of discerning who amongst the men might respond well to a little attention, then helping them to discover their own desires, I should rather say.”
“I was always clear on consent, Rooster.As I am with you.And these were young men of the same station and age as I,” he said, glaring at Francis.“Not men who owed me a favour or a duty.My equals.”
“Hmm,” I said.
Dinesh’s head swivelled and he looked at me, eyebrows raised.“Hmm?What does ‘hmm’ mean?”
“Well…” I said, “You may recall that I was a penniless beggar when I came aboard theArrowand very much owed you gratitude—well, my life, in all honesty.So, technically, you were in a position of advantage.What if I’d told you to leave me alone?”
Captain Martin’s chin dropped.“I would have.No question.”
“Hmm.”
Dinesh glanced at Francis, then looked at me with grave concern.“What does that mean?”
“What if I’d not believed I had any say?If you recall, you teased me mercilessly at the start.Turning me away with full bollocks and a rampant stand because you desired to frustrate me.”
“Oh my,” Francis muttered, gazing at his feet.“That’s…bloody scandalous, that is.”
“I thought so,” I said.“And a mean trick.”
“Rooster,” the captain said.“Simon.If I took advantage of you, I am so, so sorry…”
