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  “We can only hope for this many in the rest of the string.” Gus bumped Sal’s arm. “Then we’ll be home in no time.”

  Sal nodded. “Yeah, true. Can’t wait.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Five days into the trip on the Passionate Dreams, Roselyn worked the hydraulics without issue. She’d learned the ins and outs of their operation, and tried to do things their way to make it easier. That meant she had gotten to know the crew. With every pot full, their season would end soon. I’m gonna miss these guys.

  Once they had the crab sorted and in the hold, she waved Sal toward her. “Let’s try this again.”

  Sal swallowed hard and accepted the hook from her. “Should I throw it harder?”

  “Only if that helps you get enough distance. Don’t arc it too high. Make sure you toss it past the line.”

  He nodded. “Right, I remember.” He breathed slow as he watched the waves, which had gotten larger. As soon as he spotted the buoys, he pulled his arm back and aimed for the area beyond the rope.

  “Yes!” Roselyn shouted when he snagged the line. “Told you! All you needed was direction and practice.”

  Sal grinned. “Thanks for taking the time to teach me.” He tugged the line in until the buoys came onboard. “Maybe Devin will give me a chance now.”

  “Key is to learn something new on every trip. Show you’re willing to advance without recognition.”

  “Do the job to get the job?”

  She patted his back. “That shows initiative.”

  Gus leaned their way when the pot became visible. “We’re still stacking, right?”

  “Yep, almost got our quota,” Roselyn explained.

  Minutes later, she gave the crab count verbally, since Devin poked his head out the window. “Five fifteen.”

  “Beautiful,” Devin replied. “One hour to the next string! Grab some grub.”

  Gus threw a fist into the air. “Food, yes!”

  Roselyn followed the others inside and eventually to the galley. A sinful aroma hit her nostrils. “Felix, what’re you cooking? Smells amazing.”

  “Beef stew.” Felix stirred the concoction a few times. “You guys have perfect timing. It should be ready in a few.”

  Sal groaned while leaning on a wall. “I’ll miss your cooking when I get home.”

  “Bet you will.” Felix chuckled. “You best take the skills Roselyn taught you and put them to good use.”

  Gus sat at the table. “I know I will. First thing I’m doing when I get home is making that beef, cheese and biscuit thing.”

  Roselyn turned to him. “You can experiment by adding other vegetables or different cheeses to that.”

  “True.” Gus shut his eyes and yawned. “This trip’s been too long.”

  Sal drummed his fingers. “It has. Almost over though. We got an offload scheduled for tomorrow.”

  “Let’s hope the rest of the pots are full,” Roselyn added. “That way we meet quota.”

  “They will be.” Sal pushed off the wall and smiled at her. “You’re good luck.”

  “I am?” She cocked an eyebrow. “Thought it was bad luck to bring a woman onboard.”

  “You sure as hell proved me wrong.” His voice softened. “In every way.” He headed down the hall to the head and closed himself inside.

  Roselyn peeked in the large pot on the stove. “Do you need any help?”

  “Not really.” Felix handed her a stack of bowls. “Seems like the weather’s getting rough.” He grabbed the sink when the boat pitched. “Pretty sure we’re skirting that crazy storm.”

  Gus lifted a finger. “Waves were building when we cleared the deck.”

  “Ah, good time to be inside then.” Felix scooped some stew into the bowl Roselyn held out. “Better to keep you boys safe than risk injuries or worse.”

  She handed bowls out to the guys around the table. “I’ll grab some in a minute. Want to change my shirt.”

  Once in her bunk room, she shed her damp long sleeve t-shirt, then her tank top. Water had seeped in when a wave crashed over the side. A quick pat down revealed her bra was dry. She grabbed a fresh set of clothes from her bag and laid them on her bunk. Her pants dropped to the floor just as the door creaked open.

  “Damn, I’m not looking.” Sal slapped a hand over his eyes. “Can you pass me a pair of socks?”

  She let out a laugh. “I have underwear on. You can look if you want. I’m not shy.”

  “Um… not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you have tits and curves and tats all over, and I have a dick that likes all of it.” Said appendage responded by swelling fast.

  Before anyone else passed the room, she yanked him inside and shut the door. “You slept above me for five days without a problem. Why are you freaking out?”

  “You had clothes on.”

  “I still have clothes on.”

  “Not much.”

  “Uncover your eyes.”

  He shook his head, assuming she was trying to bait him. “Not getting my ass kicked off this boat.”

  “You won’t.” She turned and approached him. “If I wanna be one of the guys, I have to sever the need for privacy.”

  The boat lurched again, and Sal reached for a dresser to stay on his feet. “I find you attractive, so don’t think this is smart.”

  She bit her bottom lip to hide her desire. “If you’re that set against it, I’ll get dressed. Just gimme a minute.”

  The boat rolled again, straining Sal’s hold on the furniture. “You OK?”

  “Yeah, caught your bunk to keep me on my feet.”

  “Good.” He held on and tried not to recall what he’d seen when he opened the door. She’s so damn sexy. How can anyone expect to resist her? Devin would kill me. Damn, so will the Jensen clan. “Just let me know when I can look again.” A shout from somewhere worried him some, but he didn’t understand the words. “Guess the weather is worse out there.”

  “Feels like it.” Roselyn snatched her tank off the bed and turned to watch Sal. He seemed terrified. Is it of me or of wanting me?

  “Oh shit!” Sal flew across the small room. He heard a bang and realized it’d been Roselyn’s head hitting his bunk. She crumpled onto her bed, and he couldn’t help but fall almost on top of her. “You OK?” He scrambled to reach her head. “Hey, talk to me.”

  She winced. “That hurt.”

  “Bet it did.” He prodded her scalp and found a small bump. “Don’t move for a minute.”

  Her eyes closed, and she sighed. “A concussion is the last thing I need.”

  “You’ll be fine.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers. “Don’t go to sleep.”

  “I won’t.” Her eyelids fluttered when he moved his pelvis over hers. His hard length skimmed her core and settled at her mound. “This is a lousy excuse to get me in bed.”

  “Very funny.” He cradled her head. “The captain should see this.”

  She met his gaze and whispered, “Maybe I’ll get dressed first.”

  “Maybe.” He felt her breath on his cheek. Unable to resist, he brushed his lips over hers. “I can help you.”

  Her hips surged up slightly. “Yeah, you can.”

  Eyes closed, he groaned when she rubbed her panties against his erection. “H… how?”

  She turned his face and kissed him again. “No one can know.”

  Instead of replying, he captured her mouth with his. Pressure on his shaft increased his desire. His hips rocked for more friction. A soft moan escaped while he slid his tongue over hers. “We’re gonna get in so much trouble.”

  Gus opened the door while asking, “You guys all right?” His eyes widened when he noticed their positions. “Seems you are.”

  “Hey, this is not what it looks like.” Sal scowled at the intruder. “She slammed her head when the wave hit.”

  Gus smirked. “So you need to be on top of her in her underwear to tend to her wound?”

  “Fuck you, ma
n. I fell too.”

  “Sure. I’ll be in the wheelhouse. Devin wants to check on everyone who got hurt.” Gus nodded to the galley. “Felix sliced his finger good.”

  When Gus disappeared, Sal lifted off Roselyn. “Sorry. I got caught up in… something.”

  She touched her lips. “Yeah, me too.”

  “Let’s get you dressed and upstairs. We have to make sure you don’t need the clinic.”

  “I swear I’m fine.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Why’re you so stubborn?”

  “Family trait.” She threw her legs over the side of the bunk and sat up slowly. “I’m not dizzy. It just hurts a bit.”

  “Where?” Sal stood in front of her and carefully prodded the injury.

  “In the spot I hit.” Her gaze focused on his crotch. The outline of his erection made her mouth water. What would he do if I unzipped him and sucked that baby into my mouth? She shook her head to banish the idea and regretted it. “Good thing we have a bit of time before we reach the next string.”

  “Yeah.” Sal turned when the door opened again. “Devin, she’s not dressed.”

  Devin frowned. “Tell me you two weren’t in bed when that wave hit us.”

  “Are you seriously asking that?” Roselyn peeked around Sal and glared at Devin. “I’ll be fine. Just a bump.” She pushed Sal back some. “It’s OK. You can leave.”

  Sal walked out with a frown. “If she’s really hurt, I can step up.”

  “Thanks, man.” Devin pulled the door closed. “What did you hit and where?”

  She stood while holding onto a wall. “The back of my head hit Sal’s bunk.”

  He averted his eyes from her flesh and stepped forward. “Are you dizzy?”

  “Not unless I shake my head.”

  “In pain?”

  “A little.” She looked down at him. “I can finish this last string.”

  Devin met her gaze. “Are you sure? You have nothing to prove with me.”

  “I’m positive. Just need to pop some aspirin and eat. If something goes wrong, I’ll tell you.”

  “Nothing can get you down, can it?”

  Roselyn winked. “Nope.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Finally!” Roselyn walked up the path to her Southern California home three days later. As soon as she entered the house, she removed her bra and threw it across the room. “No more of that for a few days!” She made a beeline for her bedroom and stripped off her traveling clothes. “Ugh, I need a shower.” A glance at a mirror told her she needed to dye her hair again. “Maybe later.”

  Within minutes, she stood under the spray, relishing the sensation. As water ran over her skin, the past few months flashed by. As usual, it had been great to spend time with her family. Since she no longer lived in Oregon with them, she likely wouldn’t see them until summer salmon season.

  Devin’s boat had given her insight about different ways to run the deck. She’d never worked on a boat besides her father’s. Her biggest obstacle had been Salvatore. The man had tried her patience and her libido like no other. Too bad I’ll never see him again.

  A ping from her phone reminded her she had to check in with the crew of the Spitfire, her yacht that sometimes doubled as a fishing boat. Once done, she dried herself off and donned her favorite cotton nightshirt and fresh panties. Phone in hand, she padded to the living room and plopped down on the couch.

  A few taps had her Chief Officer, Wyatt Thomas, on the line. “Hey, I just got back in town. How’s things going?”

  “Fine. We have every weekend booked this month.” Wyatt didn’t mind taking over while Roselyn worked in Alaska.

  “That’s great. What do we have this week?”

  “Three fishing trips, one for a law firm in Los Angeles. Some sort of team building thing. Then there’s a family of fifteen and a group of tourists from the UK. Two night sightseeing trips as well.”

  Her face lit up. When she purchased the boat, she hadn’t realized how many trips she could book a week. “Do you need me for any of them?”

  “You know we always love to have you here.” Wyatt thought of her as a friend.

  Roselyn laid down. “Let me relax for a day or two, then I’ll join you guys. I do miss my baby.”

  “I bet.” He checked the schedule again. “Next week we have several nights booked. Oh, and you need to approve the woman’s shelter cruise. Since it’s at no cost, I didn’t want to sign off on it. I’ll email you the details.”

  “Will do.” She liked doing charity work but kept her involvement low key. “I’ll call the director and confirm.” She added it to her calendar app. “Anything else?”

  “Nope. I have things handled.”

  After she disconnected the call, she opened a messenger app. Five messages awaited her, none important. She set the phone on her chest and turned on the television. After she flipped through channels for a while, she settled on reruns of Law & Order. Just as she relaxed enough to drift off, the tone of a video chat sounded on her phone. With a groan, she swiped the screen to answer.

  “Yes, I’m home, Ciara.” An excited squeal came from the speaker. “We’re not going clubbing tonight. I’m too tired.”

  Ciara rolled her eyes. “That’s not why I called. Wanted to do a sister check. You didn’t contact me the whole time you were in Alaska.”

  “That’s because I was busy.”

  “Really? The whole time?”

  Roselyn frowned. “Well, no. But the reception sucks up there. I didn’t only work on my dad’s boat. I helped out Devin too.”

  “Oh… who’s Devin?”

  “He’s a friend.”

  Ciara knew that tone of voice. “A friend you fucked. Nice. On his boat?”

  “Nope, a few years ago in a hotel in Anchorage. He’s off limits now.”

  “Did you meet any other men?”

  “Um…” Sal came to mind. Roselyn hadn’t expected him to win her over or get under her skin. However, he continually invaded her thoughts.

  “You’re breathing faster. I’m betting you did meet someone. Is he hot?”

  “Didn’t say I met anyone.”

  “Don’t have to.” Ciara had known Roselyn for five years. “I can hear it. What’s his name?”

  “Salvatore. He’s way taller than me and has a nice ass.”

  Ciara giggled. “Girl! You had sex on the boat? What was it like? Did you roll out of your bunk?”

  “Didn’t take it anywhere.” Roselyn regretted it. “Unless I see Devin again, I’ll probably never find Sal.”

  “That’s too bad. He obviously has your libido doing overtime.”

  “Yes he does. If only…” She sighed, then realized what she’d said. “No, wait a minute. I can’t think about him. There’s no point.”

  Ciara sensed the defeat in her friend’s tone. “Want me to come over? You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

  “Nah, I’m OK. Just… never mind.”

  “So then you’re down to go out tomorrow night?”

  Roselyn shut her eyes. “Yes. Something that doesn’t require too much physical effort.”

  “No rock climbing, huh?” Ciara let out a short laugh. “Kidding. I’ll think of something fun. You rest up so you’re ready to go tomorrow.”

  ☆¸.•*¨*★☆ * ☆★*¨*•.¸☆

  Oh my God! Why the hell do I live here? Sal shook his head at the traffic on the Los Angeles freeway. If he’d been driving instead of sitting in a cab, he would be freaking out even more. He debated moving south. Needs to be somewhere near a different airport.

  He leaned back and closed his eyes. All I want is to sleep in my own bed tonight! He had moved from Seattle to California six years ago because his girlfriend wanted to be an actress. Within a year, she left him for a director, who promised her the lead in his next film. It had jaded him. He protected his heart with one-night stands.

  Bored, he yanked out his phone and checked his notifications. A text from his other employer sat the top of the list:
<
br />   Are you in town yet? One of the guys came down with the flu, and we could really use you this weekend.

  He debated if he wanted to answer. His check from Devin had already cleared, so he didn’t need the money. However, the thrill he got from performing had no match. With a shrug, he replied:

  Just flew in. I can make it tomorrow. Exhausted right now.

  A response appeared fast:

  Thanks. You saved my ass!

  The next text was from his mother asking to call her when he landed. He clicked the phone icon, and her voice soon came through. “Hi, Mom. I’m in LA.”

  “Oh. Why didn’t you come visit us first?”

  He groaned internally. “I told you I was going home.”

  “This is home. Why don’t you move back here?”

  “Because I like the weather here. It doesn’t snow, and I can go surfing whenever I want.

  She gasped. “Since when do you surf? Don’t you know there are sharks in the Pacific Ocean?”

  “Mom, I’m a grown man.” This is why I won’t move back home! “I’ll book a flight before salmon season. OK?”

  “But your father won’t be here.”

  He sighed. “We’ll figure something out. You could come down here and get away from the snow.”

  “I guess I’ll talk to your father about it.”

  “Good. I love you, Mom. Bye.”

  He checked his other notifications and found nothing important or interesting. To kill time, he flipped through his social media feeds. A few memes made him laugh. Then a familiar face flashed by. He scrolled back slowly to a picture taken on the deck of the Passionate Dreams. Nick held up the biggest king crab they’d caught that season.

  When he clicked on the boat’s name, he smiled at the most recent photo. He and Roselyn stood next to a pot stuffed with opilio crab. Devin had run down to snap a picture as soon as the pot breached the surface. The boat had never hauled in a six hundred plus pot before.

  His smile remained as he thought of all the time he’d spent with Roselyn. He had missed her from the moment she stepped off the boat. Stupid me for not getting her number! He assumed she lived in Oregon with her family. Can’t be hard to find the great Rick Jensen or one of her brothers.