First Mates Read Online Free PDF Page B

changed into her bathing suit and packed her beach bag with her reading material.
    She locked her cabin and walked the ship until she found a secluded lounge chair on the lower level. She lay down and closed her eyes as visions of Winston Michaels swam through her head. Heavy footsteps pounded on the gangplank, shaking her chair.
    â€œHi, beautiful.” His gentle tone caressed her ears. Her eyes fluttered open and she surveyed Winston from head to toe. He sported a pair of pale blue swimming trunks and a beige T-shirt emblazoned with “Cozumel” in black letters.
    She blinked, trying to clear her foggy brain. “Are you going to the pool?” she asked as she started to smile, before recalling the decision she made earlier. She quickly looked away.
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    Winston scratched his head, baffled. Rainy Jackson was a woman of mystery. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought she wasn’t happy to see him. “What’s wrong?” He sat in an empty chair.
    â€œNothing,” she spat, toying with the book in her lap. “I just really need to be alone today.”
    He hesitated, running his hand over his face. “Oh, okay.” He stood and continued to stare at her tight-lipped expression. “Bye.” He stomped away so fast he almost fell on the wooden deck.
    Minutes later, he dove into the swimming pool. He pumped his arms through the water, swimming as hard as he could. He pushed himself until his arms wereaching for rest. He tried to erase everything from his mind as he drove his body to exhaustion. I can’t do this anymore!
    He stopped and climbed the steel ladder out of the pool. He gasped huge gulps of air as he grabbed a towel and hobbled to a lawn chair. Once his breathing returned to normal, he toweled the water from his body. The scorching sun matched his hot, angry mood. He signaled a waiter and ordered a large glass of water and a glass of iced tea. He gulped both beverages and ordered two more.
    A feminine voice tinkled in the hot humid air. “I’m surprised to find you here alone.” His gaze traveled over the shapely cocoa-brown woman as she sat in the vacant chair beside him. Her black-and-white striped bikini hugged her physique like a second skin. She smiled and fluttered her lashes, her large dark eyes probing into his.
    â€œI’m Carol.” She presented her hand, showing long, red, talon-like nails.
    He accepted her hand. “I’m Winston.”
    â€œWinston. That sounds like a nice strong name.” She continued to stare. “And you look like a nice strong man.” She pulled some sunblock out of her large bag. “I saw you swimming all those laps in the pool. You swam like Satan himself was after your soul. I just love it when a man is fast at doing physical things.” She popped the top on her lotion and poured a generous amount into her palm. “So tell me, where’s your girlfriend this morning? I was starting to think you two were joined at the hip.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    She giggled as she slowly rubbed lotion over her flat abdomen. “You know, the woman you’ve been with over the past few days. I’ve been dying to introduce myself, but she’s always with you. I haven’t had a chance to speak with you until now. She’s not coming anytime soon, is she?” She stopped rubbing the lotion as she gazed around the deck, her dark eyes full of anxiety.
    â€œIt was nice meeting you, Carol, but I really need to get going.” Carol’s silence was rewarding as he took his exit.
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    Rainy pushed her book aside. “Oh, what have I done?” Winston’s hazel eyes had flickered with pain when she made her announcement. A cold knot of guilt settled into her chest, and she was anxious to remove the burden. Her hand flew to her mouth as tears coursed a smooth path down her cheeks.
    Lord, help me with this pain. When her breathing calmed, she signaled a waiter for a