DARLING | Nikolai Lantsov

Chapter 12 - Walking On Light

---Mara's POV---

She dreamed about faraway places, and about a man with golden hair that night. His smile and gray eyes lit her soul into an electric frenzy, as the image of him remained just out of reach. Teasing him, as her world spun around her in clouds of mist and sunshine.

Mara shifted; her bed was a lot bigger than she remembered it being. She definitely should have fallen off by now. She repositioned onto her stomach. Her eyes stayed closed as she breathed in the smell of the sheets. They smelled familiar, musky and comforting.

She felt the soft touch of fingers brush some hair away from her face, she was still so tired that she found it hard to protest. They followed the curves of her cheekbone and jaw, then a thumb brushed over her lips.

Mara opened her eyes slowly, the man from her dream knelt before her. His arms were resting on the mattress as he knelt next to the bed. He smiled softly at her; his gaze unrushed as he looked over her face. His hair was combed, and he was fully dressed for the day.

Mara's mind started to clear, and she remembered their late conversations of last night. Realizing that she must have fallen asleep in his bed rather than her own. Now the sun shone brightly through the window, streams of yellow light falling onto the floor.

"Good morning darling." He whispered. Taking her hand and raising it to his lips. His face was smooth, he must have shaved.

"I'm so sorry! I took your bed! Please don't tell me you had to sleep on the floor. I'd feel terrible." She replied, looking over at him with a sleepy smile.

"Nah, I slept with you." He said calmly.

"Wait what?" She said, pushing herself up. Nikolai burst into laughter.

"I'm kidding! I slept on the chair. You seemed comfortable so I didn't want to wake you." He smiled.

"Well thank you. I guess." She giggled, "I haven't slept that well in ages." She finished stretching her arms over her head.

Nikolai beamed. "Well, I hope you've got an appetite for some more sailing, because we are still in the middle of nowhere." He chuckled.

Mara laughed. "Always." Pushing the covers off of her and walking towards the door.

"Where are you going? I haven't even told you the best part!" Nikolai joked. "And I always tend to tell the best part of any story really. Even stories that aren't mine!" He smirked. He sure was vain, in an irresistible kind of way.

"Alright, dream boat," She giggled. "Let a girl use the washroom then maybe you can tell me."

--- Later---

Mara leaned against the ship's railing; her eyes fixed on the horizon. Dogan, the seasoned first mate with a weathered face and kind eyes, approached her.

"Quite a day we've had, eh, Mara?" He said, leaning against the rail as well.

"Indeed, Dogan. It was more enchanting than I could have imagined. The Captain truly knows how to weave magic into every moment." She replied, giving him a soft smile.

"Sturmond has a way of making even the simplest of tasks seem extraordinary. But I couldn't help but notice the spark between the two of you. It seems there's more than just friendship blooming on this ship."

"You're quite the observant first mate. Well, the Captain and I... there's definitely a connection. But there's also an air of mystery around him. He's just a flirt at heart, he probably hasn't seen a woman in a while, that's all." She finished, playing with her fingers.