His Glorified Maid

Six

Michaela looked incredible, delicious and had caught him off guard, just like she had that morning. He didn't think she could look any better than she had that morning dancing in her short shorts with untamed hair, but she'd proved him wrong.

Her brown eyes were round and those lips, those sexy red lips had invited him in. Even then, he knew he shouldn't kiss her, but he did, and he found himself unexpectedly drowning in sensation. It was as if he had been living through a drought and she was the rain; sweet and fresh and giving.

It was the shock more than anything that had him pulling back from her. And then that slow deliberate speech and those carefully chosen words of hers – she'd pissed him off and he'd, well, he'd acted inexcusably.

Carlos found his fingers drumming on the steering wheel, an uncommon sign of nerves for a man who had no reason to get nervous. It was made even louder by the silence in the car. And even if he understood the silence, he refused to accept it. The little he knew of her so far was that she liked to talk. This silence was unnatural, and he would not allow it to continue. He had let things get out of hand when he had picked her up and she was obviously unhappy, but she was going to get over it and quickly.

When he pulled the car over, she said nothing. He climbed out into the darkening surroundings and walked around to her door. He pulled it open gently, which took great willpower, and he held out his hand patiently. He hadn't realised he was holding his breath until she placed her hand inside of his, but her expressive eyes were still closed to him. He frowned annoyed.

"Forgive my earlier rudeness, Michaela."

He was prepared for a reaction that would involve silence, a hissy tantrum, or pouting lips. That's how Veronica would have reacted to his apology if it wasn't dressed up with an expensive gift. Thinking of her had him stiffening in anger as he remembered how gullible he'd been to believe she was his first love.

He was surprised from his thoughts when Michaela gave a sharp snort of laughter that had her hair bouncing around her shoulders from the movement. Unsure of what to make of her response, he waited silently for her to gain some semblance of posterity again.

"Just for clarity, exactly which time of 'rudeness' are you demanding forgiveness for."

She was a puzzle, an unexpected and complicated puzzle who was nothing like Veronica or the other women he'd dated since. Personally, he thought he had been punishing himself by continuing to date carbon copies of the woman who'd made a fool of him. Maybe Michaela had caught his attention because she was so different.

"All of them."

"Get in the car, Mr Everton."

'Carlos,' he snarled despite himself. She didn't respond straight away. Just watched him for a second or two.

'Get in the car. Carlos.'

He liked the curve of her lips and her shining eyes. His own lingered on her lovely long legs as she eased into her seat before he closed her door and moved to take his own seat.

He pulled out slowly and his car ate up the miles as the scenery flowed by in a blur.

"Why did you want this job, Michaela?"

"As a deckhand?"

She held her head down, and he wondered if she were thinking of his earlier comment. He couldn't take back the careless words, but he wanted her to know he wasn't a complete snob, dismissive of those who earned their money through service. Every one of his employees was a part of his success and he respected everyone's contribution.

"The hElixir is starting from the ground up, building a crew and a reputation, I thought I could learn a lot from that kind of experience. And I will take that experience and one day I will help to expand people's idea of pleasure," she continued flushed with passion. "I love being out at sea; the land disappears, and you realise how small you are, and how vast our world is. Every time I go diving, I feel enveloped in this alien world, suspended and at the whim of forces outside of my control. It's a reminder to be present. I want to introduce and share that sensation with others."

Most definitely not the answer he expected. And he had called her a glorified maid.

He continued to ask her questions, to learn more about her. And she kept surprising him with her openness, her honesty, and her intelligence. She even had him laughing out loud and earnestly at times. He couldn't remember a time when he'd been relaxed enough around someone other than close family and friends to laugh like this.

He was grateful the conversation now flowed easily. He felt his limbs settling into his comfortable leather seats, enjoying her company. It was refreshing, much as she was, and it was something to relish and savour.  

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Michaela had been right. And yet so very wrong. Exposure to Carlos had turned him into a real person, a man. A man with real warmth and humour that was more enticing than her imagination had dreamed.

Beyond the lights in the foreground, showing their nearness to the harbour was the satin darkness beyond. Even though she missed seeing the ocean fill in the endless space, she didn't miss out on the pleasure of knowing it was there.

"How does anybody go their entire lives without knowing this – feeling?" she said gesturing with her hands to capture the emotion that words couldn't explain.

The way he was looking at her, made her conscious of how shallow her breathing had become. She told herself to focus as he parked the car and provided her with an outline of the evening.

"The crew are meeting here now. We expect guests to arrive from 9 pm onwards."

Michaela nodded in acknowledgment before climbing out of the car and swapping her heels for ballet flats. She followed him along the wharf, admiring the mix of boats and yachts in the harbour. When she saw the hElixir she smiled in awe, aware that Carlos was watching her.

She had read the hElixir was a 185' superyacht that could accommodate 12 guests in 6 opulently decorated cabins. There was a gym, a sauna, and a movie space competing with the outdoor spaces that included a jacuzzi on the top deck. Not to mention the wave runners, slides, scuba set up, kayaks...the list of features just went on and on.

That's what she had read. It was an entirely different experience to see her up close. Her exterior had smooth bold lines that curved around her white body. As Michaela stepped onto the main deck, she found the contrasting mahogany a charmful delight that had been lost in the photos. She thought the welcoming feel would be lost by her sheer size, and all the unnecessary distractions, yet the design made the space warm.

"She's so beautiful," she said running her hands along the smooth curved mahogany rails. When she stepped from the covered main deck and into the main lounge, her eyes weren't drawn to the space or the décor, all she could see were several people milling in a corner. She could tell they weren't familiar with each other, still getting to know each other, with quiet chatter and nervous laughter, but it was their manner of dress that had her staring. Clean, white uniforms with gold insignia on the chest and epaulettes on the shoulders with navy blue stripes.

She turned into Carlos and hissed angrily. "Why is everyone else in uniform?"

Carlos looked to her and then the rest of the uniformed crew. "Is this a problem?"