by Imani King
This is actually happening, I thought to myself. I’m climbing into a yacht – a luxury vessel – with eligible billionaire bachelor and known partier, Blaine Winguard.
“Now then, we ought to get onto the ship ourselves,” Blaine nodded his head towards our luggage as it ascended diagonally up to the side. “Lest we lose our belongings when it sails off without us…”
I nodded silently, my head still swimming with awe, as he led me towards an upper deck on the dock.
“Whoa, wait. No, I don’t know about this.”
“What’s the matter?” He asked politely.
My eyes trailed to the walkway above. I’d kept my eyes off of it so far, but if we were going this way, we’d stroll across a forty-foot extension to the ship. Sure, there were small walls – they looked to be about elbow height – but that drop…
“You fear heights,” Blaine observed calmly, a tinge of sympathy dripping into his voice. “No matter. You never hear in the news about someone dying as they walk onto a ship, do you?”
“First time for everything.”
“Just trust me, Sierra. It will be all worth it. Here, I’ll be right beside you…”
As my chest grew heavy, I nodded, and we continued up an ascending path to the upper deck. Strolling confidently beside me, he gave a crisp nod and a wave to the workers below, handling our luggage. They cheerfully waved their caps in response, and he turned his attention back towards the walkway that loomed ahead.
“Right this way, my dear,” Blaine spoke, slowing his pace to let me walk in front. I suspiciously eyed the walkway – even with covered rails on both sides, there was a clear fifty feet where the floor could disengage and send me plummeting to either the docks or the water…before inevitably smacking my flailing body against the docks anyway.
“Now, now, no reason to be afraid,” Blaine whispered in my ear. “Take those first confident steps. I can’t wait for you to see what’s inside…”
Quietly, I gulped down my hesitance, lifted my chin, and stepped onto the walkway. With my shoulders squared, I strutted forward, keeping my eyes off of the terrifying drop.
“That’s it, that’s it, just like that,” Blaine replied quietly into my ear. “They see you. They admire you.”
“Who sees me?”
“The workers.” Before I could shift my gaze, he continued: “No, don’t look down. Just keep going.”
I followed his commands, eager to get this behind me.
“Almost there. Easy does it…”
I stepped foot on solid ground again and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. My chest had been bursting with fear since I’d realized that walkway was meant for us, and the release of tension was palatably soothing.
“There! That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
I cut my host a brief, vicious glance, and he immediately dropped the joviality. “Right. Sorry, I hadn’t realized that heights were a problem for you.” He glanced back over the side of the ship. “No worries, you’re safe now. Nothing to fear!”
But his attempts to calm me down were lost on deaf ears, because I’d already begun gazing wide-eyed around my surroundings. The luxury yacht was an impressive sight from the docks, but actually being on it was almost a religious experience. Even the outer decks practically swam with indulgence, and I ran my hand across the polished surfaces while I gazed about in continuing awe.
“If you think the outer decks are pretty, wait until you see the interiors,” Blaine chuckled. “Here, let me show you to your room. I need to make my rounds soon, anyway.”
He extended his arm, and I took it graciously. A passing crewman spotted us and paused, awaiting orders. With thick, dirty blond hair and a thick, bushy moustache, the crewman was an older gentleman with a lean but powerful build. His face was worn and leathery with the obvious signs of many years at sea, most of them clearly not in the employ of a billionaire.
“Jensen, would you be so kind as to help me show Miss Simmons to her room?”
“Certainly, sir,” Jensen replied in an authoritative but cordial manner. There was a slight rawness to his words, as if breathing the salty air for a few years too long. “Would you like the straightaway, or the scenic route?”
“Hmm,” Blaine paused, although he had clearly made up his mind. “The scenic route, if you’d please.”
“Heh. Right this way then, m’lady.”
As we crossed the deck together, I wanted to show some interest in how things worked here. “Forgive me, I’m a little out of my element,” I asked the weathered sailor, “but where are you in the hierarchy of this ship?”
“Chief mate, as it were. Second only to the skipper himself, who you will undoubtedly meet later this afternoon.”
“Second on the ship? I had no idea!”
Jensen turned his head as we walked, aggravation clouding his face. “What, that a wrinkled old fool like me could be second-in-command, based on looks alone? Get out of here!” He quickly winked, showing me his jest.
Composing myself, I pushed my surprise back. “What I meant was, I’m curious as to why Blaine’s having you give us the tour, as important as you are. Surely he should be letting you do something a little more constructive, seeing as we’re about to push off…” I gave the billionaire a side-eye, which he pretended to ignore.
“Hehe. You picked a girl with some spunk this time! I love it,” Jensen chortled. “I like to give the grand first impression. Besides, he and I both know that I’m his favorite seafarer on this here vessel, ain’t that right?”
“Only because I resent the captain so much,” Blaine muttered. A small dollop of bitterness slipped into his voice.
“Why bring a captain aboard a ship that you don’t like?” I asked, intrigued. “Seems a little counter-productive, maybe.”
Jensen chuckled knowingly. “Oh, he just thinks the skipper’s a spoil-sport. Which he is, but usually for a good reason. All due respect, but I consider my girlfriend broke up with me, let’s just sail that way and see what happens to be firmly in that category.”
“I sign your checks,” Blaine reminded him curtly.
“And I’m the crusty old sod that micromanages this ship!” Jensen laughed. “I tried to tell ya, No, don’t buy the giant, glorified floating hotel, that’s stupid, but what do you do? You buy the damned thing. Then, you put me second from the top! You want to bleed my bank account dry, that’s your funeral at sea. I’d suggest you wait until you’re on dry land again…”
The two men shared a hearty laugh, and I shook my head. The Blaine Winguard that I knew – the one from the tabloids and the papers – didn’t tolerate detraction to his face. The thought of his shipmates coyly egging him on in front of a guest sounded like a one-way trip to unemployment…and with the resources of a billionaire, perhaps permanently so.
Instead, he was almost encouraging it, firing it back at them with a grin on his face. Insubordination or not, he was clearly having fun with them…
This man is just full of surprises, I thought to myself. What else am I wrong about with him?
“Now then, how’s about that tour, little Miss?” The chief mate asked, his hand against the door.
I smiled warmly, staring him in the eyes. “Let’s see what’s inside this glorified floating hotel.”
“There’s that spirit again! I think I like this one.”
The door opened. My jaw dropped, and my eyes lit up with shock and wonder…
9
Sierra
* * *
Entering the interior of the mega yacht, I was confronted with opulence I’d never dared even dream. We appeared to be on the upper level of a large foyer within the ship, judging by the open loft area, the magnificently ornate staircase that spiraled downward, and the gigantic crystal chandelier that dangled in the open air above the lower floor. An entrance further towards the bow of the ship was nearby, where I would access more of the deck.
The area was lined with dark cherrywood railing, lined with a strapping, dark leather m
aterial atop with brass buttons affixing the leather into place. The railings neatly sliced the room almost in half up here, making this landing a loft area to the lower section.
As my eyes adjusted to the light, I could see that there was a parameter of railing that wrapped around the open floor – and I noticed a distant exit in the back, leading further towards the stern of the vessel.
The walls of this foyer were rich paneling of a more robustly red wood, staggered with thin, dark posts mounted against the walls, curving upward with the shape of the room. However, the walls themselves were hard to study, because they were filled with countless framed paintings of various sizes, eras, and stylistic approaches. I spotted a few Renoirs; a Van Gogh hung here and there; Rembrandt and Monet, too, were represented with fixed artwork on the wall.
“This is the entrance hall,” Jensen informed me, his arms thrown up to indicate the art. “This is the main venue for passing between the first, second, and third decks. Fourth deck is further down below, but you won’t ever need to go down there.”
“Why’s that?” I asked, my breath taken back.
“Crew’s quarters,” Blaine answered as he gazed lovingly upon the art across the walls.
“Indeed. Now, if you’ll join me kindly, there be a lot more ship to see…” Jensen calmly ambled towards the nearby entrance. After a moment more to consider the scenery, I followed suit, with Blaine at my side.
“Now, first deck’s above. That’s your sight-seeing spot, with an open rooftop situation going on…don’t imagine you’ll spend a lot of time up there, but, you know, you want fresh air? Best seat in the house for it.”
I nodded as Jensen continued, stopping at the archway. “This is your access to the second deck. That’s where we are now. This floor’s dedicated to more of your, uh, recreational varieties. Come take a look.”
We followed him in as he showed us across the deck. This area was more brightly lit – making good use of concealed bulbs that bathed everything in a calm glow, still easy on the eyes. We were shown a cinematic theater room, an open bar, a billiards room, a private study lined completely with bookcases, and a few other amenities.
Jensen led us back towards the foyer. Instead of taking the staircase, we followed the lip of the room around to the other side, walking beneath the archway opposite.
“Now, this way we have ourselves
We returned to the staircase. I could barely keep my eyes off of the artwork adorning the walls as I was led downstairs and onto the lower deck. My attention was pulled away just enough to appreciate the exquisite white stairs and how they juxtaposed against the rich wooden paneling on the walls.
“First deck’s rooftop excitement. Second’s your casual relaxation areas. Third one’s a little homier. This is where you’ll find your sleeping quarters, along with a few other festivities. If you’ll come along this way…”
With Blaine still beside me, I followed Jensen along the open foyer. Down here, it expanded outwards in ways I couldn’t have seen from the upper floor. My eyes fell upon a second spiraling staircase, leading down into the floor. This was obviously an entrance to the fourth deck, the crew’s quarters that Blaine had indicated before.
The three of us crossed back over to the far side, through another archway. After a few turns through the hallways, passed closed doors (Work areas for the staff, Blaine mentioned to me), we came into a magnificent chamber that took up the entirety of the deck’s backside.
It was the most beautiful dining hall I’d ever seen.
Even in this small, enclosed area, the hall was completely bathed in light, sparkling off of the fine crystal. Exquisite crown molding lined the chamber, as the luxurious drawn curtains let in the natural sunlight. The dining hall was large enough to seat two dozen guests comfortably at round tables, with raised stage dining lined across the back. This was clearly for Blaine and a few additional guests, and the focal point of the room.
“What do you think?” Blaine asked me politely.
“It’s very beautiful,” I replied, stepping over to pick up a few pieces of the crystal on the closest table. Flawless silverware was lain out for each guest, a collection of various instruments indicating salad forks, soupspoons, and other utensils in impeccable fine dining.
I pulled away, unwilling to test their patience. Jensen gave me a smile, clearly approving of my appreciation, and we continued back towards the foyer.
We walked across the floor towards the alternate archway, near the spiraling staircase that had taken us here. Jensen led the way as we walked down a long hallway, with various closed doors on either side.
“Now, these are the guest quarters,” the chief mate indicated. “I do hope that you’ll find them to your liking. Now, you’ve seen the vast majority of the interior…I’ll leave it to your host to carry out the rest. Fair?”
I turned and opened my mouth to answer, but saw that he was directing the question towards Blaine.
“Yes, thank you, Jensen.”
“Permission to depart?”
“Permission granted.”
“Great. Now, if you two will excuse old Jensen, he’s got a ship to manage and a dozen holdouts doing a piss-poor job of departure…” With that, he flashed a charming grin and turned down the hall, eager to return to work.
“He’s a charming one,” I observed as he passed out of sight.
“Yeah, real lady-killer there,” Blaine chuckled. “You should see the flock of women he beds on a regular basis. It’s quite stunning, actually.”
“What, really?” I looked into the billionaire’s eyes. When his nonchalant glance slowly devolved into a large grin, I grumbled and shoving him lightly. “Oh, come on, you know that this is all new to me…”
“Well, old Jensen’s not so hot with the women anymore, but I have it on good authority that he was the most promiscuous sailor on the seas in his younger years…”
“Yeah?”
“Oh yeah,” Blaine agreed, opening a nearby door for me in the dimly lit hallway, lined with dark wood. “Girlfriend in every port…well, at least one. Now this will be where you stay.”
The door opened into a beautiful, dark bedroom. A four-poster bed stood proud, dominating the space with full purple bedding and comforting, transparent drapes in a lighter periwinkle shade. Beside the bed was a small end table; it was the perfect height for a glass of water and a good book. Meanwhile, a large walk-in closet stood to the side, with doors proudly open and ready for me. In the remaining corner was a comfortable armchair in a rich purple tone as well, and my luggage was carefully towered beside it.
“My god,” I murmured to myself, gazing at the room.
“I had a small team come in and do a little…redecorating,” Blaine admitted. “I hope that you find this to your taste.”
My head turned and I gazed at him with wide eyes. “Of course I do, you idiot.”
“Idiot? Oof,” the billionaire breathed in as he turned his head, gazing at me with mock pain. “You wound me, Sierra. I do all of this and that’s my reward? You silly woman…”
I smiled, putting my hand firmly on my hip. “Pfft. You know I dig this. It’s perfect. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Thank me after you see the sunset,” Blaine teased. “But for now, I need to address the crew. Why don’t you start getting comfortable in here? I’ll have them beam you over the intercom when we’re about to set sail.”
“Sounds good to me,” I agreed. “And…thank you.”
Just as he was about to say something, Blaine visibly hesitated. Our eyes were locked on each other, and something intangible seemed to pass between us, shooting tensely through the air.
But instead of following through with the thought, the billionaire smiled with a polite nod, then turned on his heel and closed the door behind himself.
With that, he left me alone to my devices…questioning what I had gotten myself into, with this beautiful room, in the middle of an opulent luxury yacht, about to sail across the Atlantic Ocean.
Even before what was going to happen next…I knew I was in for a hell of a journey.
10
Sierra
* * *
The ship set sail an hour later. With Blaine standing at my side, I watched from the topmost deck, towering high above the harbor. A young female steward was the only other person with us, standing nearby enough for us to call for anything we needed. When I glanced over at her, I saw that she, too, was watching the safety of the docks recede from us – in a piercing moment, I wanted to know more about her, to pull apart that complicated look in her eyes.
“Splendid, isn’t it?” Blaine asked suddenly.
“What’s that?”
“That view…this is the last scrap of land we will see for awhile…”
“You’re right,” I commented, watching the other vessels grow increasingly blurred together. All of a sudden, I wanted to be off this ship, to throw Blaine’s money back into his face. Here, take it! Have it! Let me back onto land!
“Would you like to stay here?” Blaine’s voice cut through my thoughts. “To watch the shoreline drift away? I did, you know. The first time I took this voyage. I stood right where you are, and I watched until there was nothing but blue out here…”
“Yes, I think so,” I answered wistfully. I let my tone do the talking for me – this was a powerful moment for me, and I intended on enjoying it. That meant pushing my anxiety back away.
Blaine nodded respectfully, quietly watching the vanishing coast with me. Without another word passing between us, we heard only the sounds of the whipping wind, the crashing waves, and distant seagulls.
The stewardess remained to the side, her presence almost completely overlookable. With a quick glance, I saw that she was enjoying this, too; she shared a brief, quiet smile with me before pressing her eyes to the shore again.
