3

Boats make noise. Wind and tides move the vessel ever so slightly, causing creaking and movement, generating various strange sounds. The sound that woke Reymundo was not a typical boat sound but a man-made sound. Footsteps. Close footsteps.

The boat was dark. Dark enough that Reymundo knew the intruder wouldn’t be able to see him slide to the side of the queen bed and reach for his 9MM semi-automatic pistol.

“Hey Rey, you said you were going to call me,” said the feminine voice in the darkness.

Although he’d only been with her one night, and they hadn’t talked much, he recognized the silky sweetness of Jana’s voice. He slid the small Ruger pistol back into its hiding place and sat up in bed, still unable to see anything more than a silhouette of the intruder.

“Well...uh...I was going to call you, but—”

“Yeah, sure,” she interrupted. “But you didn’t. I thought we had something.”

“We did. I mean, we do.”

“Oh yeah. Well, you’re going to have to prove it to me. You’re going to have to make it up to me for not calling too. Scoot over.”

Before Reymundo could object – which he had no intention of doing – or ask why she was there or how she got in, Jana removed her clothes and slid in next to him.

As it had been the week earlier, the sex was great. Relaxed, holding Jana close, Reymundo told her about the charter he’d arranged. To not sound like a pimp, he said he’d gotten caught up in the negotiations and wanted to please his new clients. It was a few weeks away, and he still had not taken the boat out of the slip, didn’t have a crew, and didn’t have any girls lined up.

Jana kissed Reymundo on the lips and said, “I can help you. Let’s talk about it in the morning.”

Reymundo beamed as he held Jana in his arms. Sleep came easy.

In the owner’s cabin, the four porthole windows – two large aft, two small to starboard – were not conducive to natural light. The sun was well above the horizon when daylight began to illuminate the cabin. Reymundo woke, focused, and looked at Jana, still asleep beside him. She looked angelic, the polar opposite of the woman whose language the day they met would have made a sailor blush, or who took him downstairs and made mad, passionate love to him. Although he didn’t believe in love at first sight – or second sight – this woman had a serious effect on him, F-bombs and all.

He eased out of bed, put on shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, then slipped out of the cabin, quietly closing the door behind him. He tiptoed up the steep steps to the main salon and across to the galley. The Keurig coffee maker was full of water and ready to brew. It and the cup assortment had come with the boat. Keurig coffee was a luxury he could not afford while saving to buy a boat.  The morning calling for something special, he selected a Jamaican Me Crazy Wolfgang Puck K cup.

With a freshly brewed cup in hand, Reymundo walked gently to the aft deck, which was directly above the owner’s cabin. He knew from experience how easily sound transmitted through the floor. He sat in what had become his favorite of the canvas chairs populating the deck and took a sip of the coffee. “Not bad,” he said softly to himself.

Miss Jana was docked near the end of a row of boats at the marina. Being on the end and sitting on the back of the boat afforded a nice view of the channel and a large lake that led to the intercoastal canal. The other boats along the row, all backed into their slips, had views of the marina, the restaurant, or one of the numerous boutique shops along the pier.

As he drank his coffee, Reymundo thought about Jana. She was stunning and quite charming when she wasn’t berating him over the price of the boat. There was something about her. No woman had ever affected him the way Jana did. She seemed to like him, or at least she enjoyed sleeping with him. He could not help but wonder what her feelings were. She knew he practically stole her boat for seventy-five thousand dollars and had the money to pay for it. Maybe she assumed he was rich, and that was why she came back.

What will happen when she figures out he’s a deckhand on a fishing boat who scrimped and saved for years to buy the boat? Should he tell her the truth? That he was originally from Puerto Rico and had moved to Miami when he was twelve in search of the American dream. He had finished high school – barely. College not in his future, he started working as a deckhand on charter boats out of Miami when he was sixteen.

She was bound to find out sooner or later. As soon as she saw Reymundo’s car, an old Toyota Corolla, she would have a good idea he was not wealthy. Not even close. He considered telling her the old Corolla was a classic and quite valuable.

Reymundo convinced himself that his relationship with Jana would be short-lived. As soon as she heard the truth about the fishing charter deckhand, she’d be off to South Beach or Miami Beach or Palm Beach. Anywhere but Reymundo Beach.

The reality was depressing, but it was what it was. Reymundo made up his mind. He would tell Jana his story and let the chips fall where they may. Having already told her about the charter he booked should have given her a clue. Knowing he was about to be heartbroken, he stood, shoulders slumped, and softly walked toward the galley. As he entered the salon, Jana was coming up the stairs.

“Good morning.” She was wearing denim shorts and a crop top. Her blond hair was tied in a ponytail. She was breathtaking.

“Good morning.” Reymundo could barely catch his breath.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the lips. “How ‘bout a cup of coffee? Are there still some K cups in the galley?”

Forgetting the boat had been hers, he was somewhat embarrassed drinking her coffee. “Yes, I was just getting a refill.”

“Sit,” Jana said and took the cup from his hand. “I’ll get it.”

A few minutes later, Jana appeared on the aft deck with two cups of coffee. She handed one to Reymundo, pulled a canvas deck chair close to him, and sat, pulling one leg up under her. “God, I love sitting out here in the morning having coffee. I love this boat. I’m going to miss her.”

Reymundo didn’t know if Jana was hinting at something. Maybe she did think he was wealthy, and perhaps he would give her the boat back. It was given to her once. It could be given to her again.

Jana noticed the awkward silence and placed her hand on his. “Hey, don’t worry about it. The boat was going to be sold. It’s not your fault Rob wanted to screw me over. I’m glad it was you who bought it. It could’ve been some old goober who might not have appreciated me slipping into his bed in the middle of the night.”

Reymundo chuckled softly. “I can’t imagine many men minding if you slipped into their bed. Maybe a gay guy, but not many others.”

“Or a married man.”

“That would depend on the man. I don’t think many married men would kick you out of bed – unless, of course, their wife was there. Then it’d be fifty-fifty.”

Jana laughed. “You’re sweet.” She took a dainty sip of her coffee. “No, seriously, I’m glad it was you. That’s why I came back last night. I’d like to get to know you better. I’m sorry it was late. I wanted to see you, but I needed a little liquid courage first. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. I’m just glad I didn’t shoot you.”

“Oh shit. I didn’t even think about that. Do you have a gun?”

“I do. I was reaching for it when you called my name. I woke up when I heard you coming down the steps.”

“Wow, that’s scary. God, I’m sorry.”

“Not as sorry as I would have been.”

“I promise I’ll never do it again.”

“I hope it means you’ll come by at a decent hour, or at least call first.”

“I will.” Jana winked.

Reymundo looked out at the water for a few seconds then looked into Jana’s Caribbean blue eyes. “Jana,” he said softly, pausing to gather his thoughts.

“Yes...”

“I’m trying to figure out what I want to say to you.”

“Just spit it out. That’s what I do.”

Reymundo blushed slightly. “I’m not very good at expressing myself. I know what I want to say, but I don’t know how to say it. At least, not without maybe making you mad. But if I could say what I was thinking, then perhaps you’d understand where I’m coming from, and you’d be cool with it. The thing is, how you take it probably depends on how you feel. Does that make sense?”

“Not one fucking word.” Jana was smiling, but she meant what she said. “We’ve spent two wonderful nights together. Don’t you think we can be open with each other?”

“Wonderful is right. But I still don’t know much about you, and I don’t want to offend you. Let’s say I make an assumption about you and I’m wrong. You might, well, get pissed and leave. I don’t want that to happen, especially over a misunderstanding.”

Jana took a sip of coffee. “I think I get it. You’re wondering why I’m here. Let me see if I can say it for you. You just paid cash for my boat. Not enough cash, but you did pay cash. Obviously, I would think you have money. You’re thinking, uh-huh, she’s here looking for a sugar daddy. You’re hoping I’m not, but then you ask yourself, why does she keep showing up in my bed?” She looked into Reymundo’s eyes. They hadn’t glassed over, so she continued. “You’d love to ask me, but if I’m not here looking for a sugar daddy, you’ve just insulted the shit out of me, and yeah, I’d be pissed. How am I doing?”

Reymundo rubbed his forehead, trying to figure out how to reply. “Yeah, I think that’s what I’m thinking, not exactly, but...” he said, his voice shaking.

“But you still want to know if I’m here for a sugar daddy, a boyfriend, or a fuckbuddy?”

Reymundo looked at her, stunned.

“I’m sorry, Rey. That was a smidge crude.”

“A smidge?”

Jana laughed as she stretched her legs out and rested them on Reymundo’s. “That’s why I’m here. I like you. I knew the moment we met you weren’t rich. Don’t ask how. I can tell. It could’ve been the lingering odor of dead fish. That was weird. Anyway, I like you, and I’m here because I’d like to see where it goes. While we’re getting to know each other, we can be fu..., uh, friends with benefits. How’s that sound?”

“Like a dream come true. I’m sorry about the fish smell. It’s hard to get rid of.”

“You work on a fishing charter?”

Reymundo proceeded to tell Jana his life story. She listened intently as he told her about working on fishing charters, how he saved every dollar he earned to buy a boat. He had wanted a sportfisher so he could start his own charter business, but when the deal for the Cheoy Lee came up, he couldn’t refuse it. He was thinking about selling her and buying a flybridge cruiser he could charter for deep-sea fishing. That’s when the opportunity to charter Miss Jana for the same price as a fishing charter came up. He realized it would be a better deal. Same money. No fish. No fish smell.

After coffee refills, Reymundo continued with the story of the frat boys and the bind he may have gotten himself into by offering prostitutes for the cruise. He was having second thoughts about the offer. Finally, he confessed he’d saved more money than the boat cost. He had savings and was hoping to take some time to enjoy the boat. It was now his home. If he could book a few charters, he wouldn’t have to go back to cutting bait for a while.

“Now you know,” Reymundo said. “You figured it out. I’m not rich. I have this boat and a little money in the bank. For a moment or two, I maybe considered that you were here for the money, but I hoped you weren’t. But I’m not stupid. I know you came from a rich guy, and you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, let alone been with. I wouldn’t blame you if you hooked up with another rich dude.”

“Wow, I think you expressed yourself quite well.” She laughed. “Let me say this first because I think it’s the most important. I was with a rich guy, and it turned to shit. I dated a few rich guys before I married one. There are perks, for sure. This boat was one, but look what happened. To tell you the truth, I think I’ve found a pretty cool guy and, like I said, I want to see where it goes.”

“Really? I’d like that.” Goosebumps popped up on Reymundo’s arms.

“Yeah, me too. But...”

“Uh oh.”

“Yeah, always a but, huh?” Jana rubbed Reymundo’s hand. “It’s my turn. Let’s see how you feel after I tell you about myself.”

“I...”

“Please don’t interrupt. This is going to be harder to tell than your story.”

Jana told Reymundo how she grew up in San Antonio, Texas, skinny, buck-toothed, and homely. As a freshman in high school, she was very accommodating so she’d be popular with the boys. As her reputation grew, so did her popularity. Unfortunately, she was only “popular” with a boy for a couple of dates. Afterward, they’d go back to their steady girlfriends. As she matured, got her teeth straightened, and dyed her hair blond, she discovered a new power. Those guys who dated her only for sex began begging her to be their girlfriend. She found a peculiar pleasure in turning them down.

After high school, she attended the University of Texas in Austin for two years. College was not her thing. The parties were fun, but the classes were boring, and the sororities were full of the types of girls who had treated her like shit when she was younger. The summer after her sophomore year, her best friend suggested they go to Florida. They packed and moved, with no idea what they were going to do once they arrived.

The two made their way to South Beach and fit right in. Her friend was tall, thin, and busty. She was made for South Beach. Running low on money and tired of low-rent dives, the girls decided stripping might be an easy way to make money. Getting work wasn’t hard. Finding the right club was. The first club was sleazy. Most of the girls were crack whores who would rather give a man a blowjob than a lap dance. Oral sex paid better and didn’t take as long, but Jana refused to have any type of sex with the men.

“So we bounced around from club to club. As we became better dancers, we were able to work the higher class ‘gentleman’s clubs.’ The clientele improved, the price of the drinks increased, and the VIP rooms more lucrative.”

Unable to look Reymundo in the eye, Jana stared at the bay as she explained the workings of the VIP rooms. She told him what she did in the rooms, which was be totally nude, and sometimes let the guys touch her, but no actual sex.

“One day, a nice-looking guy asked me out. He was almost fifteen years older. I wasn’t particularly interested, but the key to the Bentley conveniently left on the table was extremely persuasive. We began dating. He pleaded with me to quit the club and marry him, which I did.”

Jana continued to stare at the bay. “It was good for a few years. He treated me like a normal wife, but then things got weird. He got more demanding sexually and less loving. He started treating me like a whore. I’ll skip the details. I left him, which pissed him off. Hence the reason I’m now sitting on what used to be my boat telling you my life story. Now, you know all about me. Not what you were expecting? Surely you knew I wasn’t a saint after I all but molested you the day we met.”

“Honestly, no. I don’t know what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it. Regarding the day we met, I never wondered why it happened. I was just glad it did.”

“Yesterday, I signed the divorce papers and dropped them off at his office. That part of my life is over. I’m ready to start a new chapter. You’ve heard my story. Where does it leave us?”

“This morning while you were still asleep, I was lying there looking at you. I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. I don’t want to freak you out by bringing up the L-word, but I’ve never had feelings for anyone like that before. Nothing you said changed that.”

Jana eased over onto Reymundo’s lap, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him. After the kiss, she whispered into his ear, “I think it’s a tad early to be tossing around the L-word, but let’s just say it may have crossed my mind too.”