Carolyn nodded. "Since the night we arrived. We thought it was food poisoning, but I don't think it should last this long."
"Probably flu," he said. "It's been going around the island."
"Hmm." Carolyn grimaced. If it was the flu, she'd probably get it next.
"Any other friends here?" Captain Jack asked, adjusting course a bit.
"Genie," Carolyn answered.
He nodded, his gaze drifting to her hand. "And you're not married but were?"
Carolyn rubbed the telltale indent on her ring finger.
"On the tale end of a very long, two-year divorce."
"Two years... so not still at the screwed up stage.
Ready to date?"
Carolyn chuckled at the exaggerated leer he produced.
"I don't think Genie meant you had to go that far to make sure I have a good time."
"I'm sure she didn't," he agreed with a grin. "But you're a pretty single lady and I'm a handsome single guy and everyone knows captains make the best lovers. We know how to harden up."
"Oh," she groaned. "That's a horrible play on words."
He raised an eyebrow. "You know what 'harden up'
means?"
"Sailing close to the wind." She'd read it in a book just a couple of weeks ago.
"Damn," he breathed. "I'm impressed. I usually have to explain that joke. Sometimes after I'm slapped."
His words made her laugh as she suspected he'd intended.
"You have a nice laugh. You should do it more often. It makes your eyes twinkle," he said with a smile. "So how long are you here?"
"Another week and a half."
"Nice. Gives us lots of time to get to know each other," he announced. "I came here for a week ten years ago. It's been a long week."
"I'd say so," Carolyn agreed with a laugh, wondering why she wasn't uncomfortable with his compliments and flirting. She suspected it was because she knew he was only doing it under Genie's orders. The man wasn't really interested in her. He'd do his job, show her a good time, then set her ashore at the end of the cruise and not give her another thought.
Captain Jack glanced aft again and straightened.
"Looks like we're about to hit those waves I mentioned.
Don't mind me if I'm a bit distracted until we get around the point. You just sit there and look pretty while I impress you with my naval mastery."
Carolyn smiled. "If you say so."
"That's 'Aye-aye, Captain' to you, wench," he said lightly, turning to place both hands on the wheel.
Carolyn shook her head with amusement and wondered what the hell was in the punch as Captain Jack concentrated on riding the waves toward the point. She wasn't generally this comfortable with someone this quickly, and she normally didn't know how to handle attention from men. Not that she received it often, but on the rare occasion when she did, she tended to get flustered and uncomfortable and do her best to escape the situation.
"Right-o," Jack said moments later as the boat began to pitch a bit. "This shouldn't last long. It'll calm once we get around the point."