He really was well built, tall, with wide shoulders that narrowed down to slim hips. His T-shirt was tight enough that you could see the curve of his pecs and his six-pack stomach.
"You should have fun on the tour," Jack commented.
"But we'll be waiting when you come back and the return ride is tons of fun. By then it's sunny and hot, and we break out the punch to loosen everyone up for the contests."
"Contests?" she asked, forcing her gaze away from Christian and to him again.
"Wait and see. I don't want to spoil the surprise." The wicked tilt to his grin was a bit worrying, especially when he added, "As ship's mascot you are expected to join in by the way so save some energy."
"Uh huh," Carolyn said, her eyes narrowing on the twinkle in his eyes. She suspected she wasn't going to like these contests. "Speaking of ship's mascot, you'd better have this back. I don't want to ruin it while land side."
Carolyn removed the necklace of flowers and raised her eyebrows in question. "Where do I put it?"
Captain Jack grinned and removed one hand from the wheel to turn toward her. When he bent his head, she slipped off her seat and leaned up to lift it over him, her eyes widening when she felt his hand at her waist.
"You're pale again," he said quietly, his hand sliding around her back and steadying her when she stumbled against him. "Do you need another chocolate bar?"
Carolyn dropped the necklace around his neck and moved back with a sigh, but he didn't release her and she was partially flustered by that fact and partially grateful.
She was shaky and off-kilter again and his hold kept her from stumbling around like a drunken idiot. The queasiness had returned as well, but despite that she shook her head, not wanting to be a bother. "I'll be fine. We eat at the cocoa plantation."
"Hmm." He eyed her silently, and then said, "Hang on to the wheel for a minute." When she reached out to place a hand on it, he immediately turned to dig through his shelf again, coming up with another chocolate bar. "Take this anyway, just in case. It's a long way to Fond Doux."
"Thank you," Carolyn murmured. She slipped the chocolate bar into her bag and settled on her seat once more as he took the wheel. "Fond Doux is the cocoa plantation, right?"
Jack nodded, but he was looking ahead again and his eyes narrowed. "Yeah, band boy definitely isn't a morning person."
Carolyn glanced back to the dock. Christian was now pacing, arms crossed and a scowl on his face as he watched them approach. She didn't comment, but simply watched Christian curiously as Jack eased back on the throttle. The moment he steered the boat up to the landing, the crew burst into action, grabbing lines of rope and leaping off to fasten the boat in place.
"Stay put," Jack ordered when Carolyn started to slip off her seat to join the other passengers lining up to disembark.
"Shaky as you are you're likely to take a dip in the drink if someone bumps you as you're getting off."
Carolyn grimaced, but settled back in her seat. Mostly because she knew he was right. She wasn't happy doing it though. Now that they'd docked, she wanted off... and it had absolutely nothing to do with a sudden eagerness to talk to Christian, she assured herself. After all, he was gay. Right?
"Okay," Jack said finally, and then immediately caught her arm when she leaped off her stool and nearly overbalanced and fell on her face. Frowning, he said firmly, "You should have eaten that chocolate bar. And I think you should be tested for hypoglycemia when you get back to Canada."
"Hypoglycemia?" she asked with surprise.
He nodded. "I have an aunt with it and you're acting like she does when her blood sugar's low." He led her across the boat. "It's not something to be messed with."
They'd reached the side of the boat, and Carolyn gasped in surprise when Jack suddenly caught her by the waist to lift her over the foot wide gap between boat and landing. Christian was immediately there, clasping her waist above Jack's hands, his thumbs just below her br**sts as he tried to take her, but Jack didn't let go and she dangled briefly over the water between the two men as he said, "She keeps going pale, gets the shakes and gets a bit disoriented. I think her blood sugar's low. Keep an eye on her and make sure she eats the chocolate bar in her bag."
The scowl on Christian's face eased somewhat, replaced by concern as he peered sharply at Carolyn.
"I skipped breakfast," she muttered with embarrassment, wishing they'd put her down. She didn't particularly want to take a dip in the drink and was very aware that it was right beneath her.
Christian eyed her for a moment, his gaze sliding over her face, and then he glanced to Jack, his voice grudging as he said, "Thanks for looking out for her."
"Don't thank me," Jack laughed, finally releasing her.
"I enjoyed it. I'm just glad she has a friend to look out for her on land. I'd be disappointed if she fell ill and wasn't on the return journey."
Carolyn felt her face heat up and wasn't sure if it was Jack's teasing or the fact that the sides of Christian's thumbs were rubbing against the bottom of her br**sts as he eased her to the dock. She stepped away from him as soon as her feet hit the wood, and then sighed as she swayed and Christian immediately took her arm.
"Hang on." Jack moved back to the helm. She wasn't surprised when he returned with another chocolate bar.
Holding it out, he said, "A spare. Make sure you have one as soon as you're in the bus. And eat a big meal at the plantation."