Chapter 30 Luka

“Remove your shoes, we have to walk in the sand,” Westly said.

Luka untied his running shoes while Westly did the same. Westly took Luka’s hand, and they walked out the door to the beach.

The wind ruffled Luka’s hair as he dug his toes into the warm sand beneath Spinnakers. Westly ordered them drinks, and the server delivered them quickly. Westly’s weathered face relaxed as he approached holding up two frosty glasses.

“Pina colada therapy, courtesy of yours truly.” Westly smiled, handing Luka a drink.

Luka took a grateful sip, the sweet, creamy pineapple fighting the tang of rum on his tongue. Today, zip lining through the lush St. Lucian rainforest with Westly had been pure exhilaration. Soaring through the canopy, the wind whipping through his hair, Luka had felt truly free for the first time in a long time.

But freedom came at a cost. The thought of leaving the ship, leaving the captain, sent a pang of sadness through him. He stole a glance at the man across from him. Westly, tanned and relaxed, seemed to radiate the quiet strength Luka desperately craved.

They ordered a plate of tender white fish, served over a bed of steaming rice and a colorful medley of fresh vegetables.

“Captain,” Luka began hesitantly, tracing patterns in the condensation on his glass.

“Call me Westly.” His gaze met Luka’s, a hint of concern flickering in his warm blue eyes. “What’s on your mind?”

“I had so much fun today. More fun than I’ve had in…well, a long time.”

Westly nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “You did great out there. You weren’t scared, were you?”

Luka shook his head, a grin tugging at his own lips. “Not once. But…” His voice trailed off.

“But what?”

“But I don’t know what to say to you about us,” Luka finally said.

“Only you can answer what happens when we leave the island.”

Luka fell silent, his gaze turning distant. He swirled the ice in his glass, the clinking matching the crashing of waves on the shore. Finally, he met Westly’s beautiful sea-blue eyes.

“The thing about this life,” Luka said, “it’s not always about staying in one place. We explore, we discover, we move on. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make connections along the way.”

“Are you leaving me?”

Luka barely whispered. “Can you promise me you’ll always be honest with me? No matter what?”

The weight of his question hung heavy in the air. Luka craved the thrill of adventure Westly offered, the feeling of belonging he hadn’t experienced since Maleko…But trust that was an entirely different beast. He needed to know, with absolute certainty, that Westly wouldn’t keep the truth from him ever again.

Westly reached across the table for Luka’s hand, holding it. His gaze softened, and a warm smile spread across his face. “Luka,” he began, his voice firm yet full of understanding, “you’re the most important thing to me. I wouldn’t dream of hurting you by being dishonest. I’ve learned my lesson about withholding information from you. You deserve the truth, always.”

Luka watched a wave crash onto the shore, the white foam dissipating like the last remnants of his doubt. The captain’s sincerity resonated deep within him. Maybe, just maybe, there is a chance at a future filled with adventure and honesty.

He took a deep breath, the salty air filling his lungs with a sense of newfound hope. “Then,” he said, a determined glint in his eye, “can I stay onboard with you, Captain? For a while, at least?”

A grin broke out across the captain’s face, as bright as the sun shining against the sky. “Welcome aboard, Surfer Boy,” he declared, raising his glass in a toast. “To new adventures, and a future built on honesty and trust.”

“New adventures and hopefully a better job.”

“That is certainly a possibility we’ll discuss when we get back. Right now, I want to concentrate on enjoying the most beautiful man ever.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I’ll show you if you’ll allow me.”

They sipped their Pina Coladas, the sound of the waves and the clinking of glasses the only music they needed.

“I missed sleeping with you. I don’t enjoy waking up without you,” Luka said.

“I don’t like it either. It’s going to take some time for me to get used to you being free to roam the ship without my permission.”

“I’d like to make friends and see them too.”

“I want that for you. I know we can work on becoming true partners. I promise I won’t make all the decisions and will share everything with you. I’m lucky you’re still willing to give me yet another chance. I want us to be equal partners.”

“But you can be the captain of the bedroom and berth.”

As the captain dug into the perfectly grilled fish, Luka took a bite, the savory flavors momentarily distracting him from the churning emotions within. The future was uncertain, but for now, under the warm Caribbean sky, he had a captain’s promise and a sliver of hope to hold on to.

After lunch they walked along the beach and sat on the sand.

“Do you have your swimming trunks?”

“Can’t we swim without clothes like before?”

“We’d have to travel to find a spot like that. I thought we could swim outside our room. But we need swimming trunks.”

“I’m wearing mine under my jeans like we did before.”

“I just love you. We’ll take a cab back to the hotel.”

It was funny because the captain couldn’t wait to go to the hotel to touch him. Westly’s hands were exploring every inch of Luka’s body, clawing, caressing, and groping with a desperate hunger. He forcefully tugged at the hem of Luka’s shirt, then slipped his hands beneath it, squeezing Luka’s nipples as they hardened.

Westly used one hand and squeezed fistfuls of Luka’s hair, pressing their mouths together. Both men moaned through the intense kiss, their tongues exploring each other’s mouth.

“I love kissing you, but I’m not sure it’s safe out here. I have some ideas to run by you when we’re at our hotel.”

“I don’t want to leave you.”

“I hope you stay, but we’ll talk more.”

What could he possibly want to talk about when I just said I don’t want to leave him? He’s a difficult man to understand, but he’s worth it even with his flaws.

After spending hours at the beach, they realized it was already dinner time, so they took a cab. Once they arrived at their beach front room, Westly said, “Are you hungry?”

“Starving. Where are we going to eat?”

“Right outside after we shower.”

“Shower together?”

“Only if you want to. I don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want.”

What does that mean? He either wants me or doesn’t.

“I’ll wait for you to go first, then I’ll go after you.”

Once they were each dressed in shorts and a shirt, they went outside. Soft sand squished between Luka’s toes as he followed the flickering trail of candlelight and rose petals to their table nestled on the sand.

The table’s surface gleamed with a white tablecloth and a hurricane lantern cast a warm glow, illuminating a stunning centerpiece. Rose petals, a vibrant cascade of crimson and pink, spilled from a woven basket, their fragrance mingling with the salty tang of the sea air. Two crystal goblets were beside a silver platter, upon which rested a magnificent whole lobster, its claws artfully arranged as if in salute.

Luka’s heart pounded in his chest. Westly had never been this…romantic. A shy smile spread across his face as Westly emerged beside him, a bottle of champagne in his hand. He must have hidden it behind his back.

“Surprised, Luka?” Westly pulled the chair out for him and set the champagne on the table.

Luka could only manage a breathless, “Westly,” before sitting, his fingers brushing against the soft linen. Westly uncorked the champagne, the pop echoing in the night’s stillness.

As they settled in, the gentle lapping of the waves became the soundtrack to their conversation. They devoured the lobster, dipped in a decadent butter sauce.

“Luka,” Westly began, his gaze steady. “My ship will always be your home, but it can’t be your only one. I…” He hesitated, then continued, “I’d like to meet your mother in Nigeria. Help her if you’ll both agree. And then,” his voice softened, “I’d like to see California with you. See how you lived and meet your friends. I don’t have my Florida beach home anymore, and I need to buy a new one near the beach, but I’d be open to living in California when we’re not working on a cruise.”

Luka’s joy intensified, threatening to burst from him. He’d never dared dream of such a thing. Returning home, introducing Westly to his mother in Nigeria, sharing his past—it was a future he had always wanted. A wide grin split his face. “Westly,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion, “that sounds like the greatest adventure of all. You can stay with me at our beach house until you decide what you want to do.”

“I want to be wherever you are. We could do the cruises, then stay somewhere else, like California, and we could also travel in between cruises.”

“And do I have to scrub toilets and decks anymore?”

“I can train you to do whatever you want, but I want you to finish your schooling. You can teach swimming when we go back.”

“That’s a dream come true. And do you promise not to control my every move?”

“I’ve learned my lesson. You’re free to do as you like. I hope you want to stay with me every night.”

“I want that too. I don’t mind you controlling me in the bedroom, just not anywhere else.”

Westly’s lips curved into a smile, the lines around his eyes crinkling. He raised his glass. “To adventures, old and new,” he toasted, his eyes glinting with the promise of a future. Luka clinked his glass against Westly’s, the sound echoing the joyous chime of his heart.

As soon as they made their way inside, Luka stood beside the bed, waiting for directions.

“Strip down, Luka.”

Westly watched as his passionate lover pulled his mesh top off and pulled down the cut-off shorts he had worn for dinner. His cock was already erect as he stood.

“What a beautiful cock!” Westly unbuttoned his own shirt, then pulled off his shorts. He stepped out of them and stood there, equally aroused. He placed their clothes in a large bag labeled laundry, then pulled down the bedspread and the top sheet.

“I can’t wait to feel your cock inside me,” Luka said.

“Lie on your back so I can see you.”

Luka slid onto the bed, then rested his head on the pillow. Westly opened a drawer beside the bed and took out lube and a condom. He put the condom on with some added lube.

“Spread your legs.”

Luka widened his legs. Westly took a pillow and put it under Luka’s butt.

“This way I can go in deeper.” He crawled between his legs. “Your body is beautiful.”

“Your cock was made for me.”

“Do you want me to blindfold you while I make love to you?”

“Yes, that sounds fun.”

Westly found a blue bandana in his suitcase. He bound it around Luka’s eyes. As Westly massaged him, with his soft kisses and tongue licking his stiff cock and balls, his beard brushed over them, tickling him. Luka’s skin felt warm and tingly. He flipped Luka over.

Westly slipped his hand underneath Luka, and it closed around his erection, circling him. He traced each vein with his thumb. “You’re mine.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And don’t you forget that.”

“Never.” Luka whimpered softly when Westly kissed the back of his neck.

“I love you,” he whispered. “I wanted you as soon as I first saw you.” Westly squeezed some lube onto his fingers and rubbed Luka’s opening. He inserted his finger and twisted it around.

Luka was grateful the captain could be his natural self, barking out orders in the bedroom. Luka had told him he liked that, and he did, just not in other areas of his life. Thankfully, Westly would have no problem honoring that request with his whole heart.

Westly made his way inside Luka, banging him harder after he adjusted to him. Luka felt so good when he squeezed his ass muscles in a continuous pattern to milk Westly’s steel erection.

“Oh god, oh god, oh, feels so good,” Luka moaned.

With Westly balls-deep in Luka’s ass, both moaned with pleasure. There was no happier place for them.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Keep doing it. You’re hitting all the right spots.” Luka rocked his pelvis to force Westly to go in deeper, and he did.

“Tight little ass.”

“For you.”

“I love your body. Really love all of you.”

Westly pumped faster, making Luka scream, “Don’t stop! Please. Don’t stop.”

Their lovemaking went on until they both collapsed. Westly removed the blindfold and hugged Luka in his arms with one leg wrapped around his body. It was as if Westly wanted to keep him as close as he could. He poured kisses all over Luka’s body until they both fell asleep.

Later that night, Westly woke Luka up by sucking his cock under the sheets.

“Hey, that feels so good,” Luka said.

Westly wrapped the sheets around Luka, picked him up, then he threw him over his shoulder. He carried him down to the water’s edge and placed the sheets down in the dark. He rested Luka on one sheet, then he removed his trunks and covered them both with the other sheet. No one was out at this hour. They both fell asleep under the sheets and under the stars.

They made love so many times, Luka lost track. He’d had no idea what an affectionate lover Westly could be. Under the stars, a new chapter of their story had begun.

Returning to the ship in the morning, Luka went straight to his cabin and unpacked as Westly watched with tears forming.

“Captain, this cabin will be my closet. I want to live on your side day and night.”

Westly took him in his arms and rocked him. “This makes me so happy. I know I didn’t do everything right with you. I promise to love you and not suffocate you.”

“You can love me any time, day or night.”

Later that night after work, they met in the cabin for dinner.

Westly handed Luka an envelope. He opened it to find two tickets to California and another two tickets to Nigeria.

“All these tickets for us. Thank you. I can’t wait for you to see my beach house. I told my mother we might come for a week, and she was very excited.”

“We’ll have two months off until our next cruise, which we’ll be going to the Bahamas. Last week, I want to vacation with you in Hawaii since we’ll be in California. Much closer than Florida.”

“I love you so much. Everything is an adventure with you, and you have taught me so much about working.”

“I love you more than you know. I’ve learned how to love from you.”