Chapter 8 Luka

Luka wished he hadn’t disrespected Captain Clarke. He would make the perfect boyfriend, strong, sexy, and concerned about his success. Giving the captain a second chance made Luka take a second look and see him in a new light. Luka had wanted to hook up with a guy at the party, but now he wanted more than a hookup with the captain.

“You looked like you were enjoying your Pina Colada, so I thought you’d like another one you can finish.”

“Thanks.” Luka was confused by the captain’s kindness after he had ignored his rules about staying in his cabin and not entering passage areas.

Captain Clarke handed him his drink with an umbrella on it just like the one he’d had at the traffic light pool party. “Wow! You’re a good bartender too. Thanks.” He followed the captain to the balcony.

“You can learn how to make drinks if you want, but I don’t think it should be your final goal. Follow up on cybersecurity. I think that’s a worthy profession.” He stood beside the railing and looked down. “I can’t believe you hung from here and made it to the other end.”

“It’s a mindset. For a few minutes, I thought I might fall into the ocean.”

The captain turned and sat beside Luka.

“Despite your behavior tonight, I enjoy your company. You’re fun to be around.”

“I feel safe around you. As much as I fuc…mess up, you stop me and steer me in the right direction. I think I missed having that growing up. My mother worked long hours and gave me all the freedom I could want. My father was absent. So, if I messed up, they never heard about it. None of my mistakes mattered until my last big mess with the law.”

“You lack self-discipline. I taught young men self-discipline in the Marines. It’s my specialty.”

“Do you get off on control?”

“I do. I’m a control freak.”

“Do you get off on controlling me?”

“I don’t know how to answer that question without overstepping boundaries.”

“If you mean my boundaries, you can say what you feel. You always do, sir.”

“I suppose controlling you for a year is a turn-on, but not for the reasons you may think. You’re completely the opposite of me. Yet, I’m very attracted to you, not just your appearance. I’ve said too much.”

“Do you think I’m ugly?”

“I said not just your appearance, which includes your looks, but it’s more than that. It’s deeper.”

“You’re going to make me scrub toilets, and then say you like me? What would you do if you didn’t like me?”

“You broke the rules and you’re going to accept the consequences just like anyone else. I wish you hadn’t left. Then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. My liking you has nothing to do with your consequences for breaking rules. I don’t show favoritism.”

“No one else has the rules I have.”

“Luka, do you have a handbook for crewmembers?”

“Yes, sir.”

“If you read it, no crewmember is allowed to take part in any activities with passengers. Crew areas are for crewmembers and passenger areas are for passengers. Charlie and Brent are in trouble too. They will scrub toilets and decks all day for one week. They will be given a choice. Either do the week or I’ll fire them.”

There was a loud knock on the cabin door.

“Let me get that. Don’t move!” Captain Clarke said. “Second thought, follow me.”

Luka got up, drink in hand, not wanting to leave another behind.

“Leave the drink.”

Luka took a long sip, then set his glass down on the small table between the chairs. Captain Clarke rolled his eyes at him, then laughed. Luka trailed behind him when he answered the door. The officer he’d been sitting with at the party stood there.

“Is there a problem?” Captain Clarke asked.

“I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Oh, I see you have company.” He looked directly at Luka.

“Since you’re here, I need you to stop at all the welcome parties. Split them with Scott. Then call Mr. Griffin to add three more crewmembers on his first shift for a week.”

“Which three, sir?”

“The Martin boys, that’s Charlie and Brent, and Luka Batista.”

“Anything else, sir?”

“Stay away from Luka Batista if you know what’s good for you. That’s all.”

“Yes, sir.” He glanced at Luka.

The captain closed and locked the door.

“That officer is my best friend. We share a lot of things, but you aren’t one of them. Did he ask you out?”

“He asked me if we were a couple and I told him no. I said I was single.”

“Good answer.”

“I’m really confused as to some of the rules around here.” Luka didn’t understand the captain’s mixed messages. He’d have to listen more to what he said and not what he wanted him to say. At first, the captain said he liked him and now he thought telling his best friend he was single was a good answer. But he’d also just told Brock to stay away from him. That shit didn’t make sense.

“You were late to the newcomer meeting. Bring our glasses inside and I’ll make us another drink, then we’ll talk on the balcony again.”

He made them two drinks, and they returned to the balcony and took their chairs.

“You missed the grooming rules.”

“Grooming rules?”

The captain took out his phone, found the link he wanted from the online handbook for crewmembers, and handed it over to Luka. “Read those rules to me.”

“Yes, sir. Ship’s Crew Grooming Rules:

1.Crewmembers must be clean and odor free. This includes hair, hands, nails, mouth, body, and clothing.

2.Avoid the use of strong colognes.

3.Beards and mustaches must be well-trimmed.

4.No visible body piercings or tattoos are allowed.

5.Men’s hair must not go past their shirt collar.

“Oh no, I’m not cutting my hair, sir.” Luka folded his arms.

Captain Clarke stroked Luka’s hair. “Tie your hair into a ponytail if you work with food. Other than that, your hair is fine. I don’t enforce that rule on the ship.”

“Then why don’t you delete it?”

“I will. Do you have any other questions?”

“I read in the handbook about forbidden behaviors. One was no chewing gum.”

“The forbidden rules will get you fired. Just never chew gum around passengers. We have a no tolerance policy for any illegal drugs too. Familiarize yourself with the rules so you don’t get into big trouble.”

“I can’t believe you’d fire a crewman for chewing gum.”

“Just don’t chew gum. It’s as simple as that.”

“Am I considered a crewman?”

“You’re a crewman with some limitations. You’ll have a salary here.”

“I didn’t know you were going to pay me.”

“That’s part of your learning process. I reward good behavior.”

“Can we talk about you now?”

“Ask me a question.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Luka sipped his drink.

“No.”

“Is there a reason you don’t?”

“Why do you want to know that?” There was a critical tone in his question.

“I like parts of you, not all of you.”

“Tell me what part of me you don’t like?”

“Parts, not part, sir. You’re too hard on me and I don’t mean that in a good way, either. I feel like I’m a failed Marine recruit around you. “

“I treat all the crewmembers like they’re Marine recruits. You’re no different. You break a rule, there will be a consequence. What else don’t you like?”

“I hate when you send me mixed messages. I don’t know what you want from me other than to follow your rules.”

“It’s because wanting you and acting on it are two different things. My wanting you causes conflict for me in my job and my responsibility to oversee your time for the court.”

“Then you need to say exactly what you want from me. I’m not going to let you mess me up. I don’t have any more room for hurt and betrayal.”

“I’ve never been successful in communicating my feelings. With you, I feel more comfortable to admit I have feelings for you. Maybe because you can’t go anywhere.” He placed his hand on Luka’s. “We’ll be together for a year. I like that part. My position on the ship conflicts with what I want with you. Officers, including the captain, do not associate with crewmembers. Not to mention the court sent me instructions for your alternative time here. Does that make sense?”

“No, it doesn’t make sense at all. Either you want to go for me, or you don’t. It was wrong for you to tell Brock to stay away from me. You don’t really want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me.”

“I’m Brock’s superior, and it’s my job to make sure the officers don’t mess around with the crew. You got something wrong, so I’ll repeat myself. I want you for me.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means what I said. I want you. I’m not sure how to deal with the conflicts involved yet. I need to work some things out.”

“So you want to keep me a secret?”

“Not a secret.” He leaned over and pulled Luka closer to him.

Captain Clarke traced his upper lip with his fingers. The way he barely touched Luka so as not to hurt him was an unexpected act of kindness. He trailed kisses down his cheek. His lips were gentle, kind, and loving. Luka enjoyed his light kisses.

“I want to do so much more to you,” Captain Clarke whispered.

“I wish you would.”

“Do you really?” He took Luka’s hand and removed his red rubber bracelet from the party. “You don’t need to advertise you’re a bottom.”

“How did you know that?”

“I’ve been in charge of many gay cruises on my ship, but this one is more crowded because of Pride Week. That traffic light party is a popular party on the gay cruises.”

“Did you ever attend one?”

“No. I don’t date passengers or crewmembers.”

“What about officers?”

“No! It’s not a rule you can’t though.”

“What am I then?”

“You’re really none of those. You’re working here as a crewmember, but you’re under a different contract. I don’t want to label you.”

“Can I spend the night?”

Captain Clarke smiled and said, “Not tonight. I want you to think about starting a relationship with me and what it would mean to you. Tomorrow, during lunch, we’ll discuss some limitations on our relationship. If you accept the terms, then we’ll decide together.”

“You’re putting me on the back burner. I’m out of here.”

“No, I’m not. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Luka left with his drink in his hand and slammed the door behind him.