An Airship Named Desire (Take to the Skies Book 1) (14 page)

My eyes trailed down the length of his body, and my cheeks began burning. Must have been the whisky catching up to me. I averted my gaze when I realize I sat there gaping at him. That motion rushed my head with the dizzy swirl of alcohol, and I basked in the sweet bliss the feeling brought me. 

The wet stench of blood stunk from my clothing, particularly my damp and devastated chemise. Pressing my back further against the wall, I popped the first buttons of my bodice. Geoff snuck a glance, not very subtly either. His cheeks had reddened, and the whisky bottle he held only contained a mere quarter of liquid left inside. Slowly and deliberately, I arched my back, fumbling with another few buttons lining my bodice. The black piece slipped off my shoulders, and my shirt slumped onto the floor. My dark brown bra crept into vision from the rips and holes in the deteriorated chemise.

Before I could go any further, Geoff passed me the bottle of whisky. I gripped the neck with one hand, lifted a finger, and winked before I took a deep draft. Whisky flowed through my veins this time, and I no longer spluttered with my sips. My chest burned but with a different sort of tension, and I squeezed my legs together. I offered him the bottle back, but his eyes hadn’t left me. Under his attention, I writhed with restrained lust.

My chemise became a burden, and my chest heaved with excitement and the quixotic allure of whisky. The broad daylight cast several husky strains over my skin, and I loosened the strings keeping my chemise up. Slowly, I peeled the ragged fabric off my body.

With a light thump, my shirt fell to the floor, and Geoff placed the bottle on the desk. I rolled my shoulders further back and thrust my chest forward, the exposed, damp skin prickling under the open air. Geoff tried to glance back at the desk as if unawares, but the reoccurring looks my way didn’t help him in the slightest.

My cheeks burned, and my body tingled. Finally, my brain stopped whirring and gave up to the sweet abandon of smooth, smooth whisky. Something so pure and animalistic required no thinking. Feeling stirred within me, pushing my body forward without permission from my mind. I had Geoff’s full attention.

His dark brown eyes studied me with a hunger I longed for, so I lifted myself from the floor, closing the space between us. The couple steps stretched out like an endless stairwell, but I stopped an inch from him. So close, his furnace of a body heated me further and threw more fuel to the blaze already burning within.

I pressed myself against him and met his lips with a fierce, passionate kiss.

Chapter Fourteen

He kissed back, and the adrenaline thrilled my veins. I tasted the sweet cinnamon on his lips from those sticks he chewed, and it tingled against my own. Seven years worth of pent up passion flooded through me. For all the times we’d visited each other’s rooms late at night, sat together under the open stars on deck, and passed a quick peck on the cheeks or caress to the back, we’d never kissed. I’d been sorely missing out. My lips sought his again, and I ran my fingers down the side of his neck. 

Geoff stepped back from the kiss, away from me. I frowned. My entire body ached with eagerness, and I stumbled towards him. He placed both hands on my shoulders, staring into my eyes.

“I want this. Gods, you know I do, but not this way—not now. You’re spurred by grief, and I won’t be some fling for you.” His words hit me with a sharp rebuff the same time the alcohol rose to my head, and I stepped back as if struck.

My breaths came out slow and husky. Vague guilt bubbled in the back of my mind, but I was so drunk my feet wobbled beneath me, and those feelings took a backseat to my confusion. A blush burned my cheeks, and I staggered. Luckily, Geoff caught me. He placed a blanket around my shoulders and walked me over to his bedroom. The ceiling spun above me, and several times I tripped over my own feet.

The door opened with a creak, and I stepped inside, guided by his arm around my shoulder. Dull rays of light spilled into the blackened room from the entrance where in the corner, Geoff’s bed lay covered with rumpled sheets and bloated pillows. I stubbed my foot on something hard and glanced down. A model of a copper robot stared back at me with a glare from its porthole eyes and a helm’s wheel gracing its tiny stomach. I took a seat on his bed as my head whirled with the spins. My body protested the change from lusty onslaught to nothing, but my respect for Geoff trumped any more drunken impulses.

He pressed his hands against my shoulders, and I collapsed onto the bed. After he pulled the blanket over my body, he brushed wisps of hair from my face, the motion sending electric shivers across my skin. I yanked the blankets tighter. The bed dipped beside me, and Geoff sat. He tilted my chin up with his finger, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. I writhed in the bliss from his touch, and my eyes fluttered with weariness. His presence emanated safety, and the whisky tinged my nerves with mindless abandon. Warmth flooded through my body, carrying me off to slumber.

***

I awoke to a darkened room, and my head pounded with an earthquake-sized hangover. Once I tossed the blankets off me, I glanced down at my chest, only covered by my bra. My foot stung, and I glared at the little robot statue planted on his floor. Piles of Geoff’s pants, tailcoats, and fitted shirts rose to meet the top of his bed. Seven different clocks sprawled overtop his dresser, from old brassy ones to the neon blue glare of a holographic display. Whatever organization he used in the navigation bay obviously didn’t apply to his own chambers.

Geoff sat slumped in a nearby chair, strands of his long brown hair dangling over his face. His arms crossed over his chest, and his shoulders jutted upwards in a way that couldn’t be comfortable. For a brief moment I couldn’t remember why I lay in Geoff’s bed without a shirt, and I sat, rubbing the crust away from my eyes. My back seared with the strain of a long rest as I pushed myself over to the edge of the bed.

The sobering memories of what I’d witnessed upon my last wake up flooded through me in such a strong torrent my body convulsed. Embarrassment and guilt wore me like a new peacoat after what a sweetheart Geoff had been last night. He stopped me from doing something stupid and took care of me even though he had his own hurt to deal with. Just another reason why I should’ve listened to Morris’s advice about Geoff and I while I’d been a carefree first mate. But I couldn’t now. I had a crew to oversee, a traitor to kill, and a dangerous box we didn’t want.

I approached the door but paused, watching Geoff’s chest swelling under the lull of sleep from where he hunched over. My hand gripped his chin and I gently lifted his face an inch away from mine. Tension bubbled between us, heating my skin, but I shook my head. We shouldn’t go down that path. I couldn’t. I let his chin drop and rifled a hand through his ragged hair before exiting the room.

Early light streamed into the navigation chambers. I’d slept from yesterday afternoon through the night thanks to a whisky inspired slumber. My tattered chemise and bodice marred the otherwise clean planked floor, so I looped my arms through the bodice and buttoned up the front. The torn chemise lay crinkled on the floor, but I picked it up anyway. Jittery anxiety crawled through my veins like coffee on an empty stomach. Today I had to do some housekeeping.

Dew-chilled air settled over me when I exited the navigation chambers. A couple crew members stole glances but still none spoke. I strode down the steps into the cabins. Edwin’s hangover cure couldn’t help this whisky laden brew of grief and besides; the pain helped me focus better. The more my head roared, the less I dwelled on memories.

The stale light of electric candles cast sullen shadows along my parchment stained walls. I closed shut the jewelry box I’d left open on my dresser and avoided my reflection, even though the mirror’s glint taunted me with glimpses. My trunk hung half-open from yesterday with stray sleeves drooping out from the top like octopus tentacles. A breeze wafted through my doorframe carrying with it the salty tang of salt water air.

The bloodstained bodice and pants clung to my body like a filthy memory. I ripped the clothes off, rummaging through the trunk for my olive breeches and dark brown leather tunic. They’d do. I pulled on the fresh clothes and tied back my long tangled curls. A slap to the face sent tingling through my numb, clouded mind.

With a sigh, I stepped in front of the mirror. Grief sucked away any vivacity from my sullen blue eyes. 

“Dammit,” I cursed at myself. The woman in the mirror had bags under her eyes and a sour frown, accompanied by slumped shoulders as her knees bent from unsteadiness. Her Captain passed away, and she couldn’t fit into the aviator cap. But I was all they had. If we didn’t move fast we’d be helpless as a bloated tick riding a puddle. I glanced back in the mirror. Although buried deep, a spark of determination returned to my eyes, and I lifted my chin. Time to face the crew.

The tough soles of my boots thudded against the steps leading to the deck, and I took a deep breath before emerging topside. No one stood by the navigation bay since we were docked, but Jack spotted me from his lookout roost and gave me a salute.

I called to him, “Come on down.”

The broad-shouldered man jumped down from his perch and approached me. “What did you want?” He avoided my gaze.

“Gather the crew. We have some business to take care of.”

He nodded and without a reply, ran off. I stalked over to the helm. The elevated location gave me enough of a height and space to view the crew. Taking a seat on the step, I waited. Soon everyone filtered across the deck, and my heart skipped a beat when Geoff stumbled from the navigation chamber clutching his head. Before long, the crew stood before me passing quips and whispers until their voices hummed like a freighter’s steady thrum. I clutched my forehead with a silent apology to my pulsing mind at what came next.

“Listen up, crew,” I shouted in a bellow that rivaled the captain’s. My headache hated me, but the crew silenced, and I had their rapt attention. Quiet somber faces stared back at me.

“I tried on the maid outfit and it didn’t fit. I’m not that talented at this housekeeping business.” A few smiles broke through the crowd, and I straightened my back. “Look, I may not be who you want as Captain, but I’m what you have. So take your complaints and throw them overboard. I’ve as much use for them as empty whisky bottles.” I caught Geoff’s eyes but kept going.

“We’re not in a perfect spot. We were counting on that job to keep the Desire running, but we saw how that ended. We hold the cargo still, so the British merchants will be after us. Our ex-employer double crossed us, so he’ll send men too. If we stay here, we’re asking to get boarded. But the most important issue is Jensen. Traitors don’t roam free, not after taking our cargo,” loathing crept into my voice, “and especially not after murdering our Captain.”

“He doesn’t have a ship, but the man’s resourceful. We have to stop him before he runs out of our sights. But that surfaces another problem. Jensen was our recon man and now first mate duties are open. Let’s be honest, if I don’t have a counterbalance to my insane plans, we’ll plummet nose first into the sea.” I quieted to test the crowd and see what whispers arose. None did.

“Geoff.” I gestured him forward. “You’ll be taking over my old duties as first mate.” I cracked a half smile and fought to keep my composure. “Captain Morris always said I should’ve known my navigation better for my position. Plus, you keep a level head. We need that.” His mouth dropped open but no words came out. Somehow, he hadn’t expected this.

“Spade.” I pointed in his direction. “You’ll take over Geoff’s duties as navigator. We’ll work on finding a helmsman to replace. Any of you deckhands, if you’ve had an inclination, talk to me later. As for Jensen’s replacement, we need someone who’s already adept and trained with so many enemies after us.” Spade and Geoff stood beside me, but neither said a word. Despite their new positions, any celebrations fell by the wayside in lieu of action against our immediate threats.

“To you all, take what time you need between now and sundown. If you’re hoping to stretch your legs, do so. Watch your back, and be careful. We don’t know where Jensen ran nor do we know if the ex-employer has us identified. Regardless, be here tonight at sunset. We’ll see the captain off then.” As soon as I finished speaking, the crew dispersed. I waved Isabella over and placed my hands on Geoff and Spade’s shoulders, so they’d stay too.

“You three are coming with me,” my voice lowered to a less head-splitting pitch. The four of us walked into the navigation chambers where just the night before I drank with Geoff. We entered the room, and I claimed the seat. If being Captain meant anything, I won dibs on chairs. Spade’s expression hadn’t changed throughout my speech, and weariness sunk his blue eyes while frown lines tugged on his black whiskered chin. Isabella wore a mask of indifference to hide her anguish. The occasional tremble of her lip gave her true feelings away, but otherwise she held herself together. Geoff opened the cabinets and pulled out maps of Sutcliffe and Reno.

I lifted an eyebrow. “Less than five minutes on the job and already you’re reading my mind, boy-o. I couldn’t have made a better choice. Everyone gather round and we’ll talk.”

“You don’t waste any time,” Isabella shot back. My temper had skated a tensile thread since yesterday. It snapped.

“No, darling,” my words came out a snarl. “If we waste time, you’ll end up corpses. I had to clean up my Captain’s yesterday, and I don’t want another. Grieving’s a pretty sentiment, but not all of us have the luxury.”

Isabella closed her mouth, and her chestnut eyes glistened with unshed tears. She glanced at her skirts while smoothing them down. Nobody said a word.

I let my temper simmer before I spoke again. “Obviously we need to leave port. But if we leave, we lose our chance to take care of Jensen.”

“Would he stay though?” Geoff interjected. “He was a few buttons short of a blouse, but the man knows how to survive.”

“Jensen? He wouldn’t stay, but where would he run?” I crossed one leg over the other and tapped my foot in the air. Geoff placed his maps onto the table. His neat handwriting marked all the coordinates to important drop sites we’d visited in the past. My finger pressed onto the black inked numbers, and I dipped my hand into my pocket. “Hold on a tick.” I fished out the paper I’d found the day before. “This. I found this tucked in with Jensen’s stuff. Do you recognize the coordinates, Geoff?”

He took the paper from me, scanning over it for a moment. Geoff glanced back and forth between the maps he had placed on the table and the wrinkled piece of paper. “That far West, we’re already in the area.” His finger followed along the map until it stopped right on the large dot marking Reno.

“That fool boy,” Isabella spoke, her voice gentler than before. “He’d be going straight to the nearest city in running distance. Of course he’d be in Reno.”

“If we port there though,” Spade said, “we’re slapped with another docking fee we can barely pay, and the Brits could easily dock. If they find us, we’re wide open to attack.”

“If we stay here we’re boned too.” I hunched over, resting my elbows on my knees. “Our ex-employer wanted the box and no strings left attached. We’re screwed if we leave, screwed if we stay. I’d recommend leave, but are there any side ports besides the Reno main?” I glanced toward Geoff who already pored over the open map. His long finger travelled along the lines of the map but stopped and hovered right to the side of Reno. I leaned over, squinting for a closer peek.

“There’s a smaller lesser known dock past Reno proper and in the nastier parts of town,” he said. “The port wouldn’t be safe, and we’d have to keep a tight watch on our girl. But we’d stay under the radar, and the fee’s next to nothing.”

“Geoff, you’re brilliant.” My heart jumped in excitement. I slung an arm around his neck and pulled him close, but the nearness reminded me of the night prior. Just as fast I moved away, though not before a slight blush tinged his cheeks. I picked up the paper with the coordinates to cause a distraction. “What about the second number? The SSN-571?”