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“Stay in touch.” Jess pulled away, going to Cal’s side. “And all the very best, with everything.”
“Thanks.” Tasmin nodded, her brown hair dancing a little in a sudden ocean breeze.
Elder’s captain waited as my family and I hopped into Singa Laut and cast off. Once we were no longer tethered to the Phantom, he waved goodbye and vanished into the helm. The soft purr of expensive engines sounded as he prepared to disembark.
Prest raised his arm as I started my own engine. “Nice meeting you, Sinclair. Appreciate your business.”
“Appreciate your craftsmanship.” I added power to the throttle. “I’ll be in touch after our maiden voyage to Tahiti. I’ll let you know how we find travelling on Calypso.”
“You do that.” He smirked. “You might trade land for the sea because you enjoy it so much.”
“Doubt it.” I pointed at the flickering lanterns and starlight illuminating Goddess Isles. “I like palm trees and waterfalls too much.”
“Could install those onboard.” Prest shrugged. “Anything is possible.”
I chuckled. “Imitations.”
“Improvements.” He slung his arm around Tasmin’s shoulder. “Goodbye, Sinclair.”
“Bye!” Eleanor and Jess waved as I turned the rudder and left a nautical home for our island one.
* * * * *
That night, with Eleanor fast asleep beside me, Pika snoozing on the sheet between my legs, Skittles nestled in Eleanor’s gorgeous hair, a Komodo dragon sleeping by the open doors to the deck, and the resident sugar glider blinking with nocturnal happiness, I cyphered a fantasy.
I used the code I’d designed to script common animals beneath the sea, along with a few mythical ones. I conjured magic for my wife and seasoned it with debauchery.
Tomorrow night, as we sailed on Calypso and travelled on the open seas, I would load us into an illusion that would guarantee a visit to Euphoria we would never forget.Chapter Eight
“OKAY, I HAVE TO admit...this is a pretty fabulous way to travel.” I spun on the deck where Sully, Cal, and Jess sat in the sunken lounge next to the pizza oven that was currently smoking with handmade vegetarian pizzas. “No people. No airports. No germs or crowds or problems. Heaven.”
Pika and Skittles sat on the towel rack beside the mosaic glittery pool, preening each other and looking perfectly at home even though we’d left Goddess Isles six hours ago and now had no land around us.
We’d made the choice to bring them with us. The rescues on Serigala were cared for by trusted staff and numerous vets on call. Specific animal lovers had been hired just to provide cuddles and companionship to those creatures who needed it.
But Pika and Skittles were family.
Without them, we always felt a piece of ourselves missing when we travelled and rushed back as quickly as we could. This way...we could take our time. We didn’t need to worry because we had everyone we loved onboard and could truly relax and enjoy the adventure.
“Yeah, it’s not bad.” Sully held up his beer bottle, the setting sun catching the glass.
“Not bad?” Jess threw an olive at him from the snacks that we’d been served by the inconspicuous and ever attentive crew that Elder Prest had provided along with his perfectly crafted yacht. “It’s insane. I’ve worked on cruise ships, Sullivan. I’ve seen giant vessels and cleaned the most expensive suites to rent. Believe me, nothing compares to this. It’s in a league of its own.”
Cal sipped his beer, his eyes covered with aviators. “I don’t even feel seasick, and normally, I’d be green as fuck by now.”
“He did say it had stabilisers for stopping sickness.” Sully glanced at Cal. His black board shorts and shirtless chest still twinkled with droplets from the dip he’d taken in the swimming pool. Pika had joined him, sitting on Sully’s finger and splashing his feathers, taking a bird bath while squawking in joy.
Padding toward the pizza oven in my sarong and dusky pink bikini, I pulled the board holding four pizzas from the charcoal to check nothing was burning.
“That smells so good,” Jess moaned. “I’m hungry.”
“How can you be hungry?” Cal chuckled. “You’ve been eating all day.”
Jess sighed and stretched, showing off her toned body in her teal bikini, no longer self-conscious about the wicked-looking scar across her lower belly courtesy of Drake’s bullet. Dr Campbell had worked miracles keeping both her and Cal alive, and I was glad that Sully and Jim had been able to bury the past. Dr Campbell was still our resident physician, and his family regularly visited, now that Goddess Isles wasn’t an illegal sex trade but just a tropical home for humans and rescues.
“I’m on vacation and plan on eating my way to Tahiti.”
“We live on a tropical island.” Cal rolled his eyes. “Every damn day is a vacation.”
Jess shrugged. “Won’t stop me from eating far more than normal while on this ship.” She blew him a kiss. “You’ll just have to provide me with extra exercise so I don’t get fat.”
