We'll pretend for now.

"So...you’re stuck with me Captain." The words were simple but Brenan breathed a giant sigh of relief when he heard them. “If we are supposed to have strong feelings for each other, I pretty much have to accept your offer.” Brenan felt a huge wave of relief as he heard Red's words that was only partly diminished as she continued.

"Just for this first trip, then when we get back, you can drop me off here, and keep Cindy with you." There were no readings on Xelta's console that Brenan would accept Red leaving him after the month, but he'd settle for what he had now. Once Red felt the wind on her cheek as she guided the schooner, Brenan doubted she'd be able to leave the ship anyways.

Brenan picked up his shirt and pulled it over his scarred back. "So you'll sign on as my mate?" He felt himself blushing like a teen at the choice of words and quickly added "That is as my first officer." Red nodded, and told him to make himself useful by building a fire in the pit.

The rest of the evening went by faster than liberty in a festival port. By the time he stretched out (inside on the floor, not out on the deck) Brenan had the better part of a bottle of wine, a roast chicken and three roast tubers burnt on the thick outer skin, but creamy and white on the inside.

He did well he decided as he stretched out on the floor. The first officer he deserately needed, and an unexpected deck hand as well. He wished Red could come back with him to see to last minute outfitting of the ship, but she was adamant that she and Cindy had at least on full day's worth of work to see to before leaving her cottage for a full month. Brenan would have to pick them up on his way to Veertor. Brenan chafed at the delay, but didn't see any easy way to avoid it if he was going to have Red as his officer.

"Can you use the skiff?" Red had asked after several awkward minutes of silence. Brenan had been thinking about what he could say to get Red talking and it took a minute to realize what she had asked. It was a fine boat, he should have a ship's boat big enough to carry his crew if needed.

No sooner than he agreed that Red told him what was going to happen the next few days. Brenan would ride back to Freeport with Davy's horse the next day, and sail out on the evening tide just as he had planned. Red and Cindy would spend the day securing the cottage, and then sail the skiff in a few days sailing around the island's north face, Red described a couple likely meeting spots the primary one off the lee side of an island just off the North-West tip of the island.

Soon after that Cindy stood and stretched her lean body like a cat and with a wink at her aunt told them she was going to bed.

"I imagine you two have some catching up to do Aunt Claire." Then she knelt at Brenan's side and surprised him by throwing her arms around him and pressing her warm breasts against his shoulder as she drunkenly kissed his cheek and mumbled quietly into his ear:

"Thank-you Captain. I guess this is as much thanks as you'll take from me, but you deserve much, much, more." The closeness of her body combined with the effects of the **** almost made him regret his earlier decision but then Red placed a smart smack across Cindy's raised backside and sent her giggling into the cottage.

The night sky was clear and the stars seemed brighter than he remembered. Familiar constellations filled the dark heavens and Brenan watched the stars move across the sky.

Red's plan was sound, but he wished he could find a reason to stay out here on the beach for a few more days. Pushing that thought away with a swallow of wine, he sat and talked to Red about Ambrose's cargo.

"It's a smuggling run, Ambrose has already got the whole thing set up. All we have to do is avoid the Veertor coastguard, find this tiny harbor in a moonless night and make sure we get paid for the cargo before we let it out of our sight.

"Crews Brenan, you don't start small do you?" Brenan expected at least that much resistance from Red and was glad she didn't protest more. If they were boarded by the Veertor coastgaurd in the empire's waters without the neccessary paperwork needed to import the Cryn luxuries it would not be pretty. Brenan would certainly loose the ship he had worked so hard for, and he and the rest of the crew would be impressed into the empire's navy.

For Red and Cindy the fate would be even worse, the Veertor empire had only one position for females who served in the navy. Brenan was well aware of the horrors awaiting Red and Cindy if they were **** into the role of 'comfort women.' But Red was aware of the risks. She had dealt with the same threats when she sailed as a pirate on the Kranderkill and she had known that Cindy would as well.

Red was a good listener. For the second time in the same day Brenan found himself enjoying the companionship of a beautiful woman without using sex to keep them occupied. He and Red sat side by side not quite touching for close to an hour mostly in silence watching the embers turn from yellow to red to mostly grey, it was the most time Brenan remembered ever spending alone with Red and it felt good.

Next thing Brenan knew it was morning and Red and Cindy were laughing at him as he struggled to deal with his throbbing head. He felt a little better after his morning coffee and breakfast and soon he was handed his bedroll and a bag of food and shuffled off to Davy’s horse.

Cindy was watching as Red and Brenan stood by the horse.

“I’ll see you soon.” Brenan said gruffly, and then when he saw Cindy’s interested gaze he added “She’s still watching.”

“Then we’d better make this look good.” Said Red and she stepped closer to Brenan resting her hand on his chest. Brenan nodded nervously and lowered his face to hers. He smiled a little as he saw Red take a deep breath before tilting her head to meet his. She was as nervous as he was. Brenan had kissed over a hundred different women over the past ten years, and never once had as much trouble as he did now.

Their noses bumped in his first attempt, after both had adjusted the angles of their heads his lips found hers. They were soft and warm and suddenly he felt her lips open and her tongue slipped between his, he jerked back momentarily as her tongue teased the gap in his lips; it felt like magic. He stiffened as he fought the urge to drive his tongue past hers and taste her, sensing his unease Red immediately sealed her lips turning her lips from his and whispered
“Sorry.” Brenan was sorry too, sorry he had not welcomed her kiss with the passion that he truly felt. Then Red pulled out of his arms. “See you in a few days, Captain.”

Brenan was on Davy’s horse and starting his long ride back to his new ship, even more confused than he had been yesterday afternoon when he first mistook Cindy for a raider waiting to ambush Red.