A Pirate's Life for Me

Work in paradise. Now hiring entertainers for adult tourist shows in the Caribbean. Free room and board. All transportation included. Must be in good physical condition. HIV test required. Actors and models encouraged to apply.

After the last few months Lucas Hart had been having, finding the ad was like finding a hundred dollar bill in the gutter.

He'd immediately called in and was granted an interview three days later with Susan Moore, director of Human Resources for a company he'd never heard of before. Dressed in a borrowed suit and tie, he sat across a desk from an attractive blonde in her early forties. He tried to look confident while she thumbed through the resume he'd submitted, but inside the butterflies were going crazy. His confidence had taken a beating lately.

"Tell me about your work with the Tall Ships Festival, Lucas."

"Yes, ma'am. I was part of the crew of a hundred and ten foot schooner that sailed Lake Michigan and engaged other ships in mock battles. My duties included running the sails, maintaining the rigging, cleaning, and of course acting in the shows. I've included a letter from my captain," he added, hopefully. He desperately wanted this job. "I've been trained in sword fighting, and I'm pretty good at diving off the rigging. I don't have formal stage training but I'm reasonably good at acting. I'm a quick learner."

"You might be the most qualified applicant I've ever met," she remarked as she looked over his resume. "At least for this job." Susan Moore closed the folder containing his paperwork and looked up, her blue-gray eyes sparkling behind stylish square glasses. "Let me explain what this job entails and you tell me if you're interested. At this point, I'm ready to hire you on the spot. You've got the experience, looks, and personality." She gave him a brief once-over. "I think you're perfect."

Lucas released a deep sigh of relief. "That's fantastic news, Ms. Moore."

"Susan," she said with a twitch of her lips, still studying him.

He smiled. "Susan." He ran a hand through his honey-colored hair, glad now that he hadn't gotten it trimmed before coming in here. He'd thought it might make him look a little more rakish, and it appeared to have worked. When women looked at him the way Susan Moore was looking at him, Lucas had the situation under control. "This is really great news," he repeated with a growing smile. "I'm definitely interested in hearing all about the position. Your ad was vague enough to make me imagine all sorts of things, from drag shows to aerial acrobatics."

She laughed. "No on the former, yes on the latter. Have you heard of the Arcadia Hotel?"

"I'm sorry, I haven't. I've been a little out of touch for most of the last year since we don't get much news on the ships."

"What about Anteros Island?"

He thought for a moment. "It's in the Caribbean, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's a tropical resort that caters to several cruise lines. The Arcadia is one of several hotels on the island and it happens to be an adult hotel. One wing is Heaven, the other Hell. Where they meet is Purgatory."

Lucas laughed in disbelief. "You're kidding."

"I'm not. It's amazing. I had the good fortune of staying there for two weeks last year. In Hell, of course," she said, grinning. "Best time of my life." She winked at him and then blushed a little as if suddenly realizing she was flirting with a young man nearly twenty years her junior. She looked down and straightened the papers in her folder. "The Arcadia, in addition to offering several in-house clubs, restaurants and adult shows, sponsors a pirate show seven days a week. This pirate show is what I'm hiring for."

Lucas couldn't believe his ears.

"The shows are performed in a bay on an old schooner which has been modified to allow a close-up audience. There's a screen behind the ship where the shadow of an opposing ship is projected. Pirates on the 'real' ship battle against privateers and Caribbean spirits on the shadow ship. It's surprisingly effective. They do a great job."

"Sounds incredible."

"The pirate ship holds a twelve-man acting crew. You'll be expected to climb rigging, swing from high locations, participate in sword fights, and occasionally fall into the water -- everything you've already done. The shows run six days a week."

She smirked at him. "Now comes the good part. If you sign on, all room and board is included. You can eat at any of the Arcadia's restaurants for free, although you will be responsible for paying for alcoholic beverages and for gratuities. Housing will provided for you in the form of a cottage you share with other members of your crew, two to a room. It's fully furnished with everything you might need: full kitchen with all the appliances, flat screen TV, DVD player, game consoles -- you name it and it's probably there.

"You will receive a weekly salary of five hundred dollars. Because Anteros is a U.S. territory it will be taxed, by the way -- and you'll also receive a fifty percent employee discount on all activities on the island that offer employee discounts. You'll work the show every day while ships are in port and then you'll be off until the next docking."

Lucas shook his head, afraid to believe everything he'd heard. "What's the catch?"

She smiled. "There are a few: one is that I need you there in two weeks. Also, you'll be living on an island for one year. Unless you're fired, you won't be able to leave unless you pay your own way. Granted, it's not a tiny island. There are plenty of places to explore and it offers nearly every amenity the mainland does. There is a local government and you're subject to all the same laws as you would here, but also all the benefits. But though it's similar to here in some cases, it's still a very different lifestyle. Not everyone can pack up and go, or are willing to live on a secluded island. Nor is everyone willing to work fourteen days in a row without overtime."

"But the time off between sailings more than makes up for it," he pointed out.

"Depends on your perspective, I suppose." She tapped the folder containing his information. "The only thing I need from you to complete your hiring is for you to take a comprehensive physical at one of our approved clinics and pass an HIV test. We'll be running a criminal background check as well as your credit report. After that you only need to clear up your personal business here and we'll transport you to the island via one of the cruise ships."

"I'll be taking a cruise there?"

"You'll be traveling as an employee in the employees' quarters," she clarified with a laugh. "It's definitely not the same."

"Still sounds better than flying," he laughed back. "Wow," he repeated, setting back in his chair as everything she'd described sank it. "I have to tell you, Susan, this sounds like a dream job. I loved working the Tall Ships festival and this sounds like doing more of the same, just in a bigger pond. And I won't have to sleep on the ship, which sounds great. A tropical island, free food and housing . . ." He shook his head, incredulous. "I'm interested. This is too good to pass up." And I can get away from everything that reminds me of Lisa.

Susan beamed. "Excellent. I was hoping you'd say that, Lucas. As I said, you're perfect for this job. Now, let's discuss the move. There are private banks on the island which . . ."

Two weeks after that interview with Susan, Lucas flew to Fort Lauderdale. From there he'd boarded the cruise ship, the Excelsior, and shared a cabin with a friendly Filipino crewman named Andy. A week later, well-tanned from afternoons lounging beside one of the ship's pools, he'd disembarked on Anteros Island and jumped directly on the employee tram.

I can't believe I'm about to live on a tropical island . . . as a pirate.

It brought a wide smile to Lucas's face as he looked out the side of the open-air tram and watched the scenery of his fantasies -- now his new home -- whiz past him. Turquoise waters, red hibiscus, green palmettos and white sand beaches -- he'd entered a world of primary colors. Everything was vibrant and fresh and a million miles away in both distance and spirit from Chicago.

"Somebody pinch me," he murmured.

"Only if I get to pick which body part."

He turned his head in surprise. A petite blonde girl sat beside him. He'd been too awestruck by the surroundings to notice her when he'd taken his seat.

He noticed her now. She had a cute pixie face that would have been even more pronounced had her shoulder length blonde hair been pulled up instead of brushed in around her face. As he watched, she nervously tugged the locks tighter to her cheek. Her sunglasses were tinted pink, which revealed that her eyes were a light color -- green or blue.

"It doesn't seem real, does it?" she asked. She was wearing a white tank top with a rabbit face stitched across the front of it. Each time the tram rode over a bump, her breasts jiggled. Lucas was glad for his dark lenses that allowed him to sneak glances without being caught.

"I'm from Toronto. When I told my friends I was going to live on an island they thought I meant somewhere in Nova Scotia," she laughed. "I can't wait to send them postcards from here. They'll hate me." She twisted sideways in the seat and extended her hand to him. He couldn't help noticing she kept her left hand hovering over her cheek and hair. "I'm Nicole. I'll be working on the beach as a cocktail server." She smiled awkardly. "Funny, huh?"

He cocked his head, curious. "Why is that funny?"

Again, she pulled at her hair until Lucas realized she was trying to cover part of her face with it. "I'm not exactly model material," she said. "I was in a car accident a few years back and I -- I was burned."

She didn't mention where the scars were located, but Lucas had a pretty good hunch.

"You'll probably be the most popular girl on the beach," he told her earnestly. "To be a horrible male, the truth is that we're going to be staring at your breasts the entire time, and from what I can see they're stunning."

Her eyes widened. Then she burst into laughter and lowered her hand. "Well, at least you're truthful! Wow."

He shrugged and grinned. "You really have nothing to worry about, Nicole. Whatever you think is holding you back -- believe me, it's not. You're gorgeous and you're friendly. Two pluses in my book." He shook her hand. "I'm Lucas. I'm working in the pirate show."

She shook her head in wonder. "There's a pirate show? What do you do in it?"

"I'm not exactly sure," he admitted, "but I bet it's a lot of swinging from rigging and yelling 'Argh' a lot. Maybe spanking some wenches," he added playfully.

She laughed. "Pirates are sexy. Will you get to wear an earring and an eyepatch?"

"Of course," he replied loftily, though he had no idea what the costume would consist of. "I'll be properly decked out for raping and pillaging."

"Oooh," she teased, turning more in her seat to face him. "Sign me up. I make a great damsel in distress."

He laughed. "Something tells me I might find the tables turned, Nicole. You're not fooling me."

Her grin was flirtatious and fun. "And something tells me you'd be able to handle it."

He just grinned.

"You've got a nice smile, Lucas. Maybe after we get settled in our housing we can get together and explore our new home, what do you say?"

Unfortunately, her wording made Lucas realize just how permanent this new situatation was. They were now living on an island. If things went badly between them there wasn't any easy escape. They might run into each other every day. It made him think of Chicago, and how every restaurant and street reminded him of Lisa . . .

"I'd love to, but I think for the first week or so I should try to bond with my cast mates," he told her, smiling sheepishly. "You know, sit around and compare scars and see who can burp the alphabet. But I'd love to catch a drink with you sometime later. I'd love to hear what you think about this place and your job after you've gotten to know them a little better."

She sighed dramatically, but her eyes twinkled. "I guess I can live with that. I should probably try to hang out with my new co-workers, first, too. If I'm going to be stuck living with them for long . . ." She tugged self-consciously at her hair again.

To distract her, he quickly asked, "Do cocktail servers live in the cottages, too?"

She gaped. "Cottages? What? No fair! We're stuck in big 'ol dorms. Why do you get the cushy digs?"

"Well, we are sexy pirates," he teased. He held up his hands to ward off her swat. "Maybe it's because we're part of an adult show. They think we'd be too irresistible in general population."

She snorted loudly and indelicately, which made him laugh. She blushed and hit him again. "Irresistible, my ass," she huffed.

He shrugged, grinning. "Trying to make myself feel good."

"So you said adult show, hmm?" Blue eyes turned speculative once again as they roamed over him. "Now, I'll have to catch your show. Oh, hey, look!"

She pointed up ahead where the front of the tram was clearing the hill and heading down into the semi-circle of the bay. The horseshoe shaped bay spread before them, shops on either side, but it was the beach which held their attention. "See those guys in the blue shirts? They work for the Arcadia. Farther north will be the Royal Capeside. That's who hired me."

Several young men and women wearing turquoise blue polo shirts and white shorts were busy wiping off chairs and picking up debris and trash from the beach. Since the Excelsior had just docked, the beaches were still relatively empty of tourists and the Arcadia employees were busy preparing for their arrival.

Lucas pointed at a tiki hut bar where three young women in floral print sarongs and turquoise bikinis were preparing their stations. "That looks like where you'll be working, right?"

"I think that's only for the Arcadia servers. I'm not sure how much territory each hotel covers, like, if the Arcadia gets the south end of the bay and the Capeside is limited to the north. Ooh, I'm so excited now!" Nicole exclaimed, rubbing her bare arms. "I'm getting goosebumps. Isn't this exciting?"

Lucas looked beyond the people on the beach to the incredibly blue waters of Hidden Idol Bay. He could see a ship sitting out in the water, a vessel similar to what he'd sailed in Lake Michigan. A shiver went down his spine when he spotted the familiar skull and bones of the Jolly Roger flying from its mast.

"Yes, Nicole, this is exciting," he breathed.

***

The employee tram turned off of the main cobblestone road of Hidden Idol and onto an asphalt road which carried them away from the tourist area into what were clearly the neighborhoods of the bay. The tram passed some private backyards before making stops at several housing areas in Hidden Idol including a small apartment complex, what looked like a small bungalow town named Arcadia West, and a dormitory-style housing unit called the Capeside Villages where Nicole disembarked with a cheerful wave and promise to get together later with Lucas. After these stops only Lucas and another man in his early thirties at the front of the tram continued to ride it as the caterpillar-like vehicle wound its way back towards the water.

"Where you headed?" the brunette man up front asked as he twisted in his seat to look back at Lucas. He was even more tanned than Lucas was, with squint lines radiating out like sunburst from the corner of his blue-green eyes. Though brown, his hair carried heavy blonde streaking from the sun. A trim soul patch fit perfectly on his square face and matched his thick, but also trim eyebrows. "You going to the orientation, too?"

Lucas shook his head. "Orientation for what?"

The man's face dropped. "Guess not. I'm heading up to Bayside. Orientation for new diving and fishing crew."

"Sorry. I'm being dropped off at some cottages. I work for entertainment." Lucas looked over what he could see of the man. He was well-built, maybe more so than he was, with a wide chest and thick arms. "So which do you do -- dive or fish?"

"Both, though I prefer diving," the man said, his grin a veritable flash of lightning in his tanned face. "Name's Chasen. You do any diving?"

"I'm Lucas. Nice to meet you. No, I've never had the chance, but I wouldn't mind giving it a try. Especially here," Lucas added with a smile. "The view under water must be amazing."

"That's an understatement and a half," Chasen laughed. "On Anteros, it doesn't matter if you're looking at fish or people -- both are beautiful." His hazel eyes flicked over Lucas, assessing him. 'You ever come up to the piers, you look me up at Blue Yonder. I'll take care of you and make sure you learn the right way. I'll make you fall in love."

That's the last thing I want, buddy. But Lucas nodded. "Thanks. You'll be seeing me soon."

Chasen's grin widened. "I'm holding you to that." He hesitated. "So you're here on your own, right?"

"Yep."

The diver looked him over again. "Good."

***

Chasen was dropped off at a bus stop where he said he'd catch a ride up to the northern end of the bay. The friendly older man again extended the invitation to come find him at Blue Yonder, which Lucas promised to take him up on. Alone, Lucas rode the tram southeast, heading up into the hills overlooking the bay. After a five minute trip, the driver let him off at the end of a narrow road.

Cottage 22 was a small, one-story pale pink cottage that sat side by side with three other pastel colored cottages on a crushed shell road that ran parallel to the bay. Behind the cottages rose a hill covered in wild vegetation and palm trees that led into a real-life jungle. The cottages' front yard was the crescent-shaped beach that melted into the turquoise waters. On it, a sand volleyball game was in progress, and two young men and a woman were tending a barbeque pit dug into the sand. It looked like a scene from a vacation, yet Lucas knew this was what his life would be like for the next year.

Smiling wistfully, he walked up the driveway of Cottage 22, passing an electric blue Ninja. He paused to admire the motorcycle, something he'd always dreamed of driving. He noticed then that none of the cottages had garages, and he remembered he hadn't seen many private cars down on the main roadways, either. Apparently most people traveled by two-wheeled vehicles, walked, or used public transportation. It made sense since cars were probably difficult and expensive to transport over.

Now I have an excuse to get a street bike, he thought as he approached the front of the cottage. This keeps getting better and better.

He slung his duffel bag from his shoulder and knocked on the front door. Beside the welcome mat sat a collection of conch and spiny shells, as well as two pairs of well-worn flip-flops. A wooden wind chime spun gently from the eaves but there wasn't enough of a breeze to make it rattle.

"Just a sec!" he heard a male voice yell from inside.

A minute later the front door swung open, revealing a skinny young man around Lucas's age. He certainly looked like an island native with his head of light brown braids that reached his shoulders where colored beads rolled across his skin. Deeply tanned skin brought out the brightness of seaweed green eyes. His lanky form was dressed in a loose white tank top and blue board shorts with white stripes up the sides. His feet were bare. He smiled at Lucas, the act poking two deep dimples into his cheeks and making his button nose crinkle. "Hiya!"

Lucas couldn't help grinning back. "Hiya, yourself. I'm Lucas. I think I'm your new housemate."

The other man's eyes rounded and he did a quick once-over of Lucas. "Right on! Come on in, Lucas. I'm Kip." Kip stepped back to allow him inside. "Welcome to Cottage Twenty-two, the coolest house on the island. Man, this is great! I didn't expect anyone so hot."

Lucas gave him a bemused glance but Kip rattled on, unaware: "You came at a good time. The other guys are at the store buying food for grilling tonight. It'll give you time to unpack and settle in before they all attack you. And boy," Kip added, taking an unabashed look at Lucas's backside, "are they going to attack you."

The comment and implication was so unexpected Lucas couldn't help but laugh. "So, uh, why don't you give me the tour while we wait for them?"

"Sure thing, bro. You're with me. We've got a great room that faces the ocean. It's the second best room in the place. But first, let me show you the house!"

They were standing in a tiled alcove just inside the door. Kip led him straight ahead into the living room. More Spanish tile covered the floor, along with a large, colorful braided rug in the center of the room on which sat a gnarly driftwood coffee table whose glass oval top was covered with beer bottles, food wrappers and a centerpiece of a giant abalone shell in which someone had placed some tea lights. A coral colored sofa and loveseat formed an L around the table, facing a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. Above the TV hung a fake marlin. Lucas smiled at the jock strap dangling from the fish's beak.

"Kind of a mess right now, but we clean it up when we have guests," Kip apologized. He pointed at a console beneath the TV. "We've got TiVO and satellite, so we can watch anything and everything. Also Xbox 360 and a Wii. I think we're getting a PS3 soon, though I don't know why. They barely have any games out."

Lucas pointed at the framed photographs of island scenes which hung on the adjacent wall: a macro of a crab's eyes peering out of a tide pool, a Caribbean child mouthing a pomegranate, and one Lucas especially liked -- a pair of hands buried by sand with only the entwined fingers peeking out. "Those are nice."

"You think so?" Kip beamed. "Adam took those. He's got a real eye for it. He takes pictures of the crew, too, but those photos stay in his bedroom. Too personal for the living room, he says."

Mention of another roommate prompted Lucas to ask, "So how many people live here?"

"Four." Kip pointed between them. "There's you and me, then Adam and Tyler. There are three other cottages for the rest of the crew."

Must be the girls, Lucas mused.

"Here's the kitchen."

This room was smaller than the living room, but contained all the necessary appliances. It amused Lucas to see a couple of pineapples and a coconut sitting on the counter. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a real coconut.

"Tyler likes to cook, but the rest of us eat at the Arcadia or down in HI."

"HI?"

"Hidden Idol. It's that touristy section where all the gift shops and restaurants are," Kip explained as he walked to a sliding glass door beside the circular dining room table. He pulled the door open and grinned at Lucas. "Check it out, bro. The backyard is small, but it's sweet."

Lucas peered out into the small patio behind the house. "A Jacuzzi! Nice."

"It's great at night," Kip enthused. He waited until Lucas backed away before he slid the door closed again. "We go to the beach for barbecues and parties. The Jacuzzi is for more intimate action," he leered. "Everyone looks sexy when we light the tiki torches. I'll bet your hair really glows in it."

Uncertain about the vibes he was getting, Lucas stepped away from the other man. "And the bedrooms and bathrooms?"

"We share the guest bathroom. Adam and Tyler have the master bedroom so they get their own bathroom. Privilege of being the captain and first mate," Kip said with a roll of his eyes. He led Lucas down a short hall. "Here we are." Kip entered a room at the front of the house which was barely furnished with two dressers and two double beds. He flopped down on the bed that was nearest the window. "Sorry, but I've got dibs."

Lucas smiled. "No problem." He wouldn't have minded if he was forced to sleep on the floor, quite frankly. He paused for a moment to admire the scene outside before he tossed his duffel beside his bed. There was a chest of drawers on the opposite wall which he assumed was his. A closet with mirrored doors sat to his right. Someone had pinned a red kite to the ceiling as decoration, its tail twisting up and down the wall as though it were in flight.

Lucas took a seat on the end of his bed. "I thought it would all sink in by now, but it hasn't," he said, laughing at himself a little. "This all still seems like a dream." He studied the other man. "How long have you been here?"

"Going on sixteen months," Kip bragged. "Best job I've ever had. You'll believe it too, once you start. And as long as you do a good job and don't get into trouble on the island you can stay here forever. Our boss takes more vacations than the tourists do."

"When do I meet him?"

Kip grinned. "You don't. He's here, but Mr. Aras is more concerned with what's going on inside the Arcadia than what we're doing in the bay. He left a letter for you -- it's in the top drawer of your chest -- but he leaves the orientation and explanations to the captain of each show. Don't sweat it," he added when he saw Lucas's worried look, "we'll all help you out. We're part of the same crew now. We won't steer you wrong, bro. Get it -- steer you wrong. Haha!"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "So we don't have a boss, is that what you're telling me?"

Kip looked thrilled. "Pretty much. Yep."

"Isn't that a little risky for the show? A bunch of young people on their own on a resort island seems like a recipe for goofing off."

"Not if you know Adam," Kip snorted. "Which you will, when he comes back from the store. Cap'n Blackheart, as he's known, runs a tight ship. No fooling around unless it's part of his script."

That caught Lucas's attention. "When do I get to see that, by the way? The script, I mean."

For the first time, Kip looked a little shifty. "Well, er, you'll get the main script. That's in the envelope Mr. Aras left you. The other one . . . Adam'll fill you in on it. It tends to change with his moods."

"What does that mean?"

The other man shrugged. "It means he makes it up as he goes. We follow the main script that Mr. Aras gives us when we think the boss might be in the audience or when he sends VIP guests who might report back to him. When Aras is off the island, Adam runs his own version of the shows. They're wild, but they're fun. Don't worry." His grin turned suddenly lecherous. "Only half of the crew gets stripped."

"Oh, yeah?" Images of naked female pirates swam through Lucas's mind. "Is that the extent of the 'adult' portion of the show?"

Kip burst out laughing. "I know what you're thinking, you dog. Oh, it gets better, trust me. You know that HIV test you took? It wasn't because they worried you might cut your finger if you know what I mean."

Lucas raised both eyebrows. "You don't mean we engage in sex on stage, do you?" He'd never been especially exhibitionistic with Lisa, but that was only because she was self-conscious of her body. Lucas took good care of himself. He knew he had nothing to be ashamed of.

"I'm not going to spoil the surprise, bro," Kip said evilly. "You'll find out yourself when you watch our first show. The practices won't mean anything. Adam will pull things out of his ass at the last minute. And no pun intended by the comment, by the way. Adam's all top."

"Well, yeah, he's the captain," Lucas said, bemused by the clarification.

"In ways you haven't even imagined. There's no way I'm ever getting fired from this job. No way, no how. I like being strung up before the mast too much. Ha-ha!" Kip suddenly slapped his thigh. "Hey, why are we doing this indoors? You just moved to an island! Let's take this to the beach, Lucas. We gotta work on that tan of yours, bro. Plus, I want to check out your bod."

Lucas was sure of it now: his new roommate was gay, or at least bisexual. It made sense. Kip was skinny and had a cute, almost girlish face. He looked gay. It didn't particularly bother Lucas -- he was open-minded and didn't care what people did as long they didn't hurt others -- but he'd never been the focus of such aggressive come-ons. Most gay guys didn't hit on obviously straight men. It made him a little self-conscious as Kip checked him out again before turning and leading Lucas out of the bedroom.

"Leave your shoes here," Kip instructed at the front porch. After kicking off his sandals Lucas followed the other man across the shell road to the white sand.

Lucas gasped in delight. The sand was so fine it almost felt like baby powder between his toes. "This is amazing," he moaned as he sank down beside Kip on the beach a good distance away from the volleyball game in progress. He stretched out his legs and dragged his fingers through the fine granules. "It's like powder."

"Wait until the other guys bury you in it," Kip warned, grinning mischievously. "It's become a tradition when new guys join the crew."

Lucas panned his eyes over the turquoise waters. "Do you like them? The rest of the crew?"

"For the most part," Kip replied honestly, nibbling on his lower lip. "Tyler can be a real bitch sometimes but Adam will keep him in line. He's probably the only one I'd say be careful around at first. Tyler treats the crew like it's a dog pack, and everyone has to learn their place in it. The other guys are pretty laid back, although Orinth in twenty-three can get on my nerves since he's always sucking up to Adam. But the guys are cool. I don't think you'll have a problem with any of them. You seem pretty laid back."

Lucas sighed. "I don't want to give anyone a reason to complain about me. I really need this job. I don't know what I'd do if I lost it."

"You running from home, too?" At Lucas's surprised look, Kip nodded knowingly. "Lots of guys are when they come here. It's no biggie. This is an opportunity to start over. Can't blame a guy for that."

Hearing something in the other man's voice, Lucas asked, "What about you?"

"Bad relationship," Kip replied, avoiding Lucas's eyes as he looked down and drew patterns in the sand.

Lucas sighed. "Me, too."

"Sorry to hear it, bro. But I can't say I'm sorry it brought you here." Kip whipped his tank top up over his head and folded it into a loose pillow behind him. His upper body was lightly muscled and hairless like a young boy’s. Lucas's eyes caught on the golden nipple ring in Kip's left nipple. "You'd better start working on that tan, roomie. Adam wants us all to look like island natives."

"I guess I'm lucky I don't burn easily or freckle," Lucas remarked before taking hold of the hem of his T-shirt and pulling it off. He could feel Kip's eyes on him and tried to ignore it as he also made a makeshift pillow.

"Nice, bro," Kip said after a low whistle. "Real nice. That's some chest you've got. Not bulky, but really cut. And look at that six-pack!"

"A friend showed me a good routine," Lucas replied simply. "And I like to swim."

"Swimmers have the best bodies," Kip opined, "all tight and firm with that V down the back leading to a tight bubble butt . . . mmm."

Lucas bit his tongue and said nothing.

They both stretched out on their backs. Lucas closed his eyes and luxuriated in the warm sunshine and the sound of the seagulls cawing over the water.

"Don't fall asleep," Kip said softly. "It's easy to do."

"I won't," Lucas mumbled.

But he'd spoken too soon. He'd been too excited to sleep last night, and had tossed and turned all night. The beach seemed to sway beneath him, much as his bunk had while he was on board the Excelsior. It rocked him like a baby, and with the pleasant breeze dancing over his bare chest and the warm sun on his face, he felt himself dozing off.

"Tell me about yourself," Kip murmured softly after several minutes. His voice sounded closer and Lucas guessed the other man had rolled onto his side and was looking at him. His voice was low and quiet, blending in with the serene surroundings. "Tell me about Lucas. What did you do before you came here?"

What did he do . . . The answer was less interesting than he would have liked. "I worked on a pirate ship," he breathed, eyes still closed. "A friend got me the job. My first ever. I guess it's all I know how to be."

"You only know how to be a pirate, huh?" Lucas felt the sand bunching against his arm as the other man slid closer. "Lucky guy. Go on. Why'd you leave it to come here? What drove you away?"

Stupidity. Naiveté. . . Reality.

"I thought I was in love," he sighed. "I was wrong. I was glad it was over. But I felt like I should have tried to make it work. I'm usually the kind of guy who's good in relationships. But maybe that's only when they're short-term. This was my first serious one."

"You think you don't know how to love?" Kip whispered.

Lucas frowned. "Maybe. No. I don't know. I don't want to think about falling in love, anymore. I just want to work and have fun and just live."

"Live for you. No obligations. No ties," Kip agreed. "Just be an island boy. An island *pirate*."

The image that brought to make made Lucas smile with relief. Here was someone who understood, who wouldn't condemn him for being immature and selfish even though this was the first time in his adult life he would be acting so. He'd tried hard to be a good boyfriend to Lisa, and as a result he couldn't help feeling used. Hurt. His spine relaxed into the sand as obligation fell away. "Yeah," he breathed, "that's what I want."

"It's what we all want, Lucas. We're young guys here to enjoy ourselves. We're here to live it up the way we can't back home without apologizing to nobody for it. That's what being on a pirate crew is all about. You're going to fit right in. I can tell already . . ."

Something brushed over his forehead. He realized Kip's fingers were lightly combing through his hair. He thought about asking the other man to stop, but it felt too good and if that's all Kip intended to do, Lucas supposed it was alright. He didn't want to come off as a homophobe on his first day here.

Kip's voice floated over him. "Living here is like living in someone's dream. Sometimes I'll fall asleep right here on the beach, with the stars as my blanket and the water lapping against the sand as my lullaby . . . It's a great place to bring someone for the first time."

Lucas opened his eyes when the other man's head blocked the sunlight from falling across his face.

Kip smiled endearingly at him. "Don't mind me."

As the other man descended, Lucas turned his face to the side. Kip's lips fell on his cheek, surprisingly soft for a guy; he'd expected something rougher.

Lucas rolled away from the other man. He came to a stop on his stomach, a few feet from a confused looking Kip. "Hey, look," he said as gently as he could, "don't take it the wrong way. It's cool and all but I'm not like that, Kip. I'm not interested in guys."

Kip's confusion gave way to humor. "Um, okay. What is it -- you like the whole seduction thing? I guess that's okay. I like chasing, too. Especially when you're so cute."

Lucas shook his head and sat up. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it on. "I'm not playing hard to get, Kip. I'm serious. I'm not gay. I'm sorry if I accidentally led you on."

He brushed the sand off his shirt and shook it out of his hair. After a moment he realized Kip hadn't moved and was staring at him. "What?"

"You're really serious," Kip said, his mouth hanging open. "You're straight."

Lucas didn't understand what the big deal was. "People usually aren't that surprised by that," he joked.

Kip laughed, too, but his was one of incredulity. "They are when they've been hired to join our crew."

"Why?"

"Lucas," Kip slapped his forehead, "you've been hired to work in a gay show."