The Lust Boat by Roz Lee

dreams of the kind of job you have.”
    “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The first few months I screwed every hole offered to me.” He sighed and hung his head lower. His voice when he continued was so low Ryan wasn’t sure he heard correctly. “I haven’t had a woman in over a year.”
    Silence.
    “I didn’t know. You should have told me.”
    “I’m telling you now. Do you have any idea how hard it is – pardon the pun – to admit something like that?” Richard straightened, placing his palms on his knees, his eyes trained straight ahead. “I’m sorry I’ve been such an ass to you about Candace. I guess I’m jealous.” He stood and turned to Ryan, looking him in the eye. “She is special, I saw it right away, but she’s not my type. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
    “Thanks. I’m not sure where this is going. She’s been hurt, and she’s wary, and there’s the money thing. Right now, she doesn’t know we own this ship. She doesn’t have any idea what a life with me would really be like, and I don’t know how she’ll take it when she finds out.”
    Richard moved to the door and stood with his hand on the knob. “Do you ever wish we’d never taken that computer class? That we’d never come up with the campus dating service?”
    “Yeah. You?”
    “Every day. Would it be easier if we didn’t have so much?”
    “No.”
    “I don’t know. Some days, I think if I gave it all away, my life would be so much simpler.”
    “We’d just have a different set of problems.”
    Richard nodded, turned the knob, and closed the door behind him when he left. Ryan turned off the lights and went out on the balcony. The salty breeze helped to clear his mind and ease the fears and doubts knotting his insides. Richard’s unhappiness came as news to him. How had he missed Richard’s misery? The answer came on the wind. He’d been so intent on his own misery; he hadn’t spared a thought for his best friend. Somehow, he’d find a way to get them both out of the predicament they’d built for themselves.

Chapter Six

    “Good morning,” Ryan greeted her at the breakfast buffet with a kiss on the cheek. “What’s on the agenda for today?”
    Candace set her plate, piled high with pancakes and bacon, on the table. She thought it must be the sea air making her so hungry. At home, breakfast consisted of a toaster pastry and a cup of coffee. She took her seat. “I found a few classes I’d like to take.” She went through the motions, draping the napkin in her lap, and moving her utensils around. Now that it came down to it, actually asking Ryan to accompany her to the classes she’d selected, a swarm of seagulls had taken up residence in her stomach.
    Ryan attacked his plate. “Like what?”
    “Well…,” She took a deep breath and blurted it out before she could change her mind. “I was thinking about taking the fellatio class.” Ryan choked on his food. Candace waited while he regained his composure and cleared his throat with coffee.
    “Sorry. I wasn’t prepared for that answer.”
    “I called and arranged a private lesson. I hope that was all right.” If he said no, she’d die of embarrassment. If she jumped overboard, would they be able to save her? God, she hoped not.
    Ryan sat back in his chair and took another sip of coffee. He lowered the cup and stared at the black brew as if it held all the answers in the universe. Candace picked up her juice glass and quickly set it down again. Her hand shook too much to take a drink.
    “You mean, I’m supposed to be your training tool?”
    His face flushed, or had she imagined it? “Um hum.” Candace nodded. “She said to bring a partner. I was counting on you being the one.” She twisted the napkin in her lap. “I wouldn’t do it with anyone else.”
    “Well, I guess I can do that. Just you, me, and the instructor?”
    He hadn’t said no, not yet anyway. “Um hum.”
    “This better be a short class. I don’t