Chapter 19, part 2

The Captain's hoarse voice sent a warm wave through my body and ended up burning my cheeks while my heartbeat becoming louder.

"Good morning, Captain," Jimena and I said.

I continued my work, bent over my knife, continuing my work, while Jimena had left her knife. She wiped her hands on her apron and approached the Captain.

She asked him how his shoulder was today, and he told her that he hadn't slept very well at night because firstly he was not used to sleeping at night, at this point, Jimena laughed softly, and secondly, his shoulder hurt a little and he couldn't make his self-comfortable in bed. Their conversation ended with him asking for breakfast because he was already feeling hungry, but he was willing to wait for us to finish the work, which was still in processing.

"Okay, Captain. You will have your breakfast soon."

"Thank you, Jimena," he told her.

I heard his footsteps receding and took a deep breath of relief. But it was not over here, I had to go to his breakfast, and it was still very difficult for me to face him. I have never experienced such shame in my life.

I don't know what other girls in my position would do and how they would react after that incident, but it was still hard to overcome for me. Perhaps I am still colored because I received strict teachings about… men as a princess.

I really didn't know what to assume. But what I did know was that it was impossible for me to ignore how I felt. I would probably need a few days to get over it, maybe more. I had no idea!

Just before we finished cutting the vegetables, Jimena left me to chop the rest of them on my own and set about preparing the Captain's breakfast.

"The captain's breakfast is ready," she informed me a few minutes later.

I took the tray and headed to his cabin. The same heartbeat began to torment me. The cabin door was open I knocked and entered.

The Captain was sitting at his desk. He was reading a book, and as soon as he heard the knocks on the door, he raised his eyes and looked at me.

The tension in his eyes immobilized me and made me looked away.

"Your breakfast, Captain," I told him, trying to make my voice as firm as possible.

"Thank you, Serena. Can you bring it here to my office?" the tone of his voice was soft as a caress to my ears, but I also traced a hint of gloomy in it.

Something had changed. I could feel it.

But what?

I approached in front of his office, avoiding his gaze, and left the tray. Immediately after, I turned my back on him and moved towards the exit.

He didn't try to talk to me. I didn't hear his footsteps following me. He just let me go, and that was really reassuring.

I went out and closed the door behind me. I took a deep breath and headed for the kitchen to ask Jimena what to do next if something else had changed from the usual schedule.

***

Captain Carter gazed for a moment at the closed door Serena had left, then rested his head in his hands. He was desperate and haggard.

He thought about her all night. All night long, his mind wandered to find a solution to the huge problem that had arisen.

But above all, his heart and body were tormented by her lack. He wanted to touch her as he had done so far, but he realized that this would panic her even more, and he didn't want that.

His attempt to talk to her and try finding a solution to the problem made her run to her feet, let alone try to touch her.

He was convinced that Serena was pure in body. She had no experience with men; otherwise, such a reaction was not explained.

He understood the shame that the girl would feel now in front of him, and he didn't wrong her. After all, this was what a self-respecting, moral girl should do.

After spending the whole night thinking of how he should treat her to help her get over it and maybe forget about it, he decided not to try to talk to her about it again. Not even to mention the incident. He decided to treat her like it never happened.

But the most difficult decision for him was that he shouldn't approach her again. He shouldn't touch her again.

He still hadn't figured out how to keep his hands off her, but he had to.

His intense desire to touch her, he might, would manage to stifle it. But not to look at her? That was impossible. That was all he had left of the Serena. Her form.

Her beautiful big gray eyes, which felt melting and dissolving inside every time he looked at them. He was sure that under her loose clothes was hidden a body full of the juices of youth. How many times had he imagined himself taking that nipple in his mouth and sucking it! Groping her breasts and getting lost in the warmth of her body.

At that thought, his body began to ache from the awakening of his manhood and getting harden. He forced himself to think of something else until it went away because he didn't want to resort to the other solution of redemption of his body.

On the one hand, he wished the days would pass quickly so that Serena and Brielle could reach their destination and leave the ship; to be redeemed, but on the other hand, in this thought, he felt his heart stop beating.

But what was happening to him?

He had regretted asking her to help him take his bath even though he had enjoyed every second he spent with her. But the price he was paying now was higher. Much more expensive as he ever thought to be.

He wished he could turn back time. Just only one day before. Only that.

But that was impossible. What happened couldn't be undone.

He didn't touch his breakfast. Suddenly he had lost his appetite.

He got up and approached a small cupboard. He opened it and took the bottle with brandy from inside. It had a little left, and he drank it in one gulp lifting the bottle to his mouth.

Then he looked for a moment at the empty bottle, squeezed it in his hand, and forcibly threw it on the floor, filling the space with broken glass.