Chapter 16

Carter intended to lie to Serena that his shoulder ached after a sudden movement on the rudder. Still, the irony of fate brought it so that he actually injured his shoulder in precisely the way he had thought to say to Serena.

"Reefs in the sea! Turn left to avoid it, Captain," had shouted the observer from his watchtower on the middle mast of the ship.

It was unexpected, and Carter had made the sharp move to the left.

Re-examining the maps, he had decided to steer the boat to approach the land they would meet on the right to supply clean water from the river that existed there, according to the maps.

He knew there was land, but he had never had to replenish so soon. This would be because of the two extra people on their boat who also needed water.

His injury forced him to give his place to Ian earlier.

When Ian went to replace him on the wheel, he found Carter smiling, holding the rudder with one hand.

"This is the first time I see an injured person enjoying his situation," Ian commented.

"Come on! Let go of talking and grab the rudder. I can hardly control the boat with one hand."

Ian obeyed, and the Captain got free of duty. He went and waked up the doctor to take care of his aching shoulder.

"What happened?" the doctor asked him, drowsy.

"The goddess of fortune punished me," Carter replied, and in his voice, there was a hint of cheery mood.

The doctor looked at him in astonishment and smiled. He got up from his bed, and without asking any more questions, he examined Captain's shoulder.

"It needs to be careful with it for a few days," the doctor told him at the end. "That means you have to forget the rudder for a few days."

"Okay. It came in handy because we will stop for water supply. So it will be an opportunity for everyone to get rest for a few days ".

The doctor tied Carter's shoulder with a bandage and helped him to put on his shirt.

"You are ready!" the doctor told him.

"Thank you doctor," answered, and left, letting him returned to sleep again.

Carter went to his cabin, leaving the door open for Serena as always did.

The time had passed by visiting the doctor, and the sun had started to rise, spreading its sweet light of sunbeams.

He sat at his desk to wait for Serena to come with his breakfast.

He took a book to read to kill time.

A while later, Serena appeared with the tray in her hands and stood at the door opening.

"Come in, Serena," he told her.

"Good morning, Captain, should I leave the tray on the small table as usual?" she asked him and looked at him with those wet gray eyes of hers that clouded his mind.

"No, you can bring it here to the desk. I have gathered the maps," Carter told and showed Serena the empty space in front of him, leaving the book he was reading aside.

Serena did a few steps and did the round of the desk approaching him to leave the tray in front of him as he told her. She had to lean towards him, and the Captain came face to face with her… breasts.

Carter swallowed hard and held on tightly to the edge of the desk. He tightened it so much that the joints of his hand turned white.

Carter had noticed Serena's exuberant breasts, of course, but when he and Serena were face to face, he never looked down there as much as he wanted to. It would be a move that Serena would realize, and his masculine pride wouldn't allow. What he did was look at her when he was safe from Serena's eyes, which meant when Serena was busy with something else and didn't look at him.

The smell of the soap emanated from her body hit him like a wave hitting a rock, flooding his nostrils causing him an intoxicating sensation.

The girl, ignoring the upset she had caused to the Captain, gently left the tray in front of him and moved away, returning to her position in front of the desk and asked the Captain if he needed anything else.

Carter was still trying to recover from his dizziness, but he answered her in a steady voice, fully covering what was happening inside him.

"Yes, I need something more. After breakfast and before I go to sleep, I will need help to take my bath."

Serena looked at him puzzled, widened her eyes slightly.

At that moment, Carter was madly trying not to get up and near her to touch that same vein on the side of her neck, which was visible under her white skin.

But he held back himself remaining on his seat as defined by the ordeal he had put on himself.

"But…" Serena began to stutter "…never before… I haven't helped you take…" she swallowed hard, "your bath."

"But this time I need help. Will you refuse the Captain your help?" he asked sternly.

"N…no, Captain. I am sorry," she said, defeated.

"Good! When the time comes I will send you notice to come here to my cabin. You can go now."

He didn't have to tell her for a second time. The girl immediately disappeared, closing the door behind her.

His eyes remained fixed on the closed door for a while, and slowly, a smile of satisfaction appeared on his lips.

He was so impatient that he hardly chew the food from his haste.

When he had finished eating, he told Jimena to send Serena to his cabin in fifteen minutes and told some men to carry the warm water he had told Jimena to warm up for him.

He uncovered the bathtub, which was in the corner of the cabin covered with a linen cloth, and using his strong hand, dragged it to the center of the empty space of the cabin. It wasn't heavy anyway.

The men arrived at his cabin carrying the buckets of warm water and emptied them into the bathtub except for two.

The water reached just above the middle of the tub.

Carter checked the time, seven minutes before Serena arrived in his cabin. He should be ready so as not to embarrass her.

He carried nearly to the bathtub everything that Serena would need for his bath, and after he poured enough grated soap into the water and mixed it with his hand creating a lot of soapsuds.

He slowly took off his clothes and the bandage and slide into the bathtub. He sat comfortably, enjoying the sensation of water around his body.

He stirred the water one more time to create more soapsuds, especially at the controversial part of his body.

He didn't have to wait a long time. He heard knocks on the door.

"Come in," he said, and the door opened.

Serena came in, and her agitation was evident on her face as well as her movements. She tightened and loosened the fabric of her skirt that was at the height of her handfuls, or she tangled and untangled her fingers.

She avoided looking at him, and her cheeks had turned a ruby ​​red.

Carter had noticed all this but preferred not to make any comment that would put the girl in an even more difficult situation.

Pretending he didn't realize anything, he told Serena to close the door and approach him. The girl obeyed, and when she got next to him, he told her first to sit on the low stool, which he had put there for this purpose before Serena's arrival, and then he explained his condition to her.

"My shoulder hurts. I made a sudden move last night at the helm to avoid some rocks, now I can't raise my hand above my head. That's why I need your help."

"Oh! I'm really sorry for Captain. I hope you be cured soon."

"Thank you, I will be in a few days." Carter answered.

And… » the girl hesitated to continue.

"And?" urged her to continue.

"And now… you are completely naked under the water?" the girl finally asked her question.

Carter was surprised by her question, but at the same time, he found it cute and full of naivety. He laughed softly.

"I am afraid that yes… I am naked. I am not used to take my bath dressed?"

If he could see her, he would notice that he had blushed even more. But on the stool which she was sitting on, in front of her was Carter's back.

The girl stuttered, "Y…yes you are right. Forgive me. So tell me what should I do? We have to hurry before the water cools down."