Page 3 of Every Chance to Stay

“If you’re thinking about tourists getting eaten, the orcas aren’t the culprits to worry about. Though I can’t promise there won’t be any seal bites in the coming years. The pups are cute, but their mothers are still carnivores.” Lucky’s laugh was light as he leaned back in the seat. Antonio watched him stretch an arm over the side of the boat, enjoying the sea spray.

“I think the local paramedics will be able to resolve those, so long as they don’t strand themselves somewhere unexpected.” He paused, “Though now that I just said that it’s likely to happen. If not the orcas, who do I have to worry about eating the tourists?”

“The usual suspects. Tiger sharks have had more frequent sightings over the last few years… Dad is thrilled about that, the hotels less so. As for what might eat them on land, well, I’m still waiting to hear about a murderous mongoose.”

Antonio snorted, “Don’t speak that into the world, the last thing I want to deal with is pulling a tourist out of the jungle while they panic about rabies.”

“Speaking of rescues, you’re pretty well known yourself, Antonio. A local hero, savior of tourists and islanders alike… You and your crew make the evening news often.” Antonio got the distinct impression Lucky was teasing him.

“My reputation precedes me. Though if we’re weighing impact, I think your family has us beat.” He was rewarded with another laugh from Lucky.

It was a warm sound, like talking to a friend even though this was their very first meeting. He wanted to hear it again. Antonio was almost embarrassed by his reaction to the beautiful omega. He could blame the beer, he could blame being off duty and more relaxed than he had been in two weeks, he could even blame the length of time since his last romantic encounter… But they all felt like weak excuses when Lucky took off his sunglasses and flashed those gorgeous blue eyes at him.

Lucky looked comfortable at sea. From the faint tan that clung to his otherwise pale skin and deepened the freckles blossoming over his shoulders and cheeks, to the wind knots in his auburn curls.

“If you’re trying to charm me, Captain Saavedra, I promise you don’t need to flatter me so much.” Lucky cleaned the salt spray from the lenses before slipping them back on.

“Unfortunately, you’ll find I’m sincere.” He shrugged, “We spend a lot of weird hours waiting for calls at the station. Animal documentaries are a favorite amongst the on-call crew, especially overnight. Some like them for sleeping, I like them for learning. As for charming you…”

He trailed off. Did he want to charm this omega? There were boundaries involved in rescue. He knew the idol worship that happened sometimes, and he knew it could be tempting to flirt during a high stress situation. But this wasn’t a real rescue, it was just a relaxed tow to the marina…

“As for it?” Lucky prompted. It was impossible to ignore the mischievous twist to his smile.

“I’m certainly tempted.” Antonio grinned, “Especially if I get to listen to more of your rambles about the local wildlife.”

Laughter really was a wonderful sound. “That’s a first. Most people grow tired of my endless animal facts.” Lucky shifted in the seat, turning fully towards him. “What would you like to hear about?”

Where to start? Antonio loved Paradise. He loved the island with all her creatures, her dense jungle, her sapphire sea, and her vibrant pink beaches. When it came to marine creatures though, his knowledge stopped at how to address the various wounds tourists might get while interacting with the wildlife.

“I have always wanted to learn more about the various rays that live around Paradise. What can you tell me about them?” He slowed the boat down slightly. There was no reason to hurry, not when he had such lovely company…

“Rays, is it?” Lucky tapped his chin, “There’s twenty-ish different species of rays in these waters. That’s a lot of talking to do.”

“Well, there are beers in the cooler, if you get thirsty while filling me in.” Antonio nodded towards the back of the boat.

His reward was more warm laughter, and he didn’t mind that at all. Lucky took the invitation. He stretched over the back of the seat, rifling through the cooler as Antonio dutifully kept his eyes on the vast ocean in front of them and not on the soft thighs of his impromptu companion.

“We’ll start with a personal favorite of mine, the manta ray.” Lucky announced as he reclaimed his proper seat and cracked open the can of beer.

Antonio was certain there was no better way to spend a day off.

3

Lucky

By the time they made port, Lucky had a plan. It wasn’t a very smart plan. In fact, it was a very dumb plan and probably crossed half a million boundaries, but it was a plan nonetheless. He talked his throat raw and somehow, Antonio never stopped asking thoughtful questions. Nor did he seem annoyed, irritated, or bothered.

It was strange.

It was magical.

While Antonio untied the boats, Lucky went to speak with the harbor master. He made sure to text his dad, letting him know what happened and who saved the day. At the end, he included a quick note that he might be out late and tried to ignore the heat in his face. His father’s emoji riddled message didn’t help. The wish for him to enjoy his night followed by an eggplant emoji almost made him expire on the spot.

“Your Turtle Top is safely docked. I took the liberty of locking her down while you spoke to the harbor master. Will they be sending a mechanic around for you?” Antonio met him on the dock.

“No, I’ll come out with dad in a few days to work on it. She’ll sit pretty until then.” Lucky smiled, pushing his sunglasses to sit atop his head. They doubled as a headband, keeping his thoroughly dried curls from his face. Without the rush of wind, Lucky was able to appreciate the warmth of Antonio’s voice. He really was a handsome alpha…

“Then I suppose this is where we part ways.” He hoped he wasn’t hallucinating the hint of reluctance in Antonio’s words.