Chapter One: The Lure of Minette

Partial of chapter one... i'm doing some maritime research :)

Had the sailing crew believed in dramatic irony, perhaps they never would have taken position on the Amour Fou for a ship sailed by desire led only to a lonely, cold grave much further than six feet down.

Desire certainly played its part in the hearts of the crew particularly in a love-swoon deckhand. 

Henry Felling found himself openly ogling the first mate from the day they set sail- a petite blonde with sun-tanned skin who kept her hair up in a way as to highlight the anchor tattooed behind her ear. It took only the captain’s introduction of her name for him to sing it in his head, a beautiful melody, that had his pulse racing. Minette. Minette. Minette. No maritime preparation had prepared him for the siren song of only her name. 

“Call me Minn,” Minette said after Henry introduced himself. “I only let those I like call me Minn.” She winked which had the unfortunate effect of sending a thrill to the organ previously resting between his legs.  

“Yes, ma’am!” Minette laughed in a delightfully feminine way. “Minn.” He rolled her name slowly, savoring how it sounded on his tongue.  

“I like how my name sounds in your mouth,” she flirted. “I wonder if it’s good at anything else.” Before Henry could fool himself in front of Minette, a great wave crashed starboard sending him stumbling into her front while his mind went head over heels. She braced him as he steadied his feet and silently cursed the sea’s poor attempt at matchmaking. “You’ll get used to that,” she laughed, ignoring his fumbled apology. “And if you don’t, maybe this is not the job for you.” She shrugged playfully.  

Henry watched Minette walk away as he stood unsteady on his feet unsure if it came from the rocking of the waves or from the journey Minette had set his heart on.