Connor fidgeted. He was not sure what possessed him to invite both his father and Lee along. It was true that he needed their services to call off the Templar guards on the island that Church had finally given up (and if the man spoke false, then his apprentices would see to it that there were consequences).
But really, he had initially planned on bringing only one of them, and one was certainly enough.
He looked up from the wheel to give directions to Faulkner and caught Lee staring at him again.
The Alpha looked away quickly enough, but Connor saw that strange look in his eyes, the one that was always present when Lee looked at Connor.
He was regretting bringing the man along.
In truth, he had not expected the man to come.
Lee had done his duty and secured the alliance. One would think that he would take any chance possible to not be stuck on a boat with such men as Connor and his crew. He had shown a remarkable distaste for anyone of a certain...class (and it made Connor feel sorry for Thomas Hickey, of all people), and Connor knew well his thoughts on Connor’s people.
Really, there was no reason for Lee to be on board. And that he chose to join them and spend the entire time staring at Connor...
Connor looked away in annoyance and felt that gaze fix itself on him again.
He grit his teeth.
Was Lee trying to unnerve him and get them all killed? Possibly marooned on these reefs that Connor was currently navigating between?
What was so fascinating about his person that Lee kept staring at him?
Connor idly wondered if Lee had never seen one of his people in nontraditional clothes before. Or perhaps he looked especially strange in such attire, having inherited various traits from both his mother and his father. No doubt, he looked a strange sight with his rather bizarre combination of features and in a captain’s uniform no less.
Suddenly, his ire with the man deflated. Lee would not be the first to look uncomprehendingly at Connor, after all. He knew full well that he was an oddity, of strange eyes, too-light and too-dark skin and a facial structure that was altogether too angular. Lee was not doing anything that anyone else had not done more than a dozen times before.
If it were only George’s gaze on him...
When George looked at him, his eyes were kind. As gentle as the Alpha’s gestures and words. He always respectful, no matter who he was talking to, even Connor, and Connor thought that his gaze might be one of a lover.
Or, that is what he thought. They had never spoken of it before, but their correspondence had gained a touch of playfulness lately. Almost intimacy.
And George always looked at him admiringly.
Connor imagined the commander near him, blue eyes softly gazing at him, and he shivered despite the heat of the tropics.
What would it be like, for George to be on his ship with him? Would he come and knock on Connor’s door at night? Seeking his advice on the war and strategy as he has often done in the past?
Would he approve of Connor’s captaincy? Of leading this crew of loyal Alphas about the Atlantic and defending against their enemies?
Would he look upon Connor’s uniform as an oddity or would he appreciate the goodwill and love that went into it, by the people who had supported Connor throughout his life?
Connor was not sure, but he could just imagine the commander standing on his deck, smiling at him and—
“Do you often steer with your eyes closed?”
Connor nearly jumped out of his skin. He whirled around and glared at his father, who had someone made his way on top of the deck without anyone alerting Connor.
He clenched his jaw.
His father had been no easier to deal with, full of insults and doubt about his handling of his own ship.
“I was blinking.”
A smirk. “You were daydreaming.”
Connor’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he contemplated tossing his father overboard.
While Lee probably would not be so happy if he did, he was certain that his crew would support his decision. They could even hold Lee back for him.
“Is there a reason you are here and not in your cabin where you said you’d stay?”
He had banished his father there after five hours of non-stop criticisms.
“Can not a man visit his son?”
Not if he chose to be a complete arse about it.
“I was given to understand that you feared my captaining the ship. The cabin seems a great place for you to be away from ‘such a spectacle,’ as you put it.”
Another smirk.
“Nonsense. A bit of constructive feedback will only do you good.”
Connor grimaced.
He hoped his father was not going to stay on deck for long. He was not sure he could take another 5 hours of ‘constructive feedback.’
“Sir!”
Lee had walked up behind them.
“I believe your son may have a point. Distracting him seems unwise at this stage—” he gestured to the deadly reefs along each side “—and should perhaps be left to later.”
Connor gaped at the man.
Did the man just...
His father smirked again (really, what was so funny) and nodded.
“Of course, Charles, of course. You are quite right. It would be dangerous to distract the boy now while we are surrounded by reefs.”
Perhaps Connor misjudged Lee. Perhaps he had been too harsh on them both. After all, if they really were going to finally leave him in peace—
“And as my successor, I rely on you to protect him from distraction.”
Spirits above, what?
Connor saw Lee light up, inexplicably happy.
He would have to deal with the unnerving and vaguely uncomfortable stares for another couple of hours? Until they passed the reef?
In Pursuit of Happiness 12
Chapter 12 - On a Journey
Connor fidgeted. He was not sure what possessed him to invite both his father and Lee along. It was true that he needed their services to call off the Templar guards on the island that Church had finally given up (and if the man spoke false, then his apprentices would see to it that there were consequences).
But really, he had initially planned on bringing only one of them, and one was certainly enough.
He looked up from the wheel to give directions to Faulkner and caught Lee staring at him again.
The Alpha looked away quickly enough, but Connor saw that strange look in his eyes, the one that was always present when Lee looked at Connor.
He was regretting bringing the man along.
In truth, he had not expected the man to come.
Lee had done his duty and secured the alliance. One would think that he would take any chance possible to not be stuck on a boat with such men as Connor and his crew. He had shown a remarkable distaste for anyone of a certain...class (and it made Connor feel sorry for Thomas Hickey, of all people), and Connor knew well his thoughts on Connor’s people.
Really, there was no reason for Lee to be on board. And that he chose to join them and spend the entire time staring at Connor...
Connor looked away in annoyance and felt that gaze fix itself on him again.
He grit his teeth.
Was Lee trying to unnerve him and get them all killed? Possibly marooned on these reefs that Connor was currently navigating between?
What was so fascinating about his person that Lee kept staring at him?
Connor idly wondered if Lee had never seen one of his people in nontraditional clothes before. Or perhaps he looked especially strange in such attire, having inherited various traits from both his mother and his father. No doubt, he looked a strange sight with his rather bizarre combination of features and in a captain’s uniform no less.
Suddenly, his ire with the man deflated. Lee would not be the first to look uncomprehendingly at Connor, after all. He knew full well that he was an oddity, of strange eyes, too-light and too-dark skin and a facial structure that was altogether too angular. Lee was not doing anything that anyone else had not done more than a dozen times before.
If it were only George’s gaze on him...
When George looked at him, his eyes were kind. As gentle as the Alpha’s gestures and words. He always respectful, no matter who he was talking to, even Connor, and Connor thought that his gaze might be one of a lover.
Or, that is what he thought. They had never spoken of it before, but their correspondence had gained a touch of playfulness lately. Almost intimacy.
And George always looked at him admiringly.
Connor imagined the commander near him, blue eyes softly gazing at him, and he shivered despite the heat of the tropics.
What would it be like, for George to be on his ship with him? Would he come and knock on Connor’s door at night? Seeking his advice on the war and strategy as he has often done in the past?
Would he approve of Connor’s captaincy? Of leading this crew of loyal Alphas about the Atlantic and defending against their enemies?
Would he look upon Connor’s uniform as an oddity or would he appreciate the goodwill and love that went into it, by the people who had supported Connor throughout his life?
Connor was not sure, but he could just imagine the commander standing on his deck, smiling at him and—
“Do you often steer with your eyes closed?”
Connor nearly jumped out of his skin. He whirled around and glared at his father, who had someone made his way on top of the deck without anyone alerting Connor.
He clenched his jaw.
His father had been no easier to deal with, full of insults and doubt about his handling of his own ship.
“I was blinking.”
A smirk. “You were daydreaming.”
Connor’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he contemplated tossing his father overboard.
While Lee probably would not be so happy if he did, he was certain that his crew would support his decision. They could even hold Lee back for him.
“Is there a reason you are here and not in your cabin where you said you’d stay?”
He had banished his father there after five hours of non-stop criticisms.
“Can not a man visit his son?”
Not if he chose to be a complete arse about it.
“I was given to understand that you feared my captaining the ship. The cabin seems a great place for you to be away from ‘such a spectacle,’ as you put it.”
Another smirk.
“Nonsense. A bit of constructive feedback will only do you good.”
Connor grimaced.
He hoped his father was not going to stay on deck for long. He was not sure he could take another 5 hours of ‘constructive feedback.’
“Sir!”
Lee had walked up behind them.
“I believe your son may have a point. Distracting him seems unwise at this stage—” he gestured to the deadly reefs along each side “—and should perhaps be left to later.”
Connor gaped at the man.
Did the man just...
His father smirked again (really, what was so funny) and nodded.
“Of course, Charles, of course. You are quite right. It would be dangerous to distract the boy now while we are surrounded by reefs.”
Perhaps Connor misjudged Lee. Perhaps he had been too harsh on them both. After all, if they really were going to finally leave him in peace—
“And as my successor, I rely on you to protect him from distraction.”
Spirits above, what?
Connor saw Lee light up, inexplicably happy.
He would have to deal with the unnerving and vaguely uncomfortable stares for another couple of hours? Until they passed the reef?
Connor was really regretting bringing them along.