Love Bites

Jae: Two

The boat was a thing of beauty. A two-hundred and thirty eight foot ocean class vessel with enough lifting power to take on the heaviest sharks and launch the most advanced ROVs and any other deployment they could come up with. Holding twenty crew and twenty four scientists, latest of everything, clean as a whistle and ready to embark on its first one hundred days.

Jae ran his hand over the main console in the pilothouse and looked out over the dock. Equipment was being moved on, Santos checking the hydraulic lift they'd installed days earlier, and finally, Jae saw Jack. He was hard to miss, towering over his crew and most of the dock workers, but Jae knew first hand that the man was a gentle giant. He'd seen him handle large great whites with ease and respect while power housing his way out of other situations and using his height and size to his advantage. Santos looked up to the pilothouse, locked eyes with Jae, and stared. Jay saw the mistrust and hatred in his eyes, and he assumed it had everything to do with leaving. Obviously. But he wasn't going to let that deter him. He was in charge of this mission, and it didn't matter if Santos hated Jae so much he couldn't stand to be in the same room with him, there were other places to be. He resolved now not to let it bother him and looked away from the man, heading back into the boat.

Jae was the only one on the boat at the time, already moved in from the first day it made port, and the rest were coming in as soon as Jack's crew was done. Bo by his side, he walked down and found the rest of Jack's crew and introduced himself, being as cordial as possible.

"Hey, mind if I see the computer lab? It'll take me two seconds to set down my things."

Jae nodded, having been told that Jack's crew had an excellent oceanographic engineer who'd be leading the team. Jolene, Jack's marine biologist, excused herself to check out the laboratory while Jae showed Billy around the brain of the operation.

"Everything money could buy, and if you need anything additional, you should say so now. We're not going to be docking for 100 days."

Billy didn't hear him, already checking out the equipment, and Jae couldn't blame him. This ship was magnificent in every sense of the word. They spared no expense when obtaining it, adding equipment, and though Jae knew he should feel some kind of responsibility on his shoulders to produce results, he didn't. He was confident in his research, in his work, and no amount of money was going to sway him one way or the other.

He was grateful for his investors, and he'd done his share of ass kissing to show his gratitude, and now he wanted to work. If he could do anything to speed along Jack's crew, he'd happily do it. He was certain Billy would be no help. Jolene was quiet and meek. Santos would likely kill him if given half the chance. So that left Jack. Jae didn't relish interacting with the man, truthfully because he didn't want to get caught up in his ridiculous charms, but if it meant furthering his career, achieving the one thing he'd been dreaming of since he was young, he'd do whatever it took.

Bo began to whine as they got closer to the port door and Jae rolled his eyes. "You. Stay. I swear if you leave my side, traitor, no treat for you."

Jae stepped out, quietly, and cleared his throat. No sooner did Jack speak, Bo took off.

Jae could help the slight grin at the dog's enthusiasm, and he'd forgotten how much his friend loved Jack for just this reason. The man was a no holds barred lover. It didn't matter where they were or what they were doing, Jack gave everything to those he loved.

And at one time, that was Jae.

He watched Jack roll around with Bo, the dog about to pee himself happily, and then shook his head and chuckled a bit.

"No, I won't be rolling over." Jae waited a moment, giving a sharp whistle that made Bo heel. "I hope that your crew has found everything satisfactory. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to assist in your checks. The rest of the crew is eager to board. They have their own tests to perform as well, Jack."

Jae saw Santos out of the corner of his eye, watching them, but it didn't matter.

"Look, I know we both have some say in the course of this trip, but things will go smoother if you don't throw your weight around and demand things like having undisturbed access to the vessel first with no one around. I know you have your YouTube fans, your Facebook group, but here, that doesn't matter. For once, Jack, be a team player. You might see we have some of the same goals this time."

Jae's pocket vibrated and he pulled out his phone, seeing another text message from the head of the production crew, asking if he and his crew could get some footage of the boat before it was busy, or what they were really asking was if they could get some footage of Jack and his crew, but Jae didn't even text back. The man was already a freaking celebrity and they hadn't even shoved off.

"All I'm saying is...we can work together and be professionals. Equals. Do you understand?