Caribbean Cruising (7 page)

"No. It didn't work out."

"That's a surprise. He sure looked like he could show a girl a good time."

"When I met him I thought the same thing." I immediately felt guilty about what I'd said. Ryan
had
shown me a good time. He'd been attentive during the reception. He'd talked with me and danced with me. But he was just a little too close to Walter for comfort.

"I honor territoriality," Brooke said. "But if you're not interested in him…"

What? What was she going to do if I wasn't sleeping with him? Go after him herself?

"I'm not interested in him," I said, although the words didn't sound quite right. Under other mhtml:file://C:\Program Files\eMule\Incoming\+ Hawthorne, Rachel - Caribbean Cruising....

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circumstances if I weren't on a quest to lose my virginity with a guy I'd never see again, I might have been interested in him. No, I'd definitely be interested in him. "But I'd be uncomfortable—"

"If he and I became an item?" she finished. "That's cool. There are lots of other guys onboard, and it's fun to have someone to hang around with."

I was incredibly relieved to hear her say that. I really would feel more comfortable if Ryan wasn't with us, because he might feel obligated to do as Walter asked, and watch out for me. I so didn't want to be watched out for. I wanted to be wild and have some uninhibited fun.

"So do you have any plans for the day?" I asked.

Brooke smiled brightly. "I sure do. I plan to find some men to run their hands amok over my body. Want to join me?"

CHAPTER 8

I
t was called a "Four Hands Muscle Melt."

And it was absolutely divine: the most wonderful massage that I'd ever had.

All right. It was the first massage that I'd ever had. I couldn't believe that I hadn't included it on my list of things to experience while on this cruise.

Brooke had suggested we head to the spa for a little spoiling. So now I was wondering how I was going to possibly get off the table when my body felt fluid. The room had been dimly lit. Enya had echoed softly around me. And two masseurs had worked in tandem to melt every muscle I possessed.

Hence the title. Four Hands Muscle Melt.

When they were finished, the masseurs had left so I could prepare to leave. It took me several minutes to gather enough energy to roll off the table. I put on my bathing suit and the thick, downy robe that the spa provided.

I padded out of the room and to the bubbling aqua spa. Brooke was already there. I truly didn't know if I could endure being any more relaxed.

But I was willing to give it a go.

I slipped off the robe, draped it over a nearby chair, walked down the steps into the warm waters, and floated over to where Brooke was already sitting.

"I may stay here forever," she said quietly.

"It's definitely heavenly."

"The best way to prepare for dancing all night. And the best way to get into the mood to seduce."

Seduce? I suppose if I wanted a guy, that's the way I needed to think.

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"I was thinking about getting my navel pierced," I admitted.

"Go for it. Guys like it."

"They do?"

"Oh, yeah. Get your tongue pierced while you're at it." She stuck hers out. I hadn't noticed before, but hers was definitely pierced. She had a little black stud in the center. "Guys love a pierced tongue."

"Didn't it hurt?"

"You bet. But it was worth it."

I was having a hard time thinking that it might be worth it. I'd seen a TV show where a guy got his tongue pierced. It looked seriously painful.

I shook my head. "Think I'll just do the navel."

"Whatever. We can probably find a place on St. Thomas to get it done. We'll get you a tattoo as well."

"I could maybe get a tattoo," I said hesitantly.

She angled her head slightly. "It should reveal the real Lindsay."

I thought of her dragon, and was so afraid she'd suggest a bunny rabbit for me. Something tame and lame.

"A butterfly, maybe," she said. "I sense that you're evolving."

"Wow! I'm impressed. This is definitely a summer of change for me."

She smiled as though very satisfied with herself.

The idea of getting a tattoo was intriguing. As long as it was little, and in no place too private where the tattoo artist got to see more of me than I wanted him to see. Maybe on my shoulder, or my hip, or—

"So what's up with Ryan?" she asked suddenly.

I snapped out of my thoughts about tattoos as if someone had just stuck a needle into me. "What do you mean?"

She turned in the water so she was facing me. "I mean you said he was the best man. Did you know him before the wedding?"

"No, I met him yesterday evening, right before the wedding."

"And you've already slept with him? You are a wild woman! My kinda girlfriend! We are so going to get along."

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thought of as being a little…wild?

After all, I had plans to be just that.

"Was he really good?" she asked.

Yeah, he'd let me sleep, hadn't pressured me into anything, but I didn't think that's what she meant.

"Sure, he was great."

Her brow furrowed. "So how come you blew him off when he came to the pool?"

Had I blown him off? I tried not to encourage him to hang around because he would seriously limit my flirting with other guys. Had I been rude?

"We don't have much in common," I said.

"If he does the horizontal dance well, what more do you need?"

She dipped under the water, and I wondered what I'd gotten myself into.

She came back up, and brushed her wet hair out of her eyes.

"It's cool if you want to be all mysterious about him," she said.

"It's not that. It's just—"

"That you don't trust me with your secrets."

"No, that's not it. He was great. There really isn't anything more than that to say."

Suddenly I wasn't nearly as relaxed as I had been. If I stayed much longer, I'd have to go get another massage. "I need to go."

"That's cool," she said. "Totally. I'll see you tonight."

"Right."

I made my way out of the pool, and slipped on the robe.

"Oh, wait!" Brooke called after me. She rolled her eyes. "I forgot that I have to eat dinner with my parents tonight. I know it's lame—"

"It's okay. My mom wants to check up on me too."

Brooke grinned. "Okay, then I'll hook up with you at Cruisin' at eight."

"Great." I gave Brooke a little wave. "See you tonight."

This evening was going to be so much fun. I could hardly wait.

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I walked through the spa area and into the fitness facility. It was an amazing place. Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a panoramic view of the ocean. In a distant corner I could see a stack of yoga mats.

I'd gotten into yoga my senior year. It helped me relax before exams. Not as much as a Four Hand Muscle Melt, but better than nothing. And I enjoyed walking on a treadmill, going nowhere. In this room, going nowhere would still be interesting.

I turned. The free weights were on this side of the room.

And so was Ryan.

He was in baggy shorts and a sleeveless tee that looked as though he'd melted his body down in order to pour himself into it. Wow! No wonder he looked so hot in a tux.

He sat on the end of a bench, his elbow on his thigh. Wearing gloves he was gripping a weight, lowering his arm, and curling it back up. Totally focused on the slow up-and-down movement.

I could leave, and he'd never know that I'd spotted him. But I was feeling a little guilty about brushing him off by the pool. He didn't have to bring me my earring.

If Brooke saw him, she'd probably hotfoot it right on over there, and start that irritating flirting. Maybe I should warn him…

I strolled over. Close up I could see the dampness of his shirt, the bunched muscles in his arms.

Obviously this wasn't the first time that he'd used weights.

"Hey."
Great opening line, Lindsay.

He did nothing more than lift his eyes. "Hey."

"You do this a lot?"

"Four times a week."

"I do yoga."

"Really."

He said it like a statement he didn't quite believe. Not a question.

"Really. It strengthens your body and mind."

"Your mind must have missed a few lessons."

"Excuse me?" I snapped. I was certainly seeing a side to him that I hadn't before. What did he mean by that comment?

"Why are you hooking up with Sally Sleaze?" he asked.

"Her name is Brooke, and she happens to be very nice."

"She seems a bit pushy."

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"She's enthusiastic."

He released a breath, and lowered the weight to the ground. "If you say so."

I really didn't want to get into an argument about Brooke. I was looking forward to hanging around with her. She struck me as the kind of girl who drew guys in, and I figured I could benefit from her experience, and find the perfect guy to end the cruise with.

I took a step back. "Well, I just wanted to thank you for bringing me my earring."

"Not a problem. Why'd you leave without waking me this morning?"

I shrugged and admitted reluctantly, "I wasn't sure what to say when you woke up."

He grinned. "Good morning?"

I really wished he wouldn't look at me like that. It made me feel like such a fool for rushing off. But then everything about last night made me feel like a fool. I tried to think of something to say that would turn the conversation away from the fact that I'd spent the night in his bed. "It was nice of Walter to bring you along."

He repositioned himself, bent over, picked up the weight with his left hand, and started curling his forearm. "He and my dad have been business partners for years. Walter kind of adopted me, treated me like a son since he didn't have any kids of his own. So Dad stayed behind to manage the business, and I got to come on the cruise."

"Lots of pretty girls around."

He wiggled his brows. "So I noticed."

"Do you think Brooke is pretty?"

"She's all right."

"She thinks you're hot."

"What do you think?"

How did I end up here? Witty comeback, witty comeback. Where was it hiding?

"You're okay."

He gave me that crooked grin of his again. "Thanks. I'll try not to let my head swell with that heartfelt compliment." He stopped lifting weights suddenly. "You know, it's really hard for me to keep count of the reps when I'm talking."

"Oh, sorry." I backed up a step. "I have to go get ready for tonight anyway."

"See you later," he said.

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Not if I saw him first.

I couldn't figure out why my tongue got all tangled up and my heart beat so loudly that I could barely hear myself think whenever I got near the guy.

My best plan of action was to make sure that I no longer got within sight of him.

CHAPTER 9

T
he Eiffel Tower was an upscale, swank restaurant where I was having dinner with Mom, Walter, and Ryan. Cloth-covered tables with scented candles in their center. A man in a tuxedo played soft piano music. The waiters spoke quietly. Everything seemed hushed.

I looked around, but I didn't see Brooke anywhere so I figured she was meeting her parents at another restaurant. I was constantly amazed by all that this ship had to offer. It had everything I could think of, anything I could possibly ever need.

I was even fairly certain that the guy of my dreams was somewhere onboard, simply waiting for me to find him. And I was pretty sure that he wasn't the guy who was with me now. I should have expected Ryan to be here, but it still took me by surprise. I suppose I'd thought it would be like it always was: me and Mom. Only now there was Walter. And with Walter came Ryan.

Mom looked more than happy. She looked joyous. She and Walter were smiling at each other so much that it made
my
jaws ache, and also made me wonder why they'd wanted to get together for dinner when it was so obvious that they only had eyes for each other.

Corny, I know, but that's how it really seemed.

But here I was, ordering food that I could barely pronounce, sitting beside a guy I'd spent the night with.

I really hoped that subject didn't come up during dinner.

"How are you enjoying the cruise so far?" Walter asked, smiling.

"Fine," Ryan and I said at the same time.

"Ryan, did I tell you that Lindsay is going to the University of Texas in the fall?" Walter asked.

Ryan glanced over at me. "No, sir, but Lindsay mentioned it last night."

Walter looked at me now. "So that gives you something in common. And you're bound to run into each other—"

"It's a big campus," Ryan said. "I don't even run into my roommates."

"What have you done so far on the cruise?" Mom asked.

Slept with Ryan.

Wouldn't she love that?

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I told her about meeting Brooke and spending the afternoon at the spa.

"I got a massage. It was called a Four Hands Muscle Melt. It was fabulous. If you can find the time, Mom, you should get one."

"That does sound wonderful," Mom said. "I think I'll try to book one in the morning."