Caribbean Cruising

  “At least you have some spring-break experiences to compare this with. It’s totally alien to me.”

  “You seem to be managing it all right so far. Want to dance again?”

  I was suddenly feeling very adventuresome. And my wild and crazy cruise was supposed to be starting now anyway. Besides, as Julie had pointed out, Ryan was nice. I nodded. “Sure.”

  We danced until the lights from Galveston faded into the distance. Sometimes we drank champagne while we danced, and sometimes we simply danced. With the bubbly wine coursing through my system, the dim lights, and the soft music, the night felt almost magical.

  I closed my eyes and almost fell asleep right there on Ryan’s shoulder. I stumbled. He steadied me.

  “I think you’ve had too much champagne,” he said.

  We were barely moving our feet. I didn’t have the strength, and I certainly didn’t mind if he didn’t either.

  “I think you’re right. It’s making me really sleepy.”

  “You don’t think being sleepy has anything to do with it being almost two o’clock in the morning?”

  I straightened. “Is it that late? I had no idea.”

  As I glanced around, everything seemed to spin. When had almost everyone left? Only Mom and Walter were still dancing, and like Ryan and me, they were barely moving.

  “Is the party over?” I asked.

  “Just about. Want me to walk you back to your cabin?”

  I was feeling a little light-headed, a little dizzy. I grinned at him. “Sure. I need to say good-bye to Mom first.”

  I walked over to Mom and tapped on her shoulder. She glanced over and stopped dancing. “Are you off to bed now?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “All right. Don’t forget about our dinner date tomorrow.”

  Mom wanted to touch base with me before we started hitting other ports and things got crazy. “I won’t.”

  She hugged me. “Good night.”

  I waved at Walter. “Good night.”

  As we started to leave, Walter called after Ryan, “Take good care of my daughter now.”

  “I will,” Ryan said.

  I wanted to groan—at Walter’s request and Ryan’s response.

  “I told you—” I began.

  “I know,” he cut in. “You don’t need anyone watching out for you. Trust me. If I’d told Walter that, we’d still be explaining things to him. He’s new at being a father, so he’s probably going to be overprotective at first.”

  “I’m beginning to figure that out.”

  On our way toward the elevator, Ryan grabbed a bottle of champagne out of a bucket of ice. “No sense in it going to waste,” he said.

  As we rode the elevator to our deck, I wondered who he planned to drink it with. Was he planning to share it with me? Should I invite him into my cabin? Should we extend the party?

  The elevator stopped and we stepped out of the glass enclosure and into the hallway. The walls spun around me.

  “Oh.” I reached out and found Ryan’s arm. I steadied myself.

  “Woozy?” he asked.

  “A little. I guess it was the elevator.”

  “Just hold onto my arm for support. It’s not that far to our rooms.”

  “Aren’t you dizzy?”

  “Nope.”

  How many glasses had I had? I couldn’t remember. “I’ve never had champagne before.”

  He laughed. It was a nice, deep rumble. “You’ve said that already.”

  “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. Champagne seems to make me forget things.” It even seemed to make me forget why I had reservations about spending time with Ryan. I remembered that I’d had concerns earlier, but now I couldn’t remember what they were. They couldn’t have been very important. Julie was right. He was hot, and he was fun to be with.

  “I have a balcony,” I said, feeling very happy, content, and a little giddy. “Want to see?”

  I reached for my key—

  And realized that I didn’t have my purse. I quickly turned around to see where I’d dropped it. The walls, the ceiling, and the floor spun with me. I leaned back against the wall for support.

  “Are you okay?” Ryan asked.

  “I don’t have my key.”

  “How can you not have your key?”

  I shook my head. I was woozy, but I remembered…remembered giving my purse to Cindy right before the ceremony. Bummer. Total bummer.

  “I gave my purse to Cindy. The cruise director or whatever she was. The one who was directing the wedding. Do you know if she’s still up there?”

  “I don’t know. But I don’t think you’ll make it back to the top deck.”

  Unfortunately I didn’t think I’d make it either. I wanted to curl up on my bed and go to sleep. Right now, even the floor was looking inviting. I didn’t remember seeing Cindy when we left. What if she’d left for the night? I nodded. “You go look for Cindy. I’ll wait.”

  “I can’t leave you alone in the hallway. Come on. We’ll go into my room and figure out what to do.”

  That sounded like a plan. Keeping my hand against the wall for balance, I followed him just a bit down the hallway to his room. Right next to mine. Just like Walter had said.

  I couldn’t determine why that struck me as funny. Everything seemed funny. The champagne was really getting to me, I guess. I was a little more tipsy than I realized.

  He opened the door, walked in, and held it open. “Come on in.”

  I’d never been alone in a room with a guy before. My natural instinct was to stop at the door, but this was the start of the uninhibited Lindsay. I strode past him. “Oh, gosh, it’s just like my room. And you have a balcony too.”

  I realized I sounded as though I was surprised, even though I’d seen his balcony while I’d been sitting on mine that afternoon. As a matter of fact, everything I said sounded as though I was surprised. It was the bubbly talking.

  “Why don’t you sit out there?” he suggested. “Some fresh air might help clear your head.”

  He slid the glass door aside, and I stepped through. “Oh, wow,” I said as the breeze brushed by me. “You can see the lights on shore. They’re dancing around. Aren’t they pretty?”

  “Lindsay, how much champagne did you have?” he asked.

  “I didn’t count.” I sat on the chair, slipped off my sandals, and tucked my feet beneath me. Then I laughed. “Am I drunk?”

  “I think so.”

  “But getting drunk on champagne wasn’t on my list.”

  “Your list?” He sat in the chair beside mine.

  “The list of everything I want to do while I’m on this cruise. Things I’ve never done before.” I held up one hand and touched a finger with the other. “Have a margarita.” I touched another finger. “Go snorkeling.” Grinning I leaned toward him. “I can’t tell you everything I want to do. Some of it is a secret.”

  “I’m going to call down to the main desk and see if they’ll bring us a key to your room.” He got up and went back into his cabin.

  Getting to my feet I swayed and grabbed the railing for support. I followed him into his room. He went around the bed and was reaching for the phone.

  I walked unsteadily across the room and lay down on his bed. Just like mine, it was king-sized. “Ryan?”

  He stopped moving and looked over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

  “The room is spinning.”

  He stretched across the bed toward me. “Close your eyes.”

  “Everything is still spinning.”

  “Hold my hand.” He wrapped his hand around mine, and I squeezed his.

  “Never had champagne before.” I thought I was speaking slowly but my words seemed to run together.

  “I never would have guessed.”

  His voice sounded far away.

  “Ryan, this is the last thing on my list.”

  “What is?”

  As my eyes drifted closed, I murmured, “Sleeping with a guy.”

  CHAPTER 6


  The Enchantment

  Day Two

  The next morning was supposed to be the beginning of my very best vacation ever, but I woke up and wondered if it could kick off with a worse start. My memory was fuzzy. My head felt like it weighed about a hundred pounds. My body so did not want to move. I didn’t have the key to my room. And I was sleeping with the best man—a guy I barely knew.

  And to make matters even worse, I had a vague recollection of revealing some of the things I wanted to accomplish while I was on this cruise. I almost groaned aloud, but I was afraid that Ryan would wake up. And then what should I do?

  Speak to him?

  Good morning, Ryan.

  Simply smile and shrug?

  About last night…

  Laugh?

  I drank way too much champagne!

  Look bored, get up, and leave without a single word spoken?

  It wasn’t as though waking up in bed with a guy fell into my “been there, done that” experiences because I’d never been there, done that—until now.

  Of course that was the very reason that the experience was written on my to do list. Although when I’d written “Sleep with a guy,” keeping my clothes on wasn’t exactly how I’d planned to do it. I decided I needed to be a little more specific with my list. But to do that, I needed to get to it, and that required getting into my room.

  I slowly opened my eyes. The morning sun was easing through the parted drapes at the balcony doors. I could see Ryan more clearly. The way his eyelashes rested on his cheeks. The hint of a morning beard on his chin.

  We were on our sides, facing each other. His arm was draped over my waist, its weight making it seem as though I belonged to him. The palm of my right hand was pressed…well, it was pressed against his chest and I could feel the steady pounding of his heart.

  Even with a wrinkled tux on, a tie hanging loose around his neck, and a couple of buttons on his white shirt undone, Ryan looked hot. His black hair fell across his brow. I had to clench my hand to stop myself from reaching up to brush it back into place.

  I found myself half wishing we weren’t both lying here with all of our clothes on. But with Ryan, that scenario was a recipe for disaster. He was Walter’s godson. And I was a little embarrassed by my virginal status.

  I mean I was probably the last remaining virgin of my senior class.

  Julie had confessed that her first time had been awkward, clumsy, and filled with…well, disappointment, maybe even a little regret. I wanted my first time to be totally different. A cruise ship seemed like a perfect place to experience a once-in-a-lifetime moment. All I needed to find was the perfect guy for one night.

  If the experience turned out to be as wonderful as I hoped it would, it would be a memorable night to carry with me always. If it was awkward—well, I’d never have to face the guy again, so any embarrassment I might have felt would end when I stepped off the ship. The guy wouldn’t be in my life to remind me of any blunders I made.

  My plan made even more sense to me now that I was actually waking up in bed with a guy. I was definitely wishing I’d never see Ryan again.

  Not that that was going to happen. Why did he have to be Walter’s godson? Why did he have to go to the same university that I planned to attend? Why had I told him about my list, and why, oh, why, had I slept in his bed?

  Holding my breath I pinched the cuff of his shirt and held his wrist up while I eased out from beneath his arm. Then I lowered his hand to the bed.

  Slowly, slowly, slowly I made my way off the bed. I crept to the balcony, eased open the door, slipped outside, and picked up my sandals. I snuck back into his room and headed for the door. My gaze fell on his nightstand. My purse! What was my purse doing here?

  Then I remembered. He was going to call the front desk. He must have located Cindy, or she’d brought it by…I shook my head. It didn’t matter. My purse was here and with it came my key.

  I tiptoed to the nightstand and gingerly lifted my purse, then crept to the doorway.

  I glanced over my shoulder at the guy lying on the bed.

  I felt a twinge of regret, disappointment, and sadness which I couldn’t explain. Ryan was handsome and nice, but I did not want my summer fling to be with someone I might possibly see later on.

  I opened the door and walked out. Once in the hallway I searched my purse, retrieved my key, and went into my cabin. It felt good to be in my own haven. I crossed the room to the table where I’d left my backpack. I retrieved my tiny notebook where I kept my lists and turned to the last list—the list of things I wanted to do on this cruise.

  I needed to be a bit more specific. As soon as I’d corrected my list, I headed for the shower. It was time to begin my best summer ever.

  + Soak up the rays.

  + Shop until I drop.

  + Drink margaritas by the pitcher.

  + Dance all night.

  + Climb a waterfall.

  + Snorkel.

  + Kiss a lot of cute guys.

  Make love

  + Sleep with a guy for the first time.

  CHAPTER 7

  After slathering on suntan lotion, I settled back into the lounge chair beside one of three pools that dotted the ship. This one was for adults only, so I figured it would be quieter than the other two, which did allow children. It didn’t have curling waterslides or resemble a water park in any way, and that’s what I wanted right now. I had a slight headache behind my eyes—from lack of sleep and too much champagne.

  I was trying to ignore the discomfort, which wasn’t too easy to do. Although I was wearing my sunglasses, I could still see the sunlight glinting off the blue water. Water almost as blue as Ryan’s eyes.

  Don’t think about him, I commanded myself.

  I was beginning to regret sneeking out of his cabin because now I had to figure out what to say when I saw him again. I didn’t understand why male-female relationships couldn’t be easier. It had to be that Mars-Venus thing that I’d read about.

  I told myself that I really didn’t have anything to feel uncomfortable about. Obviously he’d seen me when I was at my silliest, but he’d been drinking too. So he might not even remember me jabbering about my list. We’d slept in the same bed for one night. Big deal.

  Although Walter had invited him so I would have a pal, I figured that Ryan hanging around with me would seriously keep the other guys away. I would never accomplish my goal of losing my virginity while on this cruise. So I’d cut Ryan free, and now he could pursue his own interests.

  I adjusted my wide-brimmed floppy hat so my eyes were more shaded. I was thinking that I might need to invest in some superpowerful sunglasses. I closed my eyes, and let the warmth of the sun relax me as the ship cruised through the waters toward the Caribbean.

  I tried to block out the sound of other people coming to the pool. It had been pretty crowded when I arrived, but the cacophony of voices got louder as the minutes ticked by. We wouldn’t reach our first port until sometime tomorrow. Today I suspected most people were simply checking out the ship.

  The lounge chair beside mine squeaked as someone sat in it. Too delicate of a squeak to be a guy. That is, if squeaks can be classified as being delicate.

  I heard the movements of someone getting situated. I smelled coconut-scented suntan lotion.

  Definitely not a guy. Too bad.

  “Sorry to bother you, but could you get my back?”

  I opened my eyes. The girl sitting on the chair beside mine was holding a bottle toward me. She was deeply tanned already. Her dark hair was cut short and had bleached spikes.

  She shook the bottle of lotion in front of me. “Do you mind? I know it’s kind of an intrusion, but I have this skin cancer phobia.”

  I didn’t think her phobia could be too great when her bathing suit left most of her skin exposed. She was practically overflowing out of the top of her bikini. I glanced down at my chest. I was tucked neatly into place. Overflowing wasn’t an option for me.

  I looked back at he
r. I would have thought someone with a phobia would have been all covered up. Still, I understood that when it came to getting lotion on your back, you had to take whatever help was available.

  “No, I don’t mind.” I took the bottle and quickly applied the lotion. Her two-piece was much skimpier than mine. Just above one of the strings tying the bottom piece together at her hips was a small tattoo of a red rose. She had other tattoos—a dragon on her left shoulder, and what looked like a delicate bracelet drawn around her left wrist and ankle.

  I didn’t have any tattoos.

  “Did getting the tattoos hurt?” I asked.

  She looked over her shoulder at me. “Sure, but they’re worth it. You should get one.”

  “I wouldn’t know what to get.”

  “Something that reflects your personality.”

  I supposed I could start keeping a list as ideas came to me, until one felt right—a rose, a heart, a moon and stars. It wasn’t a decision I could make quickly because once the tattoo was there, it stayed unless I did something drastic like having it surgically removed or redesigned into something else. No, I definitely didn’t want to act hastily here.

  “There you go.” I handed her bottle of lotion back to her, and settled into my lounge chair.

  “Thanks. I’m Brooke Hastings by the way.”

  “Lindsay Darnell.”

  “Is this your first cruise?”

  “Yeah. Am I that obvious?”

  She shrugged. “Not really. You’re just so pale.”

  I glanced down at my legs, and then over at hers. She definitely spent a lot of time beneath the sun, skin cancer phobia or no.

  “So why are you out here by yourself?” she asked.

  “I’m an only child, and I didn’t bring any friends along.”

  “So you’re traveling with your parents?”

  That made me sound like a child. “Not exactly. My mom got married onboard the ship last night.”

  “It wasn’t the wedding that had the top deck reserved, and kept us in port until midnight, was it?”

  “That’s the one.”