“Wow. Someone in your family must be related to the president or something.”
“Or something. My new stepdad. He has influence.” It was all that I wanted to say. I didn’t want to brag about Walter.
“He must. He and your mom are going to want some serious alone time.”
“I’m counting on it.” Mom and Walter spending more time together would give me more time to myself.
She laughed. “My parents are celebrating their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. I can’t believe they’ve been married for that long. I had to practically beg them to bring me along. I wasn’t about to spend time at home when I could be on a cruise meeting loads of single guys.”
“So you don’t have a boyfriend?”
“We just broke up. He was great in the sack, but out of it he was a total loser. You know what I mean?”
Theoretically I did. But I wasn’t going to admit that I’d never had “great in the sack,” or anything in the sack for that matter. Some things you didn’t share with total strangers.
“Absolutely,” I said, hoping she would accept my answer and not prod me for details.
“Why are guys like that?” she asked. “Why can’t they bring their bedroom personalities along with them when they get out of bed?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t a clue.”
And I really didn’t. My sole experience with sleeping with a guy had been last night. And it certainly hadn’t taught me anything. Except that guys snored.
“Don’t you hate the way they hog the bed?”
Ryan hadn’t exactly hogged the bed. He’d been snuggled up against me. It had actually been very nice. Caring. Protective. Comforting.
“I guess that’s the reason they invented king-sized beds,” I offered.
Not really an answer, Lindsay.
“You’ve got that right. Still, it’s not much fun sleeping alone. I’m going to find someone to take my mind off him. Or someonessss,” she said, stressing the plural, and sounding a bit like a snake in the process.
“Good luck,” I said.
“Have you got a boyfriend?” she asked.
“Nope.”
“So you want to hang out together? Maybe we’ll both find someone.”
Hanging out with someone who wasn’t Ryan had definite advantages. I wouldn’t stick out like a lonely sore thumb. “Sure. You bet.”
“We’ll hit the first island, St. Thomas, tomorrow. I plan to shop until I drop.”
The Virgin Islands. It seemed a little ironic to me that I was a virgin heading to the Virgin Islands, hoping that by the time I left the ship my status would be vastly different.
“They’re supposed to have terrific jewelry,” I offered.
“That’s what I hear. I also hear that most of the singles onboard hang out at Cruisin’. Do you want to go tonight? Scope it out?”
Cruisin’ was one of the clubs on the ship that catered to those between seventeen and twenty-four years old. I’d read about it in the brochure, but hadn’t had a chance to check it out. “Sure, sounds like fun.”
“Cool. There is nothing worse than hanging out at a singles place as a single.”
“I thought that was the point.”
“No way. You don’t want to look desperate.” She leaned toward me. “Even if you are.”
Did I look desperate? She’d already guessed that this was my first cruise. The next thing I knew she’d be announcing that I was a virgin.
“I’m not—”
“Oh, hunk alert,” Brooke interrupted before I could finish announcing that I wasn’t desperate. Although in a manner of speaking, I suppose I was.
Smiling broadly she sat up a little straighter on her chair, and shook her chest so it jutted out a little farther. Apparently she wasn’t waiting until tonight to reel in her first catch.
I had very little to jut out with. I was practically a plank of wood compared to her. I’d never been self-conscious about not being well-endowed, but sitting here next to Brooke I was beginning to seriously consider the benefits of implants.
I glanced in the direction she was looking, and my breath caught. Ryan was striding toward me, and he didn’t look particularly happy.
He plopped down on the end of my lounge chair. His swim trunk–covered thigh was against my bare leg. His shirt was unbuttoned. Between his thumb and forefinger, right in front of my nose, he was dangling one of my earrings.
“Found this in my bed this morning after you left.”
Having never been in a situation like this one, I may have overreacted. I snatched it away from him. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“Well, isn’t this an interesting development,” Brooke said. “Lindsay, I think you were holding out on me.”
Ryan jerked his attention to her. “Who are you?”
“Lindsay’s new best bud. And you are…”
She left the sentence dangling, almost like an invitation. I didn’t want her to think that there was anything between me and Ryan, or that I’d been holding out on her.
“Ryan was the best man at my mother’s wedding,” I explained.
“If you’re going to have a man, you want the best,” Brooke said.
Ryan gave her a crooked grin. “That’s me. The best.”
“I’ll just bet,” she purred.
Not that I could blame her. Ryan was hot. And she wasn’t connected to him through Walter. Besides, it was obvious that he wasn’t interested in me. Sure he’d grinned at me a time or two last night, but nothing like the way he was grinning at Brooke right now.
I didn’t appreciate their coming on to each other with me sitting right between them…and I was feeling a little left out.
“Thanks for returning my earring,” I said, bringing everyone back to Ryan’s original reason for stopping by.
“Not a problem.”
He grinned, tugged on the brim of my floppy hat, got up, and walked away. Just like that. Gone as abruptly as he’d arrived.
Leaving me even more irritated. Tugging on my hat was something a guy would do to his kid sister—to bug her. And his grin was nothing like the one he gave Brooke. The one he gave her sent signals—“Come over here, and I’ll show you a good time” kind of signals.
“You slept with that hunk?” Brooke demanded to know.
I certainly didn’t want to admit that all I’d done was sleep with Ryan. Not when Brooke knew all the ins and outs of guys’ sleeping habits. So I fudged the truth a little.
“It’s really not a big deal. It was just a one-night thing.”
“So you’re not going to hang out with him anymore?”
“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 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
It 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.
“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.”
I knew that I really should have confessed that all I’d done was sleep, but what would it hurt to be 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.
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.”
“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.
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
The 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.