Caribbean Cruising by Rachel Hawthorne Page A
Authors: Rachel Hawthorne
Tags: Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Social Issues, New Experience, Dating & Sex, Adolescence, Dating (Social Customs), Cruise Ships, Caribbean Area
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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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Page 40 of 146
"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
"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.
mhtml:file://C:\Program Files\eMule\Incoming\+ Hawthorne, Rachel - Caribbean Cruising....
4/6/2009
Page 39 of 146
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."
mhtml:file://C:\Program Files\eMule\Incoming\+ Hawthorne, Rachel - Caribbean Cruising....
4/6/2009
Page 40 of 146
"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
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