the waiter’s poor timing in his head. He could see how nervous she had become under his stare and he knew he was that much closer to cracking her tough exterior. Another time, he thought, another time.
***
The rest of lunch had been uneventful, as they continued to make small talk and enjoyed their meals. Liana made every effort she could to steer the conversation into the neutral direction that she preferred. When she’d felt he was again attempting to get in a little too close for comfort, she’d glanced at her watch and told him that it was about time to head back to the ship before its scheduled departure.
Kyle reluctantly walked her back to the ship. He had hoped to get a little more time with her, but of course, the obstinate Liana would have none of that.
When they’d arrived on the main deck, Liana turned to him, “Thanks for sharing lunch with me. I really did have a good time.”
“Glad to hear that. Wasn’t so bad after all then, right?”
“No, not at all. I’ll catch you later, Kyle.” Liana turned, adjusted her shopping bags on her arms and headed toward the hall leading to her cabin. Kyle watched her as she walked off.
He felt a strong, forceful blow on his back and looked over his shoulder for the source of the hit. It was Duane. “Hey man, have you been out all day with her?” He motioned to Liana, as she rounded the corner, walking out of sight.
“Something like that,” Kyle answered.
“Here you go again. All of these women and you get stuck on one. That’s just like you, Kyle.”
Kyle shook his head, and didn’t humor Duane’s assessment with an answer. Instead, he headed back to his own room, leaving Duane to run off and find his next conquest. Kyle couldn’t offer up any defense for himself. He did start to feel silly for getting so caught up in a woman who, though she seemed to be opening up more, was still hell-bent on keeping him at arms length.
But Duane wasn’t completely correct. She wasn’t like most of the other women he’d dated or been interested in before. She wasn’t even like Shaila. If anything, she was the opposite of Shaila.
She was laid back, with a sense of humor, and from what he could tell--unimpressed by money and status. But the main quality that made her different from most of the other women he’d encountered, was her unyielding nature and the way she closed herself off to him. That was a problem he’d rarely faced before. But now he was starting to think that she might be worth the challenge.
Chapter Eight
“So, you’re coming to the dance tonight, right Lia?” Alyssa stood, fumbling through her suitcase that she’d laid on her bed.
Liana, seated on her own bed and facing Alyssa, groaned loudly. “I don’t feel like doing any dancing.”
“Then don’t. But don’t stay cooped up in this room all night. You can just sit at a table somewhere. As long as you’re getting out.”
“No, I think I’m going to just pass. Maybe I’ll go sit by the pool.”
“Come on, Liana. You have all day to sit by the pool. Come see the nightlife with me.”
Liana sighed.
Alyssa sat down on her bed and faced Liana. “Okay, Liana, we’re not going to keep going through the rest of the vacation like this. You said you’d enjoy yourself and embrace it, and you still aren’t doing it.”
“I don’t see how going to a dance will make or break this vacation.”
“It’s not the dance itself; it’s the principle of it. You’re doing everything you can to avoid every man on this ship. And you’re probably missing out on a good time because of it.”
“But I don’t have to be with a man to have a good time.”
“Okay, maybe not, but you could at least talk, get to know some people. Take Kyle, for instance. He seems nice enough, and he’s been trying his best to get to you, but you cut him off every time.
***
The rest of lunch had been uneventful, as they continued to make small talk and enjoyed their meals. Liana made every effort she could to steer the conversation into the neutral direction that she preferred. When she’d felt he was again attempting to get in a little too close for comfort, she’d glanced at her watch and told him that it was about time to head back to the ship before its scheduled departure.
Kyle reluctantly walked her back to the ship. He had hoped to get a little more time with her, but of course, the obstinate Liana would have none of that.
When they’d arrived on the main deck, Liana turned to him, “Thanks for sharing lunch with me. I really did have a good time.”
“Glad to hear that. Wasn’t so bad after all then, right?”
“No, not at all. I’ll catch you later, Kyle.” Liana turned, adjusted her shopping bags on her arms and headed toward the hall leading to her cabin. Kyle watched her as she walked off.
He felt a strong, forceful blow on his back and looked over his shoulder for the source of the hit. It was Duane. “Hey man, have you been out all day with her?” He motioned to Liana, as she rounded the corner, walking out of sight.
“Something like that,” Kyle answered.
“Here you go again. All of these women and you get stuck on one. That’s just like you, Kyle.”
Kyle shook his head, and didn’t humor Duane’s assessment with an answer. Instead, he headed back to his own room, leaving Duane to run off and find his next conquest. Kyle couldn’t offer up any defense for himself. He did start to feel silly for getting so caught up in a woman who, though she seemed to be opening up more, was still hell-bent on keeping him at arms length.
But Duane wasn’t completely correct. She wasn’t like most of the other women he’d dated or been interested in before. She wasn’t even like Shaila. If anything, she was the opposite of Shaila.
She was laid back, with a sense of humor, and from what he could tell--unimpressed by money and status. But the main quality that made her different from most of the other women he’d encountered, was her unyielding nature and the way she closed herself off to him. That was a problem he’d rarely faced before. But now he was starting to think that she might be worth the challenge.
Chapter Eight
“So, you’re coming to the dance tonight, right Lia?” Alyssa stood, fumbling through her suitcase that she’d laid on her bed.
Liana, seated on her own bed and facing Alyssa, groaned loudly. “I don’t feel like doing any dancing.”
“Then don’t. But don’t stay cooped up in this room all night. You can just sit at a table somewhere. As long as you’re getting out.”
“No, I think I’m going to just pass. Maybe I’ll go sit by the pool.”
“Come on, Liana. You have all day to sit by the pool. Come see the nightlife with me.”
Liana sighed.
Alyssa sat down on her bed and faced Liana. “Okay, Liana, we’re not going to keep going through the rest of the vacation like this. You said you’d enjoy yourself and embrace it, and you still aren’t doing it.”
“I don’t see how going to a dance will make or break this vacation.”
“It’s not the dance itself; it’s the principle of it. You’re doing everything you can to avoid every man on this ship. And you’re probably missing out on a good time because of it.”
“But I don’t have to be with a man to have a good time.”
“Okay, maybe not, but you could at least talk, get to know some people. Take Kyle, for instance. He seems nice enough, and he’s been trying his best to get to you, but you cut him off every time.
Similar Books
