Caribbean Cruising Read Online Free PDF Page A

his.
    Wrapping his hand around mine, he led me out to the dance area. Then he smoothly took me into his arms. I had my hands on his shoulders. His were on the small of my back. His lead—and the song's rhythm—was easy to follow.
    I really enjoyed dancing with Ryan. We were completely in sync, and I loved the way he held me.
    Ryan made a girl feel like dancing with her was the only thing that he wanted to do. He had such intense, blue eyes. They gave the impression that he was giving his partner his total attention.
    "All right," he said. "One more time. What were you going to say?"
    I smiled, but it seemed so silly to say what I had wanted to. "I didn't realize Walter had made arrangements to have someone watch over me. I don't need a baby-sitter."
    Ryan shrugged. "That's cool. I'm not really into baby-sitting."
    I felt a sense of relief. "Good."
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    "So is your friend traveling with you?" he asked.
    "My friend?"
    "I think her name was Julie."
    "No, like most of these people, she's just here for the ceremony."
    "So you're traveling alone," he said.
    "Right. And you?"
    "Alone."
    When the song ended I didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. I was a little of each I suppose. Especially when Ryan said,
    "Thanks for the dance."
    And walked away.
    But that's what I wanted. The freedom to be other than myself without anyone expecting a certain behavior from me. If Walter's godson was hanging around me, I'd have to be Lindsay the Dull, because our paths might pass in the future.
    I went in search of Julie. I found her standing near the railing. A waiter walked by, and I snatched another flute of champagne off his tray.
    "This could be the love boat," she whispered.
    "You and Ryan looked so good together."
    "As we talked about you," I said.
    "Talked about me? What did you say about me?"
    "He wanted to know if you'd be on the cruise."
    "He was probably trying to figure out if you'd be traveling alone."
    I wondered if she was right. My conversation with Ryan had turned in that direction. She suddenly smiled brightly.
    "Hi, Ryan."
    I glanced over my shoulder. Ryan stood there, and he was holding another glass of champagne as well.
    "You really don't have to watch out for me, you know," I said.
    A corner of his mouth hitched up. "I know. It's just that I think you're the only two up here who are mhtml:file://C:\Program Files\eMule\Incoming\+ Hawthorne, Rachel - Caribbean Cruising....
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    under forty. Except for the staff, and I don't think they're allowed to mingle with the guests."
    "Then you're welcome to hang around with us," I offered.
    "Thanks."
    "So your girlfriend couldn't come?" Julie asked.
    I wanted to kick her. Ryan, however, seemed unperturbed by her pointed, nosy question.
    "My girlfriend and I broke up in the spring," he said.
    "Ouch," Julie said. "Break ups are hard."
    Not that I would know. Sometimes I thought that I was the only person alive who'd never had her heart broken. I figured a broken heart symbolized that a person had first-hand knowledge of what it was to be in love. I'd yet to experience either of those rites of passage, so I could only imagine what Ryan had gone through when he'd broken up with his girlfriend. Julie knew because she'd once broken up with a guy and now she was in love with Ben. So she and Ryan were having a bonding moment here that left me feeling like an outsider.
    "Ours wasn't too bad," he said. "We both realized it was time to move on."
    Time to move on. That was how I felt. Like I needed to move beyond the innocence of high school and into the mature world of college.
    "So are you in school or what?" Julie asked.
    Honestly it was like she was Nancy Drew or something.
    Ryan just grinned. "Junior. University of Texas."
    Julie perked up. "Really? That's where Lindsay is going in the fall. She'll be a freshman."
    "Cool. Have you decided on a