Destination Love

“I don’t see the point in lolling around out here when we can go on ship at any time,” he said when they arrived at the pier.

“Neither do I,” she said, took thirty Canadian dollars from her pocketbook and handed it to him.

“What’s this for?”

“You paid for our lunch, so I should at least pay for half the cost of the trip.”

“Okay, so you’re not a freeloader. I can appreciate that, but it’s my pleasure to take care of this.” Her steady gaze told him that she was wavering toward insisting that she split the fare.

“All right,” she said when he didn’t back down. “But next time, we settle it in advance.”

He could see that the professor threatened to emerge, smiled to placate her and ignored her suggestion. “Don’t forget we have a reservation for the whirlpool at three o’clock.”

“We have? I thought—”

He interrupted. “I changed it because I thought we’d enjoy the relaxation after sightseeing this morning. I hope you don’t mind.”

She seemed suddenly preoccupied, and he looked around for the yellow T-shirt, but didn’t see him. “No. I don’t mind. I’ll meet you there.”

He grinned, because laughter would have annoyed her. She didn’t want him to stop by her room for her. Fine with him. He had a good idea as to what made her tick, and he was a patient man.

Sheri left Wright at the top of the escalator on their deck, headed toward her stateroom, but made a detour to the elevator and rushed to the ship’s store. Twentyfive minutes later, she hadn’t found a bathing suit that hid more than the absolute minimum. With time at a premium, she settled for a red one in which the top at least covered half of each breast and the bottom had a back panel as well as a front piece. Back in her room, trembling as if she’d been terrorized, she put it on and forced herself to look in a mirror.

Good Lord! Was that her? She couldn’t believe it. She went to the full-length mirror on the bathroom door and gasped.

“My parents have a hell of a lot to account for,” she said aloud. “All this time, I thought I was a plain Jane. I know I have a decent face, but I’ve got one hell of a figure. Still, parading around in this thing takes more nerve than I’ve got.” She put on the white terry-cloth robe that the ship furnished, stuck her feet into her flip-flops, put her key in the pocket of her robe and headed for the whirlpool.

She entered the whirlpool room and looked around, hoping that she wouldn’t see Brian. Immediately, Wright rose from the lounge chair on which he’d been stretched out and went to meet her. Instead of reassuring her, his quick kiss on her mouth plunged her into a fit of nerves. Naked but for a G-string, he was a beauty of a man, and as she stood there ogling him, liquid accumulated in her mouth and she could hear herself swallow.

“Come on,” he urged. “Let’s go in. I can hardly wait. We’re numbers three and four.”

“I, uh. I’m not quite ready.”

“Why not? Come on. Hey, wait. Are you afraid of water?”

“No. It’s—All right.” She untied the robe, and suddenly she saw that he understood.

He took the robe from her shoulders, put it on his chair and walked back to her. “Modesty is admirable, Sheri, and I can see that you’re not accustomed to wearing these modern bathing suits. But you are stunningly beautiful from head to foot. If I say my tongue came close to falling out when I got a good look at you, I wouldn’t exaggerate one bit.”

“Let’s get in,” she said, less nervous than when she arrived. He’d said that she was beautiful, and that mattered more to her than the looks and stares of the several onlookers. He stepped in first, held out his hand to her and she followed.

“This is heaven.” She giggled happily as the warm, swirling water massaged her body. “Oh, Wright, this is fantastic.”

“It would be a lot more fun,” he said, “if we didn’t have to sit in one place. They don’t want anyone to swim or move around. Otherwise, I agree that it’s delightful.”

After half an hour—the limit allowed for a whirlpooling session—he got out, got her robe and held it when she stepped out. Then he donned his own robe, and they walked over to the fruit bar for smoothies.

“You’re a bag full of surprises, Sheri. Very pleasant surprises,” he said. “When you’re in the swimming pool area tomorrow, look at the bathing suits women are wearing. Yours is more modest than most, and not a woman there will be more attractive in one than you.” He winked at her. “Take it from a man who’s spent a lot of time looking at bathing suits.”

“Is that so? Well, I’ve just discovered that it’s something I’d enjoy doing, and I’m talking about one-piece bathing suits. Next time you plan to wear one, let me know.”

His laughter warmed her from head to foot. “I’ll be too happy to comply.”

“We don’t make port again till we get to Canso,” the bartender told them. “This is the leg of the trip when people gain the most weight.”

“How’s that?” Wright asked him.

“I guess you’d say boredom sets in, so they eat and drink. If you don’t gamble, what else can you do?”

“There’s swimming and lots of games, lectures and classes,” Sheri suggested. “Wouldn’t you say so, Wright?”

His eyes had that devilish twinkle that always intrigued her. “I’m not saying anything. In fact, I’m not going there at all.”

The bartended released a guffaw, and she looked from one man to the other. “I don’t suppose I want to know what you’re laughing about,” she said to Wright. He draped an arm across her shoulders, and she felt an urgency in his move. With a sense of unease, she glanced toward the entrance and saw Brian King walk in. Immediately on edge, she watched him walk toward them.

“Hello, Sheri,” he said, but he didn’t stop.

“Don’t tell me you sensed that guy’s presence,” Wright said.

“No. I didn’t. The way you put your arm around me gave me a sense of impending danger. I looked around and saw Brian.” She had turned to focus on Wright’s face as she said it and, from his demeanor, she realized that he had been primed for a confrontation.

“At least you’re sensitive to me.” He didn’t smile when he said it.

There’s so much that I don’t understand about men. Weeks ago, I would have dismissed Wright’s behavior right now as arrogance. After being with him these days, I suspect it’s a phenomenon of the male psyche. If males among wild animals protect their turf from other males, why shouldn’t the human male? Why can’t they find a way to do it without seeming to establish ownership? I like Wright a lot, but I don’t want him to be possessive with me. If my dad would get his head out of those books long enough to be a sympathetic and loving father, I could ask him about it. I wonder if he’d know what I was talking about.

“You’ve become pensive,” Wright said. “Is there anything wrong?” He gripped her shoulder with his left hand.

“We agree that I’m not as worldly as I may seem. I’m trying to add things up, and that isn’t easy.”

“I know you’re not as sophisticated as outward appearances suggest. I get more evidence of that almost by the hour. Ready to go? I need some time in my room before dinner. Can we meet at the same place and time?”

“I’d like that.”

He got up, lifted her from the high stool and set her on her feet. “I would have kissed you, but you had the fear of hell on your face, scared to death that I would.” He laughed and hugged her. “Never worry. My good sense rarely deserts me.”