tennis. Do you golf?”
“I do.” She sipped her wine. “Mmm. This is good. And… yes, Jason.”
“Yes?” He stared, confused by the sudden twist in the conversation.
“Yes, I’d like to get to know you better.” Her eyes darkened as she glanced at him through her lashes.
Pleasure surged, and an inexplicable sense of rightness followed in its wake. “Good.”
Their appetizers appeared before them, and Marin took a taste of the soufflé. “Oh, you have to taste this.” She pushed the dish to the middle of the table.
He took a piece of calamari and popped it into his mouth before doing the same. “This is good too.”
“So, tomorrow we’re going to Belize to see black howler monkeys in their natural habitat. I read up about them online. The sound an adult male makes can be heard from a mile away.” Marin dipped a piece of the calamari in the sauce. “Did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t. I’m looking forward to the howlers, and to our visit to the zoo.” The restaurant’s manager was circulating through the dining room, greeting guests and stopping to chat. He approached their table.
“ Buonasera! Good evening,” he said in a heavy Italian accent.
Marin turned in her seat to greet him, her forearm heading straight for her wine. Jason lifted the glass out of the way just in the nick of time. She didn’t even notice. He grinned and set the glass back down… out of her way.
The manager introduced himself and told them what part of Italy he came from, explaining the great pains he took to ensure that his restaurant’s fare remained true to his roots. “I hope everything is to your complete satisfaction this evening?”
“Everything is wonderful, thank you,” Marin gushed.
Three courses and a shared dessert later, Jason leaned back in his chair. Conversation had flowed easily, and he couldn’t remember a single date he’d enjoyed more. “I’m stuffed.” He tossed his napkin on the table in defeat. “I don’t think I’ve ever eaten as much or as well as I have on this cruise.”
“Me either.” Marin giggled. “I just hope I can still get into my jeans for the trip home at the end of this week.”
I’d li ke to get into your jeans . . . He shook his head. He needed to take it slow, get to know her better. He didn’t want to rush into anything. He had enough sense to listen to his gut, and his gut told him to proceed with caution. Marin was not “cruise fling” material. She was the type of woman you took home to meet the family, and he wasn’t there yet. Why would he be? They’d just met.
“What?” Marin’s brow creased.
“Hmm?”
“You’re shaking your head.”
He shrugged. “Just thinking about how much time I’m going to have to spend on deck sixteen to work off all of these calories.” Sounded plausible, and much better than I was wonderin g if you might be wearing matching bra and panties under that sexy dress .
“Deck sixteen?”
“That’s where the gym is located.”
“That’s where the spa is too.” Marin rested her chin on her fists. “I’m having a massage on Friday. Can’t wait.” She reached for the napkin on her lap and set it on the table. “Well, we can start on the calories by taking a walk on the promenade deck. I did a few laps there on Monday morning. It’s nice. You have to go up a flight of stairs and down another to go all the way around the ship. Three laps is about a mile.”
“I wonder what it would be like to live on a cruise ship for months at a time?” he mused. “A variety of places to eat, someone cleaning your room every day, a gym, spa, pools… What more could you want?”
Marin grinned. “I’ve wondered the same thing. I’ve been having breakfast at different places each morning. It’s been a lot of fun to share a table with other guests. So far, I’ve met people from Germany, Japan, the US and Canada.”
Their waiter came to take Jason’s cruise card. “That does sound like fun.” He imagined
Under the Cover of the Moon (Cobblestone)