CRUISE TO ROMANCE (21 page)

“You have to marry me,” Ryan
insisted as he held her close.  “I bought a beautiful ring for you at
H.
Stern Jewelry
in St. Thomas and I can’t take it back.  It’s all your fault
for the condition I’m in,” he accused.  “You seduced me and made me fall in
love with you.”

“You love me?” she questioned. 
He loved her?  He loved her!  Her heart raced with excitement.  She pulled his
head down and kissed him.

Ryan lifted his head enough to
look deeply into her eyes before kissing her eyelids closed.  “With all my
heart.  So you see, you must marry me.”

“Must I?” she teased while her
heart filled to overflowing with love for him.  Her dreams were coming true. 
He loved her.  That simple thought brought her unbelievable joy.

“Yes.”  Ryan turned up his
thousand watt smile.  “You tantalized me, teased me, and tried to poison me . .
.”

“Ryan!” she interrupted.  “I did
not!”

“. . . then you nearly drowned
me.  The only way you can save me is to marry me.  Otherwise, I’ll surely die
of a broken heart.”

“Well, if I must—but it would be
only to save you, of course.”  Jennifer laughed and caressed him from his broad
shoulders, down past his narrow waist and hips, to his bottom and back again. 
“Truly, I’ll think about it.”

“Marry me, sweet Jenn,” he
coaxed, “and make babies with me.  Little bouncing babies, happy babies, babies
that will grow up strong and gourmet fed.”

Jennifer laughed with delight. 
Her heart sang to have this dear wonderful man as her husband and the father of
her children.  It was amazing that here on the warm azure waters of the
Caribbean, she had discovered a cruise to romance.

“Well, Jenn.  What do you think?”

“Be quiet, darling,” she
whispered at his ear, “and kiss the cook!”

The End