I shake my head at him. “You'd better be there to pick up the pieces if this all blows up in my face.”

“You know I will,” he says, and I believe him.

“Jay, is there anything you've ever really gone for in your life that you haven't gotten?”

“Um,” I say, not knowing quite how to answer.

“Go for it,” he demands. “Visualize your target.”

“Oh shut up, Danny.”

Danny gives up on the conversation, and we go through the breakfast buffet. We are eating and chatting about what we're going to do today, when Lori shows up.

She kisses Danny then takes a seat, “So what are you two conspiring about?”

“Oh, I'm just trying to talk Danny into marrying me instead,” I tease.

“Now there's a match made in heaven,” Danny says, teasing Lori too.

“A marriage made in hell is more like it,” Lori fires back.

“Hey, I lived with him for three years, and we got along just fine,” I put my hand to my chest, pretending I'm insulted.

“Yeah, only because Phillip was there to play referee,” Lori counters.

Jeez, she's just full of piss and vinegar this morning. Obviously, the run wasn't long enough.

“Did I hear my name being taken in vain?” Phillip says, sneaking up behind me and kissing my neck. He whispers softly in my ear, “Morning, Princess.”

I close my eyes for a second to drink in his words, the sound of his voice, his musky smell. I block out everything in the world but him. I have to admit, I love having him so close to me.

He sits across from me and claps his hands together, “So what's going on this morning?”

Lori answers his question, by saying with a laugh, “Jade is trying to talk Danny into marrying her instead of me.”

Phillip rolls his eyes.

“Fine,” I say, trying to redeem myself. I don't understand why Lori and Phillip think this is so hilarious. “If I can't marry him, then I will be his bachelor party,” I smirk and smile seductively at Danny.

“Whatever,” Lori says and shakes her head at us.

Danny winks at me.

“So what's on tap for today, Miss Cruise Director?” Phillip asks Lori, ignoring me and changing the subject.

“Well, I'm going to have a long day of lying on the beach doing nothing but watching the ocean, while Manuel brings me a whole bunch of drinks with little umbrellas,” she answers dreamily.

“Sounds perfect,” Phillip replies, in an equally dreamy voice.

Danny and I glance at each other, worried. Because sitting still all day may damn near kill us, or at a bare minimum, drive us insane.

Lori rolls her eyes and says, “Here you two. Don't look so dejected. There are lots of activities.”

She slides Danny and I each an itinerary across the table.

“I took the liberty of booking a few things to keep you two out of trouble.”

“It won't work,” Phillip says.

Like Danny and I ever get into trouble.

Okay, maybe sometimes our plans don't come to fruition exactly like we planned, but hey, we always manage to have fun.

Danny gave me a cute magnet for Christmas last year. It said, The trouble with trouble is it always starts out as fun. Which pretty much sums up our relationship.

I grab the list off the table and read it.

9:00 - 10:00: Sailing

10:00 - 12:00: Volleyball Tournament

12:00 - 2:00: Trip to Private Island and Lunch

2:00 - 5:00: Nap time

5:00 - 7:00: Happy hour at the beach bar, then rehearsal

7:00 - 9:00: Dinner with family

“Lori,” I say, “you have to do something while you're here.”

“Jade, believe it or not, lying on the beach counts as something. Besides, were going to lunch together. It'll be fun. We're riding wave runners out to the resort's private island.”

“Yeah, and I hear the island is clothing optional,” Phillip tells us and leers at me.

Great. Now I have something else to worry about for the next three hours.

Danny and I try out sailing. It was okay, but not as thrilling as I expected because there wasn't much wind. Next we head to the 2-on-2-volleyball tournament. This was a very fun activity because Danny and I kicked butt and won the whole thing.

Naturally!

After that, we set out to meet our beached friends.

We find Phillip and Lori sitting on beach chairs under a palm tree, doing exactly what they had said they would do. Drink. Lori seems to be a bit drunk, and Phillip is not far behind.

“Hey, we were watching the volleyball tournament from here. You guys did great!” Lori says, and then she kisses Danny a little too passionately.

Phillip gets up, grabs me around the waist and says, “And looked great too. I really like the new bikini.” Then he kisses me passionately.

What is in those drinks?

Love potion?

But I decide I like Phillip like this. He's very loose and fun. We have a great time riding the wave runner out to the island. I stupidly let him drive, but I enjoy it immensely because I'm able to wrap my arms around him and just hold on tight. I love the feel of the wind on my face and my hair flying back behind me. I feel free. When we get to the island, Phillip jokes with me and chases me down the beach, trying to catch me so he can help me take off my top. When I finally let him catch me, he just throws me into the sand and kisses me. It's great fun, and I'm totally at ease with him. I don't feel the least bit pushed. Maybe this will work after all.

We get back to the resort, and Danny asks Lori if she's ready for a nap.

I'm sorry, but neither one of them look the least bit tired.

“Hey,” I blurt out, “you're not even married yet. Why don't you save something for the honeymoon?”

They just look at me, laugh and leave.

Phillip, who has sobered up some, leers at me. “You know, I'm feeling pretty worn out myself. Why don't you come take a nap with me?”

I consider it for a minute.

No, I decide. Too soon.

“No way, we're going parasailing. Come on.” I grab his hand and lead the way.

Later that night, we meet Danny and Lori and their parents for happy hour and tell them all they missed out on by not parasailing. It was exhilarating, and scary, and a total rush. The kind of stuff Danny lives for. I loved it and had so much fun with Phillip. I really do like being around him.

I get the feeling they don't think they missed out on much though. They look at each other with dreamy eyes. And they share these glances, like they know a big secret that no one else knows.

It makes me feel kind of jealous.

I would like to feel that way about someone someday.

I gaze at Phillip and wonder if I could ever look at him like that.

As soon as we finish with dinner, Lori and Danny excuse themselves. Evidently they are still tired. As she is leaving, Lori says, “Don't keep her out too late, Phillip. We have yoga class at eight, with full spa treatments after.”

“Eight?” I say with a groan, but Phillip gives me those stern eyes of his and I say, “Sounds lovely,” and I force a smile at her. It is her wedding after all.

Phillip and I decide to go dancing. I think that sounds like great fun because then I can get Phillip a little drunk and loose again.

I'd like to dance with him all night and maybe, just maybe, take him back to my room later.

Phillip and I have each had three huge margaritas and are out dancing when two guys, who Danny and I killed in the finals of the volleyball tournament, come dancing up next to us. We are all sort of dancing together, and I have to admit that I'm loving the attention. I had thought today that the guys might be gay, but the way they are dancing with me, I'm inclined to think not.