CHAPTER ONE

LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA

In a sprawling ranch house

Tangled in a dark green web of fern, lemon grass and peppery tropical

foliage, Adam floated naked and unashamed wrapped in greenery as his head

reeled from the assorted fragrances. He floated blissfully with no desire to

escape from his sensual, pungent prison.

The distant sound of drums excited him. His heart quickened as they came

clearer and closer; still he wasn’t frightened. He knew they heralded

something exotic and wonderful, something totally fulfilling that he wanted

so desperately. So he floated and waited.

“Yes,” he gasped as he was suddenly surrounded by large black olives,

bobbing and weaving in front of his face, shiny, ripe and succulent. Then

laughing from far and near echoed in his ears, and he laughed with them.

The olives slid slowly up and down his body, in rhythm to the drums, in

rhythm to his own heartbeat, shiny, ripe and succulent. His body burned with

excitement.

This must be Mardi Gras, he thought to himself. Yes, Mardi Gras;

laughter, great food, and great erotic, sensory feelings.

A rainbow of feathers fluttered around him, tickling and titillating his

limbs; feathers and olives…

But I hate Mardi Gras. Too much noise, too many people and way too

much bullshit—but oh, those olives…

“Wake up, Adam. You’re dreaming again and making nummy sounds; it

better be about breakfast,” yawned Becca.

“I must be craving pizza. I keep dreaming about olives, and I don’t

especially like olives, except on pizza. It’s always the same dream. We’re at

Mardi Gras I guess, and I’m craving pizza. You’d think I’d be craving gumbo,

wouldn’t you?”

“Adam, you hated the Mardi Gras the time we went. You said there was

too much noise, too many people and too much bullshit. In fact, we came

home two days early, remember?” Becca stretched as she slipped into her

favorite silk bathrobe.

“Yeah, I remember. Maybe I just need a vacation,” he sighed. “My

sculpting seems a little too predictable lately.”

“Yeah, predictable,” she yawned.

“So you agree? Wow, usually you say how wonderful…” he began with

a pout.

“No, silly! That’s how I’ve been feeling lately about my writing. Pricilla

is beginning to piss me off. God, I was actually dreaming about Pricilla the

Ringtail Pig being blown up by a very large bomb. I actually felt good about

it, because I didn’t have to write any more stories about her. Some children’s

author I am!”

“You’re a great author, Becca.”

“I feel I’m losing my edge. Let’s think about a vacation. But first, I need

some coffee.”

“Where should two old farts and their teenage daughter go for a week or

two?” puffed Adam as he pulled on his sweat suit.

“Come on, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee and we’ll try to decide.”

Adam yawned as he followed Becca down the hallway and into the family

room. He was pleased with their lovely four-thousand square feet home, their

numerous cars and their social standing, but something was missing. Maybe

not missing as much as not yet attained; there was still a spot of emptiness.

“School’s out for the summer and Cassie has been hounding me to go to

Hawaii. How’s that sound?” asked Becca as she counted scoops of coffee into

the filter basket.

“We’ve been to Hawaii a lot over the last few years.”

“Cassie’s a teenager; where do you think she’d want to go?”

“I fully understand teenage girls, but let’s try something a little different.”

Adam frowned.

“Great, then you can explain them to me,” Becca laughed.

“I only understand their need for sand, surf and palm trees. You’d think

living in La Jolla, which by all accounts is a beach city, would be enough,

wouldn’t you? Not only that, but we have a million dollar view of the ocean

from our living room! Yeah, it may be a mile away, but we can see the whole

damned ocean!”

“Hey, I’m the one who doesn’t understand, remember? Then how about

France?” countered Becca.

“France would be fine, if it weren’t for the people. They’re all so rude and

they seem to derive great pleasure in insulting Americans. I can be insulted

for free by just going to Thanksgiving at your brother’s house.”

“I don’t want to go to Thanksgiving at Uncle’s house. Every time we do,

everyone gets pissed and dinner is consistently awful: dry turkey, lumpy

potatoes, watery yams and stale rolls. Let’s just stay home and have a good

meal. Okay?” babbled Cassie with her eyes still closed.

“Good morning, Cassie,” laughed Becca as she hugged her.

“Forget Thanksgiving, honey. We were just trying to decide where to go

for a vacation. What do you think? As long as it’s not Hawaii or France,”

cautioned Adam, pointing his finger aT her still closed eyes.

“A cruise! Let’s go to a travel agency and see what they’ve got. I think a

cruise that went to several islands would be really cool. Okay? I’ll go and get

showered,” she babbled and headed down the hall, still having not yet opened

her eyes.

“A cruise… but let’s see about something a little different, maybe. I

certainly don’t want to have to wear a suit every night. I want something

totally relaxing. Something to get both of our creative juices flowing again.”

Adam smiled as he poured two steaming cups of coffee.

“Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Clear turquoise water, the hot sun and

your brown body in a brief cut Speedo. I like it,” Becca cooed, and she licked

the rim of her coffee cup.

“Okay, sure; but tonight I want a large onion and black olive pizza for

dinner!”

Becca threw the kitchen towel at him and headed for her bathroom.

Since vacation was the goal, they opted to drive their fully restored 1953

Cadillac convertible; white wall tires, cream exterior and rag top with hand

painted waves breaking over the hood. She was a real eye-catcher.

On the drive to the travel agency, Cassie went into great detail about her

friend Trisha’s Caribbean cruise, with all of the beautiful waiters and cruisestaff.

Of course she would need two formals and at least two changes of

clothes per day, but probably more. None of which she presently had. The

more Cassie talked, the more Becca and Adam were convinced that a cruise,

at least on a large ship, would be a big mistake. They needed a vacation, not

steamer trunks full of clothes and stress.

“Boy, that sounds terrific, honey. But I think we need something a little

different. You know that Trish and her parents are big sissies, not adventurers

like us…” began Adam slowly.

“Yeah, but, Daddy,” faltered Cassie.

“And I know there are a lot of beautiful, practically unspoiled place that

the large, two thousand passenger ships can’t go. Places where pirates

actually lived and buried treasure. Places where you can shop without the

hassle of tourist traps…” He knew that the word shop would get her. Cassie

was born to shop.

“You mean a small cruise ship? Like what?” she asked in an excited voice.

“I’m not sure, but the travel agent will know,” he said with a large assured

smile.

Becca gave him a pat on the thigh for a job well done.

Cassie babbled on about finding buried treasure and how to get it back into

the country without having it confiscated by the Caribbean or Spain or France

or someone… then how to sell it without having to pay income tax on it —

and on and on.

“Well golly, here we are at the Erotic Travel Agency. If you’re not too

tired, Cassie, let’s go in,” teased Adam.

“Very funny, Dad, and that’s Exotic Travel.”

They had used the agency before and were happy with their expertise. As

they walked in, they were greeted by a perky receptionist named Helena.

“It’s the Stewarts! Where are we off to today?” she bubbled.

“We want a cruise!” announced Cassie. “But we’re looking for something

a little different than the usual large, two thousand person cruise ship. Right,

Dad?”

“What she said,” laughed Adam, pointing at Cassie who had turned three

shades of red.

“How about a sailing ship; they’re smaller and a lot more personal!”

Helene beamed.

“Yeah…” Becca and Cassie moaned in unison.

“Gigi has some very special sailing ships! I’m sure she can help you,”

Helena said.

“Oh yes, please come and sit down.” The petite dark haired woman

smiled. “How does Tahiti and Bora Bora sound?

“Wow, I’ve always wanted to go to Tahiti!” Becca grinned.

“Brochure?” asked Adam.

Gigi gave them brochure and lovely colored pictures of the magnificent

white sailed beauty.

“Let’s talk about prices…” she began, but Adam waved her off with a

money-doesn’t-matter motion.

Gigi nodded with a smile. “The total trip would be about fourteen days.

You would fly to Tahiti, stay in a bungalow for two days, catch you ship and

cruise the most beautiful waters in the world.”

“It sounds wonderful,” Becca sighed.

“And it’s a real fun ship, too?” Cassie bubbled.

“I’d say it’s more serene than fun, Dear.” Gigi smiled faintly as she felt her

sale slipping away.

“Hmm,” sighed Adam as he glanced at Becca. “Maybe we should save

this one for when Cassie goes off to college. It really doesn’t sound like a

vacation for a couple with a teenager, does it, Gigi?”

“No, honestly it doesn’t. They have an age restriction of eighteen.”

“I’m sorry, Mom!” Cassie gasped.

“Sweetheart, don’t be silly! There are other ships and ones that are fun!”

Becca smiled as she patted Cassie’s knee.

“We just happen to have a new agent who was born in the Bahamas and

knows the Caribbean as well as I know the South Pacific,” she said as she

motioned to a tall, thin black woman sitting at a desk.

“This is Esther and as I said, she was born in the Caribbean. Esther, this

is the Stewart family and they want something a little different in the way of

a Caribbean cruise.”

Esther smiled broadly and nodded. “How old are you, child?” she asked

Cassie.

“Fifteen.” Cassie frowned impatiently. “Why?”

“That’s good; almost a woman, but still plenty of child for forming. Let’s

go to my desk. I think I know what would be most perfect for you and your

lovely ladies.” She nodded to Adam, as she led the way.

Cassie frowned at Becca. Becca just shrugged and tried not to laugh. As

they all sat down, Esther handed them brochures for the Northern Merchant

and smiled softly at Cassie.

“Now that’s a sailing ship!” squeaked Becca. “Oh, Adam; just like Bogie

and Bacall!”

“Bogie, Bacall and child,” grumbled Cassie.

“I’m so sorry, Missy. When I say child, I don’t mean anything more than

still unspoiled by the world. Anyone can just look at you and see that you are

almost a full-grown woman,” soothed Esther sincerely. Cassie felt better and

started to smile as she thumbed through the brochure.

“What about accommodations? I don’t do bunk beds,” said Adam.

“I can book you the owner’s suite, on the top deck. It has a beautiful view

and a king-sized bed with private bath, of course. It’s the most spacious cabin

on the whole ship, and for Cassie, a deluxe cabin with private facilities. How

does that sound?” Esther grinned.

“There is a crew, isn’t there. I mean, we don’t actually have to sail her, do

we?” queried Adam.

“Only as much as you want to. If you want to help raise the sails, you may.

But if you rather sit on the deck and sip rum punch, then that’s all right too.

On this ship, you may do as much or as little as you choose,” she explained.

Adam was sold.

“Well?” he asked his women.

Becca and Cassie both nodded, yes!

Esther smiled broadly and nodded. “Your adventure is about to begin!”

On their drive home, Cassie started talking about the need to go shopping

when Adam interrupted her.

“We’re spending one night in Nassau before we sail, then a week on a

sailing ship. You don’t need any formals or even any real clothes. All you

need is a couple of bathing suits and some coverups. Maybe a couple of

sundresses, which I know you already have, and maybe a new pair of sandals.

I don’t want you to go crazy, Cassie,” lectured Adam sternly.

“All I need is a new bathing suit, Daddy. I can’t get into the top of my old

one. I have grown a little bit since last summer,” she said quietly.

Adam felt like worm slime. He knew she had grown, all the way from a B

cup to a DD. He felt terrible.

“Why don’t I just give you my gold card and I’ll trust you to buy what you

need,” he said meekly.

“That would be fine, Daddy,” she said softly

“I have a better idea. I’ll take you shopping, Cassie,” laughed Becca.

“Boy, Adam, you were almost had!”

“Drats!” giggled Cassie. “But I promise, I’ll only beg for what I really

need.”

“Sometimes I feel absolutely defenseless in this family,” sighed Adam,

chuckling. “By the way, did you notice the tattoo on Esther’s wrist? It looked

just like a big eyeball. It seemed to follow me everywhere I went…”

“It followed you? I’m sure! But I did see it and I think it’s totally creepy

to have a tattoo, at least where it shows. Well, you know what I mean,” said

Cassie.

“What significance do you think an eye has in the native population?”

asked Becca.

“I don’t know.” Adam shrugged.

“Do you think it’s religious or maybe it’s of an island or a family?” asked

Becca intently.

“I don’t know,” he repeated.

“Would you guess that possibly…” Becca tried again.

“I really don’t know, but Esther had interesting features, don’t you think?”

Becca smiled. “How so?”

“She had a very strong jawbone that set very well with her almond shaped

eyes. Her blue-black skin was very even in tone and luster, which by contrast

made her teeth look especially white; very interesting.”

“I love the way you describe people — more like describing a luxury car!”

Becca laughed. “But I guess that’s part of being a sculptor. In about six

months I expect a piece called Esther. Am I right?”

“Possibly,” he grinned. “I’m feeling more creative already, and this will

be a great vacation!”

“I’m sure we’ll learn a lot on our little adventure, don’t you think?” she

bubbled. “I feel inspired already!”

“Oh, Daddy, listen to this!…Bask in the unspoiled beauty that can only be

found from the deck of a sailing ship powered by steady trade winds.

“We offer a unique blend of glamour, intrigue and tropical ease that gives

you the choice to do absolutely nothing or everything.

“Come with us and find pristine beaches, waterfalls and lush tropical

beauty that will stay in your dreams forever.

“Romance and adventure awaits you on the Northern Merchant in

Nassau, Bahamas…”

“Romance for your mother and I; adventure for you, kidlet!” he laughed.

“Only three weeks and we’ll be there,” squeaked Cassie.

“Only three weeks to guard my credit cards,” Adam whispered to himself

with a smile.

© 2005 by Cheryl Gray. All Rights Reserved.