Cruises are often taken for special occasions, and in this case, Lane and Roger are celebrating their divorce. Actually, they just didn't want to lose the deposit made in happier times. They agree not to get in each other's way if presented with any romantic or sexual opportunity.<br><br>Roger goes right out looking for sex, but Lane isn't in a rush. With the unasked for help of a loose cat and an overly-precocious young lad, Lane bumps into Steve. After a few shared meals, shore tours, and a life-threatening storm that leaves the ship stranded in darkness, bumping turns to humping, and their relationship grows.<br><br>Shipboard romances are iffy, though. Can theirs survive a pirate invasion, a disabled ship, and a slam-the-door argument?

Romance on the Sea

We had to smile. It was full of fake jewels like you’d find at a craft store, Monopoly money, pennies from various countries, fake pirate coins made for kids, and shined up rocks and shells. There were other treasures too, a few dried starfish, a dried sea horse, and some plastic fish. And a note, but I didn’t have to read it, I recognized the symbol on the lid of the chest. It was a geocache! I pointed at the symbol, and we fell against each other laughing, and you know how that ends. Or would have, but the tide was coming in, after all. We shut the lid, put on our gear, and swam back out while we still could.


Once back in the lagoon we swam for a while, pointing out exotic fish to each other, and a turtle and a ray as they swam by. Back on shore, we found some shade and I dozed off…or so Steve claimed. But I could swear I saw that pirate, the young one, and the old lady. They were still looking for the captain.


Chapter 18