LOVE IN THE CARIBBEAN by Norsebard contact: [email protected] -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- DISCLAIMERS: This alt. action adventure romance is an original story. A couple of the characters may remind you of someone, but they were all created by me. All characters depicted, names used, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons is intended nor should be inferred. Any resemblance of the characters portrayed to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. The registered trademarks mentioned in this story are © of their respective owners. No infringement of their rights is intended, and no profit is gained. This story contains scenes of violence (psychological as well as physical), some of which are directed at women. Readers who are disturbed by or sensitive to this type of depiction may wish to read something other than this story. This story depicts several graphic sexual relationships between consenting adult women. If such a story frightens you, you better click on the X in the top right corner of your screen right away. This story contains occasional profanity. Readers who are easily offended by bad language may wish to read something other than this story. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR: Written: April 7th - May 1st, 2012. Thank you very much for your help, Wendy Arthur :D Please note that this is fiction, not a documentary. Although I've tried to get the scuba- and general boating- elements of this story as real as possible, I have made up a few things here and cut a few corners there to make the story flow better. 'Blow A Girl Down (Blow A Man Down)' , 'Asleep In The Deep' and 'Rolling Home' are traditional sailor's shanties that are all in the public domain. As usual, I'd like to say a great, big THANK YOU to my mates at AUSXIP Talking Xena, especially to the gals and guys in Subtext Central. I really appreciate your support - Thanks, everybody! :D Description: When Lana Ferguson gets an old treasure map for her thirtieth birthday, it's merely the start of a grand adventure that will take her and a friend to the exotic US Virgin Islands. To top it all off, the Captain and the first mate of the boat Lana has hired are charismatic, strong, gorgeous gals - and suddenly, romance is in the air for both Lana and her friend. They came looking for treasure; will they find Love in the Caribbean instead…? -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- * * CHAPTER 1 'Fade down the lights, please,' an unseen male voice said through the speakers that had been placed everywhere in the highly exclusive private salon of the famous Top Of The World restaurant. When the lights faded away to nothing, the din of the more than fifty - increasingly excited - birthday guests sitting around a large horseshoe table grew to a steady buzz, occasionally punctuated by tipsy giggles from one of the lady guests. 'May we have absolute silence, please… silence, please… thank you.' Once the excitable guests had settled down, a spotlight was turned on that shone directly on a pair of double doors that connected the private salon to the other parts of the restaurant. Moments later, the professional entertainer who had addressed the guests began to sing the age-old birthday song, and soon, all the guests chimed in - not all in the same key, or even the correct one for that matter. 'Happy Birthday to you… Happy Birthday to you… Happy Birthday, dear Lana, Happy Birthday to you…' the entertainer sang as the doors opened and two waiters wheeled in a cart loaded with a birthday layer cake of gigantic proportions. An intricate sculpture made of candied sugar had been placed on top of the five-feet tall cake, acting as a support for a cluster of candles that formed a big '30'. The guests immediately shot to their feet clapping and cheering wildly at the cake, and several took pictures of it, bathing the cake, the tuxedoed entertainer and the two waiters in a sea of flashes. The cart was slowly wheeled down the center of the horseshoe until it reached the end, and Lana Ferguson, recently turned thirty and presently bathed in a cone of light from the spot that was strong enough to peel off the professionally applied makeup that gave her a golden hue to accentuate her Irish green eyes and long, golden-blonde hair. Standing up and grabbing a long knife with her gloved hand - the emerald green silk glove reached up to her elbow - Lana felt intensely uncomfortable as every single pair of eyes in the entire room were trained on her. The strong light made it impossible for her to see beyond the cake, but she knew that the guests were scrutinizing her like a side of beef at a meat market. Gulping, she somehow managed to screw a smile on her face and leaned forward to cut the cake, mindful that her $5000 emerald green dress - that made her feel like a huge, green cream puff - wouldn't get stained. "No, the lights… the candles, darling… blow out the candles first," a man said quietly from somewhere on her left. Recognizing the voice as her father's, Lana let out an embarrassed, endearing, snicker that made all the guests go 'Awww' . Putting down the knife, she took a deep breath and leaned in even further. With an almighty effort, she blew out the big '30', sending a large plume of smoke towards the ceiling. As if on cue, all the guests cheered wildly and went back to taking pictures and video of the blushing birthday girl who responded by picking up the knife and cutting a large slice out of the top layer of the cake. When she offered her father the first slice with the words: "I'm on a diet," the cheers turned to a storm of laughter that gave her a much-needed - if short-lived - reprieve. Her father laughed along with the rest of the guests, snatching the plate from his daughter's hands and putting it in front of him. "Thank you, darling. I've never said no to cake." The slick, tuxedoed entertainer cleared his throat and turned his microphone back on. "And now," he said in a voice as soft as melted butter, "it's time…! For…! The cakes…! Cakes for everybody! Let's enjoy ourselves! Let's dance! Let's sing! Let's… bossa nova!" With a never-ending slide, the entertainer moved back out into the center of the horseshoe and began to belt out a show tune inspired by South American rhythms. While he was singing, the double doors opened again to reveal several groups of waiters pushing carts loaded with smaller birthday layer cakes for all the guests. Having already finished his first slice of cake, sixty-five year old Alfred Ferguson put down his pastry fork and leaned in towards his daughter. "Isn't this a magnificent party, Lana? The entertainer is pretty good. I must recommend him to some of my clients," he said, straightening his bow tie so it lined up with his tuxedo. "Yes, Daddy, he is excellent," Lana said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. Even while she was speaking, she felt a bead of sweat trickle down the top of her heavily powdered cleavage, but she knew it would turn into a minor scandal if she did anything about it, so she forced herself to ignore it. "Once the cakes have been eaten, why don't you do the first dance with Jason?" Alfred said, smiling broadly at his daughter. Lana looked to her right at the impeccably dressed, impeccably groomed Jason Connell who was busy chatting with his dinner neighbor. In his early thirties, Jason was the well-off son of a well-off stock broker, and as such, the perfect future husband for her, the well-off daughter of an even more well-off merchant banker. Studying his plucked eyebrows, his heavily gelled hair and his classically shaped, handsome face, Lana had to admit that he looked good and that he would most likely turn out to be a good husband for someone - but to her, despite her father's misconceptions of the nature of their relationship, he was just a beard. Sighing inwardly, she turned back to her father and offered him a wide, warm smile. "Oh, that's a good idea, Daddy. I'll do that." --- Half an hour later, Jason swept Lana through the hall to the sounds of one of Johann Strauss' evergreen waltzes; moving with grace and agility, the two people awed the guests with their dancing skills. As the waltz ended, Alfred went into the center of the horseshoe and held up his hands. "Ladies and Gentlemen, honored guests… it's time to give my little girl her birthday presents. Now, let me tell you, when she was but knee high to my office desk, her mother and I never had any problems finding presents for her… if it was pink, she was satisfied." - The guests all laughed - "But these days, it's a bit more difficult. However, I love challenges… in fact, I'd say that I wouldn't be where I am today without welcoming the challenges. Therefore, sweet Lana, take a look at the table at the far side of the hall," Alfred continued, pointing at a table beyond the horseshoe. Licking her lips in excited anticipation, Lana moved away from Jason - remembering to bow to her dancing partner first, like she was supposed to - and scooted over to the table.