Sweet Promise by Ginna Gray Read Free Book Online Page A

keep her."
    "Some honeymoon," Bill muttered morosely.
    "Couldn't you hire one of the crew to baby-sit for you?"
    "Oh, yes. That's what we did last night." Susan wiped the baby's mouth with a napkin and handed her a bottle of milk. Lori lay back in her mother's arms and sucked greedily, her unblinking stare still fixed on Joanna. "The trouble is, we can't afford to do that very often. We had to save for this trip for years, and I'm afraid we're on a very tight budget that just doesn't allow for baby-sitting."
    "That's too bad," Joanna said with genuine sympathy. "If there's anything I can do—"
    "No, no," Susan cut in quickly. "We wouldn't want to impose on anyone. And don't let us spoil your trip with our problems," she added with a bright smile. "We'll work something out."
    They talked desultorily for a few minutes more, but when Joanna spotted Sean leaving a table a few yards away, she excused herself and hurried after him.
    "Sean! Sean, may I speak with you a moment?"
    Sean turned, then groaned and looked disgusted when he saw who was calling him. "For Pete's sake, Joanna! Do we have to go through this again?"
    "But you don't understand. I didn't come on this cruise to try to attract you. I—"
    "Oh, Joanna, please," Sean pleaded wearily. "You aren't going to try again to make me believe that you're here just to enjoy yourself, are you? People in your set don't take cruises. They own their own yachts. Or if they don't, they have friends who do. We both know that if you got a sudden yen to cruise the Caribbean, all you would have to do is pick up the phone and call one of your jet-setting pals.''
    "Oh, but—"
    "Joanna, I don't want to hear it. Okay? Just back off and leave me alone."
    "Sean, if you'll only listen for a minute—" Joanna began again, but before she could utter another word Gloria glided up to Sean and linked her arm through his.
    "There, you are. I've been searching all over for you. The calypso band is setting up by the forward pool, and one of the cruise directors is going to give lessons in island dancing. I thought maybe I could talk you into joining me." Smiling persuasively, the redhead leaned against him, pressing the side of her breast against his arm, her eyes flashing an invitation of another sort. Sean responded with a lazy grin.
    "Lead the way, sweetheart," he drawled. "It sounds like fun." He turned his head and gave Joanna a pointed look. "Joanna and I were through talking anyway. I'm sure she'll excuse us."
    Numbly, Joanna watched them walk away, arm in arm. Without warning a strange, aching tightness gripped her chest, and to her horror, she felt tears sting her eyes. She turned away quickly and walked to the rail. Resting her forearms along the top, she leaned against it and lifted her face to the wind, blinking rapidly. She pressed her lips together and drew a deep breath, struggling to control the wayward wobble of her chin.
    This is silly, she told herself severely. For Pete's sake, there's no reason to get all teary and bent out of shape just because Sean won't talk to you? And so what if he's making time with that redhead? There's nothing new in that. Joanna stared at the smudged horizon and swallowed against the painful constriction in her throat. The stiff ocean breeze threaded through her hair, lifting and waving it like streamers of brown silk, and plastered her skirt against the front of her body. The thin cotton suggestively outlined the slender curves of hips and long shapely legs and flapped wildly behind her, snapping and cracking like a flag in the gusting wind.
    Joanna held herself stiffly, her chin tilted at a proud angle, but after a moment her shoulders sagged. It was pointless to deny it: Sean's attitude did bother her. But more than his refusal to speak to her, more than his obvious preference for Gloria, what really disturbed her were his remarks about her background.
    Not because they were unfair, but because at one time they would have Been right on target. As