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"It's perfect." I smile at his thoughtfulness.
"So, what's it like working on the ship?" Larry asks Dane.
"It's a lot of work, and you have to learn to nap between meals since you're on duty from early morning until late at night. But it's also a lot of fun. I enjoy traveling and seeing all the cities we visit. You see some pretty crazy things on the ship, too."
"Like what?" Rose asks.
"Well, we had a man on one of the cruises that was a sleepwalker. The crew kept finding him wandering the ship in the middle of the night. One evening, he was found behind the bar in the lounge pouring himself a few glasses of whiskey. There was a bit of a debate whether he was truly asleep that time."
"Oh, my. That's funny," Marigold says. "Tell us more. I love stories."
"This one happened several months ago. We had a couple on a tour in Vienna, and they got into an argument. The man stormed off and wouldn't answer his cell phone. When it was time to return to the ship, the guide and some passengers searched for the man but couldn't locate him. The guide had to notify the captain, and the group returned without the man. When the man's wife went to her cabin, she found her husband asleep in their bed. He'd taken a taxi back to the dock and hadn't scanned his key card when he boarded, so no one knew he had returned. The company changed a few protocols after that."
"How irresponsible," Dahlia says with a scowl.
Rose gives me a knowing smile. "That's a good example of why you scan your key card whenever you leave and return to the ship."
"So, tell me, what do you like or dislike about the cruise? I'm interested to hear what you think," Dane says.
We spend the next half hour eating while the ladies and Larry bombard Dane with feedback. He graciously listens, asking questions when appropriate.
A group of musicians strike up their instruments from the corner of the room, and Liesl announces we have entertainment. Four men march single file through the doorway dressed in traditional German attire. The men move to an open area between the tables and dance to the music. They hold their hands in the air, then slap their thighs in combination with some fancy footwork and more slapping of their heels. The song finishes, and then the musicians play another. The dancers form a circle this time, facing each other as they perform with a variation of their slapping and foot stomping.
When the song finishes, one of the musicians announces they'd like some of the men in our group to come forward and join the dancers. There's laughter, finger-pointing, and a lot of shaking heads.
Dane pushes his chair back and stands. "I'll try it." He looks down at me and smiles. "What do I have to lose? Maybe I'll fall into someone's lap." He laughs when I smack his thigh.
Frank and three others join Dane in the center of the room, and one of the dancers demonstrates the moves. The men fail miserably when they try to follow along, and the rest of us laugh unmercifully. The dancer gives instructions a second time, and the men try again. Then the music starts, the troupe begins to dance, and the men in our group try to join in. I'm practically rolling on the floor, watching as we hoot and shout. Between missteps, off-cue slapping, and losses of balance, our merry little group finishes the song. Dane, Frank, and the others return to their seats to enthusiastic applause.
Larry shakes his head at Dane. "Boy, I have to give you credit for trying. I couldn't do it."
"Hey, I figured it couldn't kill me, so I might as well try. I should have made Brittany join me."
"Oh, no," I laugh. "With my clumsiness, that would have been a guaranteed disaster."
"That's okay. I still would have enjoyed watching you." Dane wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses my temple.
My body freezes at Dane's outright show of affection. I can feel my cheeks burn as I glance around the table, seeing smiles and shimmering eyes and hearing a giggle.
Dane ignores it as if he doesn't care.
We finish lunch and file out of the restaurant.
Once we're all accounted for, Liesl leads us down the hill to a museum in a restored merchant's house from the late sixteenth century. The home is stunning with its carved wood paneling and ceilings, beautiful murals, and decorative plaster.
Dane is acting bolder, his hand on my back as he guides me from room to room. At one point, he even nibbles on my neck,causing me to utter a small shriek, which gains the attention of those nearby.
We finish at the museum, and Liesl takes us to our last stop at the market square. After viewing a breathtaking fountain covered with figurines, Liesl cuts us loose to explore on our own. She tells us to meet back at the fountain in an hour.
Dane grins at me. "Finally. Now I get to take you down an alley."
"An alley? Why? You've already been touching me for the last hour without an apparent care in the world."
"You're right." Dane chuckles as his hands grab my waist, pulling me toward him. He leans down and gives me a riveting kiss.
I stare at him, somewhat shocked, when he pulls away. After taking a moment to get myself together, I giggle and shake my head. "Dane Petrov, you are a little devil."
"Maybe so, but stealing that kiss was well worth it. But now, my mishap queen, we have an important task ahead of us."
