Lora was being watched. Someone had noticed her actions. He wondered how someone trying to have that much fun, seem so agitated and sad. She was putting on a good masquerade but he could tell she was just putting on an act. He wanted to walk right up and kiss her deeply, but he had to wait. He didn't want to frighten her, he wanted to have her.
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The party started to dwindle down leaving just a few "night owls'' to dance in the sun. Lora wandered off to a deserted beachfront to watch the sun come up. There was a low ledge beside Lora, which hid part of the beach. She was so entranced by the beauty of the island that she didn't notice that she wasn't alone. She walked around to the hidden side of the beach and sat on a rock. Lora stared out toward the ocean and enjoyed the breezes that were blowing. It was dark on the side so she did not see the stranger at first. He decided to speak up before she frightened herself.
"Hi." When he spoke, she jumped startled.
"Hello." She could not think of anything else to say. She really did not expect him to be there.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Actually, I was trying to do just the opposite. I knew if I had just walked up on you, you would have been frightened." He said. His voice sounded familiar.
The deep rich tone made Lora feel like she could talk to him longer. Besides, they were still at the hotel and anyone could still see them. "Oh, thanks." She replied. She did not think she was in the mood to talk. She just wanted to watch the sunrise, but there was something about this guy, the way he looked at her. Hell, maybe just the way he looked. He was built like a god. His 6 ft. framed muscular body struck her interest and there was a veil of mystery that made her curious. Why not talk to him?
"Are you from here?" She asked just to strike up a conversation.
"Yes, born and raised. My name is Ralphealeon Mantilla, but just call me Ralph. What is yours?"
"Lora Hall. This is a beautiful island. I bet you had fun growing up here. I would love to live on an island like this. It is a fantasy of mine."
"Nice fantasy. It was fun living in the lap of luxury and fresh food. Where are you from?"
"I'm from Augusta, Georgia. It's nice but not like this. I mean, it has beautiful weather and some great places to hang out, but this is gorgeous. Hey. Now I know why your voice is so familiar. You were our tour guide. We saw you later at the museum. Were you following us?"
"No. Not really. I just wanted to meet you. I didn't know how to approach you so I left. I hope that doesn't seem creepy."
"No. It sounds sweet."
The conversation went on for hours. They talked about everything from how the sand felt between their toes to family and future plans. Lora explained that she wanted to go to college and get a degree in psychology and how important family was to her. Ralph told Lora about living on an island and how fun it was. She couldn't get him to talk about his personal life, but she just felt it might have been too early for him to open up. The two of them were laughing and talking like old chums. They did not even notice that the sun had come up and when they finally did notice, it was overhead. What finally made them aware of the time was their hunger.
"I can't believe it is noon. My friends will be worried. I guess I should go." Lora finally said.
"Can I see you again? I really want to get to know even more about you." Ralph asked.
"Sure," Lora replied.
"How about dinner? I'll come to get you around 8:00 p.m."
"O.K." She gave him the name of her hotel and the room number. Then she started down the beach to the hotel not believing what had happened. She just stayed up overnight talking to a man she did not even know. There was no tension or strain, no talk of sex. They just talked and laughed. She had to tell Tracy and Denise about this. They would not believe it. Oh, what about Myena? Will she be angry? She hoped not. It wasn't like she left the hotel grounds. If anyone really wanted to find her, she was just on the beach. They just had to call for her. Myena will be o.k.; after all, she said she trusted them. Lora walked back to the hotel wanting to tell them everything.