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“What?” He took a step closer to her.
“Your boat,” she replied softly, glanced over to him. “Glory.”
Hudson nodded. “It was hot as hell. The sun was a bitch, and there was no breeze.” He chuckled. “I couldn’t wait to get you alone. Couldn’t wait for you to ditch your shorts and T-shirt and let me see you in that white bikini.”
“Didn’t take long.”
“No,” Hudson said quietly. “It didn’t.”
God, he’d been so handsome. A young man on the cusp of adulthood—one whose dark good looks and confident personality made him one of the most sought-after boys in town. His height made him appear older, but it was the breadth of his shoulders, the fact that he’d already begun to fill them out that made him irresistible. Not only to the girls Rebecca’s age, but the older ones as well. That summer they met, he’d been dating a girl named Amber, and she’d been almost twenty.
“We ran out of gas,” she said, eyes on the horizon, there where the lake met the tree line.
“That’s right.”
“And you forgot to put oars in the boat.”
“We were holed up in the cove just past Moody’s Point. Which was fine with me. It was the best make-out place on the lake. Stole my first kiss from you there.”
Rebecca didn’t reply. Her mind was filled with images. He’d backed her against the side of the boat, wrapped his hands into the tangle of wet hair at her neck, and kissed her. She remembered how soft and hesitant his touch was, as if waiting for her to give him permission to be more aggressive.
Which she’d done without much of a fight.
It was the first time she’d let anyone take her top off. The first time she’d ever slid her young body along a bare-chested boy, one whose touch set her skin on fire. Her heart hurt. Remembering was painful sometimes.
“I had to swim over to the DeLucas’ cottage to get gas, and it was near dark by the time I got back to you.”
“Yeah. I got home late. Dad wasn’t happy.”
“Becca.” Hudson reached for her, but she sidestepped with a shrug.
“It’s a long time gone, Hudson. No use thinking about it now.” She was shivering again, and her teeth chattered as a violent shudder hit.
“Let’s go inside. I’ll make you tea.” His eyebrows shot up. “You still like tea, don’t you?”
“I do.”
He stood aside and indicated he’d follow her back up the steps. The entire way, she felt the weight of his gaze on her. And by the time she reached the house and he let them inside, her body tingled with an awareness. She knew being here wasn’t a good idea. She should go home.
But she didn’t.
“Wow.” Rebecca turned in a full circle. “Darlene must have been given the platinum card and told to use it.” The main level had been thoroughly updated since she’d last been here. She followed Hudson into the kitchen. It opened to the great room, and he flicked a switch that ignited the gas fireplace.
“My room is still the same. Hell, even my sporting trophies are still up on the shelves. Diplomas. Artwork.”
“What about that stupid goalie helmet?”
“Yep. Still hanging in the same spot.”
“Really?” For the first time, Rebecca laughed. “I hated that thing. It hung from the ceiling over your bed, and every time we were in there, I felt like Jason from Friday the Thirteenth was staring at me.”
“Hey, that guy put Crystal Lake on the map.”
“Whatever. It’s creepy.”
“I guess seventeen-year-old me thought it was cool,” Hudson
replied. “And if the thought of him made you want to snuggle some more, I was totally fine with that.”
