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“Goodnight, Joss,” I say, and she wishes me the same.
I turn and secretly mouth “oh my gosh” behind Slade’s back. She gives me a thumbs-up.
Slade and I take off hand in hand, our fingers laced together. It feels natural, like we’ve been walking this way for years.
“That was sweet of you to invite Joss. I’m glad you’ve become friends. But one of us has to be there at all times to man the front desk. I should probably hire a night clerk.”
“Probably. You know, I’m surprised we didn’t meet as kids. I spent nearly every summer vacation of my life here. And you were so close.”
“It wasn’t our time yet.” As we approach the boardwalk, Slade stops and faces me, glancing at my lips. “I don’t want to scare you away. But I’ve been dying to kiss you again since the moment the first kiss ended.”
My smile widens. “Really?”
He tilts his head to one side. “That doesn’t scare you?”
“I bet I could scareyou.” I put a lot of emphasis on the word you.
“How so?” he asks.
“I feel the exact same way, and it’s all I can think about, and…”
My words are interrupted when Slade pulls me to him roughly and crushes his lips onto mine. Our arms wrap around each other tightly. We’re so intertwined we’re practically one person.
Slade walks us backward so we’re off the wooden pathway and out of the way of passersby. Our movements don’t interrupt our kiss. I don’t know how he feels, but I’m unconcerned with people staring. I’m so into him, so into his kiss, nothing exists beyond our own little world. This moment. This kiss. It’s everything. It's the only thing. I want to do nothing else but kiss him for the rest of my life.
The sun is just barely beginning to set in the night sky. Slade ends our kiss abruptly and says, “Let’s walk on the beach for a bit. I’d prefer privacy.”
I nod, overwhelmed.
The beach is deserted at this time of the evening. Everyone is enjoying the lights, the music, the attractions, the shops, and the food of the boardwalk. We walk for a bit, then Slade sits and pats the spot in front of him.
“Sit with me?”
“Okay.” Absolutely.
I sit down in front of Slade, between his long legs, my back resting on his chest. He wraps his arms around me in a tight cocoon. For a while, we watch the waves crash on the surf and appreciate the beautiful colors of the sunset.
“Marin, can I ask you something?” His lips are at my ear.
“Sure.”
“Are we moving too fast? Is this too much for you? I mean, you just barely ended your last relationship. I didn’t intend to kiss you today. I promised myself I wouldn’t rush this. I knew I needed to give you time. Yet here I am, pushing you.”
I mull over my words. What I say next could make or break us. “I wanted to kiss you today. You’re not pushing me and I don’t feel rushed. I appreciate you worrying about me and I understand your concerns. I’ve been uneasy about it too.”
“I assumed you were.” His arms tighten around me, hugging me close.
“At first, I thought you were a way to heal my broken heart. Nothing more.”
“And?” I feel his body tense up.
“Like I said, I don’t want a fling. I want something real. The way you take care of everyone in your life is very impressive. It says so much about who you are. That’s what made me notice you. Yes, this is fast. Yes, this is crazy. Ask me if I care.”
“Do you care?”
“No, I don’t. I want to see where this goes.” I run my hands over his arms.
“But you’re leaving in less than a week. Are we setting ourselves up for heartbreak?” Slade has a good point.
