Dragonfly (6 page)

His mouth traveled to my ear, where he kissed me lightly before whispering. “Let’s sit.”

Taking my hand, he sat in the sand and pulled me onto his lap. I watched as he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his lined chest. Then he took my hands and placed my palms flat on his warm skin. Gorgeous.

“Now you,” he said.

His arms circled to my back. I was breathing fast as he slid my zipper down, and my straps fell to the sides. I was sitting in my bra facing him in the silver moonlight, my hands still on his chest. My head was so light, I could barely breathe. This was all new to me, and there was no way I was stopping it. My shoulders shook, and I looked down.

“Are you afraid?” he whispered.

I shook my head no, lying. He cupped my chin, tilting my face up, and looked into my eyes. The breeze blew his golden hair around his cheeks, and I was convinced this was what an angel looked like.

“How old are you?” he said.

I bit my lip, not wanting to tell him I was only seventeen. Instead, I closed my eyes and leaned into his mouth again. Our lips parted, and his tongue found mine, circling as his fingers traveled across my skin, leaving goose bumps in their wake. They moved around to the front, tracing fiery lines along the edges of my bra. I shivered, and he stopped and pulled back, blue eyes meeting mine once more.

“I should take you home,” he said, studying my face.

I was trying hard to keep it together and failing badly. All I could think of was his warm skin against mine and how much I wanted to press our bodies together.

“Really?” I said, wishing my voice didn’t sound so timid.

“Yeah,” he breathed, sliding the straps of my dress back to my shoulders and my zipper back in place.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I guess my mom is expecting me early. We’re headed to my nana’s tomorrow.” Then I cringed. God, I was such a baby talking about my nana while making out at the beach with the hottest nineteen year old I’d ever seen in my entire life.

“Where?” he asked.

“Navarre. On the panhandle.”

He nodded. “I know where it is.”

My body was so buzzy and light as we walked back to the Jeep, I was sure I was levitating. Then we were inside and speeding back toward my house.

“I liked talking to you the other night,” he said. “Maybe we could do that again sometime.”

Talk? Was that was all he wanted now? Did my nervous stupidness somehow ruin my chance? Could I try again?

“I don’t know,” I said, trying to think of a way to seem more adult.

He glanced at me, hair blowing around his face. “I’m sorry I hijacked your night. I hope I didn’t spoil your plans.”

“No way. You didn’t.” Then I caught myself.
Be cool.
“I mean, it was unexpected. But not spoiled.”

“And you definitely don’t want to go out with me.”

“What?”

“Lucy said you were very firm about it.”

“Oh my god, she totally misunderstood.” My hands went to my forehead. “I just didn’t want her telling you that I told her to ask you to ask me out.”
What did I just say?
“I mean, I didn’t want you to get the idea that I was over here talking about you nonstop or something.”

“So you never talk about me?” He started to smile again.

I paused, not knowing the right thing to say. Just because I didn’t talk about him didn’t mean I hadn’t been thinking about him constantly.

“I don’t really have anyone to talk to about you,” I said.

“So you would talk about me if you had someone to talk to. About me.” He was making fun of my confused statements, and I smiled then.

“I guess.”

“You’ll go out with me then?” His voice softened.

“You already asked me that,” I said.

“But you never answered.”

“I didn’t?” I frowned, trying to remember.

“Okay, you did, but I didn’t understand your answer. What did you mean you didn’t know?”

“Honestly? I don’t understand why you want to go out with me.” I looked at my hands clasped in my lap, wondering why I had to ruin everything.

“Why wouldn’t I?” He laughed.

“I’m not like you.”

“Right. You’re a girl. I like girls.”

“No, I mean. You’re from a different world, a different set of people. And I don’t know a lot about that kind of stuff.”

“I have no idea what stuff you mean.”

“I mean, like going to fancy parties and talking about development and business.” I didn’t even go into my obvious lack of sexual experience.

“Hey,” his tone changed. “About my dad, I’m really sorry. He drinks too much, and he was way out of line.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m sure it’s a legitimate question these days with the way things are and all.” I thought about the story Rachel had told me about Lucy.

“He was rude, and he embarrassed me,” Jack said flatly.

“Yeah. I was a little embarrassed, too.”

“So will you forgive my rude family and go out with me again?” We were in my driveway, and he came around to help me out.

“Your sister’s not rude.”

“What do you say?” Jack stopped me as I landed in front of him. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I looked up and his blue eyes were right there, waiting for my answer.

“Okay. I mean, of course! Why wouldn’t I?”

“Awesome.” He smiled and kissed me lightly on the mouth. My heart stopped.

“I’ll come by tomorrow,” he said, walking me to the door.

“But I’m going to be at my grandmother’s in Navarre.” Yes, that sounded far more mature.

“Okay. I’ll bring the boat down. I can put out in the Bay and meet you in the Sound.”

Oh my god. And oh my god, his boat. Could I count on Mom and Nana to be cool?

“I don’t know. I mean, my mom will be there and my grandmother…”

“I bet they’re nicer than my dad.”

Couldn’t argue with that.

“Call you tomorrow,” he said.

I nodded, studying his gorgeous face. Images of us kissing on the beach filled my head, and my whole body grew warm. I wished he would kiss me again, slower like before. But he was back in the Jeep and driving away before I’d had a chance to ask him how he knew where I lived.

Chapter 6

The next morning I was pushing Mom out the door.

“What time did you come in last night?” she complained. “I didn’t hear you.”

“Not late,” I said still packing. “I didn’t even look at the clock.”

It was true. I’d floated in the house on a cloud and washed my face with stars and rainbows hovering around my head.

“I love Julian.” Mom’s eyes were still closed over her coffee. “I might steal him for myself.”

“Yeah, about that.” I stopped moving then. “I don’t think I’m going out with Julian again.”

“But he’s so cute and funny!” My mom was whining. “And he’s an artist. Artists are
so
romantic.”

“Earth to Mom? Remember that fella who hangs around the house? We call him ‘Dad’?”

“For you, baby. There’s no reason why
you
can’t be with someone romantic.”

“It’s not that,” I said choosing my words. “Julian’s great and all, but… well… there’s somebody else I’m thinking about, and I’m kind of hoping that things work out with him instead.”

“Who?” Mom was slowly waking up and her eyebrows pulled together.

“Umm… I don’t think you know him.”

“Name, please.”

“John, or Jack Kyser?”

“Kyser.” Mom frowned. “Is he related to the Kysers who own East End Beach?”

“They don’t
own
East End Beach. His dad just developed a lot of the land down there. And yes. That’s his dad.”

Mom’s eyebrows went up. “How in the world did you meet him? I heard those guys live out on Hammond Island and never… mix.”

“He’s in my English class at school.”

“What?” she cried. “People don’t know what they’re talking about around here. I’ve been wanting to get Bill Kyser to donate to the performing arts association for years, and they’re all, ‘Jenni, don’t waste your time—’”

“So, Mom,” I interrupted her. “He’s coming over to Nana’s today. Is that OK?”

“Who? Bill?”

“MOM! Jack.”

“Oh, of course! That’d be great. I’d like to meet him, but what? He’s driving over?”

“I think he’s bringing his boat.” I cringed, waiting for her response.

“His boat?”

“I don’t know.” I tried to downplay it. “He said something about putting in at Lost Bay or something and bringing it up the Sound.”

“He’s got a boat?” Mom’s grin made me squirmy. “Well, well.”

“Mom. Please don’t.”

“Okay,” she winked and took her cup to the sink. “But be careful. I don’t want him taking you out to sea or anything like that. I heard there are pirates out there.”

“Pirates? Seriously.” I had to laugh.

“I’m just telling you what I heard.”

“Well, don’t worry,” I said. “I don’t think we’re headed out to sea anytime soon.”

* * *

Navarre Beach was possibly one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and Nana’s condo was right on the water. The white sand was grainy and covered in shells, and the glassy water turned from turquoise to deep marine blue as it stretched toward the horizon. The beachfront community was very small, and only a narrow strip of land separated the Gulf from Santa Rosa Sound. When we got there, Nana was out walking on the shore, picking up shells and tossing them into the water.

“Nana!”

I loved visiting her. Even though she was in her mid-70s, she was still as sharp as ever. “Anna,” she smiled. “You look like you’re adjusting to school well, and I like the straight hair.”

“It won’t last long out here, but thanks. School’s great. I miss Gabi, but I’ve met some new people. It’s not as bad as I expected.”

“And boys? Who’s dating my sweet granddaughter now?”

“Well, I don’t know about the ‘now’ part, but there is a potential love interest on my horizon.”

“He doesn’t deserve you.” She winked.

“Maybe. We’re still working out the details.”

Nana laughed, and we walked up to the house to see Mom. Dad stayed back in Fairview so it would be just the three of us tonight. After Jack left, of course.

Even though Nana had a beach-front condo, we weren’t rich. She’d combined the sale of her old house, Pop-pop’s life insurance and some of their retirement to buy the place almost a decade ago, and so far, she’d been able to weather any storms that came along. Nana said she’d rather scrape by on a meager income and be on the beach than be rich and landlocked. I tended to agree with her after seeing her beach.

“I’m going to walk over and set up on the Sound side today.” I picked up my straw tote and beach gear.

“What’s that? The Sound side?” Nana knew I preferred being near the Gulf.

“A boy’s bringing his boat up from Hammond Island to meet her,” Mom explained.

“His boat? I approve!” Nana sounded like Mom. “And I’d like to meet this boy with the boat.”

“I’ll see if that can be arranged.” I winked and ran out the door. I hadn’t gone far when my phone buzzed. It was Jack.

“Ay, ay, captain! Where are you?” I was excited and nervous at the same time.

“The bay. I should be there within the hour.”

“Call me when you’re closer.”

I couldn’t wait, so I got up and started walking west down the Sound. Before long, I saw a sail in the distance and grabbed my phone, punching up his number.

“Jack here.”

“Hey, is that you I see?”

“What? Anna? Where are you?”

“I’m walking on the beach,” I said as I waved my arm. “How can I get to you?”

“Hang on, let me see what I can do.”

It wasn’t long before I saw him loosening the sails and maneuvering the boat to a crawl. It was a beautiful craft, not terribly large, but breathtaking with shimmering brown wood and shining brass rigging. He must’ve dropped the anchor, because next thing I saw, he was stripping off his shirt and diving into the water. A few minutes later, we were sitting on the sand together, him dripping wet and half dressed. Today was going even better than I’d expected.

“Well, aren’t you something,” I giggled.

“Sailing is… well, it’s the greatest thing in the world.”

“It does look wonderful,” I smiled. “Does it take long to learn? I’ve never been on a sailboat.”

“I could teach you the basics in an afternoon, and then it’s just practice, learning to keep out of trouble.” He glanced at me. “You want to swim out? I can help you onboard.”

I paused at that suggestion. “I heard there are sharks in the Sound. Big ones.”

“They won’t bother us,” he said, getting up and reaching for my hands.

“So not encouraging!” I laughed. “But I don’t have anywhere to put my cover-up. And this…” I held out my phone.