Page 72 of The Trouble with Players

He closed the distance between us and captured my lips. I let him kiss me. Let him show me that he heard me and believed me—and wouldn’t forget me. Without breaking the kiss, I climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. I deepened the kiss, taking charge and grinding on him. He grabbed for the hem of my shirt, but I stopped him. I pulled back, and we were both breathless. “Not right now,” I chided.

“Seriously? You can’t just take advantage of me like that and then pump the breaks.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re being a tease.”

I laughed but didn’t give in, rolling off of him instead. I looked out at the water and shrieked, “Oh my God!” I jumped to my feet.

“What?” Crew asked, jumping up beside me.

I pointed out at the water. “Look.” I rushed to the water’s edge. A swirling blue iridescent glow ran the length of the shoreline.

“What is it?” Crew asked, stepping up beside me and staring at the beautiful glow.

“It’s bioluminescence. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“It’s amazing,” he said, awed by the otherworldly display. “It’s like the Northern Lights in the water.”

“It’s plankton. They produce light through a chemical reaction.” I walked knee deep into the water. “Come on.”

Crew shucked his sneakers and socks and rushed into the water, creating more swirling blue light.

“When you stir up the ground,” I explained, “it reveals more of them.”

“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I smiled, loving that I could share this experience with him. “Best date ever?” I asked.

“Close second to baseball in the dark.”

I reached down and splashed a handful of water at him. “Liar.”

He retaliated, splashing me with even more water.

I tried to get away but he lunged forward, hooking his arm around my stomach. I laughed as he pulled my back to his chest. I spun to face him, and before I knew it, he’d scooped me up in his arms. I wrapped my legs around his hips and draped my arms over his shoulders. He stared into my eyes as the iridescent glow swirled all around us.

“You’re so pretty when you laugh like that.”

“I laugh all the time.”

He shook his head. “Not like this.”

“Maybe I’m happy.”

He stifled a smile. “I’m glad.”

“Aren’t you?” I asked.

“Very.”

My eyes narrowed. “What aren’t you saying?”

“Don’t you know?” he said, a shyness sweeping over him.

“Know what?”

A shy smile swept across his face. “That I’m done.”

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