Page 131 of Old Acquaintances

“Just friends don’t stick their hands up the other friend’s underwear.”

He blinks. “I mean, sometimes they do.”

Tucker takes a step backward, probably trying to pitch himself off the boat and away from this conversation.

“Just friendsdon’t brush someone’s teeth and kiss them goodnight and talk about remembering them naked.”

Tucker’s cheeks go pink. His knees hit the edge of the boat. “I mean, I might do those things with a friend.”

“That’s highly unlikely - Tucker!”

In his efforts to back away from me, he flips overboard. I see Tucker’s shocked expression, hear a thump and then a splash. I peel off the snorkel and mask to rush after him and jump in the water, half expecting to see blood coasting on the surface. I hold my breath, twisting my head around to search for him, imagining his tall body sinking to the ocean floor where I won’tbe strong enough to pull him up. I’m panicking, not being able to find him. He probably hit his head. He hit something.

A hand catches mine. I’m pulled up to the surface.

Tucker squints, in pain, and shakes his hair back.

“Are you okay?” I grab his cheeks.

“I hit my toe.”

“Oh. I was afraid you hit your head or something serious.”

He glances down through the water. “Well, I do need my toe to walk properly.”

I kick my feet and slide my hands to his neck. Tucker notices our closeness. He sees the movement of my hands. I’m afraid he’s going to push me off of him, but his hands rest on my waist instead. The small waves move us together closer to the swaying boat and Tucker’s back comes flush with the outside.

He lifts his chin out of the water. “Damn, it’s kind of cold.”

“You should’ve worn a wetsuit.” I’m waiting on bated breath to see what he does next.

“Why did you jump in after me?” he whispers.

I bob closer to his face. “Because I thought you were hurt.”

“Out of obligation? Keeping score? I save you, you save me?”

“No,” I say earnestly. I curve my arms over his shoulders for balance. “I’m not the one pretending we’re justold acquaintancesand that I don’t want to dive deeper.” My right leg hooks his hip, and he lets it. He even moves his hand over my butt, to hold under my thigh.

Tucker shudders. Maybe from cold, maybe from the boldness with which I press into him. He says, “It’s that or friends for me. That’s it.”

“That’s it?” I question.

He could kiss me.

I could kiss him.

One more small wave and I’d bump my mouth against his.

He bares his teeth in a grimace, noticing what I do, his eyes on my mouth. Then, Tucker’s face comes closer to mine. He murmurs, “Thank you for jumping in after me.” His cold wet lips press into my cheek and my body is wafted into his. My hands slide into his hair. His hands slide up my back. And then it’s over.

He releases me. He’s underwater before I can say a word, swimming out to Wyatt and Ritchie. Despite the chilly water, my cheek throbs where he touched it, a reminder to my brain and my body thatjust friendsdon’t linger on a cheek kiss like that.

I’m glad I’m covered in rubber. Serena and I stay in the water for longer periods than the others are able, swimming after multi-colored fish and watching turtles coast through bubbles. The sand swirls. The sunlight shines rippled squares onto the coral and our backs. After we’ve had enough, Ritchie holds out a hand and helps me up the ladder.

I unzip my wetsuit. Tucker sits in his seat at the helm. His shoulders are hunched, eyes out at the water, soaking in the sunlight on his skin and probably loving that gentle sound the waves make. He told me once that it was his favorite sound.

I begin to free my arm, and then stop.

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