Page 73 of The Storm

“When has that ever stopped people from drowning? You can drown in a puddle.”

That makes me glance over my shoulder. “Wait… You do know how to swim, right?”

“I don’t know. Do I?”

I throw up my hands. “It’s not something I should have to guess. It’s either a yes or a no.”

He rolls his eyes. “Calm your tits. Yes, I know how to swim.”

I let my head fall back. “You’re such a dick,” I mutter.

We start to paddle again and almost settle into a rhythm. As reluctant as I might be to give him any credit, Nick catches on quickly, and he also shuts up, so after a while I relax into the rhythm of the kayak.

The bay is quiet this early. No boats, no engine noise, no other people. Just the soft dip of the paddles and the slap of water against the hull.

The sky has gone from deep blue to pale. On the horizon, a faint strip of light has appeared where the sea meets the sky. Neither of us says anything, but by some silent agreement, we both stop moving. The kayak rocks gently. We both settle our paddles across our laps. The water moves beneath the kayak in slow, rhythmic swells. Somewhere in the distance, a gull cries out.

The sun finally breaks over the horizon.

Golden light spills across the surface of the bay, catching the tiny ripples of water, making them glint and shimmer.

Neither of us moves. I turn my head the slightest bit and look over my shoulder. Nick’s watching the sunrise, his expression calmer than I’ve ever seen it before. Almost serene. Sunlight hits the side of his face, catching his eyes. My heart gives one of thoseviolent thuds that’s impossible to ignore. I swallow through the sudden dryness in my throat and lick my lips.

Nick’s gaze flicks to mine, and instead of turning away, I look back.

Just for a second, there’s no hostility there. It’s just Nick. It’s like, for this moment, I can finally see the real him again.

He looks back at the water a second later.

“Not bad,” he says.

I turn away too.

“Yeah.” My heart’s still beating too loudly, my voice too soft. “Not bad at all.”

After the sun is fully up, we head back toward the shore. We wordlessly lift the kayak out of the water together once we reach the dock and place it on the rack. I hold out my hand for his oar and put it away.

When I turn around, he’s right there. And when I say there, I meanthere. I turn, and he’s right in front of me. A foot away.

My skin hums and my stomach tightens. The hungry burn that’s stayed a low, flickering flame gets drenched with oxygen, and it roars to life.

I don’t know which one of us moves first, but suddenly we’re kissing. He pushes his fingers into my hair, his other hand pressed against the small of my back. My arms wrap around his neck.

His whole body is tense, like he’s waiting for me to shove him away.

He licks at my lips, and I stumble back a step. I open for him, and he lets out a guttural groan that goes straight to my cock. He pushes his tongue into my mouth. Tastes me.

The heady smell of salt and sea on his skin is like a perfume designed with the express purpose of driving me insane.

His fingers tighten in my hair. His kiss is hot and hard.

My body is tight with anticipation in a way it’s never been before. After the rollercoaster of ups and downs, I’m wordlessly begging for release while also preparing for him to put a stop to it.

It doesn’t happen.

I open my mouth wider. Push my tongue into his mouth. Lick him.

The tension doesn’t let up. It increases until I feel like I’m half-insane with need. We stumble against the shelves. Trophies and medals from competitions over the years rain down with a deafening clatter, but it only vaguely registers.