Chapter 9: Eli's POV: The Boathouse

Eli's POV

She stood on the end of my father's dock with the wind in her hair and told me she was asking tonight.

I had meant to wait until morning. I had meant to wait six years.

"Not here," I said. "Not on this dock."

I walked her down to the boathouse at the shore end, a squat shed of gray boards that Eldon never visited.

It held two kayaks, a stack of life jackets, and a loft with a pile of old sails.

I lit the lantern on the hook, and she stood in the yellow light looking at me.

I had a speech.

I'd practiced it in the garage for three weeks, to a bumper.

"Maia, there's something I have to tell you about the night of the..."

She crossed the floor and kissed me.

I forgot the speech.

Her hands were in my hair and her mouth was warm.

She kissed me hard, with her whole body leaning into mine.

I got hold of her wrists. It took everything I had.

"Maia. I made a rule last night."

"I know." She smiled up at me, slow and dangerous. "Rule six. Not in this house. This is a boathouse."

I laughed. I couldn't help it.

"You're not allowed to be funny right now."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm going to lose."

"Good," she said.

I let go of her wrists.

I lifted her onto the old workbench and kissed her until she was breathing hard.

She pulled at my shirt, and I got it off over my head.

Her palms went flat against my chest.

She followed the scar down my arm with her mouth.

Nobody had ever done that.

I made a sound I didn't recognize.

"Eli," she whispered against my skin. "Take this off."

I took her dress off.

The lantern lit her bare shoulders and her breasts in a plain cotton bra.

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