Page 32 of After the Storm

“Guess you’d have to ask me and find out.” She shrugs, giving me a cocky smile that I know is fake because the pink on her cheeks deepens.

We make our way to the back of the shop and down to the beach. It’s dark and there’s no one nearby. All that’s out here is moonlit ocean as far as the eye can see. Far in the distance, the glow of tourists’ flashlights reflect on the sand.

The section of beach that the shop sits on is empty though, it’s just us. Even though the sun’s long set, its warmth lingers on the sand. The tide is low and the walk to the shoreline seems longer than usual.

“We’re not getting in there, are we?” She stops in her tracks, wide eyes filled with concern look up at me.

“Did you think I had a secret pool back here? Of course we’re getting in.” I laugh. She shakes her head rapidly.

“Won’t it be cold?” She finally starts walking again, catching up with me.

“Maybe at first. It shouldn’t be too bad this time of year though.” I shrug.

“Is this even legal?” she questions, whipping her head to look at me.

“Not sure, never been arrested for it.” I know it’s not the answer she wants but it’s honest.

“I’m scared.” She grabs my arm. I look at her hand on my arm and then her. My heart flutters in my chest.

“I know,” I say, acknowledging her. We finally reach the edge of the water and I turn to face her. “But we’re going to do it anyway,” I add. She pushes her sandals off into the sand and touches the water with one of her feet. Quickly, she pulls it back and looks back at me, eyes widening again.

“No way.” She shakes her head.

I shrug my shoulders and start making my way into the water. Audra just stares at me bemusedly from the shore. On first contact the water is cold but it’s warm enough that I get used to it almost immediately.

“Wait!” she calls out. I can’t help the full feeling in my chest when she asks me to wait for her.

“You coming in?” I raise a brow and she nods, looking unsure.

She walks slowly into the water, meeting me where I’m at. The water is only about knee deep here and small waves crash over our legs.

I take another few steps out, taking it slow and going at her pace. Just as I go to take another couple of steps she reaches for my arm, holding onto it. I know it’s because she’s scared but still, my heart skips a beat when she grabs on to me for safety.

“I’ve got you,” I say, grabbing the hand she’s holding my arm with and holding it. I look at her and she’s looking at our fingers which are now interlocked. The smallest smile tips at the edges of her lips and a feeling bubbles up inside of me. It feels a whole lot like hope. Hope that this whole thing might not be a lost cause. That she might feel at least a portion of what I feel for her.

Step by step we make it out into deeper water. The ocean is so calm tonight, gentle waves push and pull at us, crashing over our bodies. The moon casts a white, shimmering line across the dark water. We reach a point where the water is high on me but Audra can hardly touch the bottom.

“Can we stay here? I can hardly touch now,” she says. Fear doesn’t seem to be present in her voice. Once again there is a lightness and joy in her that I haven’t seen much of in the last couple of months.

“We can stay here,” I agree, stopping my movements. I turn to face her and she pulls her hand from mine to tread in the water.

The quiet sound of water splashing and waves crashing is so peaceful, serene even. I could stay here, looking at her in the moonlight, listening to the sound of the ocean forever. I’m certain I’m the luckiest fucking guy in the world. It can’t get better than this right here.

“You seem happier tonight,” I blurt out, breaking up the peaceful silence.

“I told Ares and Ravyn everything,” she says. A wave crashes against us, splashing water over both of us. Droplets of water run down her face but she doesn’t seem phased by them.

Her eyes stay on me, waiting for a response. For a moment I’m left speechless, searching for a normal way to react. I can’t think of a way to contain howdamnproud I am of her.

“That’s amazing, Audra. I’m really proud of you,” I tell her. I hope she doesn’t find the praise uncomfortable. I’m pleasantly surprised when she smiles ear to ear.

“I knew you would be,” she says swimming a bit closer to me, putting herself in my bubble. She stands in front of me, water bobbing just under her chin.

“You pushed me out this morning.” I take a step closer to her without even thinking. It feels involuntarily like some force is dragging me into her space.

“I was scared—Iamscared,” she admits, eyes beaming up at me.

“Of what?” I ask, peering down at her. My heart is slamming in my chest. She’s standing so close to me, another couple of inches and we’d be touching. I know in my head what she’s scared of, but I have to hear her say it. Mostly because it’s too good to be true, there is no way I’m living in a world where she feels this too.

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