Page 36 of The Apple Tree

I cupped a hand over my mouth while my other hand gripped the side of the boat as it rocked from his body rolling out of it.

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

“Of course, I’m okay,” he grumbled. “Now, help me back in the boat.” He reached a hand toward me.

I don’t know why he thought the same arm that struggled to start the boat would magically have the strength to hoist his two-hundred-pound body into it without the whole thing capsizing. However, I had no choice but to trust him. So I gave him my hand.

“Kyle—” My words died as he pulled me into the water. I surfaced and wiped my eyes while he climbed into the boat without help. “You jerk! You did that on purpose! What if I can’t swim?”

He reached under the seat and tossed me a life jacket. Then he peeled off his T-shirt and rung it out over the side of the boat. “There was this article on boat safety in one of my magazines. Did you happen to read it when you were snooping?”

I didn’t give him the satisfaction of carrying on like a damsel in distress. Instead, I hugged the life jacket and floated on my back, staring up at the mountains of clouds in the distance. “Do you think my dad and your brother look atPlayboymagazines?” I asked, even though I couldn’t hear his answer with my ears under the water. “I mean God probably appreciates them. Of course, He focuses on the articles, but while He’s flipping from one article to the next, I bet He appreciates the titty photos. After all, it’s just admiring His artwork. Don’t you agree?”

When I lifted my head, Kyle was still shirtless with his back to me while he fished out of the opposite side of the boat.

“You’ll be happy to know that I take much better care of your child than you take care of your brother’s best friend’s daughter.”

“You pushed me in the water. Maybe you were trying to drown me. That’s attempted murder.” He set his pole aside and turned, offering me his hand.

I didn’t trust him, but I was out of other options, so I swam toward the boat and flung my life jacket into it before accepting his help.

Once I was inside the boat, I held up both arms. Kyle stared at me with a wrinkled brow.

“Help me remove my shirt so I can wring it out.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “No way.”

“I have on a bra. Think of it like a bikini top.”

“No. Just wring it out the best you can without taking it off.”

“You’re shirtless. What’s the big deal? No one’s around here. We could skinny dip and get away with it.”

“We’re not skinny dipping, and you’re not removing your top.”

“Why? Worried you can’t control yourself?”

“Eve, I haven’t strangled you. I think I’m showing a lot of control.”

“Don’t be a square. Do you think I want to leave my clothes on after you got me wet?”

He gazed at the sky for a brief moment before tucking his chin and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Christ,” he mumbled. “Don’t say it like that. Just sit down. Let’s head back to the dock.”

I had other ideas.

Kyle stiffened, staring between his legs at my wet shirt when it landed next to his feet.

“If I were Adam, I’d remove my wet shirt, right? We’d crack open a beer, too, but you didn’t bring beer, which leads me to believe you don’t really think of me as that kind of friend.”

“Put your shirt back on,” he said, keeping his head bowed.

“No. Just look at me. My bra is on. You look at naked women in magazines. I’m not naked. Stop making this weird. You’re totally freaking out over nothing.”

Kyle lifted his gaze and stared at my chest like it needed to be studied. Then he peered out at the water. “What’s there to look at?”

“Jerk.” I wrinkled my nose.

“Snoopy perv,” he said.

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