Page 35 of Whiskey Lullaby
“It’s bad manners to take a lady home before midnight.” I tapped the clock on the dash. “So, I’ve got another hour and fifteenminutes.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Come on, you know you don’t want to go homeyet.”
“You’re right. Idon’t.”
16
Hannah
We parked underneath an oak tree beside Lake Mitchell. One of those cliché lake trees with a tire swing hung from its branches. The interior light buzzed to life when Noah threw his door open, smiling. Bad boys really shouldn’t have dimples—it makes it all the harder to not let them break your heart in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, you could havetheirs.
Noah opened my door and pulled me from the truck. The spicy, redwood scent of his cologne caught in the warm breeze whipping through myhair.
The hum of the cicadas echoed from the lake almost in rhythm with the slosh of the water hitting the banks. “Where arewe—”
“Shh,” he whispered in my ear, the heat of his breath blowing through my hair before his hand grabbed mine and led me into thedark.
In Rockford, the night wasn’t just dark, it was what we called country dark. No streetlights, no glow from a nearby city. There was peace in that. Sometimes peace comes from the simplest things we often take for granted. The cicadas, the muggy heat. Thedark.
We followed the dirt path that led between a house and the woods until we stepped onto a rickety pier with a little dingy tied to the end. The worn boards creaked under our weight, and for some reason, it sent a rush whizzing throughme.
We stopped at the edge, and he squeezed my hand. “Go on, getin.”
“Noah…”
He grinned and even though I knew I shouldn’t, I gave into him. He helped me into the boat before hopping in behind me. Water splashed up from the bow and he tripped over the bench seat, throwing his arms out to keep his balance. The boat rocked from side to side and I grabbed onto each side of the boat like that would keep it from dumping over. Laughing, he untied the boat, grabbed a choke chain and pulled. The small engine whirred to life. And then, we were off, gliding over the blackwater.
The cool breeze from the lake swirled around me, and I closed my eyes, breathing in the brackish smell of the water. When the motor cut off, we were plunged into silence and I opened my eyes. Puffy clouds drifted across the moon, casting us in a sudden, deep darkness before bathing the water in a pale, silverlight.
“What are you thinking?” heasked.
“That you’re crazy.” I focused my eyes onhim.
He laughed before moving across the small boat to take a seat next to me. “I love theserenity.”
I tapped the side of the boat. “Let me guess, this isn’t your boat, isit?”
“Hell no.” Hesmiled.
I rolled my eyes. “So you steal people’sboats?”
“Borrow is a more appropriateterm.”
“Fine. Borrow…andwhy?”
“I told you, I love the serenity.” There was so much more to that boy than he ever leton.
“So tell me, Noah Greyson, a guy who loves serenity, why do you have such a badreputation?”
“Well, I already told you I was the bastard child whose parents didn’t wanthim.”
“That does not a bad boy make.” Ilaughed.
“Alright, Shakespeare… I used to steal stuff. Got expelled from school.” Studying me, he inched closer. “And I tend to break girl’s hearts,” hewhispered.
A small heat crept over my face. “Maybe they shouldn’t have given their hearts to youthen.”
