Page 121 of New Growth
He was already backing up, laughing. “You started it.”
I surged toward him, but he was faster, dodging me with ease. “I’m gonna kill you!”
We splashed and shoved, the tension from earlier dissolving into something playful, something easy. And for now, that was enough.
“I probably should have asked this before, but can you get your pod wet?” I asked.
“It’s fine. It’s waterproof, and I have a water-resistant patch securing it,” he explained.
“Wow. That sounds…” I couldn’t find the right word.
“Expensive,” he finished for me.
The water was warm, the waves gentle as we swam together. El kept close, always within arm’s reach, brushing against me every so often like he was testing boundaries. We stayed like that for a while, floating, teasing, talking about nothing, until the sky shifted and soft oranges and purples blended into the deep blue of the ocean.
“You’ve been avoiding me all day,” he said, floating on his back, squinting up at the sky.
“No, I haven’t.”
He flipped over and swam closer, his eyes playful. “Liar.”
I splashed him in response, and he just grinned, diving under the water. A moment later, he surfaced behind me, his hands lightly grazing my waist before I swatted him away. He watched me closely, not even bothering to defend himself.
From the deck, Esther called out. “Elliot! I’m heading out. My man’s here.”
I turned, nodding. “Okay. Do you mind giving Hope a ride? We’re gonna stick around for a while, and I don’t want her to get bored.”
Esther gave me a look, one that said she knew exactly what I was doing.
I pressed my hands together and pouted. “Please?”
She sighed, shaking her head. “You owe me.”
Hope wasn’t thrilled about it, but she didn’t argue. “Remember what we talked about, Ellie,” were her last words when she departed.
And soon enough, they were gone, leaving just me and El, the beach house, and the setting sun.
We rinsed off together in the outdoor shower, which was just big enough for two. It wasn’t intimate, not in the way it could have been, but with the way El watched me, it made the space feel smaller.
After the shower, we sat on the deck in silence, watching the last slivers of daylight fade into night.
“Hope wants you,” I said, breaking the quiet.
El didn’t even blink. “I know. I’m not interested.”
I turned to him, startled by how quickly he answered. “Damn. You didn’t even think about it.”
“Didn’t have to.”
I frowned. “Why not? She’s… a nice person.”
“I’m sure she is.”
“And you’re still not interested?”
He finally looked at me, his expression unreadable. “She’s your friend, Ellie.”
“So?”
