Page 24 of That Birthday in Barbados
“This is definitely that.”It feels different to have him behind me, and it feels absolutely safe when he reaches his arms around me, placing a hand on top of my own as I hold on to the handlebar grips.
His breath is against my ear and the warmth of it spreads over me like candlelight.
“The right side is the gas,” he instructs me, pumping his right hand against mine. “The left side is for hitting neutral or reverse.”
I grip my hand tight around the throttle, pressing my thumb down on it. The Sea-Doo bolts forward. From behind me, Anders jolts backwards. He grabs onto my side and holds on with both hands as I increase the speed.
I skip along the waves, running perpendicular to them. Each time we hit a bump, the front of the Sea-Doo aims skyward, and it’sas if I’m flyingwith the weightless free fall of a roller coaster dropping at a precarious angle.
Once I manage to smooth out my efforts, I press the throttle and take a sharp right to head further out on the ocean where the waves are wilder, banging into each other before they have the chance to reach the shore.
But just then, a wave crashes against the side of the machine. The sea water drenches us both, the salt instantly burning my eyes, the taste of it on my lips.
It’s only when Anders’ grip tightens around my waist that I realize something has gone terribly wrong. And then I’m landing headfirst in the ocean, the Sea-Doo turning off as I take the key with me.
I go under, and it’sas if I will never stop sinking, but the life jacket regains its footing and shoots me back to the surface like a rocket headed for the sun.
As soon as I break the surface, I gasp for air and blink the waterfrom my eyes. I jerk my head right and left in search of Anders, and then hear his voice behind me.
“Are you okay?”
I whip around, thankful to see that I haven’t killed him. “Ah, sorry?” I say.
But he’s laughing, as if I’ve given him the thrill ride of his life.
“I knew you had it in you,” he says, swimming toward me.
“Death by Sea-Doo?”
He laughs again. “If you don’t get thrown off, you’re not going for it hard enough.”
“Oh, is that how it works?”
“Sure is.”
The Sea-Doo is some fifteen yards away, waiting patiently for us like a horse who has no idea how the rider ended up on the ground.
“First one back gets to drive,” he says and takes off swimming.
“No fair! You got a head start!”
I give it my best, but of course he beats me, and to be honest, I’m happy to let him take over the driving. By the time I get there, he’s already on board, reaching a hand out to help me climb on the back.
I place my feet on the rubber edge, and he takes my hand, quickly pulling me up again where I bump into his chest and grab onto his jacket to right myself. He stares down at me, and for a second I think it wouldn’t be so bad to drown in those blue eyes.
“There’s something I’d really like to do,” he says in that low, lust-inducing voice of his.
I hear in my head the words he’d said in the water earlier.What I really want to do is kiss you.“What’s that?” I ask, wondering if I sound as jumbled as I feel.
“I’d like to take you to dinner for your birthday tonight.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Surely he’s being nice.
“I want to do that.”
“Are you sure?”
“Never been more sure of anything.”
