Page 68 of Passing Ships
“But I gotta get him back,” she whines.
“She gets that from me too,” I call behind me.
Parker, who has settled on an inner tube, uses his hands as paddles and floats over to tap my foot. I drop my chin to look at him.
“I’m real sorry to hear about your grandmother,” he says.
“It’s okay. She’s being taken care of.”
He shakes his head. “No. It’s not okay. It fucking sucks, and I hate it for you.”
That’s all he says as he squeezes my knee. No flowery words to try to comfort me or make me feel better. Just truth, and I kind of love that.
It fucking sucks.
I shimmy my way down into the water after making Anson promise to behave and talking Avie into letting Leia out of protective custody so that I can teach her a proper backstroke. Which the little bugger picks up quickly.
This child was born to live by the water.
Wade and Sebastian disappear around five o’clock and return shortly after with dinner supplies. Wade and Kenton cook franks and flip patties on the grills while Lennon toasts buns on the Blackstone griddle.
Look across the expanse of the deck at this motley crew of humans. People I met barely over a year ago who have become the family I never knew I needed. My heart swells with overwhelming love for them. All of them. I’m not sure when it happened but every single one has wiggled their way in. I used to think all I needed was Grandma and Avie but I’m beginning to see the value of having a tribe. One that will throw together an impromptu pool party, on a random evening, in the middle of a work week, just to distract you,
We all enjoy our lazy meal of hot dogs, burgers, and potato chips on the deck. Then, all the adults join the teenagers in a cutthroat game of Marco Polo.
By the time the sun is setting, turning the sky into a kaleidoscope of colors, everyone is saying their goodbyes and heading home for the night. I wrap a towel around my waist, lean against the railing, and gaze at the heavens.
I feel his heat at my back before he speaks.
“I love how you get lost in sunsets,” Lennon whispers in my ear.
I sigh. “What’s not to love?”
I will forever be the girl who gets giddy when the sky turns pretty colors.
“Are you ready to go once the show’s over?”
I nod. “Yeah. Five minutes.”
He presses a kiss to the side of my forehead. “Five minutes.”
The ride home is filled with loaded silence as Lennon keeps one hand on my knee. I know it’s meant to be comforting, but it just makes me anxious, so once we are shut inside the cabana, I pounce.
Backing him against the island, I go up on my tiptoes, seeking his mouth as I tug on the drawstring on my palazzo pants, causing them to slide down my legs. I didn’t bother putting my bra and panties back on when I returned my bathing suit to Eden, so now, the only thing separating my skin from his touch is a thin white T-shirt.
I kiss him furiously as I reach to the hem of his tee and pull it up. He helps me pull it over his head but stills my hand when it goes to the button of his jeans.
“Hey, look at me,” he demands.
I flit my eyes to his.
“Where’s your head at?” he asks as he caresses my face.
“Don’t,” I bite out. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Treat me with kid gloves. I’m not a porcelain doll. I’m not going to shatter.”