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He nods, but he’s reluctant. “Come here.”

When he holds me again, the relief of him knowing makes breathing a little easier, but it doesn’t do anything to lessen my sadness as I quietly weep against his shoulder. I hate that I’m like this, but what else can I do when I’m already doing everything? Maybe some things are meant to be broken for a reason, whatever that reason may be.

He pushes back and before I can wipe my face, he stands, confusing me when he peels off his shirt.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting in,” he says before unzipping his pants.

“That water’s freezing. Are you crazy?”

He smiles. “Yeah, I am. Haven’t you heard? We both are.” The chilly air already has goose bumps exploding over his skin as he scrambles to remove his socks. He then pulls me off the driftwood to stand in front of him, and his tone is deliberate when he tells me, “But you’re eighteen now. They won’t ever be able to lock you up again.” My chin quivers, but before my emotions get the better of me, he says, “Come on; take your clothes off.”

The mood shifts instantly, and I stifle a giggle when he starts bouncing around in nothing but his boxer briefs. “No way!”

“Get in with me,” he dares with a smile that melts my defenses, and when I start to shake my head and back away from him, he just grins. “Come on, Low. Take your clothes off.”

God, the joy sparking in his eyes gives me a tiny twinge of jealousy, and I’m so desperate to feel what he’s feeling that I pinch my eyes closed, stalling for a beat before mumbling a freeing, “What the hell?” and ripping my shirt off. The cold air bites my skin, and I move in a frenzy as I unbutton and shove my pants down, but he’s already off and running.

“Wait for me!” I call out, chasing after him.

“Shit!” he shouts the moment he hits the water, and I’m squealing becausedamn it’s freezing.

“Holy crap!” The water is so frigid that it takes my breath away, but I somehow manage to fill my lungs with laughter as the two of us tumble recklessly into a wave.

He’s laughing too, and we’re so loud that the night fills with the echoes of our mayhem. My heart pounds like a cannonball against my ribs, and when he grabs my hand and tugs me close to him, we’re breathless.

“I’ve never seen you smile like this before,” he says, completely winded.

My chest heaves heavily. “Like what?”

“Like you really mean it.”

And I do. For the first time in forever, I feel free.

“God, I can’t take it anymore,” he bites painfully before we bail and run back to shore.

I’m a fit of giggles as we race to our piles of clothes, scoop them up, and dart to his car. He tosses me a couple of blankets from his back seat and turns the heat on high. We’re nothing but shivers and chattering teeth as we huddle as close as we can to warm up. Our pulses race while we continue laughing in short bursts until our voices fade.

His forehead is ice against mine, but his breaths warm my cheeks. Slowly, we thaw, inch by inch, until my muscles start to relax, and I slacken against him. It only lasts a moment before he slips his hand behind my neck and, out of nowhere, presses his lips to mine.

My eyes are open, but his are closed, and I have no clue what he’s doing, what I’m doing—whatwe’redoing. A second later, he’s pulling back and staring into my eyes—confused just like I am. But I’ve come to know him well, and I don’t get the feeling that the kiss was anything more than him simply wanting to feel connected, to feel grounded, which is something neither of us has felt for a really long time.

We need it—the connection.

And even though I have no clue how to kiss a guy, I know I’m safe with him when I pull him back to me. This time, I close my eyes, and he offers me a comfort unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. I could stay in it forever, but he abruptly draws back with a devious smile.

“I have an idea.”

“What?”

“It’s a surprise,” he says, grabbing our clothes. “Get dressed.”

Squirming around in his small car, we manage to pull our clothes back on, bonking our heads together a few times in the tight space.

“Where are we going?” I ask as he drives across town.

“You’ll see.”