I draw in a deep breath. “Okay.”
“One, two, three—” We both unleash a scream and Jake runs to the end of the dock before he realizes I’m not with him.
He turns back to me. “You sneak!”
He runs at me and I run the other way, letting him chase me. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone running naked before, especially not a man. There’s a lot of jiggling going on and emphasis on his ridiculous muscles. I’m one lucky gal.
“Like it or not, you’re coming!”
“No! I’m scared!”
Jake catches me and scoops me up in his arms. “I’m scared too, but we’re doing it anyway.”
With a few paces, I’m suspended in the air for a second before I go crashing into the cool water. I squeeze my eyes shut and surface, heading to the right of the dock where it’s shallow enough to touch.
“I hate you!” I shout.
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do! I hate you!”
Jake laughs, holding me up under my ass. I’m straddling his waist, just our shoulders sticking out of the water. I’m doing my best to look like a little storm cloud, but it’s hard to do with the way he’s looking at me. His eyes are wide and smiling, a look that translates as enchanted.
“That’s really too bad,” he says.
“What’s too bad?”
“That you hate me.”
I tip my head to the side, draping my arms tighter around his shoulders. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
Jake’s still smiling, but his face turns more serious. His lips relax, and I swallow hard.
I know. I know what comes next. I can see the writing on the wall. He’s being cute and sweet and charming, and what he’s about to say makes total sense. We’ve spent so much time together. Told each other our secrets. Covered every inch of each other’s bodies with light touches and kisses.
Kisses. So many kisses.
Jake rubs his lips together, studying every feature on my face. He’s nervous. Hell, I’m nervous. Do I say it back? Does it matter? Aren’t we parting ways?
“I’m in love with you, Darcy. I love you.” I sip in tiny breaths as I watch his eyes. “It’s overwhelming how much you’ve made my life better. I’m whole. This summer, this . . . us. I feel like it’s all meant to be.”
I pinch my lips into a line and nod.
“Maybe you don’t feel the same way yet?—”
I hold his cheeks in my palms and gasp for air. “I love you, Jake.”
He smiles, eyes going soft. “I love you so much, Darcy.”
“I love you,” I say, more elated each time I say it.
“This has been the best summer of my life.”
“You make me so happy,” I admit. I shake my head to ward off bigger emotions. “Everything’s about to change.”
Jake’s eyes are earnest and he speaks so confidently. “It won’t change how I feel about you.”
I’m trying not to cry when I say, “It might.”
