13
OPHELIA
The MacNamaras madeit clear that I could use their dock whenever I wanted. That access to it was part of my rental agreement.
Still, I told Broderick that I wanted to practice at the library. Something about floundering around in a cove populated by seal shifters sapped my confidence.
Now, we sit, side by side, on the edge of the floating dock as I work up the courage to slip into the gentle waves.
“Here, let’s try this.” Broderick pushes himself off, disappearing slightly in the less-than-clear water. But I never fully lose sight of his fiery hair. He pops up a moment later and flicks the soaked red strands out of his eyes. “How about I stay right here?” He drifts to the ladder, then floats a short distance away. “You climb in. Don’t jump. Just take it easy at first. Hold on to the ladder for as long as you want. And I’m here to help if you need me.” He smiles wide. “But I bet you won’t.”
His confidence in me strengthens my own.
Also, Ireallywant to dip my sweaty body in the cool lake.
Following his directions, I keep a tight hold on the ladder as I ease myself in. The water soothes my overly warm skin, and though it’s a little terrifying to descend, the weightlessness is also exhilarating.
“That’s great. Just like that,” Broderick encourages. He doesn’t crowd me. He doesn’t tell me to hurry up—or worse, demand I get out before I hurt myself.
Broderick supports me. And I trust him.
Which gives me the confidence to let go.
“I’m doing it!” I crow as I aggressively tread water.
Waves churn around me because of my desperate movements, nothing like the effortless motions Broderick makes to keep himself afloat. The surface barely ripples by him.
But my head stays above water, and that’s what counts.
I’m swimming. Really, truly swimming.
“Yeah, you are!” Broderick fist-pumps the air, and the gesture has me laughing and grabbing for the dock again because I don’t know that I’m skilled enough to giggle and swim simultaneously.
Small steps, but steps nonetheless.
Broderick paddles up to me, taking hold of the ladder himself. “That was great. And you still have a few weeks until the Gauntlet. I’ll come out here every day with you, if that’s what you want.”
The way he makes the offer, with eager hope on his face, makes one fact undeniable.
This is a good man.
A man I want.
I let go long enough to wrap my arms around Broderick’s neck. Hugging him, but not like before. All those times wereonlyhugs.
This time, I want to hold him close so my face has easy access to his.
“How do you feel about kissing?” I ask.
From the comment he made earlier, about shutting his babbling mouth up however I want, I think this is what he meant. I hope it is.
But I don’t want to guess with Broderick. I want to know.
“Good.” He chokes on the word. “Very good. Yes, very much extremely good?—”
I shut his mouth up with my mouth.
These past few months, I spent most of my free time on my own in my room in Georgiana’s house. But not doing nothing. With access to the internet, I watched movies and shows and searched things I’d always wondered about. Luckily, I found ethical porn websites before I got lost in the free, unrealistic porn that seems to make up a lot of sexual content online. I read romance books from Never Judge a Cover, and I binged the knowledge that my father had refused to give me access to.
