“Why not?”
“Because I don’t know that I could stop, and I promised you I’d be respectful.” He pulled the door closed, and I didn’t dare open it again.
•••
I remember bits and pieces of the next two days—the rest of that night, lying in bed awake, knowing he was in the other room, tossing and turning and burning, wondering if he were doing the same. I didn’t drop off until dawn, then awoke with the sun in my face.
Other memories are random, framed in my mind like snapshots. The unexpected blue of the lake behind the cabin. The scent of sweet olives in the air. The rocking of the rowboat. His chest behind me as he taught me how to cast a rod. Making sandwiches together in the kitchen. Fishing from shore—and then wading in as the afternoon sun grew warmer and warmer. The feel of my skirt clinging to my legs, the way the bottom of my white blouse turned transparent.
That second night was long and hot, despite the fact it was April and my screen windows were open. The awareness of Joe made mefeel fevered and chilled all at the same time. I remember falling into an exhausted sleep, and awakening to the pure joy of another day with Joe.
The unseasonably warm weather continued. That afternoon, I pushed him out of the rowboat. He pulled me overboard, and we frolicked like two kids in the water—splashing and chasing each other, and then... oh, the pleasure of being caught in his arms! I turned and looked into his eyes. I swear my heart kept time with the crickets, it was going so fast. And then his mouth claimed mine, his lips warm and hard, and I was drowning in emotion, not wanting to let go.
He was the one who pulled back. “Damn it, Addie,” he murmured. “You’re enough to make a man lose his mind.”
I had already lost mine. All I could think of was getting close again, feeling his mouth on mine. I raised my leg and wrapped it around him, half floating in the water. He put his hands on my shoulders and put me away from him. “This was a mistake.”
“What was?”
“All of it. Bringing you here, kissing you... Hell, this damned whole trip.” He wiped the water from his face. “A man shouldn’t put the girl he wants to marry in a dangerous situation.”
Two words hit my brain simultaneously:marryanddangerous. The first word overrode everything I knew about the second.
“You... you mean, you want...?”
“I want to marry you, Addie. I love you.” The words came out in a rush, in a tone that sounded almost angry.
“Is that a proposal?”
“Yeah, I guess it is.” He looked at me, his eyes clear and serious in the tree-dappled light. “So what do you say?”
Joy filled me, making my heart rise and float like a helium balloon. “Yes!” I threw my arms around his neck, splashing both of us. “Yes, oh yes!”
The kiss left us both breathless. At length he pulled back. “Okay, then. Let’s do it.” Taking my hand, he started pulling me toward the shore.
Do it? Do what?
He seemed to read my mind. “Let’s go find a justice of the peace.”
“Now? Today?”
“Right this minute.”
“Oh, but I can’t!” I stopped, up to my waist in water. “My family... why, they’d die if I eloped!”
“Addie, I have to be back on base tomorrow night. I ship out the day after.”
“But I’m the only daughter, and my mother has always dreamed of planning my wedding. And my dad—he needs to give you permission, and he has to walk me down the aisle!”
Joe blew out a hard sigh.
“You don’t understand about small southern towns,” I said. “My parents would be disgraced. Lisa Sue Adams ran off and married a man no one knew three years ago, and it’s still a big scandal.”
Silence welled between us.
“I want to, Joe, but I just can’t do that to my parents.”
“No, I don’t suppose you can.” The sun was in my eyes, making it hard for me to read his expression. He tightened his grip on my hand. “Well, go get your things together. We can’t stay here.”
