Before I uttered a word of response, he reached forward and pushed me into the water with a single strong heave.
I gasped.A splash of saltwater entered my mouth as my head hit the water, and I spat it out while I oriented myself and anchored my feet more solidly on the shifting sands beneath.The water was warmer than the patch I’d first stepped into, but still cold and swirling with sand everywhere I turned.
When I looked up, the sun glowed right behind Aster like a convenient halo, so I couldn’t make out the features of his face.I squinted and wiped water from my eyes.It didn’t feel as cold now as it had a few seconds earlier.I crouched until I could swim, switching to doggy style and wondering what Aster’s next move would be.
I could see only his torso from this angle.The water went up to his belt almost perfectly.He extended a hand to me.That’s enough, now.Can I help you up?
“Please do.”
I took his hand, and then I twisted it as hard as I could until Aster lost his footing and collapsed next to me.
He laughed.That’s not fair.Why didn’t you play along?
“This is perfectly fair,” I argued.“And if I’m going to be out here naked as Lady Godiva, then so are you.”
I pulled his shirt buttons loose and then pulled the sleeves from around his arms.Then I threw the shirt out to sea.
What are you doing?he asked, perplexed and covering the light hairs on his chest.
I shot him a saucy grin.“Just making things even between us,” I said, starting on his pants and pulling them down.He was already swollen and waiting for me.
Aster flicked some water from his hair.He lowered himself into the water and floated easily on his back.I joined him, and he grabbed onto my hand and squeezed it.You know what we need?he asked.
“What’s that?”
He sobered.Structure.If we don’t set up a few ground rules, we might lose ourselves.
The following night we dined on more wine and bread; and here, at our shared insistence, we decided on the new rules.I’d picked up a charcuterie tray from the downtown deli and paired it with a large cluster of red grapes.Aster produced the wine.
We’d spent too much of the day naked.Both of us were slightly burned, slightly tanned, and I was awed at how comely Aster looked with a sun-kissed tint to his natural alabaster.Now there was nothing ghostly or unnatural about his appearance at all.He was ruddy.Strong.His shoulders and arms had filled out since our first star-struck encounter, and his jaw had widened more masculine dimensions.Even his hair looked darker.
“I just can’t believe it,” I said.
Can’t believe what?
“This.”I scooted forward and leaned over the dining table.“You.”
Aster glanced down at himself and then looked over the table to me.When I first saw you, I worried I’d never get you out of your funk.Ambition is a terrible thing, Stella.You’re better as a person than as an automaton, as a writing machine.
I swallowed.“But that’s what I wanted to talk about,” I said.“It’s July now.My time at Illumination Point is half up and I don’t have a page to show.I wasn’t sent here for a vacation and time at the beach, you know.Even if it’s been magical.”
You want to talk about the book?
I took a breath.“Yes.I want to talk about the book.”
It’s just as I said earlier,said Aster.We need rules.Not the old rules, not conventions.Nothing that would choke us out.But constraints to bolster the rest of the work.He reached forward and shifted the position of the tray in front of him to a more aesthetic angle, taking a water cracker from one of the slots to even out the number of each variety of crackers on the tray.
“So where should we start?”I asked.I considered running to the other room to grab my laptop.I’d learned long ago that I couldn’t trust my memory to keep notes on important matters like this.
Aster bit the cracker.Then his face froze.He lowered the humble wafer and looked at it in surprise.That’s funny.I…He didn’t complete the thought but continued to stare at the cracker.
“You what?”I prodded.I relaxed in my seat.
I tasted it that time.
This was my first instance hearing that Aster had been incapable of taste, and for a moment I sat there in matching surprise.
He took a second bite, paused, and then ate the rest of the cracker.
