Pulled Under (Sixteenth Summer) by Michelle Dalton

Author:Michelle Dalton [Dalton, Michelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: 2014-05-05T16:00:00+00:00

Okay, I’d like to officially apologize for whatever that was earlier,” I say as we walk along the beach a few hours later. There’s only a sliver of a moon hanging over the water, but stars fill the night sky and it’s stunning.

“You don’t have to apologize,” he says. “You’re allowed to show emotion. That’s part of the package.”

“Well, it was both unexpected and unprecedented,” I explain. “Although I will say that there was a sort of emotional cleansing quality to the whole thing.”

“Is that your way of saying you feel better now?” he asks.

“Well, if you want the SparkNotes version, yes.”

“I am perfectly happy with the SparkNotes version,” he says. “But also more than willing to go into greater detail if that makes you happier.”

I stop and put my hands on my hips in mock protest. “Are you saying that it doesn’t matter or just that you don’t care?”

“Neither,” he answers as he skillfully snakes a hand through my arm and pulls me closer to him. “I’m saying that I’m here for you however you need me to be.”

I give him a playful nod and counter, “You’re a slick talker, Ben Taylor. You always seem to say just the right thing.”

“And is that a problem?”

“It kind of is.”

“Let me get this straight,” he replies, looking down at me. “Are you now criticizing me for not saying the wrong thing?”

“The female mind is quite the riddle,” I joke. “Besides, I’m not criticizing you. I’m just keeping you on your toes.”

“How about I keep you on your toes instead?”

He wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me ever so slightly, so that now I’m on my tiptoes—the perfect kissing height. At first I think it’s going to be a peck, but our lips linger and I close my eyes. The instant it’s over, I pick up the conversation where I left off.

“See what I mean? You always say the right thing. That’s suspicious, don’t you think?”

I break free from his arms and sprint ahead of him.

“Where are you going?”

“I thought you were a runner,” I call back. “Yet I’m the one winning the race to the lifeguard stand!”

Up ahead of us is a lifeguard stand. It looks like a giant high chair that’s twelve feet tall and made out of bright orange two-by-fours. I’ve got a good head start, but he quickly closes the gap and we both get there at the same time.

“I won,” I say, catching my breath.

“Hardly,” he laughs. “It was a tie and you cheated more than a little bit.”

“That’s not what I meant. I won because I got you right where I want you,” I say as I climb up into the seat. It is big and roomy enough for a lifeguard to sit with all of his gear. Or, in other words, it’s the perfect size for two people to squeeze into.

“So this was your plan all along,” Ben says as he climbs up and slides in next to me.

“Bwahahaha,” I reply with an evil master villain’s laugh.

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