Chapter 8 #4
His hands were on her waist, his fingers unstill.
She grabbed the railing to keep herself from falling, the feel of his lips making her dizzy.
The warmth of his breath as it mixed with hers, the softness of his touch, it was different than anything she’d experienced before.
She didn’t want to open her eyes or stop the movement of her lips because that would mean it was over, and she didn’t want it to end.
When she was finally forced into the reality of the moment, and he’d pulled back gently, she opened her eyes to find him smiling.
“Sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t help myself.” He grinned at her, affection showing on his face.
She smiled back at him as he motioned for her to resume heading up the staircase. She had to work to get her legs to move, her brain completely overloaded by the sensation of that kiss.
“I can’t wait to show you this.”
They’d finally reached the top and the heat from the moment between them and inside the lighthouse had made her feel warm despite her summer clothing. It took all her concentration to keep her mind from reliving that kiss. She needed to get outside into the fresh air.
She walked out onto the circular landing that wrapped around the glass casing for the lantern, and the relentless ocean breeze cooled her skin.
She was taken by how large the lantern itself was, but it didn’t hold her attention.
What nearly took her breath away was the view.
She could see nothing but marsh grass and blue ocean as far as her vision could travel.
The lighthouse had seemed so big and grand, but compared to the Atlantic it was a tiny thing.
She put her hands on the railing, and she could feel Jake beside her as he looked out at the same view. Sharing it with him made it perfect.
“Sit down here,” he said, dropping down onto the mesh floor of the overlook.
He put his legs between the railings. They barely fit, his feet dangling in midair what seemed like miles above the ground below.
Faith followed suit, and, as she looked at her own feet as they swung in the air, the sight made her dizzy.
They were so small compared to everything around them.
He pulled a penny from his pocket. “Make a wish.”
She had so many wishes: she wished that she and Casey could be closer, she wished that Nan would be around another twenty years, she wished that she could spend every summer here, she wished that she could kiss Jake again.
“Got it?”
“Yes,” she lied, still deciding which one to choose.
Jake flipped the penny off his fingers and she watched it sail down through the air, the sun shimmering off its copper surface. It got smaller and smaller as she tried to keep focus on it, until it disappeared in the marsh grass below.
“It’s a long way down,” he said, and she nodded. “Don’t fall,” he said, his words urgent, as he grabbed her by the shoulders, teasing her. She squealed and then laughed.
“Not funny.” She cut her eyes at him playfully, but before she could straighten her face out, his lips were on hers again, his hand at the back of her neck. Well, it seemed as if one wish was coming through.
Slowly pulling apart, they both looked back out at the sea.
“I used to come up here as a kid. We would drop pennies and make wishes with all our girlfriends,” he said, teasing her. “I’ll be honest. I haven’t been up here since then. It’s kind of fun being back up here.”
Faith wondered what that boy was like—the boy who read Hemingway and caught lightning bugs only to let them go. Would she have liked him? More importantly, would he have liked her? It seemed as if she’d have had lots of competition for his affection.
“So you do this with all the girls, then?” Although she’d said it playfully, there was a part of her that wanted to know.
“No. Only the ones I really like.”
She laughed.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” he asked, standing back up and reaching out his hand. She took it and he helped her stand. She didn’t want to leave.
“Yes.” Faith imagined what it would be like to sit in a rocking chair day after day with the person she loved, listening to the wind and watching the ocean like she was right then.
What a surprising thought to have while standing with someone she barely knew, but being with him calmed her, and, after kissing him, she wasn’t concerned anymore with trying to be witty and alluring.
She could just stand here and be herself. He made her feel perfectly comfortable.
Out of all the locations Jake could’ve taken her, he’d chosen the simplest, most natural, lovely place.
How did he know that it was exactly the type of thing she loved?
There were lots of other places in the Outer Banks—mini golf, go karts, shopping—but he’d chosen Bodie Island Lighthouse.
It showcased what the Outer Banks was really about: simplicity.
The coastline itself was so amazing that she could sit all day and watch the tide rolling in and out like it had done for generations.
“How could you ever want to sit inside when you could look at a view like this?” he asked.
She smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“I don’t want to take you home yet,” he said. “Are you hungry? Wanna get something to eat?”
“I am hungry,” she said, the thrill of his admission that he wanted more time with her lifting in her stomach.
She absolutely wanted to do something else with Jake, but she wished she could stay and take in the view a little longer.
It was nice being with him. Being up here, completely removed from everything and everyone else, it felt like it was just the two of them.
“Great. I figured you might be. I’ve already made reservations.”
“Oh?” The idea that he’d taken time to work out where to take her, he’d called and made arrangements—it seemed very sweet since they were only out on a casual first date.
But that was what she liked about him, how unfussy he seemed.
Especially knowing now that he had a lot of money, he didn’t flaunt it; it didn’t define him.
She really loved that he painted and built things, spent time with the other locals.
Faith wondered about this place he’d planned to take her.
It must be very popular to need reservations.
Although, most beachside restaurants were quite busy.
Perhaps he didn’t want to have to wait for a table, although, in her experience, the wait was never longer than forty-five minutes, and they could get a drink at the bar.
“Yep. Somewhere I think you’ll really like. But we’ve still got some time to kill and I have somewhere else I’d like to show you.”
She was intrigued and couldn’t wait to see where he’d take her.