Chapter 9

Maisie remembered that her first sexual experience with Ethan hadn't taken the normal route. It had happened after the class party they'd had after sitting for their college entrance exams.

She couldn't hold her liquor, so half a beer had been enough to knock her out. She'd slumped on the table and started muttering gibberish.

The teacher knew she and Ethan were an item, so she'd called Ethan over and said, "Take good care of her."

Ethan had walked slowly while carrying Maisie home. She wasn't completely out of it, so she remembered that the moon that night had been bright. Both sides of the roads had nice-smelling flowers planted there, and they smelled even nicer when mingled with the smell of Ethan's sweat.

His back was broad, and she clung to him like a koala, swinging her legs to the beat of his footsteps. She murmured, "Ethan…"

He walked slowly, not seeming to be in a rush to get home. "Yeah?"

"It'd be nice if we could keep walking like this."

"I'd die of exhaustion, then