Arousing Love, a teen novel Read Online Free

wetsuit,
grabbed my board, and ran into the sea. There were a couple of
surfers out the back already, and I paddled out to join them.
    “How’s it?” I asked a guy I knew, and he gave
me a thumbs-up.
    I waited for the next set of swells. In the
early morning light everything felt clean and fresh. A big wave
came in and I went for it, cutting a swath across its glassy
face.
    After a good morning’s surf, I headed back to
shore. I saw a friend of mine on the beach with his board.
    “Hey Josh, better get out there before the
tide changes.”
    “Hey man, what’s this I hear ‘bout you bein’
a cradle robber?”
    “What?”
    “Heard she’s only twelve, bro.”
    I knew my friend was baiting me, but it was
hitting a little close this time.
    “Try sixteen. Anyway, what’s it to you?”
    I walked away. Everyone’s probably talking
about it now.
    I lugged my board back up the hill. I had to
get ready for work. I don’t care what anyone thinks, I have to
see her again.
     
     
     
     
    Two
     
    I hated working at my parent’s store, the
time went so slow, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Joanna. I
stared out the window, wishing I could go see her and talk to her.
I just hoped she didn’t hate me for last night.
    Then there she was. I felt all jittery as
soon as I caught sight of her coming up the road. She was wearing a
light summer dress, and she looked so good. There were no
customers, so I went out to meet her.
    “Hi.” She smiled, though not with her usual
glow. She kept her eyes from mine.
    “You okay?”
    “Yeah.”
    There was an uncomfortable silence as I tried
to think of something to say.
    “You left your swimsuit here. I’ll go get it
for you.”
    She looked embarrassed at the mention of her
swimsuit. I started towards the shack.
    “Zach . . . ”
    “Yeah?” I turned to face her, and she looked
down at the pavement.
    “Last night . . . ” She looked up at me, her eyes
searching mine. “I’m not usually like that.”
    “I know—”
    “It’s just . . . the way you were looking at me and
everything. I got caught up in all the attention and the way you
make me feel, and then we’d gone too far and I didn’t know how to
stop . . . . ”
    “It just happened. It wasn’t your fault.”
    “I still can’t believe I did that. I wasn’t
thinking. I’ve never done anything like that before.”
    “It’s okay. I really like you Joanna.”
    “Yeah I know, and I like you. That’s the
problem.”
    That made me smile, and she smiled too, our
smiles growing larger as we stood there looking at each other. The
warmth of her smile washed over me, making me feel so happy
again.
    “I should get back to work.” I glanced
towards the store hoping my dad hadn’t seen me out here yet.
    “When do you get off?”
    “Five o’clock.”
    “Okay,” she smiled, “I’ll see you at five
then.”
    I watched her walk away, then remembered I
hadn’t given her back her swimsuit. I sighed and went back to the
store.
    My dad was waiting for me. “Who was
that?”
    “Umm . . . ” What is she, a friend? A girl I like? “She’s someone I
met.”
    He frowned. “A little young isn’t she?”
    Why does everyone think she’s too young?
She’s less than three years younger than me. Thankfully, he
didn’t say anything else, and went back to what he’d been
doing.
     
    Just before 5 o’clock, Joanna came into the
store. Her bright smile took my breath away, I was so glad to see
her.
    “I was thinking, Zach, I’d really love to see
some of your paintings, if you have any you could show me?”
    “Yeah, there’s some in the house I can show
you.”
    I was happy to show her my art. As soon as I
finished up, we went over to the house, and I led her into the
living room.
    “That’s one I did last year.” I pointed to
the large painting above the fireplace. “And this one too.” I went
around the house pointed out my paintings to her. There were quite
a few my parents had hanging on their