NEPTUNE • OUTER BANKS

III. ARDOR

ar·dor
/ˈärdər/
Learn to pronounce
noun
enthusiasm or passion.

-

WARM OCEAN WATER washed over her feet, the strength of the wave attempting to pull her further into the tide.

For a moment, though a brief one, Anna Mary considered trying to go further out to sea. She was ankle deep, that was about as far in as she'd gotten in a while. 

A hand grazed against the side of her arm, fingertips trailing from her right elbow to her wrist as a chin settled on her left shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Rafe's voice was soft, gentle. He never wanted to press when he knew she was thinking about her mom, and he could always tell.

He pressed a soft kiss against her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"I'm okay," Her hand went up to where his head was, feeling for his clean shaven cheek. "Just thinking,"

He nodded, asking if she wanted company.

For a few minutes they stood at the shore, his heart beating against her back as they chose not to speak, their ears filled with the sloshing of the ocean and the cawing of the gulls.

"Are you guys here to cuddle or to pick up trash?" Sarah called out as she and Topper approached them.

Rafe leaned his head back, raising it off of Anna Mary's shoulder. "If you ignore it, it will go away!" He spoke loudly, hoping his sister would hear him. His lips lowered again. "I handled things with Topper, by the way. He won't bother you again and if he does, come to me."

His voice was nonchalant, quiet, but something didn't sound right about his words. Anna Mary turned in his arms. "You handled it?" Her eyebrows drew together. She could piece what that meant, and the bruise growing beneath Topper's eye only confirmed her theory.

"Yes. Don't worry Baby, he'll be alright." He pressed a hard kiss against her forehead. "He just had to learn his lesson,"

Sarah and her boyfriend finally met their spot, handing Rafe and his girlfriend bright orange garbage bags. A laugh escaped her, she was wearing the same color.

"Hey, Anna Mary. Is it alright if we talk for a sec?"

Anna Mary and Topper walked around on the bank, the former with her arms crossed.

He read out the apology she was sure he'd rehearsed with Sarah, his voice cracking a bit every now and then. He clearly did feel bad.

"I wasn't myself that night, okay? You know I would never want to hurt you or anybody else, right? Those dirty Pogues jus-" He paused, catching himself. "I just lost my temper, and got way too fucked up,"

He continued. "I am really sorry, man."

His hands were clasped in a plea, his lips pressed in a line and his brows drawn together. He was waiting for a response.

"I forgive you,"

Topper let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and embraced her in a hug. The Thornton boy had always been sweet, he'd never been one to get angry of violent, but his fatal flaw was his insecurity in his relationship with Sarah. It debilitated him and changed him into another less likeable person.