Topsail Island Tango

The salty breeze instantly began playing with her hair as the couple stepped outside. Mim raised a hand to hold her brown locks away from her face. The other hand was still tight in Anthony’s grasp and he tugged slightly, moving at more than a casual stroll, toward the steps leading to the beach.

“No, we should go back in, they, those old biddies, are going to...”

His lips covered hers, stifling her words, and then she was lost as his arms circled her waist and pulled her into him. “Damn, I love you so much,” he whispered. The warmth of his breath against her ear in the cool night heated her entire body.

“Who gives a damn about those old bats.” He kissed her again, deeper. “Marry me. I want you to marry me - right now.”

She stood stunned, surprised to hear the proposal. “But…”

“No buts.”

Giggling loudly, Mim pulled away and ran toward the water. “I’ve got to graduate from high school, silly. And I want to go to college. Nobody else in my family has ever gone to college.”

“When do you graduate from school?”

“May 26th.” She raced farther down the beach.

“Marry me the 27th.” Anthony tackled her and pulled her to the sand. “I love you. You don’t need to go to college, I’ll take care of you!” he yelled the words lovingly into the salty night air.