Both of us dressed to go for a run. The Boathouse smelled of paint and varnish but especially of mold. A row of high windows ran along one wall, but the sun would not rise for several hours. Nadia had arrived first and lit up wide pillar candles that sent the aroma of fake strawberries and vanilla bean through the small, enclosed space. We took off our sneakers and flopped on the mattress she’d already covered with her own soft blankets. We kissed and she went right for my groin. “There’s no rush,” I said. “We’ve got your whole birthday to celebrate.” Nadia began taking off her tank top, and I said, “Did you ever do that thing when you were a little kid where your parents balanced you on their feet?” “Like an airplane?” she asked. I stretched out on my back and bent my knees and Nadia leaned over and squared her chest against my feet. Straightening my legs, I balanced Nadia. She was so light. We both made funny zooming noises as though she were careening through puffy clouds.
What do You think about The Starboard Sea: A Novel?
