"You're a jerk."

"You said that before. Should I be offended?" He turned another corner, guiding his Chevy through the evening.

"You should just be quiet. Take me somewhere where we can see the moon."

"Right there, through the trees." He slowed the car and pointed.

"No. Somewhere we can stop and watch the moon traverse the sky. Where we can talk."

"You told me to be quiet." Josh looked across the seat at her.

"Just drive."

Josh had been driving aimlessly, but now he found High Street and headed east. The moon was high in the sky, clearly visible. Cindy rolled her window down and hung her head out into the wind.

"Hello, moon, you beautiful thing. Ahroo. Ahrooooo."

"You're like a dog, a great big puppy dog." He was laughing inside. Then he laughed aloud.

"Ahrooo. Put your head out the window too." She turned toward him, her hands hanging in the air, and panted.

"I've got to drive."

"Try it. You can still see the road. Ahrooo."

Josh rolled his window down, stuck his head out and yowled. The car swerved across the center line.

"Can't do that. Now that we dogs have driver's licenses, we need to keep our heads inside. It was a major concession that we made when the bill came up in Concord. Passengers can hang their heads out the window, subsection 12B, but drivers have to stay inside the car at all times. Sorry, Fido."

"Fifi. Ahroooooo!"

Josh drove slowly through the night to Hampton Beach, but the bright lights dimmed the sky, so he headed north along the shore.

"Walrus Sands."

"What?" Josh had slowed and turned into an empty parking lot.

"This is Walrus Sands. My parents used to bring us here all the time. There's a special little beach over there in the rocks."

"Wallis Sands."

"Nope. Not when I'm here. Come on." Cindy jumped out of the car and started racing across the parking lot and through the sea wall. Josh caught up to her just as she reached the beach. He ran beside her until she slowed and let him walk by her side.

"Are you having a good time, Josh?" They were just at the water's edge, running back when a wave came near.

"What could be better? The full moon, the beach, the wind, a beautiful girl. Best time of my life."

"You could put your arm around me. That might make it better." She had been moving closer and closer, but now she stopped and waited.

"Oh, no. I couldn't do that." Josh took a step back.

"I don't get it." Cindy sat down on the sand. Her voice had suddenly lost its animation. "The best time of your life. But you can't put your arm around me?"

"Nope. I made a promise." Josh settled onto the sand beside her.

"A promise? What are you talking about?"

"I said I wouldn't touch you again until you asked me to."

"What?"

"You said, at the house, that I should never touch you again. And I said I wouldn't touch you again until you asked me to."

"You are the biggest jerk I've ever known, Josh Allenson."

"And?"

"Kiss me!"

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