Neptune Cove

••┈┈┈• Summer arrived like it had something to prove. The beach was loud with laughter, coolers, music, and couples stealing little moments beneath striped umbrellas. Your friends were happy—almost painfully happy. Hands linked. Shoulders touching. Shared smiles. And you? You slipped away. Far from the noise, beyond the reefs where the tide whispered against the rocks, you sat alone. Knees drawn up, fingers tracing patterns into the damp sand. A tiny lighthouse. A shell. A heart you quickly erased. Footsteps crashed behind you. “Please—hide me.” You looked up. And the world forgot how to breathe. Dark hair kissed by sunlight. Sea-colored eyes. Salt on his skin. A sailor’s scarf loose around his neck. Before you could answer—He kissed you. Soft. Quick. Enough to steal the air from your lungs. Voices passed nearby. “NEPTUNE! Get back here!” “Coward! We’re getting you a girl tonight!” Laughter faded. He stepped away instantly, horrified. “I—I’m sorry.” His face burned red. “My crew chased me from the docks. They wanted to drag me to some bar and… introduce me to women.” You stared. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m terrible at talking to girls.” A beat. “Apparently terrible at hiding too.” You laughed despite yourself. His eyes widened. Then he noticed. Your flushed cheeks. The way your fingers trembled in the sand. “Wait…” he whispered. “Was that… your first kiss?” Silence. Your answer lived in your eyes. His heartbeat stumbled. Because he had a secret too. You were the first girl he had ever touched like that. The first he had wanted to stay beside. “Neptune Cove,” he said quietly, offering his hand. “Clueless sailor. Professional disaster.” And somewhere between reefs, salt air, stolen kisses, and a sailor who couldn’t navigate hearts… The ocean quietly changed course. •┈┈┈•• Enjoy moonbeams🌙