I was washing Larry, the family dog, early on Saturday morning when someone wolf-whistled. Kyle leaned over the fence and grinned at me. I straightened, soap bubbles on my hands, and Larry gripped between my knees.

"Nice..." Kyle said.

I swept my hair away from my face with the back of my hand. "Are you flirting with me, Kyle Curtis?"

"You know I am."

We both laughed. Kyle jumped the fence. "I'll sit while you finish washing the dog." He plonked himself on the grass behind me.

I threatened him with the hose. "My mother believes you're a nice boy," I said.

Kyle laughed some more and said, "I am."

I always liked Kyle. We had a thing when I was seventeen and he was eighteen. He had sun-bleached brown hair, brown eyes and a cheeky smile. Kyle stood around six-four, had a slight, taut build and was a real charmer.

"What are you up to when you've finished washing Larry?"

I shrugged and held the hose on the dog's back. "Not sure, maybe I'll go to the movies."

"Do you want to come sailing with me? Dad's got the Hobie at Carrum. I'm searching for crew." He grinned and added, "Hot crew."

"So, your dad's not hot enough?"

"Maybe for Mum." He ran his eyes up my legs and tilted his head as if seeing them from a different angle would change how they looked. He grinned at me. "You're exactly what I'm searching for. How about it?"

I did a little curtsey and giggled. "Okay, if I fit the requirements."

I finished washing Larry and got ready. I decided the shorts and T-shirt I had on were good enough. I put on my sneakers, sunscreen, and hat, then grabbed a jumper because it could get pretty cool on the water.

Mum was in the kitchen fussing over Kyle and packing some snacks. "You make sure she eats, Kyle. I told her she needs to put on weight, she's too skinny."

"Mum...please!"

Kyle laughed. "No worries, Mrs. B. I'll make sure she eats something." He raised his eyebrows, opened his mouth wide and winked at me behind Mum's back.

I gave him a dirty look. He laughed harder.

It had been a long time since I had done any sailing. The Curtis' had always been into it in a big way. Kyle competed in the Hobie Catamaran class before he started Uni. We put our pack on the trampoline. Kyle hooked it to the base of the mast, and we pushed the boat into the water. When the waves hit my thighs, I squealed, "It's cold. I don't want to get my shorts wet."

"Woos!" Kyle laughed. "You're going to get wet anyway." He came back for me, picked me up and sat me on the trampoline. "Move into the middle until I get us into deeper water."

Kyle stripped off his shirt and threw it at me. "Put this in the bag and get one of those life jackets on."

I slid forward and did as he asked. When the water reached Kyle's waist, he jumped onto the mat, then dropped the rudder and locked it into place. "Get your feet under the hiking strap and hold onto the stay." Kyle cocked his head at me. "Do you remember how to sail?"

"I wouldn't rely on me for anything."

He laughed and shook his head. "Just make sure you hold on." He gripped the tiller and hoisted the sail as we pointed into the wind. Kyle filled the sail and trimmed it.

We sailed around the bay, leaning out the side for balance with the wind on our backs. It was exhilarating. I was glad I'd come home. Being with Kyle was so comfortable. He was a likeable, easy-going man. No secrets. What you saw was what you got. I studied him as he set the sail and manoeuvred the boat on the water. If Adam hadn't been on the scene, I might have made a play for Kyle.

Kyle pointed the boat into the wind, let the sail luff, and then hauled it in so we floated on the water. "Time for Lunch," he said, grinning at me. "I have to make you eat something." He held a sandwich in one hand and touched his crotch with the other. "You have two choices."

"Put it away, Kyle." I took the sandwich and shook my head at him. "I don't like the flavour of sperm."

Kyle gave me an "oh shit forgot about that, expression".

We both roared with laughter. I waved the sandwich at him. "I do eat, you know. Like a horse. Mum is always so over the top."

Kyle lay back on his elbow. "If it's any consolation, you're not too skinny."

I laughed and fluttered my eyelashes. "Why thank you, Kyle." I rolled onto my stomach and dipped my hands into the water. When I spun back, I caught him looking at my bum. "Kyle Curtis, are you perving at my arse again?"

With mock shock and humour in his eyes, he said, "No, just studying it. I have an exam on rectums next week, so..."

I slapped him before he could finish.

He jerked away in defence and laughed. "If you're going to put it out there, Jasmine Baker, then I'm prepared to look." He tickled me.

I squirmed around on the mat and slipped onto my back. My sandwich flew into the water.

Kyle dragged me towards him. "Your mother is going to kill me if she finds out that you threw your sandwich away. On the upside, there is option two."

"Yeah, she'll kill you when she finds out you're trying to seduce me."

Kyle craned his head and put his lips on mine. I lay stunned, unsure of what to do. I kissed him back. Not because I wanted to lead him on or be unfaithful to Adam, but because I liked him. I had always liked him, and I wondered if he could make me react like Adam did. We hadn't kissed since we were teenagers. I considered it an experiment, something I could do with Kyle without repercussions.

He drew me closer and slipped his hand under my backside. No fireworks exploded inside me but instead a rush of panic and guilt.

I gripped Kyle's arm to stop him and turned my head away.

He smiled. "Wow, Jasmine, you've come a long way since we were sixteen." He leaned towards me again.

I put my hand on his cheek and steered him away. "Hold on, cowboy. I was seventeen and you were eighteen and you haven't changed a bit, hands everywhere."

"Can't help it, you've always been hot." He removed his hand, stuck his elbow into the mat and supported his head.

"Should we get married so we can shut our mothers up."

I laughed and shoved his arm away so his head dropped. Kyle laughed with me. "I'm serious, Jazz. I'm in my last year. Next year I'll be an intern. Give me five years and I'll have my own practice."

"Mum said you wanted to specialise so you've got another what, six to ten years."

"Doesn't mean I can't get married."

I shook my head, astonished he was even talking about this. "When was the last time we saw each other?"

Kyle shrugged. "Six months."

"How many times have you thought about me in those six months?"

"Heaps. Every time I come home."

"Kyle Curtis, you are such a player. Every time you come home, because your mother or mine mentions my name."

He laughed. "At least I'm thinking about you."

"And what are you thinking right now?"

He beamed at me. "I want to get into your pants."

"Exactly." I put on a love-struck voice and continued, "It should be. I can't live without you and...my heart aches for you, or...you are my whole life." In tenor, I added, "Instead of I want to get into your pants." I laughed as he tickled me some more.

"At least I'm honest. Not like some arse who plays these tricks and then says, let me in your pants." He paused, raised his eyebrows and said, "Because I can guarantee they want to get into your pants."

I clapped my hands like a little kid and chirped, "Oh goodie."

Kyle playfully pinned me to the trampoline. "Are you going to let me?"

I lifted my head and opened my eyes wide as I yelled, "No!"

"Ah, come on, Jazz. It'll be fun."

"No, and if you don't get off me, you won't be able to get into any girl's pants."

Kyle flipped on his back, laughing.

I poked him in the ribs and said, "Let's go."

He rested on his side and said, "I mean it, Jazz, maybe we should consider getting married. Not right now, but in the future...like five years or so. We've always got on and had lots of fun. We'd make a good pair, and our parents would be happy."

I studied him. "What's brought this on?"

Kyle shrugged. "I've been considering my future. I want it all; you know, wife and kids, house, mortgage."

"What about love?"

He shrugged again and said, "What's love anyway, it's all those things rolled into one."

That wasn't good enough for me. I asked, "What about your heart skipping a beat and loving someone so much that when they go to the shops, you miss them?"

Kyle touched my chin with his finger. "You read too many romance novels. If your heart did skip a beat, you'd have a medical condition called..."

I pinched his lips together. "Don't...don't you dare crush me."

He laughed and shook his head. "Girls."

"I'll tell you what," I said with conviction. "If we're both not married in five years then we'll talk about it again because I'm pretty sure you have a lot of playing left in you."

He laughed, leant forward and pecked me on the lips. "Deal."

Kyle took a girl named Amanda to the movies that night. I laughed when I heard about it. If I'd said yes to getting married, what would he have told his date? "Hey Babe...just got engaged to my neighbour, but how about you let me get into your pants?"

I went to say goodbye after lunch because I was catching the 2.20 home. "How was your date?"

He grinned and raised his eyebrows. "Yeah good."

"So?"

Kyle cocked his head. "So...what?"

"Did she let you into her pants?"

He laughed. "Yes, but they're not as hot as your pants."

I put my hands on my hips and huffed. "If I'd have said yes to getting married yesterday, I'd be engaged to a two-timer today."

He shook his head and grinned. "No...because I'd have been in your pants instead."

"You are a bad man, Kyle Curtis," I scoffed and laughed as I wagged my finger at him.

Yes, I agree Jasmine, Kyle is a bad man.  Probably lots of fun, but I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

Photo taken from Michigan Sailing Club pics