‘You don’t want it, do you?’ I looked at him, an expression of bravery masking my disappointment.
‘No, of course I want it. It’s…’ He stopped when he saw me laughing.
‘Oh, that’s so sweet. You should have seen your face!’
‘OK. That’s mean!’ he said, grinning and scooping me closer.
‘I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.’
He gave me that look again. ‘I know the feeling.’
I tilted my head and pulled the Minion up, forcing us apart, before poking my head around the side of it. ‘Seriously? Can you make use of it?’
He burst out laughing. ‘Make use of a giant Minion? You’re nuts!’
‘You know what I mean. Is there somewhere you know that could use it? I can get my brother to take it to the children’s hospital but I’ve already sent several up there. So, if you knew of somewhere… I was thinking maybe a women’s shelter? I actually have some things I’ve been given for the blog that I can’t use so I’d really like to send those too. If it’s possible. I don’t know if it is, but you know…’
‘That sounds like a great idea. I’m sure we can arrange something,’ Alex said. ‘Thank you.’
I shrugged. ‘It’s nothing. I mean, really! I hate to think of what they’ve been through. And the boys have so many toys. I watch them play and it’s such pure and simple joy…’ I looked up and saw him watching me. ‘Sorry, I’ve gone off on one, haven’t I?’
‘It’s all right,’ he said softly. ‘I think I quite like you going off on one. It’s… sweet.’ He grinned, throwing my compliment from earlier back at me.
We headed back towards the car. The breeze had kicked up now, blowing in off the sea as we walked. Alex took the huge toy off me and stuffed it under his arm. Wrapping his other arm around me, he pulled me closer, just as he had at the barbecue. Once again, I felt the warmth from his body infuse mine. But this time, the heat factor had ratcheted up a notch. We walked in the direction of the car, neither of us in a particular hurry to get there. I was aware of Alex glancing around occasionally.
‘Everything all right?’
He looked down at me, that easy smile on his face. ‘Absolutely.’
I gave a quick glance, trying to see what he was seeing. ‘Sure?’
Alex led me to the side of the pavement and I leant against the cast-iron balustrades that separated the promenade from the beach below. ‘Everything’s fine. Sorry, just habit. Situational awareness and all that.’
‘That’s understandable,’ I said, ‘although you are forgetting one thing.’
‘I am? What’s that?’
I grabbed the toy from where it was stuffed under his arm and shoved it at him. ‘We have the Minions on our side!’
Having regained his balance after the surprise attack by an oversized soft toy, Alex, still laughing, took it back off me and spent a minute juggling it.
‘What are you doing?’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t want to put it down on a grubby pavement so I’m trying to find a position with this bloody thing that lets me do what I want to do right now.’
I frowned, watching him. ‘Which is?’
He didn’t answer immediately but instead leant past me and wedged the toy between two parts of the balustrade’s intricate design. Stepping back, he slid his arms around me and pulled me close.
‘This,’ he said.
One hand rested low on the small of my back whilst the other was around my waist, tight enough to make me feel wanted and loose enough for me to pull away if I chose to. I lifted my face to his. It was shadowed a little by the angle of the streetlights but I could see enough. That smile was in place, but there was something behind it now. Something more raw and immediate.
‘I’d really like to kiss you,’ he whispered, as he dipped his head and brushed his lips against my hair. ‘In fact, I’ve been wanting to kiss you since about ten minutes into meeting you at the barbecue. But I thought that might be a little forward.’
‘Just a little.’ I smiled, pulling back so that I could see his eyes focus on mine. His gaze dropped to my lips before coming back to meet my own. ‘But I think now might be OK.’ The smile spread as Alex moved and I reached up to meet him. His kiss was gentle and soft, as he pulled me closer. My arms had been resting on his biceps, but as we kissed I slid my hands up and let them meet behind his neck.
Slowly we pulled away. His gaze held mine before I dropped it and smiled, suddenly feeling a little awkward that I was standing in the middle of the street, kissing a man I’d not actually known for very long.
