Page 87 of Somewhere Only We Know

I sucked in a breath. ‘No. I seem to remember interrupting you by asking for a kiss. Sorry about that,’ I added in a way which implied that I wasn’t sorry at all.

‘Don’t be. A beautiful woman, smart and sexy, wanting to kiss me did wonders for my ego.’

His compliments were making me heat up. Not so much with embarrassment but with desire. When was the last time I’d been told I was sexy? My breath was shaky when I answered him. ‘And not turning me down was a boost to mine.’

‘Then we’re even. But you’ve packed your case, so I guess that’s my answer.’

Was I wrong to be leaving? No, I decided, it was the right thing to do. As much as I enjoyed flirting with him, he was still in pain about Andrea and not ready to have a relationship with anyone new. If I stayed there was a real danger of falling in love with this man – and that wouldn’t be the right thing for either of us.

I was ready to love again, I recognised that now. But there were still places to go, pages of Brontë’s thoughts to read and ultimately new things to add into my life to make sure I would always know moments of joy like this. Because, I thought – as he led me through the trees, the dry twigs on the forest floor snapping beneath our feet – that was what this was: an intoxicating moment of joy.

‘Yes, I am going to leave,’ I confirmed. ‘I’ve booked two more nights in Sydney from tomorrow and then after that, I shall turn the page in Brontë’s book and find out where she’s sending me next.’

He reached for my hand and brought it to his mouth, grazing his lips against my skin. ‘I hope wherever it is, it’s somewhere that makes you very happy.’

I gave him a sideways glance. ‘It’s worked out that way so far … Oh wow, look at that!’

The velvet darkness of the forest had changed. Suddenly it was filled with golden specks of light, like the sparks from a bonfire glittering in the night.

‘What is it?’ I breathed.

‘Fireflies.’ Jono was so close to me now that I could feel the hairs on his arms brush against my skin.

‘I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,’ I murmured, almost too scared to speak in case I chased them away. ‘Thank you for bringing me here. I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.’

‘I’m glad. Be careful.’ He let go of my hand and put his arm around my waist, steering me around a tree stump and pulling me close.

The fireflies danced and swirled around us as we walked deeper into the forest; it was like walking through gold dust. I waved my fingers through the air, watching as the tiny dots of light darted away like shoals of shimmering fish.

‘Those on the ground are the females.’ Jono pointed them out as we came to a stop. ‘The boys are the ones showing off their moves to attract the best girls.’

‘No change there,’ I mused. ‘So all this is a mating dance? Incredible.’

‘Yep, a light show to find a mate for the night.’ He paused and caught my eye. ‘Unfortunately, they only get one night and then they die.’

‘What?’ I was horrified. ‘That’s the most dramatic one-night stand ever.’

He laughed. ‘I can think of worse ways to go.’

‘I guess,’ I agreed. ‘Although one-night stands have never really appealed to me. I prefer making a deeper connection with someone.’

‘Same here. But I think if I knew I’d only got one chance at it, and I’d never see her again after tomorrow, then maybe I would.’

‘Yeah,’ I whispered. ‘Maybe I would too.’

For a moment neither of us spoke; I slid my arm around his waist and moved in close enough to feel the rise and fall of his breathing, and we stood in silence watching the show. I’d never forget tonight, I realised. Never. How lucky I was to be here with this gorgeous man, experiencing such a beautiful sight.

We turned to each other, he put his hands on my hips and drew me towards him. The fireflies created a halo around us both, and it felt otherworldly and magical and incredibly hot.

I touched the tip of my tongue to my lips, scarcely believing what I was about to propose.

‘Jono,’ I began, ‘shall we—’

‘Yes, Maggie.’ He lowered his face, and his lips brushed mine. ‘The answer is yes.’

Brontë’s Gap Year

If I’m not tanned by now, I’ll be seriously pissed off. I want to be golden and gorgeous when I’m lying on those beaches with Harry. How long will I have been away by now? Six weeks? Two months? Factor fifty on my face and the backs of my hands though. I do not want wrinkles.