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‘What, chips and mayonnaise? Nothing wrong with that is there? Try some.’
‘Nah. Not after oysters.’ He flopped onto his back on the sun-warmed shingle, leaving Thea to stare out across the bay.
‘Can I ask you something?’ The question had been bugging her since he’d first called that morning. ‘Seriously?’
‘Yeah, of course.’
‘What are we doing here?’
Lucas took a while to mull over the answer. ‘I reckon we’ve known each other too long to be acquaintances. We’re either friends or enemies, and I really want it to be friends.’
So did she. ‘Okay. Friends is good.’
They finished their chips and strolled back down towards the sea again, tak
ing off their shoes and leaving them on the thick posts of one of the wooden groynes. Thea rolled up her trouser legs, picking her way over the sand and stones and into the water.
‘How is it?’
‘Lovely and cool. It’s a bit squishy, though. I’m sinking into the sand.’
‘Well, don’t stay in one place for too long. You might get sucked under and then I’d have to explain to Michael Freeman how I managed to lose his best doctor.’
‘Hah! So you wouldn’t come in and rescue me?’ Thea threw down the challenge.
‘Nah, I don’t want to get wet. Hey!’ He dodged to one side as Thea splashed some water towards him. ‘Watch out.’
He bent, rolling up the legs of his jeans as far as they would go. Thea picked her way further into the sea, and he splashed after her. The gentle incline of the beach meant that by the time he caught her they were still only standing in six inches of water.
‘You want to get me wet, eh?’ He swept her off her feet and into his arms, bending over as if he was going to dunk her into the water and then straightening up at the last moment.
‘No!’ Telling him he wouldn’t dare would only make him do it. She wound her arms tightly around his neck and gave him a pleading look. ‘Don’t…’
‘Say it nicely.’
‘Please.’
‘Nicer than that.’
She leaned in to him, her lips grazing his cheek as she spoke. ‘Please.’ She planted a kiss behind his ear, and felt him shudder.
Slowly he let her down, and she felt her feet touch the water. She kept her arms around his neck, as if losing contact with him now would be letting him go for ever.
He kissed the top of her head. ‘I think…’
‘Don’t think, Lucas.’
* * *
When she tipped her face up towards him, Lucas almost lost his balance in the water. Her pale skin was almost ethereal in the setting sun and her eyes…her eyes were like the soft lights of home, glimmering out into the dusk.
She didn’t hesitate but she didn’t rush things either. Her lips met his, just when he thought he couldn’t stand it any longer, and broke away just at the right moment. It wasn’t quite what Lucas had been thinking when he’d said ‘friends’ but he couldn’t help it.
‘Not good enough.’ She stood on her toes to murmur in his ear.
‘I’ll admit I’m a bit rusty.’
‘No, you’re not.’ She brushed her lips against his again, and he felt a shudder run through him. ‘But it would be so much better if you used your hands. And if you didn’t treat me as if I’m made of glass.’
