33
My eyes struggle to adjust to the light that’s pouring through Brooks’ bedroom window.
I’ve woken up here every day for the past week, and I haven’t seen Luna in days, not since I blew her off last week.
I’d feel bad, but it’s hard with Brooks lying beside me face down, his hand sleepily resting on my stomach.
I reach for my phone. My alarm hasn’t gone off yet.
It must be due to go off any moment. When I read the time, I bolt up in bed. Brooks groans into the pillow.
“Abi! It’s fine,” he says with a laugh, rolling over. “I turned your alarm off last night. I thought you might want to play hooky with me today.”
Containing my joy is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. As soon as I let it slip, it’s too late, and a small grin quickly morphs into an ecstatic smile. Brooks looks up at me, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
“It’s nothing.” He rolls his eyes, appearing slightly embarrassed.
“It’s not nothing.” I don’t know why he tries to mask his sweet side with fake bravado.
He reaches out, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulls me down on top of him.
I bring my hand to his forehead, brushing his hair softly with my fingertips.
“What are you thinking?” he asks, his brown eyes looking deep into mine.
“Just how sweet you are. I mean it, Brooks. You are sweet and considerate and thoughtful.” I bring my lips to his for a quick kiss. “Don’t try to belittle how kind you are because it makes you uncomfortable.”
“I just don’t like compliments, that’s all.” He looks down, avoiding eye contact.
“It’s ok to be vulnerable with me.”
He begins to roll his eyes again before he stops himself and allows a softness to warm them.
“How about we enjoy our time together without talking about our feelings?” he says, and I simply nod, not wanting to push my luck.
This is a sweet moment, and I don’t want to ruin it.
His hands run up and down my back as he watches, waiting for my body to respond.
They slide down towards my butt, and he takes hold of my thighs, pulling them forward until they’re resting on either side of his body.
“Is this why you wanted to spend the day with me?” I ask. He smirks, watching my fingertips as they gently trace over the small patch of hair on his stomach.
“I like the way you’re thinking. I had hoped we’d start our day off right, but I have plans for us.”
“What plans?” I ask, trying not to burst with excitement.
“You’ll find out when I want you to, but for now, just kiss me.”
I’ve never been too fond of heights, but this is ridiculous.
When Brooks told me that he had plans, I thought he meant something like a movie or a picnic in the park.
I guessed the park aspect right, but tree surfing?
I cling to the trunk, searching for comfort, but that won’t happen until my feet are firmly on the ground, way, way down there.
My hands are shaking as I reach out for the cable.
“You can do it,” Brooks shouts from the next platform, in an attempt to encourage me.
“No, I can’t,” I yell back, and his laugh echoes loudly through the trees.
“I didn’t know you were afraid of heights. I’m sorry. All you need to do is head over to me, and then we can climb down together.”
I try to let the idea of climbing down and throwing myself into Brooks’ arms calm my racing mind.
“Abi?”
As I place my foot onto the rope, a black flash darts through the trees. A magpie swoops past my head, and I let go of the cable, waving my arms in the air in a desperate attempt to shield my face. My foot slips, and my arms fly back to the cable, clutching on as if my life depended on it.
“Abigail!”
Taking a deep breath, I step out onto the rope, and it shakes beneath my feet.
I want to cry. I want to run and hide in a cave somewhere, far away from any trees.
I shuffle my feet along the rope, locking my eyes on Brooks, who’s continuously yelling out words that are meant to be supportive.
I close my eyes and try to imagine that I’m walking on a beach.
The only thing that reminds me of where I am is the clinking sound of my harness as the buckle jolts with each step.
A strong arm tightens around my waist, and I realise I’ve reached the other side.
My eyes pop open and see Brooks reaching out for me.
I let go of the cable and wrap my arms around his neck.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I had no idea,” he whispers into my ear, our helmets bang together. He kisses my cheek, placing his hand on my shoulders to push me away so he can look into my eyes.
“You ready to go down?”
“I hate you,” I say, my voice shaking.
“No, you don’t.” He winks. “Now stop talking, and let’s get you out of this tree.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were scared of heights?” Brooks asks, sitting across from me in the outdoor beer garden of a brewery. This is the second thing he had planned, and I have to say I appreciate this one a whole lot more.
“I never thought you’d take me tree surfing,” I exclaim, picking up my burger and taking a bite.
Brooks leans forward and wipes something from the corner of my mouth with his thumb. “You’re a mess. I can’t take you anywhere.”
I put my burger back on the plate, reach for a napkin and vigorously wipe my face.
“I’m glad you find me amusing.” I tear my eyes away from his, hoping that he doesn’t sense my embarrassment. The owner’s dog, a golden retriever, is asleep in a patch of sun. Her legs twitch as if she’s dreaming about chasing a cat or frolicking on the beach in pursuit of a frisbee.
“I’m sorry today sucked for you.” His voice is laced with disappointment. “I tried to think of something we could do together.”
I don’t want him to think that I hated his thoughtful gesture.
I hated hanging in the open air between trees, but I loved that he took the day off work so he could spend time with me.
I reach out to touch his hand, and his fingers link through mine.
“It didn’t suck. If it meant I got to spend the day with you, I would climb a million trees. ”
He smiles, releasing my hand almost immediately and picks up his burger. “So, if you don’t like heights and adventure, what did you do back home for fun?”
“Luna and I used to go shopping a lot. We’d go to the movies or the lake, and every summer, she would come with my family on a camping trip to Mallacoota.”
My mind flashes back to the sound of Luna squealing when she thought there was a snake in her sleeping bag.
There wasn’t. She had kicked off her socks the night before and left them in there.
From that year on, Paige and I would place rubber snakes in different places around the campsite to scare her.
“You miss them a lot, don’t you? Your family, I mean.”
“I do.” I take another bite and then immediately wipe my chin, not giving Brooks a chance to see my face. “You must miss your mum too.” His smile disappears, and I immediately regret my words.
“I miss her every day. I’d give anything to be able to call her. You’re lucky, all you have to do is dial a number and you can hear your mum’s voice.”
I instantly feel bad for not calling mine more.
I don’t even want to think what it would be like to lose my mum, and I’m not much older than Brooks was when he lost his.
A warm breeze rushes through the garden, creating a flurry of leaves around us.
I close my eyes, embracing the warmth on my skin.
Brooks’ smooth hand runs through the hair above my ear, and when I open my eyes, his face is inches away from mine.
I pucker my lips, expecting him to kiss me.
“Did you think I was going to kiss you?” He picks something out of my hair and holds it in front of my face.
It’s a leaf. “Do you want me to?” he asks, his playful smirk putting me on edge.
I nod slowly, unsure of how he’s expecting me to react, but from the look in his eyes, I can tell I responded exactly how he wanted me to. “Aren’t you going to say please?”
I suck a breath in. “Please.”
“Please, what?”
“Kiss me, please.”
“Good girl.” His smirk disappears as his mouth meets mine.
I liquefy as his hands cup my face. He kisses me gently, caressing my tongue with his.
The kiss is soft and romantic, unlike our others.
They are usually full of lust and desperation, a deep need to have one another.
This one is the sweetest, most sensual kiss I’ve ever experienced.
My hands flop to my sides, not wanting to touch him.
I don’t want to risk it ending. The only parts of our bodies I want to be touching are our mouths and his hands on my face.
I hold tightly onto Brooks’ hand as he leads me back to his car. He stops abruptly, and I look up at him to see him watching me, a sweet smile on his face.
“What?” I ask, hoping that this is the moment he’s going to tell me he loves me.
“You’re beautiful,” he says. It’s not an I love you but I’ll take it. I step forward, briefly bringing my lips to his before taking a step backwards. “You ready?” he asks.
I look around. We’re standing on the driver’s side of the car. He nods towards the door. I start to walk around to the other side, but he pulls back on my hand while jingling his keys in my face as if that makes what’s happening any clearer. He rolls his eyes impatiently.
“You’re driving.”
“What? Me? But you said no one drives your car but you. Are you sure?”
He places the keys in my hand and pushes my fingers closed around them.
“Yes, I’m sure. Now get in the car.”