Page 63 of Connectio

Me: Sorry. No can do. I’m busy

Will: No, you’re not

Me: How would you know?

Will: Carly

Me: How would she know?

Will: She said you were just gonna watch Bridget Jones’s Diary with her

I flip Carly the bird.

Will: Six o’clock. Be ready. Dress warm

I don’t want to answer, but I do, because I’m not an adolescent. Plus, he said he’s gonna pick me up.

Oliver didn’t.

Me: Fine

* * *

At six o’clock onthe dot, there’s a knock at the door. Quickly trying to secure the back of my earring, I fumble when Will strolls into my room, Sasha—once again—in his arms.

I can’t help but smile.

Will smiles too, his eyes slowly raking me from head to toe. I feel violated but in a good way until he shakes his head, places Sasha on the ground, and enters my wardrobe.

I’m about to object when he comes out with my grey duffel coat.

“You’re gonna need this.” He hands it to me.

I try not to frown when I take it from him, and say, “Thaaanks.”

“What’s that look for?”

“I’m just confused. You’re trying to cover me up. Don’t guys like you try to undress girls like me?”

His eyebrow hitches. “Guys like me?”

I regret the words and how I said them almost instantly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant was don’t men in general want women to wear less, not more?”

Will steps closer and helps drape my coat over my bare shoulders. “You’ll wear much less when the time is right, sweetheart. For now, I don’t want you to get hypothermia.”

I shiver. “Hypothermia? Where are you taking me? Antarctica?”

“All you need to know is we’re gonna get high.”

“What?”

* * *

Turns out,by high, he didn’t mean weed, which I’m very grateful for.

“Sky High, Mt Dandenong?” I read the sign as we turn off the main road. “I’ve never been here before.” I sit straighter. “I’ve always wanted to though.”

“We’ve made good time, so you’ll get to see the sunset.”

“How lovely.” I cock my head a little, surprised by this thoughtful, sweet side of him.

“It’s even better after dark.” The skin at the edge of his eyes crinkles as he smiles, and he quickly glances my way before focussing on the road again.

Will’s profile is rather handsome, but it’s his full lips and mischievous eyes that I find most alluring. I can’t help staring at them, which I realise I’m doing when an amber glow swims across his face as we drive through a break in the trees, hues of orange, pink, and purple painting the sky as far as the eye can see.

I gasp. “Oh wow! You can see the city from here. And is that Port Phillip Bay?” I lean forward and exhale. “That’s… that’s beautiful.”

Swinging the truck into a parking spot, he kills the ignition and turns to face me. “Not as beautiful as you.”