Page 39

Amelia’s face was pressed against Tara’s shoulder, and for a moment, it was OK.

Amelia had thought Tara didn’t like to be touched, possibly even hated it. Yet now, as Tara held her, there was a gentleness Amelia hadn’t expected. But it was more than just comforting; it was intense, unsettling, powerful.

Tara shifted slightly, her breath brushing against Amelia’s neck, and Amelia’s heart stuttered in response. The closeness between them was suddenly disorienting.

Amelia tried to adjust her footing, suddenly aware of how tightly she was clinging to Tara, but her boot caught on the edge of a nearby loose plank. She wobbled, her arms flailing as she lost her balance.

‘Oh!’ she gasped, her eyes wide as her legs buckled. In a desperate attempt to steady herself, she grabbed Tara’s arm, but the movement only pulled them both down.

They landed with a heavy thud, Amelia sprawled on top of Tara in a tangle of limbs. Amelia froze, her hands braced awkwardly against Tara’s chest, her face hovering mere inches from Tara’s.

‘Amelia,’ Tara groaned, though her tone was more startled than annoyed. Her hands instinctively gripped Amelia’s waist, steadying her even as they lay in the heap.

‘I—I’m so sorry!’ Amelia stammered, her face burning with mortification. She tried to push herself up, but her movements were clumsy, her balance off, and she ended up pressing closer instead.

Tara let out a breathy laugh, her head falling back against the floor. ‘This day,’ she chuckled.

Amelia’s laugh was nervous, her gaze darting down to Tara’s face. But as their eyes met, the humour of the situation seemed to dissolve, replaced by something heavier. The space between them felt impossibly small, the air thick with a tension that made Amelia’s heart race.

‘I should move,’ Amelia whispered, though she made no effort to do so.

‘Yeah,’ Tara replied, her voice equally soft. But her hands didn’t let go of Amelia’s waist, and her gaze flickered to Amelia’s lips.

Amelia’s pulse thundered in her ears, and before she could think about what she was doing, she leaned forward. It was clumsy and tentative, her lips brushing against Tara’s in the faintest, most fleeting kiss.

Tara’s breath hitched, her body stiffening beneath Amelia’s for a split second. But then Tara kissed her back. The touch of her lips was firmer this time, sending a jolt through Amelia’s entire being.

And then, just as quickly, Tara pulled away. ‘No, wait…’

Amelia scrambled off her, her face hot with embarrassment. ‘That was an accident.’ She wrapped her arms around herself, her stomach twisting. ‘Just another stupid accident.’

Tara sat up, her gaze flickering to Amelia before skittering away again. ‘Yeah.’

Amelia watched as Tara got to her feet. She paused for a moment as if she wanted to say something to Amelia, something about what had happened. But instead, she turned toward the door. ‘I need to get out.’

Amelia sat back on her heels, her mind spinning in a hundred directions. Her world had been in the balance, but a brief press of the lips was tilting it too far. She was losing her grasp of everything that made sense.