Page 54 of Resist

They both scampered away, and all I could do was lean on my crutches, close my eyes and reopen them to glare at Lucas. “Look what you made me do.”

“Me?” He burst into laughter. “I didn’t make you do anything. That potty-mouthed outburst was all you.”

“This was a bad idea.”

He closed the distance between us and tilted my chin up with his fingertip. “No, it wasn’t. You’ll see. All you have to do is give it a chance.”

“Maybe I don’t like taking chances. Maybe I like being safe.”

Lucas’s eyes held me still. “Youaresafe.”

I diverted my gaze because his was too intense, which was when I spotted a sign that read ‘Hire a Caddie’ with a picture of a golf buggy driven by an Australia Zoo tour guide. “I have an idea,” I said. “Come with me.”

* * *

Moments later,both Lucas andI were passengers on a six-seater buggy with Gary, our very own private khaki-clad driver. “Welcome to Australia Zoo,” Gary said, glancing over his shoulder at us while he drove. “Is this your first time?”

We both nodded. “Yes.”

“Excellent! Hold tight. First stop: The Crocoseum. The show is about to start.”

Lucas helped me out of the buggy when we arrived at the rectangular-shaped arena, three levels high. Brightly coloured flip-up chairs made up each row of seats and were shaded from the sun by giant awnings, two rock pools snaking through the centre at ground level. Spotting two empty seats near the very front, we waited for the world-renown animal show to begin.

“Put your foot on my lap,” he said, lifting my leg on top of his knee. He kept his hand resting on my skin, his finger lightly tracing a circle around my ankle. It felt nice, a little intimate but not, and with a quick glance around us, I couldn’t see Josh, Cori, or the rest of the group, so I didn’t tell him to stop.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,” the MC announced through the speakers. “My name is Hayley and I’d like to welcome you all to Australia Zoo, the home of The Crocodile Hunter.”

We all cheered, our excitement echoing.

“Now, before we start the show today, we are going to have what’s called a ‘Crike Off’. It’s going to be one side of the arena verses the other. Are you ready?”

We all cheered again, but I had no idea what Hayley was talking about.

“Okay, the left side of the arena, that’s you.” Hayley gestured to her left. “When I say go, I want you to scream ‘Crikey’ as loud as you can. You guys on the right will do the same next, and the loudest side wins, okay?”

We all cheered again, and I wondered if we’d have any cheer left by the time the Crike Off began.

“Good. Okay, left side: ready, set, GO!”

The left side screamed ‘crikey’ and it made me giggle.

“Amateurs,” Lucas muttered. He sat upright, chest puffed. “We’ve got this.”

Hayley adjusted her microphone headpiece then placed her hands on her hips. “Not bad but, now, for the right side. Can you do better?”

We all yelled ‘yes’.

“Let’s hear it then. Ready, set, GO!”

I screamed, “Crikey” as loud as I could, as did Lucas, his face red, his neck tense. I smiled then bit my lip; I loved watching his muscles flex and pull taut, especially his shoulders and arms and—

I snapped out of my muscle-perve when Hayley clapped.

“Whoa! Great job, everyone! But I think the right side was much louder than the left.”

Boos and cheers swirled around the arena.

“Yes. I’m gonna call it: the right side won the ‘Crike Off’.”