“And when did you get this?”
“Ah, I picked up the keys yesterday. Hence the lack of furniture.”
“Wow! You don’t muck around, do you?”
“Not when I know what I want,” I replied, looking straight at Claire, refusing to break eye contact. She needed to know what I was thinking and where I stood. I wasn’t fucking around here. She was an awesome chick and one I wanted to spend as much time with as possible, even if that made me a pussy.
“Well then, are you going to give me the grand tour?”
“Let’s do it!”
I stuck my hand out and waited for her to take it before guiding her around my new place. It felt oddly large without anything in here and our voices echoing through the empty rooms, but they wouldn’t be empty for long. At first, Claire didn’t say much, and I wasn’t sure if she loved it or hated it. The problem was, I didn’t realise how badly I was counting on her approval until her silence was killing me. Then, seemingly out of nowhere she started making suggestions about where the couch should go and how I should put a funky print on the wall.
But I’d saved the best for last. Leading her out on to the balcony, her steps faulted as she gasped and covered her mouth. This was the view that sold me. The one worth every single dollar I’d paid for this very expensive apartment.
“Fuck, Seth… this view…” Claire didn’t have the words to describe it and frankly neither did I.
As soon as I’d picked up the keys last night, I’d come here and spent half an hour just staring out across the water. I had a completely unobstructed view of the entire length of the beach. As far as you could see, water stretched on the horizon, and I was up high enough that the people down below looked like ants scurrying along the boardwalk. It was something I was looking forward to waking up to each morning and something I’d never tire of looking at.
Growing up in Melbourne meant the beach wasn’t that far away, just an easy tram ride and you could be standing on the sand, but it wasn’t the same. The water there always felt cold. Here though, it was heaven. I just hoped the waves were a bit kinder at this beach than the one I’d been learning to surf on. Maybe then I’d stand a chance of actually surviving.
Leaving Claire standing slack-jawed on the balcony, I went back inside and unpacked what I’d brought with me. It wasn’t much and it definitely wasn’t enough to impress someone as amazing as Claire, but I just hoped she was one of those ‘it’s the thought that counts’ type of girls. If she wasn’t, I was pretty much fucked.
“What’s all this?” Claire asked as she came back inside as I finished setting the charcuterie board down on the tablecloth I’d laid on the floor.
“I just thought we could hang out. I know it sucks that we don’t have a table or chairs or a couch to sit on, but…I brought cushions. It’s not much. And I didn’t do it…” I was rambling and making a complete tool of myself, but whatever I was, watching the smile creep across Claire’s face made me just want to keep going.
“Seth!”
“Yeah?”
“Stop. It’s perfect.”
“It is?”
Why couldn’t I just believe her and say thank you? Oh yeah, that’s right. Because I’m a tool.
“It is. Now, have you got something to drink to go with this?”
“Absolutely.”
Opening the esky, I pulled out a couple of drink options offering Claire her choice. Handing her the can of Coke, she pushed up on her toes and reached for me. Letting her lead, she plunged her tongue into my mouth controlling the kiss. Here I was thinking she was sweet and innocent when the reality was, she was a deviant in there who I couldn’t wait to have fun with. Maybe I hadn’t completely fucked this up after all.
