‘Pretty much.’ She pouted, rather proud of the truth in her statement.
‘I get it.’ Jacob drew himself up to full height. ‘I see what’s happening here.’
‘What?’
‘You’re trying to get rid of me, aren’t you? Not even one day together and you’re already palming me off.’
‘No, I’m not! I’m simply saying that I have a plan and you might not like what it involves.’
‘I think that any plan that involves you is good enough for me.’
Olivia cursed herself for being so easily flattered as her face flushed with colour.
‘Your charm will get you nowhere.’
Jacob threw his head back and laughed. ‘God, I forgot how funny you can be.’
‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’
‘It means …’ He took a step towards her, closing thealready small gap between them. ‘That you are a very hard nut to crack, Miss Jackson. But I will not give up. I want to come and explore with you.’
Olivia wouldn’t have been surprised if her face was beetroot at this point.
‘Well’ – she tried to compose herself – ‘if you really want to tag along with me, we need to get a move on. We have a lot to do today and there is no time to waste.’
‘Yes!’ Jacob punched the air in victory. ‘I am ready and raring to go whenever you are.’
‘Great. We need to find a taxi or a tuk-tuk.’
‘No problem.’ Jacob put two fingers in his mouth and let out a shrill, piercing whistle. Three men in rickshaws snapped their heads up at the rallying cry. ‘Which one do you fancy? You’ve got your pick of the men today.’
If only.
‘I don’t mind,’ she shrugged, ‘you choose.’
‘OK, let’s go with this guy here, he looks the most awake.’ Jacob strode over to the last tuk-tuk in the line. ‘Where are we heading, fair maiden?’
‘The Monsoon Palace.’
‘Right you are.’ Jacob began to bargain with the driver, and after a couple of minutes waved at her to join him.
‘Our friend Mitesh here will be glad to take us. Hop in.’
‘Thank you.’ Olivia clambered inside, the backs of her legs already sticking to the leather seats. As Jacob settled down next to her, she became very aware of his thigh touching hers. Her damp skin brushed up against his, lunar white against walnut brown.
‘Right, buddy.’ Jacob leant forward to the driver, breaking the contact between them. ‘Take us to the palace, please!’
The little tuk-tuk pulled away sharply, the jerkingmovement catapulting Olivia forwards. She would have gone flying if Jacob’s arm hadn’t flung itself across her and held her in place, a physical barrier keeping her seated.
‘Woah there!’ He smirked. ‘Be careful, Olivia. I can’t be losing you already.’
She let out a shy half-laugh and gripped the sides of the rickshaw tightly, unable to shake the feeling of his skin on hers, burning as though she’d been imprinted by his touch.
Friends, remember.
You’re just friends.
*
