‘I think we need to get higher than we currently are,’ he says.
‘Right.’ I frown. ‘I can’t believe I left my levitation device at home today of all days.’
He cracks a smile. ‘If we spot something, rather than both of us almost breaking our necks trying to see, can’t I just lift you up to take a look?’
My mouth twists without humour. ‘You’re not suggesting you pick me up.’
‘Yeah,’ he shrugs, then huffs out a laugh at my expression. ‘Oh, please.’
‘We might be better off if I liftyou,’ I joke.
‘I’d love to see you try. But can I just prove it’s no problem?’ he asks, stepping closer to me.
‘Fine.’ I roll my eyes. This ought to be good. And not at all humiliating.
His hands cautiously reach towards me, and then my waist is suddenly enveloped in strong hands as he lifts me off the ground in one swift motion, his face barely displaying a glimmer of effort. I feel my stomach twist with something as he arches one brow up at me.
‘Okay?’ he asks, all cockiness.
‘Alright, you’ve proved your point,’ I say breathlessly. ‘Put me down.’
He lowers me back to the floor without a word.
‘Okay, well, that might work.’ My voice is still a little wobbly.
Unfortunately, he underestimated how many potential hiding places we would spot that would need “inspecting”. The first couple of times Elliot’s strong hands lift me up to check for any clues, the sensation quite literally steals the air from my lungs. My head empties and any blood in my body seems topump through me with a new heat that I have no idea how to control. Then I forget what I’m even looking for in the first place.
We’re checking around the last palm tree in the vicinity when Owen approaches with a waving Hennie on his shoulders.
‘Greetings!’ she calls.
‘Greetings,’ I reply in a slightly more sullen tone.
‘No luck?’ Owen asks.
‘Nope,’ Elliot says, running both his hands through his hair as they’re both available for a change. I force my gaze away from his hands, which I now note with resentment, I know to be extremely gentle yet capable at the same time.
Christ. It’s not easy being touch-starved. Thoughts occur against my will.
‘Don’t worry Harty, we’ll find this thing,’ Hennie says. ‘We were going to head into the “meadow” around the corner. Apparently it’s quitethe spectacle.’
‘We’ll come too, I don’t think there’s anything around here,’ Elliot says dryly. ‘Where’s Ham?’
‘I don’t know,’ Owen says with noticeable concern. ‘We should probably look for him.’
‘Why?’ Hennie replies. ‘He’s a fully grown man.’
Owen twists his head upward to give Hen a look. ‘No, he isn’t.’
‘He’ll be fine, we have our phones,’ Elliot says.
We start to walk towards a concealed area, hidden from sight by high wooden walls painted green, splattered with graffiti and worn posters. Further down, there’s a gap in the fencing that a couple of people disappear into. As we approach the entrance, the sounds of tinkling music and crooning birdsong filter through.
We step through one by one and I gasp when I’m greeted by an entirely new world.
It’s an endless maze – countless towering stems of green fashioned to look like long blades of grass. Huge white petals of a giant daisy billow out above us and shade us from the sun, which I’m grateful for.
‘So cool,’Hennie breathes, still sitting comfortably on Owen’s shoulders. ‘I feel like a bug.’
