“Mm-hmm,” Saskia replied, fearing that even the slightest vocalisation would burst the bubble.
“Good,” Kivi murmured.
And that was how they stayed for the rest of the film. They both shifted positions a couple of times – Saskia with much trepidation, fearing that Kivi might move away from her – but they stayed nestled close, like baby birds in a nest. Toto joined them about halfway through, taking advantage of the space on the sofa Kivi had vacated, stretching out and resting his big head in her lap. Kivi had let go of her hand by this point, so Saskia reached over and stroked his head until he fell asleep, at which point she – heart pounding – rested her hand on Kivi’s leg. They both continued to stare determinedly ahead.
It was an engaging story, particularly when it burst into technicolour – and it was darker than she’d expected, too. But only half of her brain was really on it. The other half was on Kivi.
Don’t look too much into it,she told herself.Friends sit like this. Friends even snuggle like this.
But this didn’t feel like friendship any longer.
The ending brought tears to her eyes again. Of course it bloody did. And what with the proximity to Kivi, and Dorothy’s fervent exclamation of‘I’m not going to leave here ever, ever again, because I love you all!’ –and the wine, and Kivi’s warmth, and the music, and Kivi…
“Here,” Kivi murmured, and Saskia came back to Earth to find her holding a tissue a few inches from her face. Kivi was sitting up now – not enough that she had completely lost contact with Saskia, but enough that she could see her face, and the tears that had started rolling down her cheeks without her even noticing.
“Oh God,” Saskia laughed, dabbing them away. “Sorry. I don’t know what it is about you – you make me have emotions.”
“Sorry,” Kivi laughed as well, nervously. “Well – you make me feel all sorts of crazy things, so call it even.”
“I do?”
This time it was Kivi’s turn to press her lips together into a nervous line. “Mm-hmm.”
“Like…” Saskia’s mouth went dry. “Like what?”
“You really want to know?”
“Mm.”
“Well, like… like I want to kiss you, if you must know.”
All of the heat in Saskia’s body seemed to travel to her face.Of all times to blush like a teenager!But she fought it valiantly, and scrabbled for some of her former poise as she said, as nonchalantly as possible, “You can.”
“Don’t be silly.” Kivi gave another nervous laugh. “You’re not gay.”
“I know,” Saskia said. “But I’m attracted to you.” A slightly bemused chuckle. “For… for what it’s worth.”
Kivi’s expression registered surprise, but then softened as Saskia looked at her. Then, she leaned in, until her lips were just a hair’s breadth from Saskia’s.
“For what it’s worth?” she whispered. Saskia could feel her breath on her mouth, and it made her lips tingle. “It’s worth everything.”
And then the gap closed between them.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Kivi
She was kissing Saskia.
She waskissing Saskia.
It was a million times better than she had fantasised. Far from the cool hauteur with which Saskia conducted herself professionally, now her lips were as soft and sweet and warm as melted chocolate. Kivi kept her caresses feather-light, fearing that she’d spook her if she became too bold, but to her surprise, Saskia was the one to thread her fingers into her hair and pull her even closer. Toto yelped as Kivi shifted positions to kneel opposite Saskia, but she didn’t even register it through the roaring of her blood in her ears. She and Saskia continued exploring each other until a pure lack of oxygen made them break apart.
“Um…” Kivi laughed. “Um. That was… that was incredible. Oh my God.”
“Yes,” Saskia said, looking dazed. “That was… different.”
“Different how?” Kivi said with a faint trace of alarm.
