‘That secret will die with me.’
‘I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.’
‘You already said you got electrocuted?’
‘Well, there’s more and it’s very silly …’
Callum narrows his eyes at me. ‘You are a very persuasive person, Moss.’
‘It’s one of my great skills.’
‘Fine,’ he rumbles. ‘I choked on a burger.’
‘No!’ I squeak.
‘Stop laughing.’
‘I’m … not laughing?’
‘You’re almost crying, you’re laughing that hard.’
I wipe the tears from my eyes.
‘I’m sorry,’ I say eventually. ‘You just don’t strike me as a burger kind of guy.’
‘I’m not now, but ten years ago? I figured, while I’m back here and physically at my peak without even having to go to the gym, I might as well.’
The thought of Callum being any more physically ‘at his peak’ than he is now has my head spinning, and I almost trip over as we disembark the plane together.
‘And how was it?’ I eventually compose myself.
‘Gross. Very gristly. And also, you know, it did kill me.’
I bite my lip.
‘My commiserations.’ I beam.
‘Stop looking so happy about it.’
‘I’m sorry! I’m trying not to laugh, I truly am. If it helps, my phone charger killed me. Ooh, speaking of which, I could do with charging my phone again.’
I’m reaching into my bag for the charger when I feel Callum’s fingers wrap around my wrists. The sensation of his fingertips on my skin knocks the air right out of me and I stand stock still in Singapore airport.
‘Stop,’ he says, taking the charger out of my bag himself. ‘I’ll do it. Just in case. You okay?’
‘Your touch,’ I mutter. ‘It feels good.’
A fire flashes across his eyes.
He leans down until our foreheads meet. A sigh escapes my lips and he groans in response.
Passengers rush past.
‘Nina Moss, are you going to make a habit of making us late for things?’ he eventually murmurs.
‘I’m usually very prompt,’ I whisper. ‘This is definitely your fault.’
‘Come on.’ He scoops me up in his arms and marches us both through the airport towards the departure lounge.
