I pull in some much-needed oxygen and grab her hand in mine, hurrying us along towards where our train is waiting. Her shorter legs are hoppy hopping to keep up with my longer strides and I adjust my speed so she’s right next to me, rather than following. The way it should be.
“We made it.” She flops into the seat next to me, flushed and a little breathless and I tear my gaze from her heaving chest, focussing on ruffling through the backpack at my feet instead.
“Here. For you.”
She takes the can of coffee I’m holding and stares between it and me, before swallowing a big gulp. “You bought me coffee in a can?”
I shrug like it’s nothing. Like I hadn’t gotten up early and braved the morning crowds to source this for her after hearing her rave about the vending machines in Japan and how she’s dying to try all they offer. “I know it won’t be up to your coffee snob standard, but it’s caffeine. And I know what you’re like if you don’t have your morning coffee.”
This slight gesture draws a beaming, grateful smile from her and my chest puffs out. I feel ten feet tall. That’s the thing with Cherry, she makes me feel like I’m her hero. A feeling I crave now more than ever.
“Thank you.” I watch as she opens the can and takes a long sip, my stomach tightening at her deep, appreciative groan. My eyes follow her pink tongue as she licks her lips, and I shift in my seat, uncomfortable with where my thoughts are going.
Where they seem to live now whenever I’m with her.
“So, what do you want to see today?” I ask, changing the subject. To distract myself from my wayward thoughts, I pull out a protein bar from my bag and take a huge bite. It’s flavourless and has the consistency of cardboard, so it will keep my mouth occupied and off her lips. At least for the next five minutes.
“Everything,” she gushes in response. From her backpack, she pulls out what looks like a list of places and things to see in Kyoto. I take it from her, frowning at the length of it. If she wants to tick all these things off her bucket list, we need to be prepared.
“I’ll call Sue and organise a tour guide.”
She grabs the list and my phone from me, her small nose scrunched up in disgust. “Absolutely not. You leave Sue alone on her day off. The best way to experience a place is to just get lost in it.”
My gaze catches and stays on her smiling lips and once again, words leave my mouth without my permission. “You want to get lost with me?”
Her breath catches, an audible gulp and I know she’s clocked how flirty that sounded. Even if I tried, I can’t describe it any other way.
I’m flirting with Cherry Brenner. And I’m loving every minute.
“Yes, Nicky. Yes, I want to get lost with you.”
Our eyes lock and that sensation, the one where I’m falling intensifies. The blue of her eyes holds me captive and my mouth—my suddenly dry mouth—craves a taste of hers. In slow motion, I lower my face towards where hers is upturned, looking at me, waiting for me like she may crave the taste of me too.
“Nicky?”
We jolt apart and turn to look at James, who's smirking at me, his knowing gaze bouncing between the two of us.
“We’re here.” He points to the Kyoto station sign on the platform outside our window.
“Right.” I shake my head and clear my throat, pushing up to standing, when everything is screaming at me to sit down and just kiss her. “We’d better get going.”
Cherry remains seated, her fingers running over her lips, a wistful expression on her face.
“Cherry?” I hold out my hand and after a moment’s hesitation, she places her much smaller one in mine. “Where to first?”
She looks out the window and back at me, a ghost of a smile growing on her lips. “We’re going to the Kyoto Botanical Gardens.”
I tip my head and her grin grows wider.
“We’re going to see the cherry blossoms.”
• • • ••
“Are you going to eat it?”
Cherry’s button nose scrunches up. “Don’t rush me.”
“You don’t have to eat it.”
