Not after today, I didn’t.
I could feel myself blushing even thinking about it. I dared the tiniest of glances at Jonah, sitting opposite Nicky as usual, and he winked, almost causing me to choke on a chunk of pepper.
‘Are you all right, Libby?’ Dad asked, frowning.
‘Yes.’ I stopped, coughed, took a drink of water and coughed again.
‘You’re not coming down with something? It’s quite common during exams, everyone’s so run-down.’
‘Actually, I am feeling a bit… peaky. I might head up, if that’s okay.’
‘Why don’t you try a nice, steamy bath?’ Mum suggested. ‘See if you can clear your airways, relax before you try to sleep.’
‘Right.’
Keeping my eyes firmly downwards – because talking about steamy baths in front of Jonah would have been embarrassing even if I hadn’t spent the past few hours smooching him on his bed – I made a clumsy exit.
I didn’t have a bath, instead opting for a quick shower once my parents had finished clearing up dinner.
Jonah’s door silently swung open as I padded past. By the time I’d run downstairs to tell Mum that I was exhausted and going to sleep, and tiptoed back to peek inside, Jonah was on his bed, leaning back against the wall with his legs crossed. His smile was like an invisible force, pulling me inside.
‘Mmmm.’ He wrapped his arms around me the second I climbed onto his bed. ‘You’re all… steamy.’
‘I had a shower, actually.’ I giggled. I’d dressed in leggings and a T-shirt before leaving the bathroom, still adhering to atleast one fostering rule, but it was true that my skin was pink and soft from the hot water.
‘Still steamy.’ Jonah pressed his face into my neck, nuzzling beneath my damp curls. ‘You smell like… warm Libby.’
‘It’s coconut,’ I said, backing off. I was a little unnerved by his reaction.
To my relief, he let me go, reaching out after a few seconds to wrap his little finger around mine. ‘You’re beautiful.’
‘Thanks.’ As if I weren’t warm enough. I gave an embarrassed shrug. ‘You’re not so bad, yourself.’
‘You look a bit… are you scared? Libby, I’m not going anywhere with this.’
‘I already told you.’ I feigned a huff. ‘I’m not scared of you.’
He flicked his fringe back off his eyes, giving me the full force of his amber gaze. ‘Okay… nervous?’
‘Of course I’m nervous!’ My eyes darted to the bedroom door. ‘I don’t even have a hot drink as an excuse this time.’
He picked up a notebook from his bedside table. ‘Picking up revision cards.’
‘I don’t have to come in, close the door and sit on your bed to pick up revision cards.’
‘If they adopt me, will the rules change?’
I thought about that. ‘There won’t be any social worker rules any more. But Mum and Dad have been living by these rules for a long time; I can’t see them throwing them all out the window.’
‘You’re allowed in Nicky’s room. What’s the difference?’
I shook my head. ‘I don’t want to kiss Nicky?’
‘You want to kiss me?’
‘Well, duh. I think this afternoon was a bit of a clue.’
‘Why aren’t you, then?’ He leant forwards, coming to a stop tantalisingly close to my mouth, leaving it up to me to span the last few millimetres, which I did, brushing my lips against his.
