Page 105 of You Float My Boat

‘There you go then,’ she added, with no further explanation. ‘This conversation might all be moot anyway. Charlie Masterson might pleasantly surprise you,’ she paused, throwing me a side eye I just caught the end of, ‘and bone you like you deserve.’

I reached to grab her, but she jogged the last fewsteps through the gates of Radcliffe, letting out a loud laugh. Tugging on her arm, I pulled her towards the fountain. ‘Come on, we wait over here and for god’s sake please don’t mention socks or beds or rocking of any kind.Or boning.’

‘Promise.’ Swiping a finger across her lips she threw away an invisible key, and moved to sit on the edge of the fountain wall.

‘Don’t sit there, you’ll get a wet arse.’

She shot back up. ‘So, we just wait here then?’

I nodded, and looked up at the big clock on the old stone building across the road. ‘Yep. Won’t be long, it’s nearly eleven and he’s usually the first out.’

‘Rushing out to you,’ she added, clasping her hands to her chest as the corner of her lip tugged upward.

I didn’t reply, because even though she was joking, that’s exactly what he did. Instead, I let the butterflies fluttering in my belly warm me from the inside.

‘So how far behind is Evie usually?’

I held in the groan, ‘To be honest, I’m not sure. I’m usually paying attention to Charlie instead of watching for her, I think I’ve only seen her twice.’

‘How many more classes do you have to wait now?’

‘Only four more. Then it’s Easter break,’ I replied.

This term was starting to snowball. It would be March in two weeks and we’d be in the final stretch of rehearsals forTwelfth Nightand from what I remembered of previous Boat Races, Charlie’s training would become even more intense.

I was on the verge of asking Stella what she was planning for Easter when the clock chimed the hour. Tenseconds later the first flood of students burst through the doors, narrowly avoiding the clash with everyone rushing inside to get to their next class.

By the time Charlie appeared, my heart had already kicked up in anticipation of seeing him, like it did every week. He stopped at the entrance for the briefest second while his gaze searched until he spotted me.

‘Shiiit,’ muttered Stella as we both watched a grin spread across his face while he strode purposefully toward us swinging a big rolled umbrella like a walking stick. The sharp line of his jaw, the pop of his dimple, the way his long lashes almost batted as his smile grew. Even under the padding of his body warmer you could see the heaviness of his muscles, thick wide thighs clad in jeans stretching out with each of his long strides.

Wrap a ribbon around him and he’d be nothing short of the best present ever.

‘I know.’

‘If you don’t bone him tonight, I think I might have to.’

She was still moaning from the sharp elbow I’d rammed into her side when Charlie stopped in front of us. He reached around and tugged on my ponytail, bringing my mouth close enough for a quick smack of his lips on mine.

‘Hi.’

‘Hi,’ I smiled back.

He turned to Stella who was groaning and rubbing her side, far too dramatically. ‘You alright there?’

‘She’s fine,’ I replied, glancing over his shoulder to spot Gordon rushing towards us, backpack far too full, as usual.

‘Charlie, I wish you wouldn’t rush off every time. You never told me if you can make Tuesday next week.’

‘Hi Gordon,’ I smiled, because as usual he didn’t seem to notice when I was standing next to Charlie.

His head flicked between Stella and me, and I swear he didn’t know which one of us had spoken. Though seeing as I was the only one he’d met, he replied to me as the safe bet. ‘Oh, yes, hi Violet. How are you?’

‘I’m very well, thank you. How’s physics life?’

‘Oh, you know,’ he pushed his glasses up his nose, ‘full of Energy.’

I assumed that was some kind of physics joke given there was now a broad smile spread across his face, and Charlie started laughing. I was still trying to figure out what exactly he’d said, especially when Stella threw her head back with a loud guffaw, and clasped her chest.

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