Page 56 of Tricky Girls

‘Alright there?’ she murmurs.

‘Sure. Not freaking out even a little bit.’

She squeezes my fingers. ‘You’re kind of cute, Elly.’

‘Hm.’ I eye her dubiously. ‘In the streets maybe. You’ve not yet had the pleasure of being with me between the sheets.’

‘Not sure this straight girl ever will.’

‘Let’s circle back to that post-date, shall we?’

We ascend the staircase to the left, finding the little raised door that opens to the tower steps. There are a multitude of safety signs outside and they’ve installed a metal banister to aid our way. Even with all of that, the steps are still a deathtrap.

‘You go first, babe.’ I pat my ample chest. ‘Soft landing if you fall.’

‘Enjoy the view,’ she sings.

Oh, I will.

It’s a slog upwards as I knew it’d be. Just didn’t expect to feel so unfit next to Tilda who pads light-footed up the spiral stairs, her hand barely tracing the ice-cold banister.

‘Thought you were a gym bro,’ she teases when I begin to slow.

‘Kinda don’t go for the gains,’ I gasp.

‘Maybe you will now. Cardio trumps weights training any day though.’

‘Tell Haz that.’

‘Haz isn’t here.’ Tilda swings round the banister to the top of the tower. ‘It’s just us.’

Fuck yeah it is.

I look round quickly, spotting that we’re alone in the circular room. Alone but for the vast view of the ocean and sunset above.

I join Tilda by the wide window, dying to put my palms on her hips. She’s the perfect height. If she was to lean her head back it would rest right against my shoulder.

‘Picked a good night for it.’

She nods wordlessly, still catching her breath from the climb up. She looks good against that sky, the pastel colours softening her features. If I was an artist, I’d paint her.

She turns to me. ‘Now what?’

‘Now we eat.’

I take a blanket from the basket and lay it over the floor. Beneath it is a selection of picnic foods I was able to scrounge from the island shop.

‘Gourmet beige,’ I say proudly, spreading out all the pastries, dips and breadsticks.

‘My fave.’ She comes to her knees, casting her eyes over the array. ‘You really are spoiling me, aren’t you?’

‘Only the best for you, babe. Now come sit over here before we miss the sunset.’

It’s a bit precarious with the stairs but I’m able to sit back against a wooden support, affording me a view of the sky if not the ocean below it. Feeling brave in this little world of our own, I part my legs and pat them invitingly.

Tilda eyes them, an indulgent smile on her face.

I hold my breath until she shuffles forward, turning so that her back is facing me. I ease her into me. She’s stiff at first. I wonder if this is weird for her because I’m a lesbian, or because she’s just not that cuddly. I’m hoping it’s the latter.

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