Page 90 of Kissing Games
Charlie looked at Valentina.
‘Go,’ she whispered.
He turned back to Rory. ‘Yeah, I’m game, but we need something from my room first.’
Rory gave him a quizzical look.
He grinned. ‘I’ve got a pair of his underpants in my wardrobe.’
Four hours later,the only thing they’d discovered was either Bandit had lost his touch or Vlad had left his scent everywhere. They’d traipsed through the castle, around Kinloch, and even up into the hills after they discovered a fresh magic mushroom in his room, but Vlad had disappeared. They went their separate ways in the early evening as the crew was setting up outside the castle for the night shoot.
When the action started, Charlie stood to the side, watching Valentina with so much pride he thought his heart would burst. Despite being clothed in the most dangerously inappropriate battle dress, she was fearsome, leading the charge with Brad, a battalion of stuntmen and extras behind them. When Brad eventually called the final ‘cut’ of the night, there was a round of applause. Valentina looked relieved and ran to his side.
‘Give me five minutes,’ she said. ‘I’ll just run and get changed. Meet you back here?’
He nodded. ‘Yep, I’ve got everything we need.’
30
They walked hand in hand through Kinloch, then followed the main road leading out of the village. A few hundred yards along, Charlie turned left and led Valentina up a farm track heading into the hills. The night was clear and still, the stars shining brightly, the moon even brighter. They hiked for over an hour until they reached the peak of the first mountain. The loch was far below, the surface reflecting the moon and the black hills behind it cutting in front of the stars.
He shucked off his rucksack and started unpacking.
‘What have you got in there?’ she asked.
‘Everything,’ he replied with a grin. He pulled out a groundsheet and blanket and laid them out. ‘Take a seat. I’ve got to finish the device. I’ve brought chocolate caliente as well if you want some?’
Her smile was bright in the moonlight. ‘You do think of everything.’
He put on a head torch and took out a bag containing wires and tools. ‘I assembled most of it yesterday when we were rigging the perimeter around the cabin, so it won’t take long to set up.’
‘Did it work? Did anyone come back to the cabin last night?’
He grinned at her. ‘Yes, and yes.’
She gasped, then giggled. ‘Oh my goodness, were they hurt?’
Charlie’s face was serious. He slowly shook his head. ‘Unfortunately not.’
She slapped the side of his arm. ‘You are a bad man.’
‘I know.’ He smirked. ‘I’ve told you that a million times already.’
She kissed him on the cheek. ‘You’re not really a bad man, Charlie.’
He stared at her, starlight reflecting off the liquid surface of her eyes. He wanted to bottle this moment, keep it safe in his heart forever, eking out drops of this memory for the rest of his life. In such a short space of time she had become the most precious thing to him.
She pulled her costume from a pocket in her coat. ‘This thing is ridiculous. I’ve worn bigger bikinis.’ She paused. ‘You know I said I wouldn’t steal anything?’ He nodded. ‘Well, I stole this. It’s the property of the production. And if they ask me if I know where it is, I’m going to have to lie as well, which is another terrible thing to do.’
He laughed. ‘You’ve nailed being a teenager. I couldn’t be prouder, my young Padawan.’ His heart stretched again, a painful yearning as it drew him closer into her orbit. He knew he would be a distant satellite around her for life. Oceans apart, but always feeling that pull. ‘So then, want to blow something up?’
‘Yes, please.’ Her face was alight with excitement.
‘Hand me that insult to the art of armour and Native American culture.’ He took the dress and walked down the slope into the heather.
‘How far are you going?’ she asked.
‘Far enough that there’s no chance of being hurt by shrapnel. This dress is lethal. If you were hit by one of these beads at max velocity it would not be pretty.’
