As Norman’s jet of water hit me across the chest before mine connected with his face, I opened my mouth and started to squeal with laughter. This was cut short as Norman clamped his hand quickly over my mouth and pushed me against the shed wall. It was forceful but not rough. In fact, his hand was only very lightly over my mouth and he had gently (and effortlessly) lifted me up, swiftly putting me down again, against the shed. My heart was racing and the butterflies in my stomach were like a whirlwind, my eyes wide with excitement. Norman must have taken it as fear, because he removed his hand from my mouth, smiling and said softly, “don’t want you giving away where I am to the other two.” Through every part of my body, I could feel the blood pulsating from the thrill of what had just happened. My breathing was still quite fast as Norman continued. “Knowing those two, they’ll have teamed up by now and be after us,” he laughed softly. I smiled and nodded, but still didn’t say a word. I was mesmerized by his eyes and painfully aware of how close his body was to mine.
As the silence between us lingered (otherwise uninterrupted except for my heavy breathing), Norman held my gaze and did not budge. As his stare deepened, I noticed his hand, still on my bare waist from when he had put me down. He slid it slowly down to my hip, his fingertips sinking in lightly. Just now I realised, amongst the flurry of events, both our guns were on the ground and my hands had ended up on his shoulders. Not thinking anymore, I slowly let them slink down his muscular arms, my fingers relishing every curve along the way, and rested them on his forearms. The hand he had removed from my mouth I noticed was now lightly holding my arm, just above my elbow. I looked down to it and saw that his thumb was very lightly stroking my arm, not letting go. The shed became incredibly hot against my back and instinctively I pulled away, pressing firmly into Norman.
At this sudden full frontal contact, my adrenaline turned to nerves. I snapped my head back, my eyes wide, searching Norman’s as to whether this close proximity was ok. He released my elbow, bringing his hand to my chin and tilted my face up to him. Both of our breathing was quite rapid now and I felt his hand on my hip pull me tighter to him and slide up into the small of my back. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. I ran my hands back up his arms and pressed them gently against his chest, drawing myself even closer to him. “Veronica,” he breathed down to me, my heart jumping up in my throat as I felt my feet start to tiptoe, bringing me closer to him. I was swimming in his blue eyes now, nothing else existed as they gazed into mine. “You don’t realise how amazing you are, even with all your quirks.” He chuckled softly, stroking my chin with his thumb. As it brushed over my bottom lip I could feel myself blush. He pulled my face closer and started to lean his face to mine. I felt my eyelids start to droop and my lips part, desperate for his. His hand on my back drew me closer to him again and as my eyes closed, I could feel his breath on my mouth. I leaned in and felt his lips brush mine. It was like sparks were flying out of his to mine. I lifted myself on tiptoe to push my lips against his, eager to feel his soft, mouth on mine.
Suddenly a jet of water hit me square in the face. “Gotcha!” Norman and I snapped apart to find Steven and Lauren standing there gaping. A smile was slowly fading from Steven’s face as he lowered his water gun looking awkward. Lauren’s expression was that of surprise and amusement all at once. “Umm,” Steven began looking apologetic and Lauren broke into a huge grin cupping her hands over her mouth. Norman and I both shuffled where we stood and avoided eye contact. “Erghm, Steven got me so we came to find you two and head back for lunch, if you’re ready..” Lauren trailed off. I looked to Norman but he didn’t say a word, just avoided my eyes. As he was staying silent, I swept our water guns from the ground, pushing his into his hands without looking at him and turned back to face the others. “Yep,” I began, wiping the water away from my face and forcing a smile, “Let’s go, I’m starved.” I walked straight past them and the other started to follow.
