The Cherry Blossom Tree

My feet hit a particularly slippery patch. Without warning they rocketed out from under me. Mr. Break and Enter came with me, courtesy of me re-establishing my grip in his shirt in a failed attempt at anchoring myself.

Pain started in my backside and travelled up my spine, but I was paying it minimal attention. I was too busy being consumed by the heavy weight on top of me and marvelling over the deep smooth voice muttering in my ear.

“- never doing the old man another favour, so long as I live.”

Before I could collect my scattered thoughts the person on top of me reared back to rest his weight on his elbows, an action that caused his hips to press down into mine. My breath caught in my throat as my startled gaze met his.

A pair of vibrant green eyes stared back with more than a hint of annoyance bleeding out of them. Full lips were pressed together like he was biting back an insult directed at me, and locks of black hair framed a near symmetrical face, one with high cheekbones and a strong jaw line.

“If you’re going to kill me, I’d prefer it if you didn’t do it with an axe,” I blurted.

I immediately cursed my runaway mouth. Come on, brain, where are you? Time to join the conversation.

Dark brows drew together and he leaned even closer, almost like he was trying to assess my sanity levels. “What?”

Embarrassment was pushed back in favour of deep suspicion. “Well, if you’re not here to kill us then I guess you want to rob us. Go ahead. Annabel has some expensive luggage that will sell for a nice buck. And take her Hello Kitty collection while you’re at it. None of us will be sorry to see those creepy cats go.”

The boy on top of me shifted his weight and used one of his hands to brush the curls back from my face. With a gentleness that surprised me, he cupped one of my cheeks.

“Are you okay?” he asked, clearly concerned. “Did you hit your head when you fell?”