No. I wasn’t.
“Fine,” I muttered, pretending something caught my attention in the dark corner of the room. I could just about see so Lucas must have known I was ignoring him but he looked towards the group. Tall and Skinny started spouting more information on bats and this time I looked over. Bats were creepy so the less information I knew about them the better but it was a hell of a lot better than focusing on what Lucas was doing to me.
“Okay, everybody,” he said to the group, clapping his hands together. “This next part is a very small room so you will need to go in twos. While the rest of us wait we can have a look up in this tree where you will see bats sleeping.”
The first two went in and after a few minutes it was our turn. I tugged on my sleeve, biting my lip. Don’t look at him. The dark, confined space forced us together. I could feel the electricity. My lungs felt like they were made of lead. I needed fresh air. My skin was alive. My bloody skin!
The air thickened. His arm brushed mine so lightly I barely felt the physical contact but my traitorous heart felt it. Blood pumped around my body so fast I felt faint. I wanted to believe it was completely down to being a little claustrophobic but I couldn’t quite force myself to believe that.
His breathing came quicker, heavier, and I knew he felt the charge, too.
I need to get outta here.
Spinning around, I took off in the direction we came.
“Tegan?” Lucas called. Then I heard his footsteps thudding behind me. I ran faster.
I blinked rapidly, desperately trying to stop my tears from spilling over – I don’t cry – and sprinted out of the bat cave. My eyes stung as the brightness of outside pierced through.
Pushing myself harder, I ran and ran, my thighs screaming in protest.
People looked at me whiz past them like I was crazy, but I didn’t have time to worry. I ran and ran, turning corners randomly without any planned direction. When my legs finally felt like they were made of jelly, I stopped next to a building and slid down the brick wall.
What’s wrong with me?
Chapter Eleven
Lucas
Whoever said women were complicated was understating – seriously understating. A whole new fucking word was needed to describe Tegan. She ran from me like she was running from a serial killer.
She was damn fast and between being momentarily stunned and having to dodge a big crowd, I lost her.
I was relatively sure the attraction I felt to her was reciprocated but she had a harder time dealing with it. Sure, it was a little complicated but life was a bitch and you rarely got an easy ride for long.
I jogged in the direction I’d seen her take off in last and hoped I’d find her soon. Fuck, I was an idiot. I had to keep pushing it that little bit more and keep getting closer. The girl had a whole heap of issues and here I was trying it on like the dickhead I was.
After looking for what seemed like hours and just before I headed back to the car to see if she’d gone there, I spotted her behind the bird enclosure. She was sitting on the floor with her arms wrapped round her legs and her head resting on her knees. I’d never seen anyone look so down and defeated.
She stared into the distance, empty. I felt like a prick for not being more understanding. My heart went out to her. I liked her too much already. Shit, I was in serious trouble.
Walking slowly, I made my way over and sat down.
“Tegan?” I whispered. She closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Tegan?”
She finally opened her eyes and looked over at me. “Sorry,” she whispered.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I shouldn’t have–”
She held her hand up and said, “No, it’s not your fault. I overreacted.”
Overreacted to what exactly?
“Let’s just forget it and move on, yeah?”
“That would be good, I feel pretty embarrassed.”
“Don’t, it’s done.”
“Thank you. I could really do with a friend right now.”
“Friend,” I said. “Right, I can do friend.” For now. “What do you want to do?”
She took a deep breath. “I’m ready to go if you are?”
I smiled weakly. Of course she wanted to go. I’d rather stay but I’d pushed it a bit too much for one day. “Yeah, come on.”
I wanted to get to know her more but that would have to wait. Patience – a lot of it I think – was needed here.
We stopped off in the gift shop first so she could buy some of the overpriced zoo crap.
“How cute is this?” she said with that beautiful half smile, holding up a soft meerkat toy. I smiled and took it off her, holding it along with the zoo mug, pink snake, penguin key ring, monkey pen, animal sweets and a hoodie with an elephant on it.