Page 45 of Matched Up

I shot up to sitting and he did the same.‘Zoe asked you to V-Ball?’

I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard.I tried to keep calm, even though my insides burned like my organs were about to spontaneously combust.

‘Yeah, but she asked and I said no, and that was that.’

He was right.She’d asked and he’d said no.It was fine.

‘Anyway, I don’t have a tux.’

‘I can get you one.My mum and dad put money in my account every month and I have way more than I can spend.’

Shane breathed out and looked at me.‘This is just a different world,’ he said with a laugh.‘I bet you’re one of those girls who plays a million instruments and went to speech and drama classes too.’

I gave him a side-eye and let him follow my gaze across the room to my clarinet in its box.

‘Flute?’

‘Clarinet,’ I clarified.

‘And?What else do you play?’he teased.

‘Piano.’

‘Iknewit!Will you play something for me?Please?’

‘Oh my God, no, I haven’t played it in ages.’I put my hands over my face.

‘Please?’he begged.‘I never played anything.I think it’s amazing when people can play instruments.’

‘How am I supposed to say no to that?’

I put my clarinet together, turning away as I wet the reed.Then I played.It was amazing how much I remembered even though I hadn’t touched it in years.It was out of tune, but it still sounded OK.I closed my eyes, getting lost in the music, and when I opened them, Shane was staring right at me.I was on the last few bars when he stood up and walked behind me.He planted tiny kisses on my bare shoulders right up to my ears, making me shiver with pleasure.

‘Don’t stop,’ he whispered.

So I kept playing, he kept kissing, and soon after I’d played the last note, I’d forgotten all about the stupid NI trials, because now we were lying on my bed, Shane’s body pressed against mine, and I wasn’t thinking about Megan or Niall or football any more, I was only thinking about him.

16

We’d fallen asleep, twisted in each other, breathing in sync.And those minutes before I drifted off, I was drowning in happiness.

When I woke up Shane was still asleep, sheet over him, winter sun pouring through the window on to his perfect face.I got up to close the curtains and he stirred.Gently at first, then his eyes sprang open, and he reached for his phone on the bedside table.

‘Fuck.’He threw himself out of bed.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I need to get home.I shouldn’t have stayed over.I didn’t mean to stay.’It was like he was talking to himself.He shook his head and pulled on his clothes frantically, the ones that were still covered in sand from yesterday.

‘Can I drive you?’

He was putting on his socks, hesitated, then nodded.‘Yeah, please.I really need to get home.’

‘Is everything OK?’

‘Yeah, it’s just complicated,’ he said.Againhe didn’t elaborateon whatever it was he wasn’t telling me.And because I didn’t want to ruin last night even more, I didn’t push it.

‘OK,’ I said.I got dressed too, pulling on sweatpants and a hoodie before tying my hair into a high ponytail.

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