Lucy in the Sky

just love you, so much. And I can’t believe you love me.’
    ‘Well, I do.’ He chuckles, and pulls me back to him. He cups my face and kisses me again, but I have to stop because I can’t stop laughing.
    ‘You remind me of my mum, you know.’
    ‘Sorry?’ I’m completely taken aback.
    ‘Your laugh. You have the same laugh. The same sense of humour.’
    I look at him in awe. It’s easily the best compliment anyone has ever paid me.
    ‘Hey, is that bamboo?’ he says suddenly.
    I follow his gaze to the cluster by the riverbank. It’s not like the bamboo in Sydney, at the wedding; this is much smaller and more densely packed. A tiny dark pathway leads us underneath it and we stand there, surrounded by the shoots in the darkness.
    ‘Do you remember that day?’ I ask him. ‘In the Botanic Gardens?’
    ‘How could I forget?’
    ‘I wanted you to kiss me so much…’
    ‘I wanted to kiss you,’ he replies. ‘But I couldn’t. I couldn’t be the other guy.’
    ‘I know.’ I put my arms back around his waist. ‘But you’re not the other guy anymore.’
    ‘No. Now I’m the guy,’ he says jokily, and I start to laugh untilhe kisses me again. It’s so dark down here and so secluded. I feel like no one would ever find us. Suddenly I catch something out of the corner of my eye.
    ‘Look,’ I whisper.
    ‘Is that… snow ?’ he asks in wonder.
    This is ridiculous; it’s just too idyllic. He leads me back up the path towards the bridge and gazes upwards as big heavy snowflakes fall down onto his face.
    ‘I’ve never seen the snow!’ he gasps and I’m overwhelmed with love for him. His expression is adorable.
    I laugh. ‘Come on, let’s get home and have a hot chocolate by the window.’
    That night my entire family congregates in the living room in front of the fire to play Pictionary. And hilariously, Nathan and I wipe the floor with the competition. My stepbrothers think we must be cheating because I can’t draw to save my life, but somehow Nathan seems to know when a round blob with lines coming out of it is meant to be a horse. He, on the other hand, turns out to be a bit of an artist. I can’t help but feel smug thinking that general knowledge, and all those Trivial Pursuit questions that James got right, can be learnt, but raw talent? Well, you’ve either got it or you haven’t.
    Eventually the others head off to bed. ‘Mum, will you wake us up in the morning?’ I ask. ‘We want to get up and go for a drive if the snow’s not too deep.’
    ‘Sure,’ she answers, closing the door behind her and leaving Nathan and me alone together on the sofa. The fire has burnt down to its embers, but there’s still a warm orange glow emitting from the fireplace and the lights glimmer prettily on the Christmas tree. Nathan kisses the top of my head and I snuggleinto his chest. I can’t get close enough to him. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get close enough.
    ‘You’re a wriggly thing.’ He chuckles, and I pull away to look up at him. He holds my face and kisses me.
    Our kiss deepens as I climb onto his lap and he runs his hands up my top. I reach down to touch him.
    This is it. I’m going to make love to him tonight.
    ‘Wait,’ he whispers urgently. ‘We can’t do this with your parents next door.’
    ‘Shall we go to my room?’ I don’t have to ask twice.
    In the darkness of my bedroom he lifts my jumper over my head and unclasps my bra, while I turn my attention to his belt buckle. He doesn’t stop kissing me and I know now that he’s better than James, a million times better. I’m so turned on I feel giddy.
    ‘I love you, Lucy,’ he says, running his hands over my naked body.
    ‘I love you too. I want you. Don’t make me wait any longer.’
    He gently eases me back onto the bed so he’s above me and kisses my lips, passionately. I pull him into me, gasping and arching my back as he does so.
    This is as close to him as I’m ever going to get, I think. And it’s perfect.
    Afterwards I cry, and he holds me tight, understanding that my tears are nothing for him to worry about. When they’ve stopped falling he kisses me again. I want to make love to him for the rest of my life.
    The following morning we wake up together and lie there for a few minutes just staring into each other’s eyes.
    ‘Will you play your guitar for me one day?’ I ask eventually.
    ‘I don’t know about that.’
    ‘Please…’
    ‘Alright. I suppose I might do.’ He