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‘Either you’ve done this before or you looked it up on the Internet’

‘Both,’ he admitted ‘I was in Australia last year and took a trip across the desert at sunrise The sand was red and there were kangaroos bounding along, and as the sun rose the light turned all the grey saltbush to green It was incredible’

‘Sounds it Mind you, so is this London in the early spring—look, you can see all the trees starting to turn green over again’ She looked down, keeping her hands firain, and they were just floating in the air Everything around them was still and silent She could hear the sound of traffic below, and gulls squawking over the Thames

‘I’ve never seen London like this before,’ she said softly ‘Even going on the London Eye is nothing co this with me, Theo’

The burners sprang into life again, and Theo was forced to bend closer to her so his h to her ear for her to hear his reply ‘My pleasure Though, as one of the anisers of the ball, you’re the best person for me to share it with anyway You deserve a treat for all that hard work’

‘Maybe’ She rested her hands on the rim of the basket and looked out as the pilot pointed outbehind her, and it felt natural for hiainst the basket on either side of hers And even ainst him

The gap between their hands narrowed i her body against his And she wasn’t sure which of the his, and his right hand was covering hers, and she are of every nerve end in her skin

‘Would you like ether?’ one of the other passengers asked

‘Thank you That would be lovely’ Theo fished his mobile phone fro it to her

‘Stand a bit closer together—I can’t quite get you both in’

Theo stood behind Madison and slid his arainst him

‘Now, smile’

Smile, when her knees had just rees? But she ed it Just

The woraph, and a second ‘just in case’, then smiled at them ‘You make a lovely couple’

‘Thank you,’ Theo said

For the return of the phone?

Or for the compliment?