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He reaches with his hand and circlesbecomes uneven Soon my cli me deeper into the sand I lift my head towards the sky and wait for it It rushes in as a large wave crashes intomy hands I feel the suction of the water as the wave returns to the ocean I feel my body float like a piece of driftwood, if not for Noah’s fir I shiver With a roar he withdraws, and I feel his hot cue

He pulls my bikini bottom back up and splashes my back with seawater Then we scramble further up the shore and collapse on the dry, hot sand We watch the sunset filling the sky with russets and pinks, and when I turn to look at his face it is lit with the same colors My heart treertips and he smiles

‘You look beautiful in this light,’ he purrs

‘Funny, I was thinking the sa,’ I say, and his lips crash down on mine I hear a soft moan escape my lips

For dinner he takes me to La Merenda It’s a quirky, tiny, crowded place where everybody sits on stools with their shoulders and elbows practically rubbing Wine is effectively red or white out of juice glasses Don’t even mention the word Coke! They don’t take credit cards and you can’t even call to reserve a table Noah sent soo there physically the day before to book us a table

You sit at the table and watch Dominic La Stanc, a world renowned chef, who used to work for the most expensive restaurant in Nice, perform a smooth ballet with his sous chef and the one waiter tasked with serving all twenty-four tables in the restaurant They have a small, traditional menu written in chalk on a blackboard, but when the food arrives it is clear why people are willing to put up with the inconveniences and discomfort

I have the fleur de courgette, (the yellow zucchini blossom) battered and deep-fried to make a sort of flower fritter It is a dreae and it absolutely sings After a leo back to London

I must admit I left a part of my heart in France

Twenty-five

Tasha Evanoff

One day before Papa co with Mama Wetio we decided that it was perfect for us It is very clean and beautiful It’sroom of a rich Russian or Arab wo us alone to chat quietly When it is time for us to leave, usually thirty or forty minutes later, I slip a fifty pound note into their tip saucer I don’t knohat Vadi about my time in the toilet, but so far he has pretended it is normal for me to disappear into the toilet and come out nearly an hour later

To avoid Vadi in the toilet I hug and kiss her and we sit down

‘You look wonderful Have you been on the sunbed?’ she asks

‘I’ve been to Nice,’ I tell her