The Factory Girls – Episode 27
“It’s pretty up here,” Dana admitted, looking out across the beautiful valley.It was Saturday at last and she and Jonathan were halfway up the hillside above Deveroe. “Look, you can see all the way to the sea,” he said, leaning in to point.Dana felt the warmth of his body close to hers and dared herself not to move away. It was the first time she’d seen him out of work clothes and she had to admit he looked great. His jeans showed off his long, lean legs and his T-shirt was revealing a surprising amount of muscle, normally hidden away beneath his fancy shirts and ties.“Do you work out?”The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. Idiot! Jonathan, however, just grinned.“Nah! I can’t stand gyms. My brother’s always in his, but they make me feel claustrophobic. I prefer this walking or jogging. Fresh air.”“I hate gyms, too. There’s one in Deveroe above the butcher’s. Shelley talked me into going there once, but it was all leotards and silly machines and people running in enough make-up to plaster a ceiling.”Jonathan laughed.“That’s exactly the sort of girls my brother goes for.”“And what sort of girls do you go for?”She cursed the question the moment she’d asked it. She had to control her stupid mouth! Jonathan, however, just looked down at her, considering.“I’m not sure any more,” he said, his eyes locking on to hers.He was going to kiss her. He was definitely going to kiss her! She panicked. “Last one to the top’s a dumb banana!” she blurted out and set off up the path at a sprint.“A dumb banana?” he called after her, laughing, but then she could hear his footsteps and make out his long, loping strides getting closer and closer. Her legs ached and her lungs felt as if they might explode. She pushed on but he was passing her now and making for the cairn that apparently marked the summit. He reached it and turned back. Dana knew she must look dreadful, her face red and her hair all anyhow, but she refused to stop. Even so, her legs felt as weak as . . . as a dumb banana! And when he held open his arms it seemed the most natural thing in the world to run into them. She laid her head against his chest and heard his heart pounding and felt his lungs heaving against her cheek.“You’re worn out, too,” she challenged.“I am, but I’m not very good at getting beaten.”“Me neither.”She leaned back to grimace at him but then, suddenly, his lips were on hers and they were kissing. And this was nothing like in the soppy films. This was very, very real. Dana kissed him back, losing herself in his hold. Or finding herself, perhaps. “Wow!” she murmured when he finally pulled away.“Wow?”She grinned self-consciously.“The view,” she excused herself and he laughed.“Ah, the view. Of course.” But he did not take his arms from round her and together they stood and looked out across the beautiful valley.
