Gone by Anna Bloom Read Free Book Online Page B

away from town I hope that I don’t end up regretting my choice. Or, for that matter end up in a ditch somewhere.
    “Crantock.” He answers my question. Sadly it hasn’t clarified the matter at all.
    “Pardon me?”
    “Crantock beach. You’ll love it.”
    “How do you know?”
    “I’m taking a guess.” He answers matter of fact. Joshua concentrates on his driving and takes us down a maze of narrow lanes. I really hope I don’t have to find my way back by myself.
    Taking my attention off the sight of his long fingers loosely holding the steering wheel, I try and look anywhere apart from at him. Truth be known it’s kinda hard. I’ve been momentarily sidetracked by the sight of worn woven leather bracelets tightly bound against his tanned skin. I feel my own bangles in response, all fifty three of them.
    Fifty three sins.
    My eyes travel up from the bracelets on his wrist, to his elbow leaning on the open window. If I look closely enough I can see the defined movement of muscle ripple under his skin with every turn of the steering wheel. Joshua flicks his eyes in my direction and catches me staring. I quickly look out of the window and watch the fields roll pass the window.
    I hold in another smile as I take in the scenery around me. It is beautiful, so beautiful, and something about it makes my eyes sting. The fields are full of flowering mustard seeds which are glowing yellow in the sun. Warm air is rushing through the window and for the first time in a couple of weeks I can feel the knot of anxiety I hold in my stomach start to unravel. All the negativity and worry starts to ebb away.
    Then I shift in my seat and make a farting sound. Fuck.
    Joshu-u-a starts to laugh uncontrollably, his fingers grip the wheel of the camper van as he turns to me, his green eyes gleaming, and a smile spread from ear to ear.
    “100% PVC.”
    “You’re an arse.”
    “Takes one to know one.”
    I can think of nothing witty to say back at all, so I just pull a face instead. A few minutes later I’m distracted from glaring out of the window by Daisy pulling into a car park. This is different from the beach near the cottage, for a start it is jam packed with cars. Alarm starts to flood through my system. I’m not great with crowded places. I would imagine I am even worse with crowded places full of happy holiday makers enjoying a scorching August day.
    “Uh, is this a busy beach?” I start to stress sweat. I can feel it prickling along my skin.
    Joshua turns towards me his eyes skimming over my face . “Well uh, yeah.”
    “I want to go home.”
    “You can’t. I promised you a lesson. Now we are going to have one.”
    Did he promise? I can’t really remember the word promise being used, and if it was I’m not opposed to a promise being broken.
    I grip the chair with my sweaty hands making my desire to stay in the van clear. “I’m going to be rubbish.” This is not a guess on my behalf. I’m rubbish at most things.
    Joshua leans in towards me which makes me grip the seat tighter in response. He is right in my space when he offers me a slow smile. “Everyone’s rubbish their first time.”
    I hold my breath while I think of something to say, but I come up frustratingly blank. What is he talking about? It sounded teasing, something implied.
    I offer myself a sarcastic laugh and a mental clap on the back. Well done, Bex. Two days in a new town and some twat already thinks you are going to put out to him. Excellent. Oh and even better you have gone to a place that you don’t know your way home from with him. Excellent again.
    Josh watches me for a moment. I would imagine my chagrin at myself is clearly painted across my face.
    He scrunches his own face in confusion. “No one can stand on their board the first time,” he adds, reaching a hand towards me which kind of hovers in the air between us before falling back into his lap. “Or their tenth.”
    “Hm.”
    “Are you chicken, holiday maker? Do I need to take you