Toxic by Alice Lingard Read Free Book Online Page B

chest. “Put me down.”
    “It's a dip in the sea for you.”
    “No! Todd! It'll be freezing. I'll die of pneumonia. Put me down! Todd! No!”
    The tide was on its way out. When Todd reached the water's edge, he lowered his arms quickly, and for a moment she thought he was going to do it.”
    “Say 'pretty please',” he said, as he held her just above the water.
    “Never!”
    “In you go then.”
    “Okay, pretty please.”
    “With sugar on it.”
    “What?”
    “Say 'pretty please with sugar on it'.”
    “PRETTY PLEASE WITH FUCKING SUGAR ON IT!”
    “Good girl.” He lowered her to her feet.
    “I'm going to kill you!” She waved her hands frantically trying to get a clear blow to his head.
    “Race you to the rock.” Todd pointed to a small rock which protruded from the sand some hundred meters down the beach.
    “Not fair. I should get a start,” she called after him as she set off in pursuit.
    In another lifetime, Suzy had been her school's top sprinter. She'd even represented the county once. That was a long time ago before she'd discovered booze and boys. She was making ground on him, and was determined to wipe that smug look off his face.
    “Yes!” she screamed, as she shot past him in the last three metres. “Yes!”
    Todd stared at her in total disbelief. “How the hell did you do that?”
    “Whatsup loser?” She grinned. “What do I win?”
    “What do you want?”
    “Beer and lots of it. Chocolate too.”
    “Your wish is my command, madam.”
     
    “You're joking!” Todd said. “None?”
    “Sorry,” the man behind the counter said. “We don't have a liqueur licence.”
    The village shop was tiny, and filled from floor to ceiling with all manner of food and supplies. It had everything—except alcohol.
    “Where can we get some?” Suzy asked. “Is there a pub?”
    “Not in the village. Leumoor is the nearest town.”
    “We just came from there.” Todd said. “Is there anywhere I can hire a car?”
    “Yes.”
    “Where?”
    “Leumoor.”
    “What about a cab?”
    “None around here. There is a bus though.”
    “Great. That'll have to do. When's the next one?”
    “Tomorrow morning at nine-thirty.”
    Todd and Suzy looked at one another.
    “Tell me you have chocolate,” Suzy said.
    “Oh yes. Plenty of chocolate.”
    “How am I going to go all night without a beer?” Todd said.
    “You'll be okay, babes.” Suzy took his arm. “We'll get through this together. Cold turkey.”
     
    They were walking back to the house.
    “You and your stupid steak,” Suzy said, as she swapped the bag from one hand to the other.  It weighs a ton.”
    “No more than your stupid coffee.” Todd had a bag in each hand.
    “How do you expect me to survive without coffee? It's going to be bad enough without beer. Trust me; you wouldn't want to see me come down off caffeine. Anyway, talking about stupid ideas. What about the ice cream?”
    “I like ice cream.”
    “It'll be melted by the time we get back.”
    “I'll drink it then.”
     
     
    **********
     
     
    “That has to be the best meal I've ever eaten,” Todd said.
    “It was only steak and chips.”
    “Still. It was dee-lic-ious. You're going to make someone a fantastic little wifey.”
    Suzy glared at him across the table. “You do realise that there are knives on here. And that they are sharp. Very sharp.”
    “Can't you see yourself as someone's wife?” he asked.
    “Not unless hell freezes over. I've seen what marriage can do. No thanks.”
    “What about Lacey?”
    “What about her?”
    “Is she the marrying type?”
    “It's not something we've ever discussed. What about Rawhide?”
    “Definitely. Wouldn't surprise me if he hasn't asked her already.”
    “Behave yourself. They've only known one another for five minutes.”
    “You'll be bridesmaid. I can just see you now.”
    “Let me guess. You've always had a thing about bridesmaids.”
    “How did you guess?”
     
     
    **********
     
     
    “Why don't we go for a