The Director's Cut by Js Taylor (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📕

“Really?” He pulls me a little closer against his body. “This might be the happiest I’ve been.”

His eyes fix on mine, letting me know I’m part of the reason. And I grin back at him. We’re lost in straight-out beaming at one another, for a second.

“I’ve only got you to myself for another hour or so,” says James. “Let’s do something a normal couple would do.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

He grins. “I honestly have no idea. I’ve never been in a normal couple.”

“That makes two of us,” I admit.

James steers me around in a full 360 turn and begins walking me away from the seafront. “Actually, I don’t want us to be normal,” he says. “But I’ll settle for happy. I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“There’s a famous park a few blocks north of the city. We can leave the car here and have a walk around it.”

“Sounds very normal,” I say approvingly. “I accept.”

“Not quite,” he admits, “It’s a Gaudi park. Gaudi the artist. There’s a lot of interesting sculptures and art.”

“Oh Mr Berkeley,” I tease, “of course it’s not just an ordinary park. I wouldn’t expect anything less of you.”

The entrance to the park is like a themed tribute to quirkiness. Two giant Hansel and Gretel style buildings sit on either side of the entrance, complete with white terracotta roofs which look like icing. Up ahead, I can see two huge curving sets of steps lined with colourful tiled murals on either side.

“It’s amazing,” I say to James, taking it all in. It’s quite the oddest and most interesting park I’ve ever seen.

With the bright blue sky overhead, the park entrance has a surreal feel. As though we’ve stumbled into a Spanish version of paradise.

“Do you like it?” asks James, steering me through the entrance.

“I love it,” I admit. “It’s almost too much. But not quite.”

“Sounds like a girl I know,” says James, echoing his words from one of our first dates, after he rescued me in Camden.

I laugh and lean in closer.

“It feels like so long ago,” I say, “when you first said that to me.”

“I haven’t changed my mind,” says James, raising an eyebrow. “If anything, you’re careening towards the right side of too much.”

I laugh again and let my gaze wander up the winding curved stairs ahead, to the riot of greenery at the top.

With my arm looped through James’s, this feels like heaven. I close my eyes for a moment, not wanting the feeling to end.

James turns me on his arm and tilts my chin so I’m gazing into his eyes.

“Happy?”

“Did my great big grin give me away?”

He laughs and gently kisses my mouth.

“I’m so grateful,” I say, “for you flying Lorna out here. You didn’t have to do that. It was amazing.”

“Good,” he says. “I know I didn’t have to do it, Issy. But I’m glad I did.”

“Was it expensive?”

He frowns a little. “I would have flown her out here a thousand times over,” he says, “just to see the look on your face.”

“Oh Mr Berkeley!” I laugh. “You say the nicest things.”

“It’s true,” he says. “Seeing you so happy. It felt like a privilege that my actions could do that.”

He looks down suddenly, and I sense it’s time to change the subject.

Oh James. Your demons again?

I remember what James said when the stalker was loose. That he fears everyone he cares about gets hurt. And I still don’t know what painful part of his past caused that.

But James also said he felt he could protect me, after the stalker was caught.

Are his insecurities coming back to haunt him?

“Hey,” I say, an idea forming as I spot a mosaic temple construction at the top of the steps. “How about a little bet?”

“Oh yes?” He releases me a little from his arms, his eyebrows raised in amusement. I feel the dark shadow of his mood slip away.

“If you lose,” I continue slowly, “I get to do whatever I like with you, this evening.”

I see his breathing tighten.

“And if I win?” His voice has thickened.

I pause, letting the words sink in.

“You get to do whatever you like with me.”

“Whatever I like?”

“Yes.”

He grins wickedly. “I’m looking forward to this evening already.”

“You have to win the bet first,” I remind him.

“What are your terms?” he says, his voice filled with mock gravity. But his eyes are deadly serious.

I turn my head slightly, taking in the view from the top. And then I back away from him, slowly.

“See the summit?”

“Yes.”

I smile at him, backing away further, and then I turn and run.

“First one to the top!” I shout over my shoulder. And then I race full pelt for the top of the steps.

I hit the first few steps at speed, weaving in and out of the day trippers and tourists. The steps are just narrow enough for me to take them two at a time.

I know I’ve got a great lead, and it’s only when I’m halfway up that I risk a quick look behind me. It’s then I realise that James is faster than I gave him credit for.

Damn. He’s closed a lot of the distance already. I dig in and keep my pace. I have good cardio from all my time in the dance studio, so I know I can beat him.

Close but no cigar, Mr Berkeley. I’m a fast runner.

I’m all but grinning to myself at the thought of it as I power up the steps. I can’t wait to see his face when he loses.

I’m still taking the approach two at a time, steaming past the baffled tourists who are meandering up at their own pace.

He must be closing in now, but my lead is too good. I let my breathing deepen, panting as I take the last few steps. I’m only a couple of strides from victory.

And then suddenly, James is ahead of me, bounding up the last part of the stairs. He grabs me full by the waist as I get within one step of the top and spins me