“He was cute and all, but it was so awkward.” Anja let out a laugh that sounded nervous. “Neither of us had any idea how to kiss. One of my best friends volunteered to teach me, and kissing her was…oh wow. It was pretty confusing because I knew I liked boys too.”

“And you never suspected you might be bisexual before that?”

“No. I mean, I had crushes on a girl or two, but I thought they were just straight girl crushes. I thought everyone felt that way. Until Nicole kissed me.”

Despite the cold wind, Susanne felt warm all over. Maybe the height was getting to her too, or maybe it was the mention of a kiss, but Susanne couldn’t look away from Anja’s lips.

They trembled just the tiniest bit.

“Are you still scared?” Susanne asked, her voice low.

“No. Yes.”

“Which one?”

“I…I’m scared…and a little cold,” Anja said.

Susanne moved even closer to provide some warmth and comfort.

Anja gripped her coat again, this time bunching her fingers into the fabric at Susanne’s hips.

They stared into each other’s eyes. Susanne’s gaze darted down to Anja’s mouth, which seemed to be coming closer and closer until Susanne could feel her warm breath on her lips.

This is wrong. So wrong. Oh God. Her eyes fluttered shut.

A pounding noise made Anja jerk away at the last moment.

Susanne’s eyes flew open. She needed a second to realize it wasn’t her thumping heartbeat but another person tramping up the stairs.

He paused halfway up and shaded his eyes with his hand. “Are you coming down?”

That was exactly how Susanne felt—like a drug addict coming down from a high, crashing back into reality. She wasn’t sure her vocal cords would work, so she just nodded.

Without saying anything, they squeezed past him, went back down to the platform, and then kept going as if by a silent agreement.

“Are you okay?” Susanne asked after a few steps. Then she realized that Anja might interpret it as an invitation to talk about that near kiss, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that. “I mean, with your fear of heights, going down is probably not any easier. If you need to hold on to me…” She held out her hand.

Anja visibly hesitated. “Not a good idea.”

“Holding my hand? Or…?” Susanne pointed toward the crow’s nest.

“The latter…both… I don’t know.”

They paused on the second platform, which was thankfully empty except for them.

Susanne ran her hand through her wind-ruffled hair. “You’re right. I mean, we both know I’m not staying, and we’re starting to work really well together. It would be madness to risk that for a fling that can’t go anywhere…right?”

“Uh, right.”

Had there been a flash of regret in Anja’s eyes?