Page 68 of Harper's Holiday Romance
“Thank you,” I mumbled against her lips.
“For what?”
“For being here.”
“Well, you have my ex to thank for that.” Julia smirked. I hit her arm playfully. She planted one more quick kiss on my lips before jumping to her feet.
“Shall we go? We’ve got an afternoon in the spa to attend.”
The entrance to the spa set the mood. A wooden bridge stretched over a shallow pool. The giant sign on the wall behind reception read:
Imagine tranquillity.
Imagine serenity.
Imagine the ultimate relaxation.
Imagine it all with a woman who makes your heart dance and your vagina flutter.
Okay, so the fourth line wasn’t part of the script. However, it was part of my script. We were directed to a set of lockers and provided soft white robes—much to my delight—as well as some hotel branded flip-flops. At the age of twenty-four I left robe-less hotels behind me. The changing facilities were as chic and stunningly decorated as the rest of the hotel. There were rows of vanity mirrors, plush green chairs, marble countertopwash basins, and a selection of complimentary beauty products at each station. The natural elegance and authenticity of the hotel continued to amaze me.
We were given a soothing herbal tea and directed to the meditative relaxation room. The room was dark upon entering. Another lady whose experience I’d clearly disturbed kindly guided me with the torch on her mobile phone. I fumbled my way to the other side where I found the podlike cushioned seating.
I struggled with being still. I struggled to listen to soft music and look up at the pretend stars on the ceiling without wanting to talk. It didn’t help that I could feel Julia beside me breathing slowly and completely still. She probably didn’t need to share the same pod as me, but she had, and my stomach did a small celebratory somersault in celebration.
At this stage every single thing she did aroused me. We were in such close proximity I could’ve touched her. I could’ve slipped my hand inside her robe, removed her bikini top, and played with her nipples until they hardened, but I didn’t. I played a confident alpha role in my mind at times. In reality, I’d never come close to being alpha. I’d also never come close to having sex in a public place; that scared me half to death. I found it too hard to concentrate towards the end.
Next, we enjoyed the hydrotherapy circuit. The circuit comprised of ten minutes in the hot sauna, ten minutes in the steam room, five minutes in the plunge pool, and five minutes in the jacuzzi, followed by a few minutes feeling the benefit of the different pulsating jets targeting the feet, neck, and shoulders. The circuit was communal, but the spa was quiet, so we found ourselves alone to conversethroughout most of it.
My travelling had never taken me as far as Bali, but I’d seen TikTok videos of the world’s most beautiful places, and Bali was always included. The spa’s essence, jungle vibes, and raw wooden elements, were what I imagined Bali would look and feel like.
We were guided to a double treatment room with a massage area and private plunge pool. We both opted to upgrade the free massage to a one-hour full body. I stripped naked; the only thing separating me from the masseuse was the towel covering my bum; that made me feel awkward. I’d somehow managed to go through my whole adult life without receiving a massage, unless I was to count the neck and shoulders massage Billie gave me once, or the metal scalp scratcher I bought from the market in Blackpool.
I glanced at Julia who mouthed the word, “relax” for the third time since we entered the room. She was propped up on her front, just the right amount of side boob visible. I scanned the length of her back, admiring the curve at the bottom of her spine before her body arched upwards. She had a small beauty spot on the right side of her torso where her bra strap used to be and a small dimple on her hip. I buried my head in the face cradle. I glanced to my left and watched the young Mexican woman pour massage oil down the centre of Julia’s back.
Instant arousal.
I squeezed my thighs tightly shut. The sensation had me clutching the edges of the table. Julia had no idea just observing her body and thinking about all the things she could do with it had me reeling. I allowed the calming music to take me away, propelling me into a deep state of relaxation.
The chime of a bell indicated the hour was up. The masseuse explained that my lymphatic system had been moved, so I may feel light-headed. I was assured it was totally normal. We were promptly left alone to change.
“How was that?” Julia asked.
“Incredible.” I swung my legs off the edge of the table, tightly wrapping the towel around my breasts. “Thank you for arranging this; today has been amazing.”
“It doesn’t have to end here.” Julia stood up and closed the gap between our beds. She slid her way in between my legs. I attempted to cover my modesty with the towel whilst allowing her to squeeze between my now throbbing nether region.
“Oh really?” I swallowed. “And what would you suggest we do?”
Julia softly traced the length of my collarbone with the outside of her fingertips. She nudged my chin higher creating the space to swoop in. Her lips barely touched the area beneath my earlobe, and I had to intercept the moan about to burst from my lips.
“I can think of a thing or two,” Julia mumbled.
My head rolled back; her tongue traced my jawline. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to undo the knot in her towel and watch it drop to the floor, revealing her body to me slowly, but there was a time and a place.
“The masseuse will be back any minute,” I said with no conviction.
“Do you want me to stop?” Julia teased. She ran her fingers up the inside of my leg. I tightened my legs, gripping her fingers between my thighs.
