Page 73 of Harper's Holiday Romance
“Glamping is a posh form of camping. Less freezing in a sleeping bag and more snuggled by a fire in a wooden shed.”
“Camping, then.”
“Seriously?”
“Glamping sounds like it takes the fun away from camping. I want to wear a beanie because my ears are cold, light a fire with twigs I collected from the forest, and eat s’mores until the burnt marshmallows make my mouth taste like caramelized sugar.”
It sounded like a Julia Hanlow scene from one of my dreams. She’d look good in the wild.
“Whowas your first crush?”
“My mom’s best friend.”
“Who was your last crush?”
“You.” Julia smirked.
I blushed. “You’re sucking up to the game show host—cheater.”
She held up her hands apologetically. “It’s not cheating if it’s true.”
Julia Hanlow had a crush on me.
Me.
“Can I ask you a question now?” she asked.
I nodded. I knocked back a Fanta shot for good measure; I was thirsty.
“How many of these imaginary coins.” She held her hand like she was cupping loose change. “Do I have to use to fuck you in the shower?”
Gulp. I bit my lip because it felt right and because Julia was kissing my neck. Her fingers lifted my chin to the left, my God, I couldn’t control myself. I didn’t think it was possible to be any more aroused.
“I think just the one—”
Julia licked her lips. “Follow me.”
12 hours later
You know the feeling when you go to a theme park and you’re desperate to ride the rollercoaster, so you ride it again and again? You queue for hours on end to experience the thrill, the excitement, the sensation of being completely out of control with nothing but a mechanical harness to hold you in place. You spend a full day screaming from the depths of your soul. You feelweightless, panic, and joy all at the same time. I loved rollercoasters. I loved the feeling of adrenaline pumping through my veins. It’s a feeling I’ve only felt on two occasions, the first was the rollercoaster; the second was now.
In the moment with Julia, I felt truly weightless. I walked back into the bedroom from the balcony. Julia lay on her back, sprawled out in nothing but a pair of tight jersey shorts and a cotton bra top. I objected to her covering her boobs, but it didn’t seem appropriate to answer the door for room service completely naked.
She stared at me; her head propped up with her hand. She looked cosy in the tangled mess of bedsheets, scatter cushions, and the extra pillows from the pillow menu. Julia felt she’d needed more leverage a few hours earlier when trying one or two Kama Sutra moves I was amateurly unaware of. I’d lived a sheltered life, but she didn’t judge me. She made me feel like it was sexy to be vulnerable and cute to be unaware of the moves I probably made my Barbie dolls do when I was ten years old. It was easier with plastic figures. I was a human being with a decent range of flexibility, but some things required acrobatic skill and steady upper body strength, which I didn’t possess.
She was sleepy now. I could see the drowsiness in her eyes. They fluttered slowly, watching my every move, as I attempted to clear away some of the room service trays. She watched me like she didn’t want to miss me, like I might disappear if she closed her eyes. Her mouth produced a soft sigh, somewhere between a yawn and a groan.
Julia dropped her phone off the side of the bed onto the mountain of clothing below.
“I have sent the—I’m sorry I’ve been a little moody on this trip, but I’m coming out of the other side text—to my parents.” She rolled back, removing her shorts in the process. She liked to sleep naked. A fact I learnt quickly and was not at all opposed to.
“And I have sent the—I’m sorry I’ve been a little MIA recently, but I will make it up to you on the next holiday text—to Sarah and Billie.”
I did feel bad. It wasn’t like me to ditch my friends for anyone, but this felt different. I think they realised it too. When I glanced back at my phone, they blew up our group chat with equally supportive and sarcastic replies.
Billie
I would also be MIA if a hot surgeon wanted to
