Page 19 of Staging Love
It was raw, urgent, and filled with a need that neither of them had fully understood until now. It was an unfiltered expression of everything they had been holding back. There was no facade to maintain—just them, giving in to the pull that had been simmering beneath the surface.
When they finally parted, both were breathing heavily. Camilla rested her forehead against Jade's, her eyes closed as she tried to process the intensity of what she'd just experienced.
"Fuck," she whispered, a smile spreading across her face.
Jade chuckled softly. "Yeah…" she agreed.
They sat in silence for a moment, still wrapped in each other's embrace, and Camilla felt as if she were seeing the world through new eyes. Everything seemed sharper, more vibrant, but also dauntinglydifferent.
"So," Jade said eventually, pulling back slightly to meet Camilla's gaze. "What happens now?"
It was a loaded question, one that Camilla didn't have an immediate answer for. Their arrangement was supposed to be temporary, a business transaction with the hope they could continue this and enter into an arranged marriage. A paid marriage. But Jade didn’t know that, and Camilla didn’t want to ruin the moment by telling her the truth. Now, with these new feelings blossoming between them, everything had changed, and she was terrified that truth would ruin everything. No. Not yet. She needed time to figure out how to handle this, how to break it to Jade that she was planning on asking for a paid marriage of convenience eventually.
"I don't know," she admitted. "This is all so new to me. I've never felt this way about anyone before, let alone another woman. It's exciting, but it's also scary."
Jade took Camilla's hand, interlacing their fingers. "Let's not worry about anything now," she said. "We still have a few days left here. Why don't we use that time to explore these feelings, to get to know each other better without the pressure of pretending?"
“I’d like that.” Camilla smiled and decided to push her plan to the background. Everything could wait. For now, she just wanted to be with Jade, and most of all, she wanted more. "I… I want to explore this. Physically. I mean..." She trailed off, feeling the blush creep up her neck again. “I don’t really know what I’m doing, but I’ve been craving it... craving you. And I want to experience more of this with you."
Her confession hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Camilla wished she could take the words back, but then Jade’s lips curled into a slow, teasing smile.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she leaned in and brought her lips to Camilla’s ear. "Well," she said, her voice dropping to a husky murmur. "I can definitely help you with that." Her flirtatious tone made anticipation coil tight in Camilla’s belly as she continued. "Let me show you how good this can feel."
Chapter Fourteen
Camilla pushed her half-eaten dessert away, unable to stomach another bite. Her mind had been elsewhere all evening, barely registering the conversations around her. She looked over at Jade, who was animatedly discussing a movie with Uncle Robert. How was she able to act so normal?
"Are you feeling alright, dear?" Aunt Lara's concerned voice cut through Camilla's distracted thoughts. "You've hardly touched your crème brûlée and you’ve been quiet all night."
Camilla plastered on a smile and shrugged. "Actually, I have a headache. I think I might turn in early, if you all don't mind."
A chorus of sympathetic murmurs arose from around the table. Aunt Lara reached into her purse. "I have some Advil, sweetheart. Here, take these with you."
"Thank you," Camilla said, accepting the pills. She stood, her chair scraping against the hardwood floor. "I'm sorry to be such poor company tonight. I'm sure I'll feel better after some rest."
Jade looked up, her brow furrowed with convincing concern. "Do you want me to come with you, honey? Make sure you're comfortable?"
Camilla nodded, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you."
As they made their excuses and said their goodnights, Camilla could feel Theresa's shrewd gaze following them. She quickened her pace, eager to escape the dining room and her cousin's piercing scrutiny.
The journey up the stairs felt interminable, and Camilla was acutely aware of Jade's presence behind her, the soft sound of her footsteps, the faint scent of her perfume. Her skin tingled with anticipation, her mind racing with possibilities of what might happen once they were alone.
Camilla's hand trembled slightly as she turned the doorknob, and as soon as they were inside, with the door safely closed behind them, the energy in the room shifted palpably.
Jade leaned against the door, her eyes dark with desire. "Finally," she murmured.
Camilla's breath caught in her throat as she took a step closer to Jade. "I could barely focus on anything they were saying. All I could think about was... this."
Jade reached out, her fingers ghosting along Camilla's jawline. "Are you sure?" she asked.
Instead of answering, Camilla closed the distance between them, capturing Jade's lips in a searing kiss. All the pent-up longing and desire she'd been suppressing throughout dinner poured into that kiss. Jade responded eagerly, her hands tangling in Camilla's hair as she deepened the kiss.
They stumbled backwards, not breaking contact, untilthe backs of Camilla's knees hit the edge of the bed. She sat down, pulling Jade with her. Jade straddled her lap, her fingers working to unbutton Camilla's blouse as they kissed.
"Is this okay?"
"Yes, I want this,” Camilla whispered.
